Spring is in the air! With the arrival of a new season, oftentimes comes refreshed energy and a renewed spirit that has you revisiting your goals and recommitting to your priorities. For Ethan*, this resulted in taking the steps to start his mental health journey at Outreach Teen & Family Services.

A freshman in high school, Ethan learned about Outreach from his school counselor. Throughout the course of the school year, the pressure caused by transitioning to a new school building and increasing amounts of schoolwork had taken its toll on Ethan’s mental health. His school counselor recognized that Ethan could benefit from additional support and encouraged him to reach out for help before things got any worse.

Because Ethan was 14 years old – the age of consent for counseling services without parent/guardian permission – he completed Outreach’s intake paperwork on his own. Within a week, he was matched with a counselor who had expertise in the areas he marked as being of concern.

Having not been to counseling before, Ethan was nervous before his first session. But his counselor’s immediate warmth and interest in getting to know him helped to quickly put his nerves at ease. As the weeks progressed, Ethan found himself looking forward to his sessions. His therapist had created a safe space where he felt understood and was comfortable sharing his challenges. In this environment, he began to heal.

Through guided conversation, his therapist helped him realize the stress he felt at school was masking a larger problem of feeling misunderstood by his family at home. Ethan and his counselor discussed positive communication strategies that helped him find his voice so he could confidently open up to his parents about how he was feeling.

At the end of four months, Ethan felt happier, more confident and more self-aware than he had ever felt before. He and his counselor made the mutual decision to end his sessions, but Ethan knows the door to Outreach is always open should he need help with these areas – or new ones – in the future.

If Outreach’s services sound like something your family could benefit from, we encourage you to reach out. We are here to help you navigate the process. To get started, complete our online intake inquiry form on our website (outreachteen.org) under the “Contact” tab or leave a message on our intake line, 412-561-5405.

Our agency’s approach reflects understanding that mental health support should be approachable, comprehensive and tailored to each family’s individual needs. Through accessible services, comprehensive intake processes and community-focused care, Outreach is dedicated to fulfilling our mission of supporting mental wellness for all children, teens and families in our local communities.

*Name has been changed for privacy.

If anyone in your family is experiencing a decline in their mental health, Outreach can help. We offer a variety of affordable services for children and young adults ages 5-21, along with their parents and families, including individual, group, family and parent counseling. For more information, please visit outreachteen.org and follow us on Facebook (@Outreach Teen & Family Services) & Instagram (@outreach_teen).

Outreach does not offer crisis services or response and does not have evening and weekend on-call coverage. In an emergency, please go to your local emergency room or call RESOLVE at 1- 888-796-8226.

Outreach Teen & Family Services is a nonprofit, confidential counseling service. We offer programs to youth ages 5 to 21, parents and families in a welcoming environment. (412) 561-5405. This column is partially underwritten by the Mt. Lebanon Police Association.