Supporting Young People
TeenSPIRE™
TeenSPIRE™ aims to support and inspire young people towards the best and finest version of themselves. The current generation of young people have access to information and technology on an unprecedented scale. The nature of the information itself can mean:
- intense exam pressures to perform and do well (often while struggling with concentration and memory for many reasons incl worry, or ADHD),
- intense tech anxiety should they find themselves without their tablets or smartphones,
- intense social and health pressure / anxiety where
negative peer comments in a non-stop online world can contribute to problems in sleep, anxiety, confidence and self-esteem, and in body image, - relationship pressures which can include demands to engage in sexting, and/or to experiment with drugs, alcohol or other, and
- significant worry about the future academically, socially and occupationally - while knowing that online peer comments or personal setbacks (our digital lives/footprints) may not be deleted or forgotten over time.
Sexting
As part of keeping young people safe, parents may need to have a discussion about sexting with their teenage children. These need to know that sending explicit photos to peers/others can have serious consequences - the potential for embarrassment, bullying and blackmail; and a criminal record as it is a criminal offence to forward any explicit photos to an individual / or group of individuals under 18 years - including peers.
At worst, any consequences are absoloutely surmountable; more info here.
Yet by gaining supports and coping strategies early, and ideally before these are really needed, confidence can improve and young people enabled to make better choices for themselves and their futures. This is important when prevention is less costly than treatment; when drugs and alcohol are widely available as alternative coping strategies; and when our health services are in crisis or struggling.
Our early range of psychology interventions include:
- supporting young people towards greater emotional maturity via 1-1 CBT or our community “Teen Stress Busters” courses (more info below),
- helping them develop communication and assertiveness skills, and
- psychoeducation and awareness around mental health issues, use of technology, sleep and/or healthy eating.
To find out more, please talk to us in confidence, or keep checking our website and social media for events and activities. We would also encourage parents to attend our adult “Stress Busters” course so that they have similar CBT techniques and insights as do their children. This can be important in helping parents manage their stress, while also reinforcing healthy and affirming coping strategies at home and with their children.
Supports: In-house AND External
"Teen Stress Busters"
"Teen Stress Busters" is an informal group CBT course we offer
that is aimed at school-goers aged 15-18 years. It takes place over 5-6 weeks, and offers young people insights and techniques to manage/prevent stress (an umbrella word for lots of different mood states incl low
mood, panic, and social anxiety). This fun course is educational rather than counselling, so at no point will attendees be asked to talk about how they are feeling in front of others. Instead, all information will be on slides and handouts [more information].
1-1 CBT via video
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, or CBT, is an advanced type of counselling/therapy that we use to help young people manage depression, and/or any of a range of anxiety problems (incl social anxiety, panic, phobias, stress,
and worry). On offer with CBT is:
- a warm and kind listening ear (without any judgements);
- insights to help teens understand why things are as they are, and
- new techniques to achieve goals, which can include managing difficult emotions and feeling states.
NOTE: We need parental consent when offering 1-1 CBT support to
those aged 16-18 years of age. Additionally, and where possible,
parents are encouraged to attend (even some) sessions alongside their teen.