Belonging at Home – Listening Beyond the Labels

Written by Haythem Lafhaj, PLMFT

The home is the first community where a teenager learns what it means to be valued. But too often, adolescents feel mislabeled, dismissed, or even blamed for family struggles. In one case I reviewed, parents described their teenage daughter as “out of control.” She was defiant, underperforming in school, and having emotional outbursts. While these behaviors worried her parents, what stood out was how quickly she was reduced to a “problem” instead of being seen as a young person struggling for connection.

This is where Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) becomes powerful. Instead of dwelling on the negative, SFBT highlights family strengths and moments when things did go well. In this case, therapy encouraged parents to notice when their daughter showed cooperation, resilience, or care. Shifting from a deficit lens to a strength-based one communicated a powerful message: You are more than your mistakes—you are wanted.

For adolescents, feeling wanted at home doesn’t come from perfection or constant compliance. It comes from being truly listened to, respected, and understood. Parents can foster this by:

• Validating emotions instead of minimizing them.

• Asking open-ended questions instead of assuming motives.

• Celebrating small efforts, not just big achievements.

When teens know that home is a safe space to express themselves without fear of judgment, their sense of belonging deepens. And that belonging is what anchors them when the outside world feels harsh.