teens

Building Empathy and Understanding with Your Teen Using the THINK Skill

Building Empathy and Understanding with Your Teen Using the THINK Skill

When it comes to helping teens build healthy relationships, the THINK skill is one of the most powerful tools we can offer. This skill is all about perspective-taking—learning how to step outside of our own experience and try to see things from someone else’s point of view. Not only can this improve our teens' relationships, but it can also deepen their empathy, understanding, and overall emotional resilience.

How We Help Teens Build Healthy Relationships: A Guide to DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness

How We Help Teens Build Healthy Relationships: A Guide to DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness

Teens need healthy relationships to thrive emotionally and socially. But many things can get in the way—unhelpful beliefs, lack of communication skills, or even trouble setting boundaries. In our Interpersonal Effectiveness module, we give teens the tools to overcome these challenges and form positive, lasting connections.

How to Help Your Teen Use DBT Mindfulness of Emotions

How to Help Your Teen Use DBT Mindfulness of Emotions

As a parent, watching your teen struggle with intense emotions can be tough. Our instinct is to step in, try to fix things, or provide a solution. However, teaching teens to manage their emotions on their own can empower them and provide them with long-term coping skills. One of the most effective tools for this is DBT’s (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Mindfulness of Emotions.

Balancing Self-Care and Parenting: The Simple Skill That Changes Everything

Balancing Self-Care and Parenting: The Simple Skill That Changes Everything

Parenting a teenager, especially one in DBT, often feels like a full-time job. You're constantly tending to their needs, emotions, and challenges. But if you're not careful, you can easily burn yourself out, leaving little energy for both your teen and yourself. In these moments, it's crucial to remember: self-care isn't selfish. It's essential.

How to Help Your Teen Master Emotional Control and Face Challenges Like a Pro

How to Help Your Teen Master Emotional Control and Face Challenges Like a Pro

As a parent, you want your teen to feel confident and capable of handling life’s emotional ups and downs. But sometimes, teens struggle with overwhelming emotions or stressful situations that leave them feeling stuck. Two powerful tools can help your teen gain the emotional control they need to thrive: Building Mastery and Coping Ahead. These simple, effective strategies can support your teen in feeling more prepared, resilient, and ready to take on life’s challenges.

Helping Your Teen Accumulate Positives: A Key to Building Emotional Resilience

Helping Your Teen Accumulate Positives: A Key to Building Emotional Resilience

As parents, one of the most important skills we can teach our teens is how to accumulate positive experiences. Life’s challenges, especially during adolescence, can feel overwhelming, and for teens dealing with depression or difficult emotions, it can seem like the negative always outweighs the positive. That’s where the concept of "Accumulating Positives" comes in—a skill that can help them build up the emotional reserves needed to weather life's storms.

How to Help Your Teen Choose Healthy Behaviors: The Power of Opposite Action

How to Help Your Teen Choose Healthy Behaviors: The Power of Opposite Action

As a parent of a teenager, you’ve probably seen your child struggle with intense emotions that lead to behaviors they might later regret. Whether it's withdrawing when they're sad or avoiding responsibilities when they're anxious, these behaviors are often driven by natural emotional urges. But what if there was a way to help them reroute their brain and choose healthier, more effective responses? This is where the concept of opposite action comes into play.