Has your teen ever said, “I shouldn’t feel this way,” or, “If I feel it, it’ll never stop”? These beliefs don’t just make emotions harder to handle. They leave teens stuck, ashamed, and disconnected.
Many teens grow up learning emotional rules that are based on fear, not facts. These emotional myths come from family patterns, school culture, or personal experiences. And while they might sound true, they’re often the reason teens struggle to manage their feelings.
When teens feel overwhelmed or distressed, it’s common for emotions to take over. This can lead to explosive outbursts, self-sabotaging behaviors, or anxiety spirals. But it doesn’t have to be this way. While teens may not control every challenging situation they face, they can learn how to control their responses through DBT self-soothe techniques.
Crisis survival skills are a collection of techniques, often summarized in acronyms, that teach individuals how to cope with intense emotions and urges without making the situation worse. These skills are essential for anyone, but particularly beneficial for teens with self-destructive behaviors such as self-harm, substance abuse, or disruptive actions that harm relationships.
This blog explores the application of the Wise Mind concept from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in parenting teenagers. It addresses the challenges of raising teens, such as intense mood swings and self-destructive behaviors, and presents the Wise Mind approach as a tool for navigating these challenges to foster a harmonious family environment.
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