In this episode, Neil and cohost Robin respond to a therapist wondering how to advise parents regarding their depressed or anxious teenagers’ desire to stay home from school.

Today we’re hearing from Carmen, a therapist practicing in Los Angeles.

Dear Neil,

My question is about how to decide if a teen needs to go to school or not when they have serious depression or anxiety.  I’m a counselor working with teens and often, kids report to their parents that they are too anxious or depressed to go to school.  When parents force them to go, they often get a call from the school that they are in the nurse's office and that they want to come home.  They usually have a psychiatrist or PCP prescribing medication and when the question goes to them about school, they often advise them to give the medication a chance to work. Then the youth falls behind and it makes the challenge of going to school harder for them.

Do you have any suggestions for dealing with this kind of situation?

This podcast explores navigating the delicate balance between empathy and accountability.