Being a Guide to Your Teen as They Explore Boundaries

Written By: Dafne Garcia, Clinical Trainee at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program RAISING A FAMILYis not an easy job. As children go through their developmental stages, it challenges parents to learn and adapt to where their child is at developmentally. Raising a teen is no different. Teens go through many changes in their lives that include […]

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Body Image in Adolescence

Written By: Tucker Chopp, Clinical Intern at ACS, Outlet Program for many young people,the teenage years become increasingly fraught with highly self-conscious thinking. It is typical for adolescents to become preoccupied with how they are perceived by others and how they fit into society. How teens present themselves physically often becomes a significant concern in […]

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Autonomy in Adolescents

Written By: Kenzie Bohnsack, Clinical Intern at ACS, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program A desire forautonomy is experienced at two critical stages in life, toddlerhood and adolescence. Autonomy can be defined as feeling, behaving, and thinking independently, a sense of self-governance or freedom to make choices. During adolescence, youth begin to separate from their parents […]

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So You’ve Been Invited to Have a Family Session with Your Teen… An Attachment-Based Approach

Written By: Jaimie Sandlin, Clinical Intern at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program and Community Counseling Program family sessionscan be tense, but the expected outcome is that you all emerge stronger together. When your teen’s therapist asks you, their caregiver, to join them for a session, it can be nerve-wracking. You might feel defensive. You might feel […]

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Boundaries – For You AND Your Teen

Written By: Elizabeth Rivera, Clinical Trainee at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program and Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program   “Your no makes the way for your yes. Boundaries create the container within which your yes is authentic. Being able to say no makes yes a choice.” ― Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good […]

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Practicing Mindfulness

Written By: Anna Fitch, Clinical Intern at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program what is mindfulness? Over the past three decades, a movement of mindfulness-based positive psychology has taken the field by storm. As a result, mindfulness has become commonplace within the vernacular of modern-day society. While well-intentioned, mindfulness has become somewhat of a cultural commodity, leading […]

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Active Listening Skills to Communicate with Your Child

Written By: Wen Soon, Clinical Intern at ACS, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program communication is often one of the most important skills people are taught. We hear it from other parents, teachers, and the media as the one panacea to any problems we have in the family. Think about the last time you communicated with […]

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth during the Holidays

Written By: Nat Bricker, Clinical Intern at ACS, Outlet Program for many individuals, the winter holidays can bring a variety of different emotions, from overall positivity and joy, to significant stress. The emotional well-being of LGBTQ+ youth during the holidays is particularly impacted by family dynamics and levels of family acceptance. It is important for […]

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Adolescent Substance Use: How and When to Talk to Your Teen

Written By: Kenzie Bohnsack, Clinical PhD Trainee at ACS, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program as children emerge into their teenage years, parents may begin to worry about their adolescent’s use of substances, such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs. Substance use is often initiated and quite common during adolescence. Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are […]

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Handling stress during the Covid-19 pandemic // Manejo del estrés durante la pandemia de Covid-19

Written By: Elizabeth Rivera, Clinical Trainee at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program and Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program In English: WE HAVE NOW BEEN sheltering in place for almost 8 months – remember when we thought we’d be out of this in just a few months? The Covid-19 pandemic has inevitably affected our lives: from changes […]

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