Not every teenager will tell you they’re struggling. Some go quiet. Some withdraw completely. Others lash out, slam doors, or burst into tears over what seem like small things. It can feel confusing as a parent or carer, watching your teen shift into someone you barely recognise. They might start refusing school, avoiding friends, or spending too much time locked away in their bedrooms. In Canterbury, where academic pressure, school transitions, and social comparison are high, many teens feel emotionally overwhelmed, even if they can’t say why.

This is where Walk and Talk therapy comes in. Instead of sitting face-to-face in a counselling room, where eye contact can feel intense or intimidating, we take the pressure off. We move side by side. We walk through the quieter paths of Canterbury, creating a space that feels more relaxed and open. For teens who are confined to their bedrooms, gaming for hours, or glued to their phones, this gentle nudge toward movement can be transformative. It’s not about forcing them to talk,  it’s about giving them a space where talking feels safer.

There’s growing evidence that walking can help regulate the nervous system. The bilateral stimulation (left-right-left) that happens during walking mirrors what happens in EMDR therapy, a trauma-informed approach that helps people process difficult emotions safely. For anxious teens, this movement helps reduce the fight-or-flight cortisol levels and makes them feel less stuck. It’s why so many young people say they “feel better after a walk”,  it’s not just a feeling, it’s brain chemistry.

Whether your teen is transitioning into secondary school, preparing for GCSEs, navigating A-level decisions, or dealing with university and future career anxiety, the pressure in Canterbury schools is very real. With grammar school systems, competitive academic environments, and social stressors, from friendships to sexuality and identity, teenagers are often expected to carry adult-level worries with little emotional support. Add in family breakdowns, blended families, or neurodivergent processing differences, and it’s easy to see why so many teens feel lost.

A Real Alternative to Screens, Silence, and Shutdowns

Many parents tell me they feel helpless. “They won’t talk to me.” “They’re always on their Xbox.” “I don’t know how to reach them.” If this is you, please know you’re not failing. Many teenagers don’t want to talk to their parents about what’s going on, especially when it’s about school anxiety, friendship fallouts, or mental health struggles. Therapy offers an external, safe person. Walk and Talk sessions offer something even gentler: no screens, no pressure, just movement, breath, and presence.

What We Work On Together

In our sessions, we might explore:

• Managing school-related anxiety

• Coping with friendship breakups

• Understanding big feelings like anger or sadness

• Body image or low self-esteem

• Identity, relationships, or sexuality

• Neurodivergence and emotional overload

• Navigating transitions and future fears

The work isn’t always heavy. Sometimes, it’s laughing at a weird TikTok. Other times, it’s crying about missing a best friend. Therapy with teens is about walking beside them, literally and emotionally,  until they feel safe enough to lead the way.

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