How to Help Lift Your Teenager’s Mood – let’s take a look
Watching your teen struggle with low mood can be hard. You want to intervene gently, without overstepping, and support them in ways that empower them rather than make them feel pressured. Below are practical, compassionate strategies — grounded in psychological principles and enriched by ideas from therapist and author Becky Goddard-Hill — to help you support your child through this challenging time.
How to Help Lift Your Teenager’s Mood: A Guide for Parents
1. Start with Empathy, Not Solutions
When your teen is down, your first role is often to listen, not to fix. Let them know that their feelings are valid — that sadness, frustration or worry are part of being human. Resist immediately offering solutions or comparisons. Becky Goddard-Hill often emphasizes the value of emotional awareness and naming feelings: helping children (or teens) label what they feel can defuse some of the intensity of emotional pain.
You might say:
“That sounds really tough. Can you tell me more about how you feel?”
“I’m here. You don’t have to go through this alone.”
2. Help Them Build Small, Achievable Habits
Low mood often saps energy and undermines motivation. One way to counter it is through small but consistent habits. Encourage your teen to try:
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Physical movement — even a brief walk, stretching or skipping a playlist of favourite songs.
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Sunlight and fresh air — going outside can help reset mood.
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Creative outlets — drawing, journaling, music, or any expressive activity.
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Sleep hygiene — regular wake/sleep times, reducing screen use before bed.
3. Encourage Emotional Tools & Resilience
Therapists like Goddard-Hill promote giving teens “emotional toolkits” — strategies they can reach for when mood dips. Some ideas include:
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Mindful breathing or grounding techniques (e.g. “5 things you can see, 4 you can touch…”)
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Cognitive awareness: Help them notice unhelpful self-talk (“I always fail,” “Everyone hates me”). Gently challenge these thoughts with alternate, balanced perspectives.
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Gratitude or “good things” logs: Writing down small positive moments each day — even mundane ones — helps shift focus over time.
These techniques build resilience: when a low mood hits, your teen has pre-learnt ways to cope rather than being at its mercy.
4. Offer Support Without Over-Scheduling
Teens often recoil when parents try to “fix” the problem by booking therapy sessions, clubs, or forcing socialising. Instead:
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Let your teen help pick what feels manageable, whether it’s meeting a friend for 15 minutes or doing something at home.
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Ask: “Would you like me to help you look into counselling, or try this technique together?”
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Support a balance of rest, activity, and low-pressure connection, not jam-packing their time.
5. Consider Professional Help (Therapy)
If your teen’s low mood is persistent, deep, or interfering with school, sleep or relationships, therapy may be beneficial. Becky Goddard-Hill is a children’s therapist and has authored books on wellbeing (e.g. Create Your Own Happy, Create Your Own Calm). Therapy offers a safe space for your teen to explore deeper issues, learn coping skills, and feel heard by someone outside the family.
When seeking a therapist:
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Look for someone with experience in adolescent work or child & teen mental health.
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Ask about their approach (e.g. CBT, integrative, narrative).
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Involve your teen in the choice — autonomy helps.
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Be patient: therapy often takes time to show effect.
If you would like to book a session with becky for your teen, in person in Nottingham or via zoom, take a look here.
6. Model Self-Care & Emotional Literacy
You don’t need to be perfect, but your attitude toward emotional challenges matters. Let your teen see you managing your own low moods: taking breaks, talking things through, seeking support. That models the message: “Struggles are part of life, and we can care for them.”
7. Keep Perspective & Hope
Low moods ebb and flow, especially in adolescence. With consistent support, habits, and perhaps therapy, many teens recover or learn to live more resiliently. Celebrate small steps forward. Emphasize that mood is not identity — it doesn’t define them.
How to Help Lift Your Teenager’s Mood: A Guide for Parents is written by Becky Goddard-Hill
Further reading for parents
Coping with your teenager