Coppell counselor helps teens, parents cope with substance abuse

Audrey Kteily is a licensed counselor and runs Coppell Family Therapy. She is also a volunteer with the R3Choices program, a drug and alcohol educational program for teens and parents. When a teen has chosen to get into drugs or alcohol, they are referred to R3C either through the Coppell court system or Victory Place @ Coppell.

Share a little about yourself.

I am 44 years old, married with one daughter age 12. I have a BA in Psychology, MA in Counseling, and PhD in Family Studies. I hold a LPC-S to practice in the state of Texas.

What brought you to Coppell?

We moved here about 10 years ago in order to attend CISD.

How did you get into counseling?

When I was 7, my father suffered a blow to the head that resulted in a subdural hematoma. He fully recovered but this is my first memory of being fascinated with the brain and emotions. About two years later James Brady made headlines after suffering a bullet to the head when President Reagan was shot. Again I was fascinated to watch his recovery. It was during middle school that I noticed that a lot of my friends would come talk to me in the mornings before class and tell me their problems. I enjoyed listening to them and helping them however I could. From there I worked to learn and research as much as I could about the brain, its functions and emotions.

Describe the R3C program.

We educate parents and their children about the realities of using drugs and alcohol. I am only one of many speakers we have to help these families begin to see things differently. My role is to challenge the teens to begin to take ownership of the direction their life is going and make better choices for themselves and their future.

What is your favorite part of your work?

I absolutely love watching an entire family get healthy. To that end, our team at Coppell Family Therapy is collaborative. Our specialties are diverse in order to meet a wide variety of needs at once. For example, I love helping with parenting and complex disorders, Anna has a real knack for teens and marital sessions, and Amy is amazing with small children and spectrum disorders.

The most challenging part?

There is still a negative stigma today surrounding seeking psychological help. In my first year in this practice I tried to start a parenting support group and largely was told no one wanted to admit they had problems raising their kids. Are you kidding me? Every single family faces challenges and every single parent struggles with raising their children. We need to forget the stigma and start helping each other. No one has a problem seeking medical attention for their children. Psychological help and family support should be treated no differently.

How do you cope with all the emotional needs you help meet?

I have a strong support network of colleagues, family and friends. I do my best to practice good self care, healthy eating, exercise, and I encourage my staff to do the same.

What is the #1 mental health issue that you treat?

Depression and anxiety are the top two for adults and adolescents.

Why do you think that is?

These are prevalent here due to the pressure that exists to be perfect at everything. There is a great push here to be faster, better, smarter at everything you do and that is simply not realistic. This leads to a lot of parents and kids thinking they aren't good enough at anything which sets them up for the cycle of anxiety and depression.

In light of recent chatter about the film 13 Reasons, how can parents help a child contemplating suicide?

If you find that your teen is thinking about suicide please seek immediate medical attention. That means call your family doctor, your psychologist, your psychiatrist or simply head to the nearest ER and ask for a psychiatric evaluation. Determining safety is the first and most important step. Most often therapy is needed to begin healing and sometimes medication is helpful as well. Take any and all interventions needed to help your child heal.

What are the signs to watch for?

Watch for changes in eating and sleeping habits, what they wear, who they hang out with and where they are going. They may begin losing interest in things they have always loved as well as isolating more than normal. Teens are not prone to talk to their parents, but that doesn't mean they cannot talk to another helpful adult. Surround them with coaches, teachers and other parents that can help you keep an eye on them.

If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

That's a tough question! I really cannot imagine myself doing anything else but this. It is who I am and I am very fortunate to be able to chase my passion.

What are your hobbies?

I have recently taken up yoga. It is amazingly helpful for the mind, body and spirit.

What is your favorite flower and why?

I love roses the most. They are delicate and strong at the same time. I like that duality.