1 in 5 teens struggle with mental health issues.

It’s okay if you are one of them

Helpful Knowledge

What is Mental Health?

The term mental health gets thrown around a lot these days. Well, what does it actually mean? According to the World Health Organization, mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It impacts how we handle stressful situations, relate to others, and make effective choices.

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Thoughts

The way we think (our cognitions) influence what we do (our behavior) and how we feel (our emotions). CBT looks at the way we interpret events.

Feelings There are reasons that humans (and animals) have emotions– we need them to survive! Emotions help prepare us for action as well as communicate to ourselves and others.

Behaviors Feeling anxious, sad, or angry is pretty natural, particularly during adolescence. There are a lot of transitions and stressors during these years. However, how you respond to these challenges can make a big difference.

Understand

Understanding Core Therapies

You may be familiar with the terms therapy, psychotherapy, or counseling. These terms refer to sessions with a mental health professional. Sessions can be conducted one-on-one, with a family, or with a group to help people with a variety of emotional difficulties.

There are many different mental health treatments for young people. Finding the right treatment depends on what is going on in your life. For example, the approach would be different for someone who is feeling really nervous about a test versus someone else who is feeling really sad about a recent death in the family.

It is helpful to have a conversation with a mental health provider about what treatment is right for you.

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Tools

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

A type of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1990s and adapted by Drs. Alec Miller and Jill Rathus for adolescents. DBT skills training groups focus on

Mindfulness

Skills to help focus on one (and only one!) thing at a time and intentionally pay attention to what is happening right now, without judgment.

Walking the Middle Path

Skills to help avoid thinking in terms of black and white and instead look for the grey as well as skills to help increase validation and introduce principles of behavior change.