Teens facing intense physical, mental, and social changes can get caught up in self-judgment and self-criticism. And, over time, these negative thoughts can build up, leading to stress, anxiety, and even depression.
To help mitigate this serious issue, Karen Bluth, PhD, a fellow within the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and a research assistant professor in the UNC Department of Psychiatry, has written a new book.
The Self-Compassionate Teen: Mindfulness & Compassion Skills to Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice provides daily exercises grounded in mindfulness and self-compassion to help teens overcome self-criticism and respond to feelings of self-doubt with greater kindness and selfcare.
“In our culture, in our society, almost 80 percent of people are harder on themselves than they are on their good friends,” Bluth says, “so I teach people how to be kinder to themselves.”
Learn more at go.unc.edu/r5DTm and www.karenbluth.com