Young people might feel embarrassed to talk about masturbation. To help them develop a healthy attitude to masturbation let them know there is nothing to be ashamed of – masturbation is normal and natural.
Be aware that some young people may just be curious about masturbation, while others may have already tried masturbating or may be masturbating regularly.
Wherever they are at, it&39;s important they know you are there to support them and won’t judge. Listen carefully and ask questions to work out what their worries and concerns are. To start the conversation, you could try asking them what they’ve heard about masturbation before or what they already know about it.
If they are feeling guilty or bad for masturbating, encourage them to explore why this might be, and reassure them they have done nothing wrong. Be ready to give them the facts to address any falsehoods they may have heard about masturbation.
If they are worried they are masturbating too much, let them know that it is normal to masturbate a lot when you are young. But let them know that if they feel like masturbation is getting in the way of relationships or is making them feel bad about themselves or others then it might be helpful for them to speak to a counsellor.
