Discuss why it is important to understand physical development and brain functioning when working as an adolescent mental health therapist.

During adolescence and puberty, the human body undergoes the most drastic developmental changes; as we grow older and transition toward adulthood, we learn how to better coordinate our bodies, we gradually improve our motor skills, and we reach nearly complete physical maturity. Our physical development has a great effect on our psychological, emotional, and intellectual development as well. Thus, adolescence is a period in which we shape our moral and ethical codes, we determine how we're going to present ourselves to society and how we're going to interact with other people, we learn how to think reasonably and rationally, and we try to define and establish our identities.
This is why I believe that understanding the physical development and brain functioning of adolescents is one of the most important tasks an adolescent mental health therapist should do; therapists must evaluate their patients' mental and physical condition and be able to provide proper care, guidance, and support. This is of utmost importance for all physicians, teachers, therapists and parents, as even the smallest of developmental changes can majorly affect the behavior and the emotional state of the adolescents, and it can indicate how they will proceed to develop in life, both mentally and physically.
All mental health therapists should also be aware that adolescence is the most critical developmental stage in a person's life, as numerous studies show that various mental disorders usually manifest symptomatic changes in behavior during or after puberty. In order to cope with their condition, many teens or adolescents will either become extremely introverted or turn to substance abuse, and in the most serious of cases, they might even attempt to harm themselves or end their lives. This is why therapists should try to understand the changes their patients are going through; they should be honest, rational, open-minded, supportive, and, most importantly, they must focus on communication in order to help their patients overcome their psychological struggles.
I would also like to mention that therapy is not something that will magically work and fix all problems overnight; mental health therapists should carefully explain to their patients that all healing processes take time, patience, and cooperation. This is why I believe that schools should also include various educational programs about mental and physical health; their main goal should be to spread awareness about the subject and provide the best possible environment for students to safely grow and develop, without any judgment or barriers.