Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed now that summer is over? If you are, you are definitely not alone. This is when you head back to work, kids go back to school, and productivity increases. You might be stressed about changing your schedule, focusing on your routine, or even the holidays which are coming up fast. Luckily, there are some easy ways to reduce stress in the fall season.

Declutter Everything | Reduce Stress and Enjoy Your Autumn

Think of the fall season as the second spring of the year, and use this as an opportunity to declutter your home. Take a little time to clean your home and really declutter your workspace, bedrooms, and living areas. Clutter can create a chaotic and stress-induced mindset, which is the last thing you want.

Switch Up Your Daily Routine

If you want less stress during this season, it helps to refocus your daily routine and make some changes appropriate for the time of year. You already have daily routines, whether you realize it or not. This includes the same things you tend to do at certain times of the day. You can make small adjustments that really reduce your stress, such as waking up 20 minutes early to write in your journal before getting ready for the day, or adding in a little extra reading time with your kids before their bedtime.

Exercise with the Family

You probably know all the great benefits of exercising, from helping to manage your weight and give you more energy, to boosting your mood and helping you become more fit. But there is no reason to exercise along; in fact, getting the family involved can help reduce everyone’s stress in the fall.

This can be riding your bikes at a nearby park, spending a Saturday going on a hike, or staying in to have a dance party on a rainy day.

Plan Some Fun Activities | Reduce Stress and Enjoy Your Autumn

This fall season, you can lower your stress by planning some fun activities for the family or friends, but make sure they focus more on relaxation. Instead of trying to fill your schedule with as much as possible that requires a lot of effort, think about fun and relaxing activities like going apple picking, enjoying a local fall festival with your family, or having a girl’s night with friends.

Start Using a Daily Planner

Now is a great time to look at your goals and tasks, and make a schedule that shows exactly what to do and when. How does this help with your stress? It can keep you from getting too overwhelmed, and actually see that you can get all your tasks completed in a reasonable amount of time, without feeling like you are going non-stop.

Get a daily planner you love, that hopefully includes different layouts, like daily, weekly, and monthly calendar pages. This allows you to fill out your schedule, create to-do lists, and see what you have going on each day and week.

Need more info on how to reduce stress this autumn, call us today.

In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, it is not uncommon to feel stressed. Sometimes we don’t always recognize it creeping up on us. This blog post will give you some signs that stress may be taking over your life. We hope this article helps you see these stressors before you begin to feel overwhelmed.

Stress can take many forms: being overwhelmed by everyday tasks or worries about work, school or family issues. It could also mean worrying about things like money problems, health concerns or relationship troubles. If any of these are happening in your life right now, don’t panic! We can help you!

The first step to managing stress is to see the signs before you are completely overwhelmed. We are all different and what triggers one person may not in another and that is OK! Once you know what the triggers are, you can work to avoid them or better deal with them. How do you know if someone is stressed? Here are some signs to watch out for.

1) Change in Sleep Patterns

Sleep has many different functions, such as restoring energy and improving moods. However when we are under pressure it becomes difficult for our brains to “turn off”. This leads us into staying up later than usual, waking throughout the night or getting up earlier than we ought.

2) Difficulty Concentrating

It’s important to be aware of signs your child or teen may be getting stressed, but these can apply to anyone. One way you can recognize this is by looking at their ability to concentrate. Inability to focus could indicate they have too much on their minds. This may flow over in other ways such as mood swings or poor school performance.

“It can be hard to concentrate when you’re feeling stressed. All your thoughts are racing and it feels impossible to focus on anything in particular. Your mind may wander from one thought to another, or you may find yourself unable to remember things that should be easy.”

“Stress doesn’t just affect how we feel, but also has an impact on our cognitive abilities. When we’re feeling stressed, our cognitive functions such as attention span and memory suffer because the brain’s prefrontal cortex is too overwhelmed by stress hormones like cortisol.”

3) Change in Mood

The stress that we experience can negatively influence our mood. Changes in mood are a reaction to the pressures faced daily. You often see this manifest in outbursts of frustration or anger. They could also be an indicator of an underlying problem that needs attention. Mood changes often overlap with unhealthy eating habits, manifesting in things like headaches and stomach issues.

