Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence
Youth counsellor dishing out tea on how summer can be a bit of a wild card for teens and youth
Have you ever thought about how the change in season doesn’t only affect the scenery? I’m not talking about seasonal disorders - I’m talking about the transition from “school time” to “summertime”.
With July in full swing, in my role as a youth counsellor I find myself thinking about the change and transitions that happen in life, and how that manifests in young people.
You see, every July you can almost feel the way youth and young people vibrate with excited energy that summer is on the horizon.
But what we don’t talk about is how once school ends, those daily routines change and kids and youths are readjusting to a new day-to-day- that lasts two months before the cycle starts again.
It’s a season of change, of new activities, expectations, experiences. And while as adults these may seem normal, and manageable, it’s not that easy for some kids and youth to fall into step. But summer isn’t the only time that youth face difficulty managing change.
Youth counsellor genuine confession: Two running themes I heard in the summer from my teens and youth clients are…
While as a youth counsellor, summer makes the challenges youths face particularly emphasized, mainly because I see some youth are having a hard time adjusting. But, it’s not the only time change is hard.
While I do work with a lot of youths and young adults who are navigating their gender identity, and cross-cultural issues, managing life events is another one of those big topics I encounter - and probably one of the most near and dear to my heart.
Why? Because, change is hard. And when you are between the ages of 10 and 20, change is constant. It’s as if for nearly ten years, once those double digits hit, you shed the innocence of childhood, and are transported into a world that we adults struggle to understand. Which, let’s face it, is absolutely wild since adults were youths once, too!
My jam as a youth counsellor: Walking with teens and youth from chaos to clarity
Youths are at a life-stage full of physical growth, mental growth, hormones, finding themselves, navigating social interactions, wanting independence and wanting the safety of their families.
It feels like everything happens at once, and all that can be hard.
In my years as a youth counsellor, I’ve come to the understanding that there is this point in every child’s life where they stop being a little kid. Where you have broken through the innocence of childhood and are starting to understand the world differently. This usually happens around middle school, when most kids are given more independence. You’re meeting more people, making your own choices, falling in and out of love, discovering your likes and wants. It may seem like a small transition from childhood, but it’s enough that when you add the physiological and psychological changes I mentioned, your experiences are intensified.
That’s why, as a youth counsellor, I’m in a unique position to be a safe harbour for youths to work through this mess of hormones, life changes, and personal identity. It’s something that I don’t approach lightly, and that I’m constantly humbled to be able to be part of this time in someone's life.
Your jam as a youth counsellor sounds cool. Though how does it look like in practice?
Hah! Excellent question!
A youth counsellor is someone who walks with youths and young people and guides the development of their social, mental, and emotional needs. We’re are the people that youths can count on when they feel lost, confused and incapable of navigating life events on their own.
Basically, a youth counsellor is someone you can turn to when:
You aren’t ready to talk to the grown-ups in your life,
You have talked to the grown-ups in your life and they don’t know how to help
You aren’t entirely sure what is going on and you need someone to work it out without
You feel lost and alone and need some perspective from an outside person
You are struggling to find yourself
Well, that’s what I’m here for.
Put simply, as a youth counsellor I help you find answers to your questions.
Whether you’re struggling trying to find your self-identity, working through life changes - moves, separations, or questioning your place in the world– I’m a neutral party. a safe space, without judgement for you to work things out.
Wondering if a youth counsellor is different from an adult counsellor?
Glad you asked, and the answer is “Yes.”
When adults come to see me, we jump right in. Hard questions, right out the gate!
When youths come to see me, I’m not running the show. You are.
Our sessions move at your pace. Why? Because you already have so many things pulling you in every direction, and I’m here to make things easier. In order to do that, I need you to trust me - something I know is not just handed out freely.
But, I am your youth counsellor and you are seeing me for a reason, which I take pretty seriously. So while I won’t start with the hard questions, not even the moderately difficult ones, I do give you prompts and guide you through our sessions.
It is in asking the right questions that you will find the answers you are looking for.
And don’t worry. Some sessions can be really deep work. We might tackle issues and subjects that leave you feeling light and heavy all at once. Other sessions, you might just want to unpack the day - or revisit a topic. Any of these are ok.
It’s your show, remember that.
Wondering what makes me an awesome youth counsellor?
Ok, shameless self-promotion - but I really think this makes me a different youth counsellor- and different is awesome!
I don’t take a ‘conventional’ approach to youth counselling as many other counsellors. I structure my practice to best be able to serve my clients, and that means the experience will vary person to person.
I’ve told you about the difference between the approach I take as a youth counsellor compared to an adult counsellor. How with adults we dive right in, but with youths, we work at your pace.
I’m serious about that.
My role as a youth counsellor is to help you smooth out the bumps in your life, to give context to your fears and woes, to validate your feelings, and guide you to being more confident and grounded in who you are.
My role is not to pressure you into seeing me any more than you want to or to open up when you are not ready.
That’s not my jam.
As a youth counsellor, I follow your lead. And that includes how often we ge to meet
I want you to trust me, and that’s not going to happen if you feel cornered or uncomfortable. Now, I should clarify that counselling can be uncomfortable because we dig into pretty heavy topics, but that’s not the discomfort I’m meaning. I want you to feel like you are getting something from my sessions, not forced into them.
Remember, our sessions are your safe spaces; as a youth counsellor I’m not going to push your boundaries.
If you want weekly sessions - I’m here for it.
If you want monthly sessions - sounds good to me!
If you want to meet twice a week? Let me check my schedule ;)
Want me to be your youth counsellor?
So, back to what makes me awesome...
My process…
Every youth counsellor has their way of working that works best for them. For me, our sessions are about you. And everything we do is in your best interest.
So my process with youths is to follow your lead.
Alrighty! So, you’re looking for a youth counsellor. Lucky you, you found me!
After you’ve had a poke around my website and gotten to know a little bit about me, then if things check out, book your session!
I can’t wait to get to know you.
Hello, I’m Nita Agustin
Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC
My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity.
Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves.
In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships.
I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park.
I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland.
Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self!
Throughout this pandemic, I witnessed telehealth virtual sessions become more of a norm, and it has been super transformative seeing clients can access mental health services from the comfort of their home.
There are lots of different stereotypes out there, and society tells us who we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to do in the world. It can feel very overwhelming and confusing to compare our personal experience against those ideas. The thing is, you no longer have to be defined by what society tells you. It is your life to live, and you get to decide who get a say about your life.
