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Adolescent Emotional Health

Adolescent Emotional Health. Peadar Maxwell, Senior Psychologist Presentation Secondary School, April 2014. Overview. The Adolescent Brain Staying Connected Friends & Relationships Understanding Anger Encouraging Responsibility Promoting Independence Planning for Risk Problem Solving.

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Adolescent Emotional Health

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  1. Adolescent Emotional Health Peadar Maxwell, Senior Psychologist Presentation Secondary School, April 2014

  2. Overview • The Adolescent Brain • Staying Connected • Friends & Relationships • Understanding Anger • Encouraging Responsibility • Promoting Independence • Planning for Risk • Problem Solving

  3. … but first . . . our hopes and dreams • Have positive healthy relationships and a healthy lifestyle • Do their best in studies and work • Connected into their family & community

  4. the adolescent brain • 12 to mid-twenties • Associated with risk and trouble • Body is the healthiest • Life is at its most dangerous • Purpose of adolescence • Science differs from media picture • Dependency to adult independence • Transformation of brain infrastructure • Self-awareness • Connection, NOVELTY

  5. staying connected • Encourage true confidence • Security, predictability, family fun, acknowledge her efforts, express views, • Encourage planning • set goals • review • Encourage self-care and taking care of others

  6. friends, peers, relationships • Peers become increasingly important • Peer difficulties can lead of lower self-esteem • Some relationships lead to trouble • Other people’s perspective • Encouraging positive peer relationships • Difficulty making friends

  7. encouraging positive peer relationships • Know their friends and their parents • Show interest in and encourage activities • Assess if she has difficulty making friends • Talk about the difference between friends, acquaintances and ‘friends/followers’

  8. encouraging positive peer relationships • Set clear, doable rules • Think about reducing harmful contacts • Be mindful of her sensitivity to criticism

  9. Difficulty making friends • Don’t be afraid to talk about it • Explore how to make and keep friends • For reluctant teens encourage action/activity

  10. encouraging responsibility • Taking part in family decisions • Respect and consideration • Voice, listening, rules, helping out, being encouraged • Staying involved in family activities • Develop reliability • Healthy lifestyle • Being assertive

  11. encouraging independence • Help establish routines • Meals, exercise, homework, sleep, hygiene • Encourage involvement • Clubs, sports, exercise, school rules • Encourage problem solving

  12. Planning for risk • Identify risk situations • Plan • Not experienced for when things go wrong • Talk about concerns • Have a rescue rule • Select risk reduction strategies • Reward appropriate behaviours • Specify back-up consequences • Review

  13. Anger • Anxiety and anger are normal, natural, psychological and physical • Anger is our body’s response to perceived threat – no matter how real that threat is. This perceived threat activates that part of the protective brain that floods the body with stress chemicals and stress hormones. The child experiencing anxiety/angry feelings may be hyper-aroused.

  14. discuss feelings with your child • Child’s own description of his/her feelings and thoughts • What exactly has upset her? • Child may be avoiding certain things because of the feelings these thoughts produce.

  15. Problem Solving with your child • Have him break down the story of the problem. • Check that you have the story/problem • Ask what he would like to do about it • Imagine putting solutions into Practice • Testing it out, one solution/action at a time. • Encouragehim andcheck backin with him. • Praise success and explore non-success • Do you need to take any action?

  16. After this workshop • Use this opportunity to discuss with your child alternative ways of being open and honest with one another • Expressing emotions and negotiating is healthy and often positive. • We just need to make sure that we also express our anger in a positive way! • Let your child know that you can’t supervise and mind her if you don’t know what’s going on

  17. Take home messages • The adolescent brain is wired to seek novelty and the company of her peers • Teenagers need the company and guidance of their parents and other caring adults • We all grow in relationships: Relationships require face-to-face contact • Healthy teens have a balance of dependence and independence, peer time and family time • Information technology is not going away: Rather than reject it or remain confounded parents can learn about it. • Boundaries help all young people feel safe and cared for • Each parent is their child’s best expert.

  18. Thanks for your attention Go n-éirí an bóthar leat

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