THE DIFFICULTIES OF BEGINNING TREATMENT FOR EDUCATION WITH ADOLESCENTS BEFORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ARE PREPARED ARE DISCUSSED. THREE PREREQUISITES TO COMMUNICATION--LISTENING, OBSERVING, EMPATHIZING--ARE PRESENTED. OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATION IN THE HELPING ADULT INCLUDE PRE-OCCUPATION WITH ONE'S OWN WORLD, EGO INVOLVEMENT, FAILURE TO GRASP THE COMMON AND UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE ADOLESCENT, AND FAILURE TO BRIDGE THE WORLDS OF ADULT AND ADOLESCENT. OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE YOUTH INCLUDE THE RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT (DIFFERENT FROM THE ADULTS'S TEENAGE ENVIRONMENT), SELF PREOCCUPATION, DISTRUST OF THE ADULT WORLD, AND LOW SELF ESTEEM. THE FOLLOWING WAYS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATION ARE RECOMMENDED. THE ADULT SHOULD INCREASE HIS OWN SELF AWARENESS AND SELF KNOWLEDGE, TAKE TIME TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST, ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THE ADOLESCENT'S LOYALTY IS TO HIS PEER GROUP, AND UNDERSTAND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION. EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS ARE DISCUSSED. THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, 44 EAST 23RD STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10010, $0.25. (JK)