Adolescence

Jan 13

We carry adolescence around in our bodies all of our lives. — Garrison Keillor

The complications of being a young person today are all the same complications of ever being a young person plus so much more. The effects of social media, the mental health fallout of COVID-19, climate anxiety, immense pressure for achievement, gender and orientation questions, and disconnection from the natural world are current realities that teenagers and young adults are facing. While the specific cultural stressors of this generation may be unique, the experience of feeling stressed and anxious is not. We might start here.

“We run the risk now of raising a generation that is stressed about being stressed, and anxious about being anxious.”

—Lisa Damour Ph.D. author of Under Pressure

Reframing anxiety and stress

Both stress and anxiety are normal and healthy functions that are actually beneficial to us.

Anxiety is a normal system that keeps us safe. It’s an alarm that alerts us to pay attention and notice what’s going on around us, or inside of us.
Stress builds capacity, so when we operate at our outer edge, that edge usually grows and we develop new abilities.

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The therapists at Heart Stone work closely with young people facing multiple stressors in a way that is gentle, fun, creative and non-pathologizing. We use art, mindfulness, experiential learning and straight-up skills development to help build up each person’s resourcefulness and resilience.

We also believe in the importance of building connection and communication skills because no one can navigate this complicated world on their own.

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