Youth Services
Today’s young people face the same challenges as generations before them, such as peer pressure or changing family dynamics as they go through adolescence, but in our modern, hyper-connected world, these challenges can be magnified. Studies of trends in depression among young people are pointing to a significant increase in adolescents reporting at least one major depressive episode in a year’s time. Clinicians and school counselors also report a rise in levels of anxiety and depression that negatively affect behavior in school, at home, and with peers.
Where once a child’s or teen’s struggles may have been a relatively private matter, they can now become known to almost anyone via social media channels. The pressure to conform to societal or group norms is greater, and the failure to do so can have deeper, longer-lasting effects. It’s easier now to be a victim of bullying, or to bully others.
More than ever, all young people need positive coping, problem-solving, and communication skills. For children and teens who suffer from depression, anxiety, or anger or self-esteem issues, it is especially important to learn constructive ways to gain emotional strength and resilience.