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What you can expect
It isn’t always easy to talk about ourselves and how we are feeling. It can be hard to know where to start or how to describe your feelings!
Many of us find it helpful to share our feelings with someone we care about and trust.
As a young person, you have the right to be heard and to talk about things that matter to you.
Who should I talk to?
There are lots of people available to talk to you about what’s going on in your life and how you’re feeling.
Different people can help you in different ways – it really depends on what you’re looking for.
- Someone you know and trust: Have you tried opening up to a friend or family member? You may already have people in your life who could help you and listen to you.
- Someone online: Some people find it easier to share their feelings online. We recommend that you use a message board supported by a reliable organisation, such as ChildLine, as they have safety measures in place to make sure your info is confidential and that users follow their guidelines.
- A professional or expert: There are lots of professionals that will be able to help you. We have lots of info about the support available for children and young people in Cardiff and the Vale.
It may be helpful before you approach someone to have a think about what you are looking for from this conversation. Are you looking for someone to listen or for someone to offer advice?
What should I talk about?
You can talk about anything you want – it’s completely up to you.
If you’re talking to someone about your feelings or another topic you may not be used to talking about, it might help to plan what you want to say before hand.
Planning ahead
- Try writing down how you’ve been feeling. Has something or someone in particular caused you to feel that way? How has this affected your life? What would you like to change?
- You could also record your feelings on a voice recorder app to play back instead
- Doc Ready have a check list to help you think about things you may want to talk to a professional about
How people may react
Everyone has different experience and confidence in talking about emotions and feelings.
- A practitioner or professional will ask you lots of questions. This might feel overwhelming but this is so they can find out more about how you are doing and the best way to help you
- A friend or family member may not know how to react at first, especially if they aren’t expecting this conversation. Give them some time to process what you’re telling them. Tell them what you need from them. Some of our resources below may be useful for them.
Helpful resources
Resources to help you feel comfortable about starting conversations.