Door of Hope for Teens

There is help, only a call away.

Door of Hope 4 Teens is a Christian-based free counseling resource for young women and teens who struggle with self-injury. We provide help via a toll free support line, instant messaging, e-mail and a local youth group. Our team of counselors rotate around set posted hours to pray, encourage, help and direct young people towards recovery through the saving knowledge and power of Jesus Christ.

Our aim is to get teens the help they need in their local communities. This help may come in the form of linking young people with a local church or para-church organization which will help the young people overcome self injury on an ongoing basis.  Door of Hope will call for you and contact local pastors and youth pastors in order to involve you with a church and/or youth group.  We believe the local church is what God has ordained to help people. Likewise, Door of Hope provides referrals to hospital and mental heath professionals in your local area to help those who need crisis intervention and medical treatment.

Door of Hope 4 Teens provides additional help by mailing out at no cost to you: Bibles, books and media resources to help teens better understand self-injury and to help them learn healthy Godly coping mechanisms to overcome their struggle.

Door of Hope 4 Teens gathers young people for spiritual retreats, youth meetings, and seminars to help young people on a more personal one-on-one level.  On a case by case basis, Door of Hope may help in providing transportation costs, housing, food, and other related costs to get people to these meetings.

Are you looking for private residential therapy?  Visit www.helpyourteens.com.

Sue Scheff: Troubled Teens and Teen Help

Are you at your wit’s end?

Are you experiencing any of the following situations or feeling at a complete loss or a failure as a parent? You are not alone and by being a proactive parent you are taking the first step towards healing and bringing your family back together.

• Is your teen escalating out of control?

• Is your teen becoming more and more defiant and disrespectful?

• Is your teen manipulative? Running your household?

• Are you hostage in your own home by your teen’s negative behavior?

• Is your teen angry, violent or rage outbursts?

• Is your teen verbally abusive?

• Is your teen rebellious, destructive and withdrawn?

• Is your teen aggressive towards others or animals?

• Is your teen using drugs and/or alcohol?

• Does your teen belong to a gang?

• Do they frequently runaway or leave home for extended periods of time?

• Has their appearance changed – piercing, tattoo’s, inappropriate clothing?

• Has your teen stopped participating in sports, clubs, church and family functions? Have they become withdrawn from society?

• Is your teen very intelligent yet not working up to their potential? Underachiever? Capable of doing the work yet not interested in education.

• Does he/she steal?

• Is your teen sexually active?

• Teen pregnancy?

• Is your teen a good kid but making bad choices?

• Undesirable peers? Is your teen a follower or a leader?

• Low self esteem and low self worth?

• Lack of motivation? Low energy?

• Mood Swings? Anxiety?

• Teen depression that leads to negative behavior?

Eating Disorders? Weight loss? Weight gain?

• Self-Harm or Self Mutilation?

• High School drop-out?

• Suspended or Expelled from school?

• Suicidal thoughts or attempts?

• ADD/ADHD/LD/ODD?

• Is your teen involved in legal problems? Have they been arrested?• Juvenile Delinquent?

• Conduct Disorder?

• Bipolar?

• Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)?

Does your teen refuse to take accountability and always blame others for their mistakes?

• Do you feel hopeless, helpless and powerless over what options you have as a parent? Are you at your wit’s end?

Does any of the above sound familiar? Many parents are at their wit’s end by the time they contact us, but the most important thing many need to know is you are not alone. There is help but the parent needs to be proactive and educate themselves in getting the right help.
Many try local therapy, which is always recommended, but in most cases, this is a very temporary band-aid to a more serious problem. One or two hours a week with a therapist is usually not enough to make the major changes that need to be done.

If you feel you are at your wit’s end and are considering outside resources, please contact us. http://www.helpyourteens.com/free_information.shtmlAn informed parent is an educated parent and will better prepare to you to make the best decision for your child. It is critical not to place your child out of his/her element. In many cases placing a teen that is just starting to make bad choices into a hard core environment may cause more problems. Be prepared – do your homework.

Many parents are in denial and keep hoping and praying the situation is going to change. Unfortunately in many cases, the problems usually escalate without immediate attention. Don’t be parents in denial; be proactive in getting your teen the appropriate help they may need. Whether it is local therapy or outside the home assistance, be in command of the situation before it spirals out of control and you are at a place of desperation. At wit’s end is not a pleasant place to be, but so many of us have been there.

Finding the best school or program for your child is one of the most important steps a parent does. Remember, your child is not for sale – don’t get drawn into high pressure sales people, learn from my mistakes. Read my story at http://www.aparentstruestory.com/for the mistakes I made that nearly destroyed my daughter.

In searching for schools and programs we look for the following:

• Helping Teens - not Harming them

• Building them up - not Breaking them down

• Positive and Nurturing Environments - not Punitive

• Family Involvement in Programs - not Isolation from the teen

• Protect Children - not Punish them

Visit http://www.helpyourteens.com/ for more information.

Sue Scheff: What do you do if your teen is cutting?

If you discover that your teen is cutting, there are several important keys to remember. First and foremost, approach your teen with a level head. Address your teen calmly and supportively. Do not react angrily or upset your teen in any way. Experts warn that overreacting or reacting loudly or angrily can often push your teen further away and increase the cutting or self injuring behaviors. Your teen needs to know you are open to hearing what she has to say and getting her the help she needs. You should also tell your teen that you are not upset with her, love her, and know she is in a lot of pain.

Counseling for a teen that cuts is crucial. It can often take many years of therapy before your teen is willing or able to uncover the reasons she cuts herself. Schools, pediatricians and emergency rooms can be extremely helpful at providing resources for teens that cut. Often there are local support groups for parents who feel guilty or unsure of how to deal with a teen that cuts. A great resource specifically for self injurers and their families is S.A.F.E (Self Abuse Finally Ends) Alternatives, an organization dedicated treating victims of self abuse.

Learn more here.

Sue Scheff: Connect with Kids - Self Injury (Parent Tips)

“Kids aren’t very well developed in refraining from impulses. They feel, therefore they must act. They feel sad, they feel angry, and in order to get rid of that they have to act right away.”– Karen Conterio, founder and administrative director, SAFE Alternatives.

Parents are encouraged to learn more about today's teens & self injury.

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