The teen years are a time of exploration and growth. For many teens, it’s also a time of stress, confusion, and difficulty managing emotions. Resilience is an important trait for teens to develop during this time to ensure they can bounce back from any setback. But what is resilience? Learn about what resilience is and what it could mean for teens here.
What Is Resilience?
Put simply, resilience is the ability to cope effectively with stress and adversity. It’s the strength that allows some people to come back from even the most difficult challenges — even as others struggle to recover. Resilience isn’t just about being hardy or tough, though, it’s also about being flexible and adaptable. When something goes wrong, resilient individuals are able to cope with their emotions, maintain a positive outlook, and come up with a plan for moving forward.
Fostering resilience in teens is crucial because adolescence is a time when young people face many challenges that can be difficult for them to understand and overcome. From academic pressures to relationship issues, teens are under constant stress. By building resilience, you can help them develop the skills and tools they need to handle these challenges, resulting in stronger mental and emotional health.
We believe that building resilience in children and teens is key to their overall well-being. It’s important to create an environment where they can feel safe and encouraged to express their feelings, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of judgment or failure. And for teens who are struggling with their mental health, fostering resilience can help them to feel more capable of managing complex emotions and developing positive coping skills.
Six Tips for Building Resilience in Children and Teens
Now that you know what resilience is, you can start to address it during adolescence. Just a few of the ways that you can help a child or teen in your life foster resilience include:
- Encourage positive self-talk – Help your teen develop a positive inner dialogue by emphasizing their strengths and abilities. This can look like praising them for their successes or offering words of encouragement when they face adversity.
- Promote goal-setting – Encourage your teen to set goals for themselves and help them come up with a plan to achieve those goals. This can help them to stay focused and motivated, even in difficult times.
- Foster problem-solving skills – Teaching your teen how to think critically and tackle problems can help them develop the necessary skills to manage stress.
- Help your teen develop coping mechanisms – Providing teens with healthy coping strategies like exercise and meditation can help them learn to manage their emotions in a healthy way.
- Practice gratitude – Encourage your teen to make a habit of recognizing the good things in their life. This can ensure they remain optimistic even when they encounter challenges.
- Seek out professional support – If your teen is struggling with mental health issues, don’t be afraid to seek out professional help from a therapist, outpatient mental health facility, or residential treatment program.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building resilience in children and teens. The most important thing is that you provide your teen with support, guidance, and positive examples of resilience from your own life.
Discover Teen Mental Health Treatment at Ascend
Knowing what resilience is, how to foster it in children and teens, and where to turn for professional help can make a world of difference. At Ascend, you’ll find a team of professionals dedicated to helping teens develop the resilience they need to thrive.
Find more guidance and support when you call us at 310.388.3713.