4) Changes in Appetite – Either Increased or Decreased

It is normal for people to experience changes in appetite when they are stressed or experiencing other mental health issues. Some may have an increased appetite while others could see a decrease in their appetite. Triggers may include feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities at work, home, school and more; feeling disconnected from friends, family members or loved ones; struggling with body image issues; having unmet needs such as lack of sleep; feelings of not being heard or respected enough among other things. These changes can happen unexpectedly so it is important to take notice of any sudden change in your own eating habits.

5) Loss of Interest in Hobbies or Activities you used to Enjoy

Loss of interest in hobbies or activities you used to enjoy can be a difficult and confusing time for both the person experiencing the loss and those who care about them. Understanding what might cause this sudden change in behaviour is key to getting help and moving on. This is a common indicator of depression and should not be taken too lightly. It may be that one has simply taken on too much and may need to re-evaluate their daily schedule.

It’s important to know if you or your loved one has had any recent life changes affecting their ability to participate in hobbies they once enjoyed. Has there been a change in responsibilities at work or school, relationship problems, financial difficulties or health issues? If there are no life changes it may be worth checking out other reasons for the change like depression.

6) Feeling Restless and Agitated

Feeling restless, including a sense of dread about the future as sign of stress is not uncommon in today’s society. Stress is a major issue for many people, and it can lead to feelings of unrest that may be difficult to shake. These feelings can include a sense of dread about the future or an unwillingness to participate in everyday activities. It’s important not only to identify these symptoms, but also take steps toward reducing stress so it doesn’t get out of control and affect your life.

The signs of stress are different for everyone, but there are some commonalities. If you recognize any of these 6 signs of stress in yourself or someone you know, its likely your body needs to be relieved of excess pressure. If making these changes on your own seems too much, we are here to help. Call today or schedule an appointment!

Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

3 reasons why your teen should drink water will be discuss in this blog. Drinking water is an important healthy habit for teens because drinking water is essential to a healthy body. It helps maintain a balance of minerals and fluids in the cells, aids digestion, transports nutrients, and maintains skin moisture. Drinking water is a healthy habit for teens because it keeps teens energized by replenishing your energy stores with oxygen-rich H2O. Likewise, the average teen drinks about 1.5 liters of water per day, which is less than adults. As teens go through puberty and grow their metabolism increases so they should drink more water to stay healthy and hydrated. Not only that, but drinking plenty of water can help prevent headaches and migraines. As well as, helps maintain a healthy weight, prevents constipation, kidney stones, diabetes and other illnesses. The best way to stay hydrated is through drinking plenty of clean glassfuls throughout the day; not just when you’re thirsty or it’s hot outside.

This blog will discuss 3 reasons why your teen should drink water

1) Weight Management

One reason your teen should drink water is because can help with weight loss by suppressing your appetite – Drinking plenty of water aids in digestion and metabolism, which leads to less food intake and more calories burning. The body needs water for digestion and metabolism. But with so many delicious beverages out there that are high in sugar and calories, it’s easy for teens to get caught up in the hype of these other options. More so, water has zero calories! It’s also free and easily available – all you need is a tap or bottle! The best part is that by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, you’ll actually suppress your appetite because your brain will think that you’ve had more food than you really have!

2) Flushes Toxins

One reason your teen should drink water is because it can help with flushing toxins of the body. The liver is the most important organ in your body, but it can’t function properly without enough fluids. More so, your organs will work more efficiently to remove waste products from your system.  When you drink less than eight glasses of water every day, toxins build up and may even cause damage to this vital part of your health! This is especially important for teens that are constantly growing and developing new cells- they need lots of fluids to help clean up old cells so their bodies can keep going strong!

3) Reduce Acne

One reason your teen should drink water is because it can help with preventing acne on the body. Drinking water prevents acne because acne develops when pores clog up with oil, dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells. There is a common misconception that drinking water can worsen acne breakouts, but it’s actually the opposite. Drinking plenty of water can help clear up acne and prevent future breakouts from occurring.  Research shows that an increase in fluids may reduce stress hormones which are known to aggravate symptoms of acne. It also helps flush out toxins through sweat glands and urination. It’s important for people with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis to drink more water because their skin may be dryer than average due to a reduction in oil production caused by these diseases. 

