Associate Marriage and Family Therapist Evenlyng Cohen, begins this seminar by explaining important aspects of their developmental stage: establish and nurture intimate relationships, and development of identity, future perspectives, independence, self-confidence, self-control, and social skills.

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Evelyng explains that the teenage brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until approximately age 25.  During this phase of adolescence, teens process information with the amygdala and not the prefrontal cortex as adults to.

 

Therefore, rewards of social connections out-pace the ability to think about consequences and extra effort is required to promote emotional well-being and mental health, that is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realizes his or her own activities, can cope with the stresses of life, work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.  Thus, this represents an opportunity during this time to make an impact as their brains are in a unique state of imbalance.

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To have an influence on your adolescents development during this time, parents and caregivers can foster healthy development by including

• Strong attachment to family

• High levels of pro-social behavior in family, school, and community

• High social skills and competence, strong moral beliefs and religiosity, and a positive personal disposition

• Positive social support

• Strong family cohesion

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Evelyng continues by explaining the impacts of the impact of mental health on emotions such as factors associated levels of anxiety sypmtoms, depressive symptoms, stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

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She closes by sharing what parents and caregivers can do during this phase of adolescent development:

• Recognize that mental health is an essential part of overall health

• Empower youth to recognize, manage, and learn from difficult emotions

• Support the mental health of children and youth in your communities

• Be aware of their challenges. A whole-of-society effort to support children’s mental health is needed. Know when to ask for help.