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The importance of optimism and resilience in teens/young people
Young people and teens are under more pressure than ever before as our society expects ever-higher levels of connection, perfection, and achievement.
Some lucky people are naturally gifted with a greater sense of resilience than others- you can see this in the way they manage themselves around others, in the way they are naturally more flexible and the way they seem in charge of their lives.
Research shows that resilience can be taught and that parents and carers/teachers can have a great influence over how psychologically flexible or resilient young people and teens can become. Resilient teens feel more optimistic about their future and their abilities, are less likely to suffer depression and anxiety, and are less likely to use recreational drugs to cope with uncomfortable feelings.
Young people/teens need:
To be given responsibility over parts of their lives
To be encouraged to recognise their natural strengths, even when those strength’s are not academic
Be involved in organisations (schools/clubs/sports) that celebrate their strengths
Be part of a community that respects children and is interested in their views
To feel that their extended family support them
The Resilience Doughnut is a model for building resilience that considers both the internal qualities of a resilient person as well as the factors in the person’s environment which support and interact with those internal qualities.
The model is based on a wide body of research (both Australian and international) examining the factors common to children and young people who have shown resilience in the face of adversity.
Join us for a FREE mini workshop: 2nd March 7.30pm. Find FREE TICKETS here.
Laura Abley is a Counsellor at the Lotus Centre. She also teaches the Resilience Doughnut to parents and teachers across Sydney.