Here are a variety of lectures, sketches, and music videos to help you teach youth about empathizing with and supporting their peers and members of other communities. (As always, please preview anything you plan to use with your students or clients, to make sure it’s appropriate for your particular context.) The Audacity of Empathy, TEDx …

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“Travel!” the floor coach yelled. “What?” said my 12-year old son, Solomon, as he raised his hands in the air, palms facing upward.  A short exchange followed where the coach approached Solomon and tried to calm him down. It escalated.  “Whatever!” Solomon yelled as he flung his arms in the air. It was clear he …

Mental Skills for Youth Athletes: Are You a Small Pup or a Big Dawg? Read More »

Whether you work in counseling, social work, education, or health care, it’s likely you regularly encounter teens who’ve experienced trauma.  Here at the Center for Adolescent Studies, we have many resources to help you serve trauma-impacted youth, including information about: how trauma affects the brain; how to work with resistant youth;  how to teach mindfulness …

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Here are a variety of quotations you can use in teaching adolescents about mindfulness meditation and present-moment awareness. Scroll to the end of the post for suggested discussion questions.   Defining Mindfulness “Paying attention, in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are: …

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TAP is a mindfulness acronym developed by Dr. Sam Himelstein, director of the Center for Adolescent Studies. It stands for: T=Take a breath. A=Acknowledge. P=Proceed. Take a Breath. When you’re feeling frustrated or angry, taking a deep breath (or five, or twenty) can help you calm down enough to avoid saying or doing something you …

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Françoise Mathieu, an expert on compassion fatigue and secondary trauma, says that “Debriefing is an important part of the work that we do: it is a natural and important process in dealing with disturbing material.” However, if this process isn’t handled well, it can contribute to the vicarious trauma experienced by your coworkers. As Mathieu …

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Here are a variety of yoga, movement, and stretching videos for use by teachers, therapists, and anyone else who’d like to share grounding, relaxation, and awareness practices with youth. 1) Afro Flow Yoga Relaxation instructor: Leslie Salmon Jones, who combines yoga with African-inspired dance (accompanied by live music from her husband Jeff W. Jones) level: …

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Here are a variety of songs and short (1-12 minute) videos you can use while teaching about mindful listening, speech, and silence. As always, please preview anything you plan to share with youth, and think carefully about what’s most appropriate for your particular context. 5 Lectures About Mindful Communication “A Guided Exercise for Mindful Communication” …

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Today I’d like to share with you: some guidance on how to communicate effectively with Christian youth (or their parents) who might have concerns about mindfulness instruction, and an overview of Christian mindfulness and contemplative practices.    Tip #1. Examine Your Own Assumptions   —If you’re a Christian yourself, or if you’ve worked with other …

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Here are a variety of songs you can use while teaching adolescents and young adults about healthy and unhealthy relationships.  I’ve included brief descriptions to help you choose, but please preview any videos you plan to use with your students or clients to make sure they’re appropriate for your particular context. All I Want, Olivia …

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