Programs for Children and Teens

Do you have a teen ages 13-17 who is stressed, anxious, distracted or overwhelmed by the challenges of teen life?

Linda Gradess – certified to teach MBSR-T by its creator Gina Biegle, MA, LMFT – has been teaching mindfulness to teens to help them strengthen their ability to cope with stress, build greater resilience, and improve general wellbeing.

Teens today are facing many stressful challenges ranging from pressures in school, sports, relationships, and family to issues connected to poverty, violence and discrimination. Learning how to handle stress in healthy ways as a teen can impact a host of positive outcomes as an adult.

Mindfulness can be a powerful and effective practice at this pivotal stage in adolescent development. Research demonstrates that children and teens who practice mindfulness may experience benefits such as:

• Increased focus and attention

• Increased emotional regulation

• Increased working memory, planning, organization and impulse control

• Increased quality of sleep

• Increased sense of calmness, relaxation, and self-acceptance

• Increased social skills

• Decrease in negative coping skills and increases in positive coping skills

MBSR-T, is not a quick fix or a cure-all for teens, and is not meant to replace other therapeutic approaches or medical management. It is not psychotherapy or counseling or meant to take its place. It is, however, an educational program where teens can learn skills and tools to help them function more adaptively and make better choices in their daily activities and challenges.

The definition of mindfulness used in this program Is “noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in the moment without harmful judgement in as many moments of your life as possible.”

It takes some training and practice over time to uncover the benefits of mindfulness, which show up differently for each person. Just like going to the gym regularly builds muscle, strength, and agility, regular mindfulness practice builds your ability to handle stress, gain confidence, and build resilience. After each session, a mindfulness recording will be emailed and teens will be encouraged to practice daily to experience the full benefits of MBSR-T and to develop new habits to support learning, routine activities, hobbies and interests.

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