Free Guide for Parents: Supporting Your Anxious Teenager

Understanding what’s happening for your teen – and gentle, practical ways to help

Watching your teenager struggle — with worry, withdrawal, moodiness, or anxiety — is one of the hardest things a parent goes through. It’s often difficult to know what’s a normal part of growing up and what might be something more, or how to help without pushing them further away.

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Inside this guide, you’ll find:

• How to recognise the signs of anxiety in teenagers – including the ones that don’t look like worry
• Why adolescence makes young people especially vulnerable to anxiety
• Five practical things you can do to support your teen, starting today
• How to know when it might be time to seek extra help

Written in plain, warm language – something you can read tonight.

About the author

I’m Werner van der Westhuizen, a clinical social worker in Gqeberha. I work closely with adolescents and their families, and I’ve spent many years – including in residential child and youth care – helping young people through anxiety, low mood, and the challenges of growing up. I wrote this guide for the parents I meet who want to help but aren’t sure how.

Want to know more about how I work? Jump to my Counselling Page.