EMOTIONAL HEALTH
AND INTELLIGENCE
I love teenagers! They are funny, serious, studious, flippant, smart, silly, intuitive, energetic, excited, quiet, and everything in between. Working with teens has brought me great joy. It has also brought me great worry. I love teens and I want them to be the best person and live the best life that they can. But they need help.
The world teens face today is very unlike the one in which I was raised. It’s different than anything I could have imagined! With all the hysteria related to viruses, masks, vaccines, social distancing (that really is an oxymoron), quarantines, and shut downs, it’s no wonder that teens are struggling. During this time of confusion, teens often don’t know how to ask for the help they need. Sadly, most parents don’t know how, or don’t have the opportunity, to help them either.
The typical teen is naturally trying to break bonds with their nuclear family during this stage in their life. This is to be expected as they start asserting their independence in preparation to leave home as an adult. Short of a mental health professional, the only people who may be able to break through the barriers are often teachers.