I call my blog post “3 Reasons why your teen should drink water” because it has three important benefits for teens. Drinking plenty of water can help with weight loss, prevent acne and flush toxins from the body. What are some other reasons that drinking water is good? Comment below!

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Healthy habits for teens are important to develop because the teen years are a time for growth and exploration. From school to extracurricular activities, it’s hard to find time for the things they need most like sleep and healthy eating habits. And as such, the demands on their bodies often lead them to make unhealthy choices that can have long-term consequences. But with a little bit of guidance and education, parents can help their teenagers develop healthy habits that will last them well into adulthood. These four habits not only provide benefits for teens but they also reduce stress levels which can affect moods and grades! Start today by implementing these simple steps into your daily routine and see how much healthier, happier, and more productive your child becomes!

1) Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables

Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is a healthy habit for teens. Just like a teen’s brain and body, their gut is a developing system that needs to be nurtured. Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is important for teens. Fruits provide the body with carbohydrates for energy while veggies offer vitamins that strengthen bones among other benefits. This is because they contain many nutrients that are essential for your health, such as fibre, potassium, vitamin C, and folate (vitamin B9). Fruits and vegetables also provide antioxidants which protect cells from damage. Eating a variety of colours provides you with the most benefits.

2) Exercise Regularly

The importance of a teen exercising regularly as a healthy habit cannot be overstated. Teens are constantly bombarded with messages from friends and family about what to eat and how to stay fit. It can be hard to know where to start or who is telling the truth! Luckily, there are many resources available for you that will help you get started on your fitness journey. Exercise helps reduce stress levels by releasing endorphins into the body which makes us feel good. This is especially helpful during stressful times like exams or breakups when we may not be eating well or sleeping enough! Exercise also releases serotonin which boosts moods while reducing anxiety levels. Regular exercise has been shown time and again as an effective treatment option for depression because it increases energy levels while decreasing feelings of sadness or hopelessness. In fact, studies show that regular physical activity can alleviate symptoms of depression just as much as antidepressants do without any side effects! Physical activity improves sleep quality by helping regulate hormone production throughout the day (i.e., cortisol).

3) Less Time on Screen

With the introduction of technology, a lot of teens are spending more time on their screens than they do in front-of-a mirror. Some parents believe that this is hurting both physical and mental health as well as social skills. Avoid sitting at the table while watching TV or playing on Social Media: This may keep you in “mindless mode” which means that when it comes time for dinner, all you’ll want is something simple like fast-food instead of working towards cooking an actual meal.

4) Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is one of the most important healthy habits for teens. Sleep is important for your health and well-being. It helps you stay alert, improves your mood, and can even help prevent obesity. But it’s not always easy to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night. A lack of sleep can lead to health problems, such as obesity and diabetes. It also affects your grades in school and moods. Get Enough Sleep will help you get a better night’s rest so you can be more productive during the day!

We hope these four tips will help you get your teen to start their day off on the right foot. If they’re struggling with grades, moods, or stress levels. Then, make sure your teens are eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables; exercising regularly. As well as, limiting screen time so it doesn’t interfere with homework or socializing; and getting enough sleep. It may seem like a lot but each one is simple to do! Contact us, if you have any questions about how we can support your family’s needs.

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Healthy eating habits for teens are very vital as they are at a crucial stage in their life.

The teenage years can be a difficult time for teens and their parents. Teens are going through so many changes physically, mentally and socially. One of the most important things to remember is that teens need healthy food choices in order to help them grow strong, physically and mentally. They are transitioning from childhood to adulthood; they need more guidance than ever about how to make the best decisions for themselves. It’s important that for parents/caregivers to start by letting your teens know that it’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be perfect, and help them build good habits early on so as to avoid dealing with these issues later.

Following these three tips, your teen will be one step closer to becoming an independent adult who knows how to take care of themselves well.

