Tenant support | Can you relate to Sarah?

Sarah (not her real name) is a single mother in her late 30s.

She is raising her 15-year-old son, who has recently been showing signs of emotional distress and behavioural issues.

He has become increasingly withdrawn, and angry, often refusing to attend school or follow house rules. Sarah has tried to manage the situation on her own, but the stress of juggling work, home responsibilities, and her son’s behaviour has taken a toll on her mental health.

After reading about our free and independent tenant support and wellbeing service, Life & Progress, Sarah decided to call for advice.

The call*

Sarah spoke to Emma, who is a trained emotional support counsellor, experienced in handling family-related stress.

Sarah was able to speak freely about struggling with her son’s behaviour and she revealed that she felt like she was failing as a parent. She talked about how it was affecting her work and that she was exhausted all the time.  

Emma gave this advice: “First, I want you to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way, and you are absolutely not failing as a parent. Many parents go through challenging periods with teenagers, and it’s a lot to handle — especially on your own.

“Teenagers often go through emotional ups and downs that can feel very isolating to them. What your son might be experiencing could be related to stress, school pressures, or even changes in friendships or identity.

“One thing we often suggest to parents in similar situations is to start by creating some space for calm, non-confrontational conversations with their teens. It could be at a neutral time—maybe when they are not already upset.

“The goal here isn’t to ‘fix’ everything in one conversation, but to let your son know that you’re there for him without judgment.

“Sometimes, teenagers are processing emotions they don’t yet understand themselves. By creating an open line of communication, even if it’s not perfect at first, he might start to feel safe coming to you when he’s ready.”

What happened next?

Rather than providing a one-size-fits-all solution, Emma explored options with Sarah, empowering her to take small, but impactful steps toward improving her relationship with her son.

By the end of the call, Sarah felt more supported and reassured.

She said: “I’m going to try some of the suggestions Emma gave. I also want to look at more in-depth family counselling. I would like to join a support group for parents, too, so that I don’t feel alone with all of this.”

Practical support

Parenting resources

Life & Progress offers online resources about communication strategies with teenagers, via www.tenantcare.co.uk and other free-to-access support sites.

Life & Progress can also signpost to other local support groups for parents dealing with similar issues.

Self-care advice

Whatever your situation, it is important to look after your well-being. Life & Progress can recommend some self-care strategies, such as setting small personal goals, taking breaks, and reaching out to a trusted friend or family member for support.

*All calls to Life & Progress are confidential. This case study highlights how emotional support services can provide you with guidance during times of family conflict and emotional distress.

You can access Life & Progress by calling 0330 094 8845

You can also visit www.tenantcare.co.uk

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For more information, visit Free wellbeing and support service