A Note From The L.A. Teen Therapist
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Read on to learn effective options for dealing with bullying. – Sandra
Did you know that feelings are our body’s way of keeping us alert to our safety? The primitive reptilian part of our brain needs to be guided by the reasoning part of our brain. Emotion gets our attention, but then what we do with that information determines the success of the outcome.
Teens, although highly vulnerable to slights, are quick to dish them out. Testing each other, and the world, they are often uncensored in their expression. It is important to help teens process and digest their experiences, that they might grow from them.
Teachers, parents, classmates and siblings have all been known to say things that were experienced as hurtful. By teaching teens how to slow down and tolerate their immediate discomfort, they can begin to understand what they are feeling, and think about how they want to respond.
Unless a fellow classmate is pathologically disturbed, simple techniques like using humor or walking away have turned around a good number of “bullying” situations. By helping the teen understand what the taunting means to them, we also have an opportunity to address underlying self-esteem issues that existed long before a particular insult was delivered.
Bottom line, life is not always fair and not everyone will like us. The capacity to accept oneself and to be comfortable in one’s own skin is invaluable in living in a world of diversity–where differences in preference and opinions abound.
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For more information, please visit my website:
SandraDupont.com
Adolescent Therapist|Parent Coach|Teen Mentor
Providing service for: Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Beverly Glen, Culver City, Brentwood, Westwood, Marina Del Rey, Mar Vista, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Topanga Beach and Topanga Canyon, Ocean Park, Hancock Park, West Hollywood.