1) Eat Breakfast

Eating breakfast is the best way to start the day for teens. The first meal of the day should be nutritious and filling, giving you energy for your morning activities. In fact, research has shown that eating high-quality proteins at breakfast leads to better cognitive functioning in children by lunchtime! More so, adding fresh fruits with breakfast like watermelon or bananas provide high levels of energy. In addition, when eaten first thing in the morning which will prepare kids’ brains for learning throughout their day at school! Plus it helps cut down on sugar cravings later during the course of their busy schedules.

2) Drink Water

Drinking water is important for teens because are at risk for dehydration, which is a serious condition. The importance of a teen drinking water daily can’t be stressed enough. Drinking the recommended amount of eight 8 ounce glasses per day will keep your body hydrated, which is important for maintaining good health. Dehydration may make you feel tired and lightheaded because it impacts concentration levels and causes headaches. As well, it slows metabolism! It is important for Teens to stay properly hydrated because helps prevent kidney stones which is pass through your urinary system. This also reduces pain associated with passing small amounts urine frequently without noticing too much discomfort.

3) Limit your intake of sugar and processed foods

Teens limiting your intake of sugar and processed foods is important and healthy. Processed food can lead to a lot more weight gain than natural, unprocessed foods because they typically have high levels of calories from fat or refined carbs with little nutritional value. As teens grow up, it becomes harder and even scarier for some people (especially those who are predisposed) to maintain the same body type that they had in high school due to hormonal changes caused by puberty; this makes dieting an important factor into maintaining your ideal self-image.

The challenge of getting your teen to eat healthy can seem daunting and overwhelming. It’s important that you start by letting them know that it’s okay not to be perfect. Help them build good habits early on so they don’t have to deal with these issues later in life. If you need more guidance in teaching a teenager about living healthier, please contact me for an appointment or consultation.

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

We firmly believe that the importance of good nutrition in the development of children and teens cannot be overstated! Numerous studies have shown that the dietary habits of children and teens can affect their physical growth, cognitive development, and mental well-being. Nutrition is a crucial part of childhood development for both child and adults. Read on to learn more about how what you feed your children or teen impacts their lives now and in the future.

The role of nutrition in the development of children and teens remains important because nutrition is a process where the body uses nutrient to sustain life. More so, our body uses the nutrient to keep it healthy as we learnt from our series on my child their nutrition.

Nutrition Needed For Development of Children and Teens

The nutritional needs for development of children and teens are very different from those of adults. As such, it can be hard for parent and caregiver to know how much food a child should eat, what types of food they need, and when they need it. This is especially true with the growth spurts that come between ages 1-5 for kids and again at age 11-14 for teens. On top of these growth spurts we have all sorts of school sports, extracurricular activities, homework assignments and more demanding schedules to deal with!

The problem many parents face is that it can be difficult for them to know what those nutritional needs are and how best to meet them. This blog series, will help you gain better understanding the role nutrition plays in your child’s development.

By staying connected and reading this blog post and series, you’ll learn about some common questions related to childhood nutrition including why kids need certain nutrients at different stages of life. How much protein or vitamins kids require and whether supplements are necessary; and how diet impacts behaviour and cognitive development.

Nutrients That Are Important

There are different types of nutrients that are important to a growing children and teens development. Although, there has been increased awareness about the importance of a healthy diet for children and teens, it is still difficult to find information that is both practical and easy to understand. Many parents are still uncertain about what constitutes a balanced diet for their child or how much food they should be eating at different ages.

In this blog series, we aim to provide answers to the common questions by exploring various aspects of childhood nutrition. Topics such as types of nutrients that are important in developing children; recommended daily intakes (RDIs) for energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing various mental, behavioural, and emotional challenges.

Dealing with tantrum is a concern for most parents/caregivers. In our first in this blog series we met our guest, Moyin Adefisayo who is currently a graduate student of the Masters of Art in counselling psychology program at Yorkville University. She works with the Vancouver School Board as a Student Support Staff (Urgent Intervention Process Team). Moyin provides behavioural plans to educators (K-12) and works with the child in developing coping strategies to managing their emotions and/or behaviours.

We learned that everyone has behaviour and behaviours are signals. They communicate and also have a function and as such, it is very important to know and understand what these are to support your child or teen.

In this second part of three we look at tantrums; how they may differ and how to handle them.

What is a Tantrum?

