Every parent wants to see their child thrive. But when your teenager or young adult starts to withdraw, shut down, or lose confidence, it can feel like you’re watching them slip away—and you don’t know how to reach them.
At Synapse, we hear from parents every day who are deeply worried but don’t know where to turn. Their child isn’t in crisis, but they’re clearly not okay. They’re stuck. Exhausted. Unmotivated. Or overwhelmed by things that didn’t used to be a problem.
This blog shares some of their stories—real experiences from families who were unsure, anxious, and out of options. Until something shifted.
These are the moments where a different kind of support made all the difference.
— Emma, mother of 16-year-old Maya (names changed for privacy)
Maya had always been confident. But after moving into sixth form, everything changed. She started missing deadlines. Small problems became huge dramas. She stopped seeing friends and shut down whenever anyone asked if she was okay.
Emma told us: “It was like she lost her spark. She wasn’t ill, exactly. But she wasn’t herself either.”
Therapy didn’t feel like the right fit. Maya wasn’t keen—and the waiting list was long anyway. They found Synapse through a friend and were matched with Sophie, a Coach with experience in emotional regulation and perfectionism.
Sophie worked with Maya on managing pressure, developing self-awareness, and building confidence through small, achievable goals. For Maya, it wasn’t just the tools—it was the relationship.
“Her coach didn’t lecture her or analyse her. She listened. She understood what it was like to feel like you’re failing, even when everyone thinks you’re doing fine.”
By the end of the coaching programme, Maya had started re-engaging with schoolwork, reconnecting with friends, and—perhaps most importantly—laughing again.
“We got our daughter back,” Emma said. “Not just who she was—but someone more confident and grounded in herself.”
— James, father of 19-year-old Alex (names changed for privacy)
Alex had dropped out of university after the first term. He said he was overwhelmed, but couldn’t explain why. He moved back home and spent most of the day sleeping, gaming, or avoiding conversations.
“We didn’t know what to do,” James said. “He wasn’t in crisis, but he wasn’t coping either. And he didn’t want to talk to us. It felt like we were losing him slowly.”
After a gentle start, Alex agreed to try coaching. He was paired with Dan, a Synapse Coach who also struggled with the transition to university in his own life. Dan helped Alex identify the pressure points that were keeping him stuck—fear of failure, executive dysfunction, and low self-belief.
They worked on creating small routines, breaking down tasks, and reframing setbacks. But perhaps the biggest shift came from the accountability: someone outside the family who checked in regularly and expected progress—but without judgment.
“It wasn’t dramatic,” James recalls. “It was steady. But after a few weeks, things started to change. Alex was up earlier. He started applying for short courses. He even opened up to us.”
Coaching gave Alex the scaffolding he needed to rebuild his sense of agency.
“He still has tough days,” James said, “but he’s no longer stuck. He has tools. He has momentum. That’s everything.”
— Priya, mother of 14-year-old Zayna (names changed for privacy)
Zayna wasn’t depressed, but she wasn’t coping with school either. She struggled with organisation, often forgot homework, and her anxiety flared around tests and social situations.
Priya put it plainly: “She needed someone to teach her how to cope—not diagnose her.”
Through Synapse, Zayna started working with Hannah, a coach with experience supporting young people with executive functioning challenges and mild anxiety. Hannah helped Zayna understand how her brain worked—and how to work with it.
They created planning systems, developed calming strategies, and role-played conversations that Zayna found stressful. Gradually, Zayna stopped fearing failure and started approaching tasks with more confidence.
Priya noticed the change at home too: “She was calmer, more open. She’d say things like ‘Hannah showed me how to do this’ or ‘I tried what we talked about’. Coaching gave her language and tools we just didn’t have.”
These families didn’t need crisis services—they needed early support. And that’s exactly what behavioural health coaching provides.
Coaching works best for young people who:
At Synapse, our Coaches aren’t therapists or teachers. They’re trained, supervised, and always have lived experience. They build rapport and trust. They focus on progress. They walk alongside young people as they develop the skills to manage life better—and feel better in themselves.
For Parents Feeling Lost
You don’t have to wait for a diagnosis. You don’t have to wait for things to get worse.
If your child seems stuck, unmotivated, anxious, or overwhelmed—we can help.
You’re not failing as a parent. They’re not failing as a person. They just need the right support, at the right time, from someone who gets it.
That’s what Synapse is here to provide.
Explore our coaching programmes or get in touch for a free discovery call
