THE SELF-COMPASSIONATE TEEN

Mindfulness strategies geared toward overwhelmed teens illuminate this evidence-based self-help guidebook by an expert in the field.

Readers will encounter a whole box of tools for cultivating compassion as they work through nine themed chapters addressing common adolescent struggles. The author outlines strategies emphasizing mindfulness, broad awareness of their shared humanity, and self-kindness. A collection of engaging formal and informal practices punctuates each section, and readers are taught to focus on sensations, thoughts, and breathing to let go of stress and anxiety and remain grounded in the present. Weblinks are included for downloadable audio of each meditation or exercise to support readers in their practice. Somewhat generic teen challenges are detailed throughout the book with first-person stories of scenarios where these practices can be particularly beneficial, including school, relationships, social media drama, and self-image. The author explains the evolutionary and biological reasons why we all experience fear, anxiety, and stress. The messages that teens are not alone in their difficulties and have the ability to change their own outlooks are empowering and hopeful. The author both criticizes how social media can add to teen anxiety as well as offers up ways to harness the power of social media for self-kindness practice, offering a balanced approach. Importantly, the author is explicitly reassuring toward and supportive of LGBTQ+ youth.

Teens will learn to treat themselves with kindness with the tools gleaned from this text.