Like we mentioned in the last blog everyone has behaviour. Tantrum is a way children and youth express frustration, stress, or anger. Keep in mind that they do not make a conscious plan to embarrass you. Rather, a tantrum could happen as a result of learned behaviour or as a result of stress. Tantrum is a functional behaviour and if you understand what the function of that tantrum is then you will know how to respond. Some tantrums could be manipulative or stressed related.

Manipulative Tantrum

Manipulative tantrum is when your child uses the learned behaviour (tantrum) to get something from you (ha-ha). Children are really smart and at a young age they already know how to get something or gain control over you. When your child knows what to expect and what is expected from them the tendency to use manipulative tantrum will be reduced. This is where being consistent is key.

Stress Tantrum

Stress tantrum could be as a result of your child feeling stressed or a build up of stress that results in the unwanted behaviour. It could also be as a result to emotional response which could include anger, frustration, sadness, and so on. Remember, behaviours are signals! The parent or caregiver needs to discern if the tantrum is stressed related. Then, they must be in tuned with his or her child to know what that behaviour is communicating.

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing various mental, behavioural, and emotional challenges. I am passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, develop skills to overcome challenges, and bravely navigate the world around them.

My child, their behaviour sounds common in many homes today. As a mental health counsellor, one common question I get from parents and caregivers is how do I deal with my child’s behaviours or tantrums? How do I respond to my child’s behaviour? Why is time out not working for my child? Why does my child meltdown a lot? What do I do to handle my child’s outbursts, as I am exhausted?

In this 3 week blog series we have a guest speaker who will joining us as we look into and discuss the topic of my child, their behaviour.

Meet Our Guest

Moyin Adefisayo is currently a graduate student of the Masters of Art in counselling psychology program at Yorkville University. She works with the Vancouver School Board as a Student Support Staff (Urgent Intervention Process Team). Moyin provides behavioural plans to educators (K-12) and works with the child in developing coping strategies to managing their emotions and/or behaviours. Referral into the urgent intervention process team is through the Vancouver School Board and the length of interventions for each child range from 1-4 weeks.

What is Behaviour?

Behaviour is simply the way people handle or conduct themselves. These ways or conduct could involve their functioning, reactions, and actions in response to their daily functioning or everyday living. It is safe to say everyone has a behaviour and this behaviour, especially in children, serves a purpose! It can be either functional or communicative.

Behaviour as a Function in My Child, Their Behaviour

It is important to know and understand what purpose the behaviour serves in order to effectively decrease the undesired behaviour and replace it with a desired behaviour. When the function of the behaviour is known that is easy to understand what your child is trying to communicate.

Behaviour as Communicative in My Child, Their Behaviour

Behaviour as communicative in my child is important to know. When parents understand what the purpose of a behaviour is and what it’s trying to communicate they are better equipped to handle the situation.

Tips on How to Handle My Child, Their Behaviour

• Be in tune with your child
• Establish good rapport
• Have Clear Expectation
• Offer Choices
• Follow Through
• Be Consistent

Parents and caregivers need to remember that behaviour is a signal and as such it is important to know and understand what is the need? What is my child trying to communicate and what is the function? I hope you found this blog helpful. Share with others you know may need this info and do not forget to follow us on all our social media.

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing various mental, behavioural, and emotional challenges. I am passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, develop skills to overcome challenges, and bravely navigate the world around them.

Supporting teen with anxiety during Covid-19 has been stressful for stressful. How do I support my teen with anxiety during this Covid-19, has been a huge stressors in parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers are so stressed because during this pandemic is really difficult for them to support their teen with anxiety.

I have heard teens tell me I just want Covid-19 to go away, and my anxiety will go as well. Teens have said to me, I do not want the school to be shut down again as I don’t want to be alone at home without connecting with my friends. Teens have also said when school goes remote I struggle because I do not have any motivation to learn.

This is the new reality that the world leaves in right now. One day is we are free to connect with family and friends and the next day is you cannot visit friends and families; it leads to anxiety because teens do not know what to expect. Research indicates that the rate of anxiety in teens have increased during this Covid-19.

How do I support my teen with anxiety during this Covid-19 is a common question among parents and caregivers.

