Your Teen Isn’t Refusing Therapy. They’re Refusing What Saying Yes Would Mean
You found someone, sorted the coverage, worked out how to raise it. And your teenager said no, with no reason attached. Most parents read that as stubbornness. It's usually something else. Six things a teenager is protecting when they refuse therapy, what to say instead of arguing, and what to do when the answer stays no.
Seven Months
You did the hard part. You noticed, you had the conversation, your teenager agreed. Then you called, and somebody gave you a number of months. Chris Coulter on the teen mental health waitlist nobody prepares Canadian families for: the two queues nobody explains, the wait that happens before the wait, what the months cost with a kid who just took a risk on you, and what can happen in the gap.
Your Teenager Doesn't Need a Crisis to Need Support
Many parents wait for a crisis before getting their teenager support. This guide explains teen mental health coaching, how it differs from therapy, and why the space before a crisis is where the most good gets done. Written by a parent who's lived through loss, it covers warning signs, how mentoring works, and how to know if your teenager needs a mentor, a therapist, or both.