Building Mental Health Skills: Important Coping Strategies for Teens and Adolescents

Adolescence is a crucial stage in life where learning, growing, and cultivating healthy mental health habits is crucial. Teens may experience feelings of confusion, anger, and self-doubt. These are all normal experiences, but it’s important for parents and caregivers to help them develop the skills to cope with these feelings healthily. In this post, we will discuss the best strategies for promoting healthy mental health habits for teens and adolescents, focusing on breathing, journaling, exercise, thinking, and working.

Breathing exercises are one of the best things your teen can do when they’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Not only can breathing exercises help ease anxiety and tension, but it can also improve focus and concentration skills. Encourage your teen to practice deep breathing exercises daily, even if it’s just for a few minutes. One popular technique is the 4-7-8 method, where you inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds. This technique can help calm the mind and reduce stress.

Journaling is another essential tool that can help promote healthy mental health habits. Writing about your feelings and experiences can help release negative thoughts and feelings, improving overall mental health and well-being. Encourage your teen to make this a regular habit, either by setting aside a specific time during the day to journal or carrying around a journal in their purse or backpack. Writing about difficult experiences can help your teen work through and overcome them.

Exercise is known to promote healthy mental health habits, and it’s especially beneficial for teens. Exercise can help break up negative thought patterns, build confidence, and improve mood. Encourage your teen to find an activity they enjoy, whether it’s running, biking, playing sports, or dancing. Even taking a walk outside can have an immensely positive impact on mental health. remind them that regular exercise is an essential part of maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Thinking strategies can also promote healthy mental health habits. Encourage your teen to view situations from a positive, empowered perspective. Positive thinking can help build self-confidence and self-esteem, boosting overall mental health. One popular technique is to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. For example, instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a situation, encourage your teen to focus on the positive aspects—this can help reduce negative feelings and improve overall mood.

Lastly, encouraging your teen to work and find purpose can be incredibly beneficial for promoting healthy mental health habits. This doesn’t mean pushing your child to work at a young age, but rather encouraging them to find something that gives them a sense of fulfillment and purpose. This might involve volunteering, joining a club, or taking on part-time work. These activities can help your teen build a sense of self-worth and accomplishment, boosting overall mental health.

Mental health skills are important for all teenagers. Encouraging healthy coping strategies like breathing exercises, journaling, exercising, thinking strategies, and finding purpose can help teens weather life’s ups and downs. Make sure your teen is engaging in activities that promote their mental health and well-being, both during the summer and year-round. By teaching your teen these essential coping skills today, you can help set them up for a lifetime of healthy, fulfilling living.

Comprehensive Counseling offers New York residents various psychotherapy options to the help people of all ages get equitable access to quality mental health care. Contact us today to see what options we have for teens and adolescents!