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Home PageCollins Mony2026-09-08T23:40:04-05:00

Counseling & Psychiatry

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Is your kid's friend group changing? 💔

When you hear, “They don’t like me anymore” does your heart skip a beat? Do you get fired up? Most parents feel something in the fight-flight range of reactions. We want to protect our kids from all pain.

Maybe your daughter comes home crying. Her best friend is suddenly hanging out with someone else. She wasn't added to the new group chat. Maybe everyone was invited somewhere except her.

And every parental instinct in you says:

FIX IT.

Should you call another parent? Contact the school? Tell her those girls aren't worth her time?

Sometimes the best first step is actually much simpler:

Listen and connect.

Friendships can change during the tween and teen years. Kids are figuring out who they are, where they belong, what they value in relationships, and how to navigate conflict, rejection and repair.

That doesn't make the heartbreak any less real.

Instead of immediately jumping into problem-solving mode, try:

💛 “That sounds really painful.”
💛 “Do you want me to listen, or would you like help figuring out what to do?”
💛 “What do you think happened?”
💛 “What would you like to happen next?”

Giving your child room to navigate age-appropriate friendship struggles can help them build confidence, boundaries, communication skills and resilience. So they can navigate age-appropriate struggles as they grow older.

But stepping back doesn't mean ignoring everything.

If you're seeing persistent bullying, harassment, threats, online cruelty, significant school avoidance, increasing isolation, or major changes in your child's mood or behavior, it may be time for adults to become more involved.

Perhaps one of the hardest parts of parenting is recognizing that our job isn't to protect our kids from ever experiencing rejection.

It's to help them realize they can handle it, and they are resilient. Also, they can learn that you are a safe person they can return to when it happens. ❤️

#TeenFriendships #MiddleSchool #MiddleSchoolFriendships #TweenParenting #ParentingTeens #TeenMentalHealth #FriendshipProblems #TeenAnxiety #ParentingTweens #InspireCounselingCenter

“I love my child…but I don’t fully understand.”

If your child or teen tells you they’re LGBTQ+, you may experience a lot of emotions at once. ❤️

You may worry about saying the wrong thing. You may have questions. You may need time to understand what your child is experiencing.

You don’t have to have all the answers to be a safe, supportive person in your child’s life.

Start with:

🌈 Listen before trying to solve
🌈 Stay curious
🌈 Ask what support looks like to them
🌈 Educate yourself rather than expecting your child to explain everything
🌈 Repair and try again when you get something wrong
🌈 Most importantly, remind them that your love isn’t conditional

Sometimes the most powerful thing a parent can say is:

“I may not understand everything you’re experiencing yet, but I love you, I’m listening, and we’re going to figure this out together.”

Our therapist Shannon Sabol, MS, has a special passion for supporting children, teens, young adults, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Shannon is an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist with professional experience supporting transgender and gender-nonconforming clients in both therapy and neuropsychological settings.

She also works with parents who want a supportive place to ask questions, learn, and strengthen their relationship with their child.

✨ Shannon is accepting new clients at our Evanston office and virtually.

Read Shannon’s full blog, “How Can I Support My LGBTQ+ Child—Even If I Don’t Fully Understand?” at the link in our bio.

#LGBTQYouth #LGBTQTeens #LGBTQParents #ParentingTeens #TeenMentalHealth #LGBTQMentalHealth #AffirmingTherapy #EvanstonTherapist #ChicagoTherapist #InspireCounselingCenter

Homecoming isn't fun for everyone. 💛

While some teens are excited about dresses, dates, pictures and the dance, others may be quietly worrying:

• What if nobody asks me?
• What if I don't have a group?
• What if my friends make plans without me?
• What if I hate how I look?
• What if I don't know what to do at the dance?
• What if everyone else is having more fun than I am?

And thanks to social media, teens don't just hear about what they missed anymore—they can watch the pictures, parties and group plans unfold in real time.

For parents, it can be tempting to say, “It's just Homecoming!” or “Just go and have fun!”

But to a teenager, Homecoming can feel like something much bigger: a very public measure of whether they belong.

So if your teen is struggling, try this instead:

💛 “I can understand why that hurts.”

💛 “What part are you most nervous about?”

💛 “Do you want me to listen, or do you want help figuring out what to do?”

And remember: A great high school experience doesn't require a picture-perfect Homecoming.

Our latest Inspire blog shares more about Homecoming anxiety, FOMO, friendship groups, dating pressure, body image—and how parents can help without trying to fix everything.

Read: “My Teen Is Anxious About Homecoming. How Can I Help?”

#Homecoming #HomecomingAnxiety #TeenAnxiety #TeenMentalHealth #ParentingTeens #SocialAnxiety #FOMO #TeenFriendships #BodyImage #InspireCounselingCenter

Could your son be feeling lonely? It's easy to miss.

Your teenage son can have friends, teammates, a busy social life—and still feel lonely. 💙

Research shows that boys want close, meaningful friendships just as much as girls do. But as they move through adolescence, many begin receiving messages—spoken and unspoken—that being “strong” means being independent, keeping things to themselves, or not showing too much emotion.

And sometimes, loneliness doesn’t look like loneliness.

It can look like irritability. Withdrawing to his room. Spending more time on his phone. Losing touch with close friends. Throwing himself into sports or school. Or simply answering, “I’m fine,” when you know something feels off.

As parents, we don’t have to force our sons to open up. But we can create an environment where they know it’s safe to.

💙 Ask questions without immediately trying to fix things.
💙 Help him put words to what he’s feeling.
💙 Remind him of the strengths you see in him.
💙 Normalize vulnerability and asking for help.
💙 Encourage friendships where he can truly be himself.

Boys shouldn’t have to choose between belonging and being emotionally healthy.

Our therapist Langston Myers, ALMFT, is passionate about helping teens and young adults navigate loneliness, friendships, relationships, anxiety, self-esteem, family conflict, and life transitions. As a Marriage & Family Therapist, Langston also helps parents and families better understand and support one another.

✨ Langston is currently accepting new clients at Inspire's Evanston office or virtually.

Read our newest blog to learn more about teenage boys, friendship, and the male loneliness epidemic.

#TeenMentalHealth #TeenageBoys #MaleMentalHealth #MaleLoneliness #ParentingTeens #TeenAnxiety #TeenTherapy #BoysMentalHealth #ParentingTeenBoys #TeenFriendships #ChicagoTherapist #InspireCounselingCenter #MentalHealthAwareness

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