The Benefits of Sports for Teens
Eight million teens played sports in high school last year, based on a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). That was a record-breaking high. In fact, the number of high school athletes has been increasing for the last three decades. With so many adolescents playing sports, it’s worthwhile to talk […]
Research Report: Teens, Acne, and Quality of Life
Acne is the Most Common Skin Condition Among Adolescents “When I was 12, I got my first pimple. It was on the right side of my face, about an inch from my nose, right in the middle of my cheek. I noticed it first thing in the morning. It looked horrible. I was mortified. So […]
Post-Pandemic Socializing Might Mean Trouble for Teens in Recovery: Here’s Why
If you’re a teen, you’ve got to be excited the coronavirus pandemic is coming to an end. 2020 was tough. You endured a year of missed school, no friends, and no gatherings. Facemasks, anxiety, social distancing. Missed milestones, cancelled trips, and quarantines. It’s no wonder COVID-19 caused a mental health crisis for teens and young […]
How to Rekindle a Friendship After COVID: Advice for Teens
June 8 is National Best Friends Day. It’s a chance to celebrate the friends in your life and show them how much they mean to you. If you’re like many teens, COVID-19 has impacted some – if not most – of your friendships. The frequent shelter-in-place guidelines, virtual school, and social distancing requirements of 2020 […]
Mental Health Awareness Month 2021: Tools 2 Thrive Phase Two
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At the beginning of 2020, no one could have predicted where we are now, almost halfway through 2021. We faced the worst public health emergency in a hundred years: the coronavirus pandemic. Physical health and wellbeing were our first priority all year, which was critical for getting the pandemic […]
Why is Toxic Positivity Harmful to Teens?
When you’re upset, sometimes the last thing you want to hear is: Don’t worry, be happy! Just look at the bright side! Let’s stay positive! But whether you like those phrases or not, you hear them all the time, so you know how unhelpful – and annoying – they can be. When people smile and […]
Making New Year’s Resolutions for 2021
Last year at this time we published an article about New Year’s Resolutions. What we talked about was unconventional, as far as New Year’s resolutions go. We didn’t advise making typical resolutions like learning a new skill, exercising more, being more responsible with money, or losing weight – although we think those are all great […]
Prevalence of School Bullying in Santa Barbara: How Parents Can Help
Public school students in most school districts in California take the California Healthy Kids Survey every year. This is a confidential, anonymous self-report survey that asks elementary and secondary school students about safety at school, support, academic involvement, substance use, and mental health issues. Many of the questions ask students about their experiences of bullying […]
My Best Friend Ended Their Life. I Feel Hopeless.
If your best friend recently committed suicide, it’s normal to feel a tremendous sense of loss, grief, and distress. You may feel, right now, as if you’re in a black hole and that nothing will ever make it better. There’s so much pain you wonder whether your life will ever be the same again. You […]
National Coming Out Day: What to Say When Someone Comes Out to You
October 11 is National Coming Out Day in the United States. For people who have realized their gender identity or sexual orientation is not what others have assumed it to be, Coming Out Day can be a time to stand up with other brave people and share who they are. When someone comes out to […]