Why Big Emotional Moments Feel Scarier Than They Are
Big Emotions Don’t Automatically Mean Emergency
Big emotional moments can feel terrifying for parents of high-risk teens. When emotions spike, everything inside you wants to move fast and fix it. But intensity doesn’t automatically mean danger. In this post, I explain why slowing down actually protects your teen, how panic escalates situations, and what support-first responses look like when emotions are big. This is about keeping your teen safe without making things worse.
When Your Teen Hits a Wall After Holding It Together
Why January Feels Harder for Your Teen (And It's Not Your Fault)
What Actually Keeps Teens Safer When Things Feel Scary
The holidays have ramped things up. As a DBT specialty center working with high-risk teens, we're getting more calls from panicked parents than any other time of year.
The combination of darkness, routine disruption, and family pressure creates a perfect storm for teens already struggling with emotional regulation. But here's what parents need to understand: crisis does not automatically mean hospitalization.
After 15 years of working with suicidal teens, I've learned that distress and danger are not the same thing. How we respond shapes what happens next—and there are specific skills that keep teens safer while helping them build a life worth living.