1) Limit Worry Activities

You know that teens with anxiety are prone to worry a lot and as a parent or caregiver limiting those worry activities or exposures are important in supporting teens with anxiety during this Covis-19. Some ways to support your teen to limit worry activities with anxiety during Covid-19;

• Limit their exposure to media that focus so much on the negative outcomes especially when you know your teen worries a lot. Limiting media will include you as a parent or caregiver been intentional around your teen to limit media exposure.
• Ask your teen what the know or if they have any question that is causing them to worry a lot and use that opportunity answer their questions in an age appropriate way. Please parents avoid details answers that can cause more worries in your teen.
• Validate their feelings, emotions, and thoughts around the situation. Do not be in a hurry to dismiss their feels or worries, be patient and explore and validate your teen. (read more on this topic here).

2) Keep Routine “Normal”

Keep the routine normal and consistent to support teen with anxiety during Covid-19 as it helps teens feel safe, develop life skills, cope with the situation, and build healthy habits. Routine could include bedtime, physical activities, spiritual activities, connecting with loved ones (friends, families, teacher, religious leader etc., through video chat or phone call), schoolwork, appointments, medical professional, and fun with family. Keeping routine normal and consistent in supporting teens with anxiety during Covid-19 can help reduce stress, worry, and anxiety.

3) Connect with Your Supports

Connecting with your supports in other to support your teen with Anxiety during Covid-19 is very important. For a lot of people that support could include;

• Professional Supports. Professional supports could include your family doctor, mental health professional, or school counsellor.
• Spiritual Supports. Spiritual supports could include your pastor, church, and so on.
• Community Supports. The Community supports could include groups in the communities, online group, and so on.

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents through various mental, emotional, and behavioural challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she developed tools so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them. Bliss Counselling and Wellness Centre helps you find your bliss.

Teen Suicide can be preventable if the risk factors, warning signs, and steps to protect your teen are known. Is your teen at risk for suicide? Are you worried and overwhelmed about your teen or anyone else? Then have that sincere conversation with your teen or reach out to professional in your community. Brandon here has a lot of resources that you can reach out to.

What Makes a Teen Vulnerable for Suicide?

Hmm, with all the changes happening in your teen at this stage of their lives, there are a lot of things that can make a teen vulnerable for suicide. Mental health conditions such as poor coping with the daily stressors of being a teen, relationship issues, rejection, family issues, failure, and breakup are something that can make teen vulnerable as they do not see the bigger picture and just thinking of a permanent response.

What Makes a Teen at Risk for Suicide?

As mentioned above, a teen can be at risk for suicide because of the circumstance in their life. Things that could increase the risk of suicide for teen includes;

• Teen who have mental health disorder such as depression and alcohol and drug use may be at risk for suicide.
• Teens that are feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that is associated with depression may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen that are been bullied may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen that has the history of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen has attempted suicide in the past.
• Teen who struggles with gender identity and/or sexuality orientation with no supportive family or community may be at risk for suicide.
• Teens with family history of depression and suicide may be at risk for suicide.
• Teen who lack support networks, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation may be at risk for suicide.

What are Warning Signs that Your Teen is Suicidal?

Some warning signs that your teen is suicidal may include;

• Teen is talking about suicide or writing suicidal note of not wanting to be around anymore.
• Teen is talking about feeling hopelessness and trapped in a situation.
• Teen is withdrawing from family or friends.
• Teen has loss their desire to favorites things they had loved doing before
• Teen has increased their alcohol or drug used.
• Teen giving their possession or belongings away.
• Changes in teen’s sleeping and eating habit
• Changes in teen’s mood
• Teen engages in self-destructive behaviour

What Can I do As a Parent or Caregiver?

• Watch and Listen to what your teen is saying. Do not assume you know what your teen is saying. Listen, be patient, and observe what your teen is saying and not saying.
• Ask your teen questions. Use open-ended question instead of using closed-ended question that results in a ‘yes or no’
• Ask for Help. Reach out to family, religious leader, friends, your family doctor, or a mental health professional for help. Please, reach out.

Emem Iniobong, CCC-Q is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents through various mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she develop skills so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them. Emem owns Bliss Counselling and Wellness Centre whose mission is to help you find your bliss and live confidently.