Giving a Fish a Bath: The Untold Story of the Adolescent Mind

This workshop reveals why teens are especially vulnerable to drug use, high-risk peer influences and depression as well as the proactive measures adults can take to minimize a teen’s exposure to these dangers. This seminar also addresses the often mystifying role of hormones on adolescent development and focuses on the key roles that stress and sleep have on teen learning processes. In addition, the workshop offers strategies compatible with the many strengths and opportunities available during this miraculous developmental period, including helping teens to develop positive character traits. If you’ve ever thought that the adolescent mind could not be understood, this workshop will arm you with the latest insights and information on knowing and empowering the teenage brain.

Learning Objectives

1. To introduce participants to the rapidly emerging research on how the adolescent brain is built and how it works. Participants will identify how the adolescent brain is significantly different than the adult brain and the child brain.
2. To acquaint participants with the practical application of this research to behavioral and emotional interventions provided to teens by caretakers and educators, with specific focus on helping adolescents avoid high risk activities such as drug use, alcohol abuse and sexual activity. Participants will learn and practice six specific techniques for helping teens avoid high risk behavior.
3. To expose participants to the growing body of resources on brain-compatible counseling, guidance, mentoring and parenting techniques including books, newsletters, websites, conferences and workshops. Participants will be able to locate brain-based resources in their community and via the web.
4. To share with caretakers and educators tools to help their teens overcome adversity, depression, anxiety and stress and to expose participants to the scientific research on happiness and how they can nurture the childhood roots of adult happiness in their foster homes, group homes and schools. Participants will be able to articulate the five most important parenting/relationship characteristics that are predictive of happiness and identify specific practices for nurturing these characteristics.