Life Coaching for Adolescent or Young Adult?

I love young people. I absolutely adore them. I have surrounded myself with them ever since my own children were born. I love becoming part of their lives, sharing in their music and their culture. I have noticed some interesting changes in young people the past fifteen to twenty years.

Today's young people are savvy, intelligent and capable. They are spiritual, grounded and wise. They possess empathy, sensitivity and intuition. They are "woke" and willing to actually do the things to help create the world that they want to live in.

At the same time, I see more young people struggling with anxiety, with depression, with understanding life and with knowing how they are supposed to get from point A to point B. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents ages 15-19 (following accidents). They are not "snowflakes" or weak or lazy. They are tired, overwhelmed, overworked and overstimulated. They live in a fast-paced world with things coming at them 1,000 miles an hour.

Kids today are facing difficult decisions about how they want to live, what they want to do with their lives, and how they are going to accomplish everything that that they know they should be doing, all the while watching social media of their peers, who seem to have it all together, and winning at life. Many kids with so much potential just shut down, and don't do anything.

Having someone to come along beside them, to develop a relationship, to earn the right to teach them skills to navigate life, whether they need help organizing their academic life, need to learn skills to help with time management, need to learn better communication, can change a kid's life.

Trusting a coach can make all the difference in the life of a young person. Being willing to listen and to apply comes from faith that their coach wants to help them meet their goals, and won't steer them wrong. A life coach is part mentor, part teacher, part cheerleader, part adviser, part guide. Finding one that your teen or young adult can resonate with is half your battle.

I have seen many young people "pull it together" and finally take off, following just a few months of the guidance of a good coach. I have seen kids start believing in themselves, tapping in to their own inner resources, after learning a few skills that help them structure their lives. It's a beautiful thing.

If you have a teenager or a young adult who is struggling, you may want to consider the option of life coaching. Parenting coaching can help you understand your child and how you can best communicate with them and support them. It is frequently done via phone or video, so it doesn't add to the burden of the family schedule. If you or your adolescent are having trouble navigating life, you may want to consider a life coach.

Written by: Carolyn Tucker. Carolyn has life coach certification through the American University of NLP. She works as life coach for adolescents, college students and young adults. Carolyn can be reached at 770-789-0847 or through her website Tucker and Associates Life Coaching for Adolescents and Young Adults