Understanding Teens: An educational course for parents of 12-17 year olds.
The adolescent stage of development can be a challenging time for both parent and child. Understanding Teens is a six session online course which has been developed for parents to gain a richer understanding of their teenager’s behaviour and development. This course provides parents with evidenced explanations for changes in teenage behaviour, and with relationship based strategies to boost young people’s self-esteem and wellbeing into adulthood.
What does the programme involve?
How will this help me?
Course Content
Session 1 – The Adolescent Brain
The first session focuses on the changes that are happening within the teenage brain and how these contribute to changes in behaviour.
Session 2 – Emotion Regulation
The teenage years can take young people on an emotional rollercoaster! This session focuses on why this happens and ways parents can help young people regulate big emotions.
Session 3 – Protecting your relationship with your teen
Teenagers can be hard to communicate with, which can lead to difficulties within the parent-child relationship. This session provides parents with cognitive explanations for the shift in teenage communication styles, and helpful ways to protect your relationship with your young person.
Session 4 – The Challenges of Adolescence
From risk taking behaviour to social anxiety, the teenage years can be very challenging to navigate. This session breaks down common challenges teenagers face, and provides parents with strategies to help build their teenager’s skills in managing difficult situations.
Session 5 – Dealing with Difficult Behaviour
This session focuses on strategies that can help our young people keep their behaviour in check. This session focuses on relationship[ based positive parenting approaches that not only help to improve behaviour but importantly promote your young person’s confidence and self-esteem.
Session 6 – Parental Wellbeing
Yes, parental wellbeing matters too! Parental wellbeing plays a huge role in children’s behaviour and mental health. This final session provides parents with the space to think about ways they can increase their wellbeing, in order to be more able to support their young person.
Session 7 – Understanding Neurodivergent Teens
Neurodivergent teenagers often have additional challenges to navigate as they develop into young adulthood. This session supports parents to think about some of these challenges and offers practical suggestions about what parents can do to support their neurodivergnt teen to thrive. (No diagnosis is required to attend this session). This session is optional and will run in groups where there is a demand for it.
