Change Behavior With a Plan

We know one thing doesn’t work when it comes to teens and worrisome behavior—telling them what to do. There is a good reason. If teens know how to do better, they do better. In other words, when they choose an unhealthy strategy for coping with stress, it’s sometimes because they don’t realize they could use different tools to deal with problems. Let them know you have their back, discuss the source of the stress, and help them make a stress management plan. New tools = new decisions because no pattern is set in stone.

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