Troubled Teens

If there’s a teenager in your life, chances are you see them riding a roller coaster of emotions as their bodies change, their hormones shift, and their perception of reality and world view grow. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a strange journey and, in modern western society, particularly difficult, since often the adolescent is not personally guided by a coming-of-age ceremony or supported by their local community. Instead, our youth are pressured by commercial messages that highlight any feelings of insecurity so they buy more stuff to fit in better and estranged by an education system that all too often focuses on obedience and discipline as opposed to dispensing wisdom and an ethical balance. These messages sew a deeper seed of mistrust in the self, leading to a reliance on outside sources for confidence and affirmation, and can choke out an inner sense of independence if not counteracted by more empowering personal messages from adults and other teens.

In the Tarot, the Page cards all depict youths with differing personalities and abilities. The Pages reversed, describing upended personalities or inner struggles, can offer some key insights into behavior of troubled teens. Reversals indicate going deeper into the self, whether in a pursuit of deeper understanding or as an escape from a world too hard to bear. They can indicate extremes in behavior, and often point to suppression of inner qualities, fears, and insecurities. Fears and insecurities when left unchecked can lead to selfish and potentially destructive behavior. In any case, the person represented by a page reversed is going through an upheaval in their lives where they need time and space to figure themselves out. When I get a Page reversed that does indicate an older person, it means the person in question left possibly traumatic issues unresolved in their own adolescence, and are acting out of that time in their past.

I cannot emphasize enough that the key to turning these teens’ energy back upright is to relate to them, to affirm and validate their feelings (this is not the same as excusing their actions), and provide a safe outlet for their emotions by engaging in activities with them on their comfort level. For personal details on your teen and to find out whether they are sailing smoothly or near to capsizing on the waves of their emotions, contact me for a reading.