How Lisa got help for her teenager

By ReachOut Content Team
Published 24 November 2023

Thinking about seeing a counsellor or asking for help from a GP can be tough and scary. Lisa is a mum of 4, and that’s how she was feeling when her daughter was going through a pretty tough time. But Lisa kept telling herself that by reaching out she was doing the right thing and through talking to the right people, her daughter started to feel better.

Read the transcript.

Key takeaways from Lisa's story

Lisa sought professional help after noticing these common signs of teen mental health problems in her daughter:

  • finding it difficult to get out of bed

  • refusing to go to school, which was causing frequent arguments in the household

  • losing interest in day-to-day activities

  • fighting with parents, and other family members, all the time.

During this experience, Lisa found it difficult to let her daughter see the psychologist on her own. Through some self-reflection, she realised that she had to trust that the psychologist was a trained professional and that they had her daughter’s best interests at heart.

What made Lisa hesitate to reach out initially was the fear that she’d be judged as a parent and mother. It’s a common feeling among parents and you don’t have to be able to fix everything yourself. Lisa realised that it wasn’t about her, but about her daughter’s wellbeing and health. She realised that it didn’t mean she was a bad parent, but the exact opposite - she was doing what was right for her daughter by taking steps to get help.

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              Aboriginal flagTorres Strait islander flagRainbow flagAustralian flag

              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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