For teenagers, a solid group of friends can enrich life and make the ups and downs of adolescence a fun, shared experience. Friends can help teens manage school, romance, family troubles, sports, and everything else that goes along with being a teen. But not all teens make friends easily, and sometimes life events interrupt friendships and force teens to start all over. Perhaps that’s the case with your adolescent child.
You messed up. Whether intentionally or unknowingly, you hurt a friend, a parent, a teacher, romantic partner, or someone else. How do you make it right? Alyson Orcena, LMFT, Executive Clinical Director of Evolve Treatment Centers, has practical tips that come directly from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She’s an experienced DBT therapist and teaches DBT skills to teens to help them know how and when to make a sincere and
The #MeToo movement brought to light the alarming frequency of sexual assault cases in the U.S. and around the world. The phenomenon was instigated by several high-profile women who alleged equally high-profile men sexually assaulted them. Naturally, the national conversation turned to the issue of consent. Teaching Children About Consent Though teaching your teen about consent is particularly relevant when they start dating, it’s never too early to introduce the
It’s never easy when friendships end. You might have been the one to decide to end it, or maybe your former friend decided to break it off. The friendship might have been overtly toxic or codependent, or it may have seemed totally normal. It might have ended out of the blue, or you might have just gradually drifted apart. Either way, knowing how to get over a friendship breakup takes
We’ll start this article by saying the qualities of friendship we discuss here are not exclusive to people in recovery from mental health, alcohol, or substance use disorders. These qualities of friendship are nearly universal – with some cultural variation and minor differences based on social norms in various countries or regions, of course. Teens can look for these qualities in the friendships they currently have: they’re not ambiguous or
If you’ve ever watched a youth sports game, you’ll inevitably see some athletes playing more aggressively than others. Certain teens will push, roughhouse, and be overly hostile to their opponents, even going above and beyond the instrumental aggression necessary to win. Two Types of Aggression Researchers identify two types of aggression related to sports: instrumental aggression and hostile aggression. What is instrumental aggression? By nature, certain sports (such as football,
In previous articles, we discussed the link between sports and aggression. We presented studies indicating that athletes in high-contact sports (like football or wrestling, for example) are more likely to be aggressive even off the playing field. However, we concluded by reminding parents that there could be several factors at play (no pun intended!) in this relationship. Correlation doesn’t always prove causation. For example, teens with naturally aggressive temperaments might
Note: this is just one part of our series on Sports: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, where we discuss all the ways athletic participation can influence teens. Read our previous articles here and here. The most aggressive sports player in history might arguably be Jack Tatum. Tatum was a football player with the Oakland Raiders. He was so violent that his nickname was “Assassin.” In 1978, Tatum collided
Sometimes, the signs are clearly visible—people can read you like a book. Other times, no one can even guess what you’re struggling with inside. This dichotomy was the inspiration behind Colorado’s new statewide mental health campaign, “Below the Surface.” This attention-grabbing awareness campaign stemmed from a wave of student suicides in high schools around Colorado Springs, which kept happening one right after another. In just one high school, in the
For adolescents juggling school, homework, extracurricular activities, social commitments, SAT/ACTs, and maybe even college applications, the day may never seem long enough. Phew…just writing out that list made us need to take a breath! Teens these days are as busy as ever. Is it Good to be Busy? Many feel that it’s good to be busy. “I don’t want my kids just sitting at home on their laptop or phone
Mental health issues in adolescents are increasing rapidly. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more than 30% of high school students around the U.S. reported “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” in recent years. More than 17% have seriously considered suicide. And more than 13% have even made a plan. These numbers have been rising since 2007. Some students are using their time and energy to try and
For a teen, perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking academic transitions is the one between middle school and high school. There’s a new, bigger school building you have to acclimate to. New peers, which mean new cliques. Brand-new teachers and classes—and many of them. A faster pace at school. Anticipating all of these new social and academic changes could cause a bit of stress in anyone, let alone a teen
