Being a teenager is hard. They need our help!
Do you remember those teenage years? We do too! It is easy to feel overwhelmed and alone, but Teen Life exists to equip, encourage and empower teenagers to live life better. Get involved in one of the following ways:
Why Support Groups?
We believe that Support Groups offer teenagers a safe place to ask questions, receive the emotional support they need, and develop healthy peer and mentor relationships.
If these support groups do not exist, teenagers are going to continue to fall between the cracks. Instead of complaining about the current state of our culture, let’s encourage, equip and empower this next generation to make better choices.
# of students helped during 2017-2018 school year
# of trained Teen Life facilitators
We were so thankful to have Teen Life available to meet with our students. With more demands on the school counselor’s time, it is great to have a reliable option for help with our students. We are already thinking about how we want to use TL next year.
Dawson MS CounselorIt has been a great blessing to walk beside these kids on their turf, to equip them with some tools to help break the generational cycles of self-esteem, relationship, and spiritual poverty, and to assist them in casting a vision on where they want to be and how they might get there.
Jacob
YOU'VE GOT TO CHECK THIS OUT!
The Enneagram & Teens with Suzanne Stabile (part 1)
This week, Chris and Karlie had the honor of sitting down with Suzanne Stabile – Enneagram expert, teacher, coach, and author. Through decades of researching and studying the Enneagram, Suzanne has a unique perspective on this incredible tool, it’s relational aspects, and how it can impact the lives of teenagers. In this episode, Suzanne with cover her background with the Enneagram before addressing the Enneagram as it relates to teenagers. Suzanne gives some great wisdom for helping adolescents explore the Enneagram. Then, she also covers the first 4 numbers on the Enneagram by talking about what struggles teenagers face in each type and how adults can better interact with them. This interview is incredibly practical and full of wisdom! Join this conversation with Suzanne Stabile as we learn how to better understand and support teenagers through our knowledge of the Enneagram.
read more
Repost: Helping Students Find Hope in Hopelessness
A few weeks back, I was sitting with some students from a really tough part of our city and working through some of their resources. Part of our groups involve identifying and building up the student’s sense of courage, connectedness, self worth, and capability. What we noticed with this group is a general lack of self-reported capability. This seemed to be the trend throughout the group of young men. This was a strange happening in my experience. Generally, a group of young men will tend to overstate their courage and capability from a place of machismo or even lack of self-esteem. It’s a coping mechanism everyone uses from time to time to protect us from being real with each other.
read more
The Enneagram & Teens with Beth McCord (part 2)
Join the Teen Life Podcast as we continue our conversation with Enneagram coach and expert, Beth McCord! In part two of this interview, we finish discussing characteristics of each Enneagram type and then dive into how you can use the Enneagram to reach teenagers, especially in the context of parenting. In this episode, Beth with cover the core desires, core fears, weaknesses, and longing of Enneagram numbers 7-9. She will then use her own parenting and Enneagram experience to discuss how we can help teenagers find their type, and how we can use the Enneagram to better work with teens. The Enneagram can be a powerful tool when working and living with teenagers. Jump into this incredible discussion with Beth McCord as we take a look at some practical ways to use this tool.
read more
The Enneagram & Teens with Beth McCord (part 1)
We are excited to have Enneagram coach and expert, Beth McCord join the Teen Life Podcast! In part one of this interview, we start discussing characteristics of each Enneagram type. Beth does an incredible job of introducing the numbers of the Enneagram, especially if this is your first time to hear about each type. In this episode, Beth with cover the Enneagram numbers 1-6 by discussing things like core desires, core fears, weaknesses, and what each number longs to hear. With her Biblical perspective on the Enneagram, Beth is full of wisdom and passion as she helps others explore the Enneagram. Let’s start diving into the numbers on the Enneagram as we seek to better help the teenagers in our lives!
read more
Can I Say That Here?
I was recently leading a support group with 7th grade students. During one of our introduction activities, a girl started to share — and then paused. She thought for a moment, and then said, “My answer is from The Bible. Can I talk about that here?” This is the constant question of students around us – students who live in an unsafe world – Is it okay to say what I feel here? Or the deeper version – Is this a safe place? I opened it up to the group, and the consensus from the seven other students in the room was that she could share and not be picked on or made fun of in our circle, despite many of the others in the room having vastly different beliefs. Seventh graders don’t typically ask if a group is safe unless they have spent time in spaces that aren’t.
read more
The Enneagram & Teens with Casey McCollum (part 2)
Hopefully you have already listened to part 1 of the interview with Casey McCollum, where he began to introduce the Enneagram and how you can find your own type. The Enneagram is an incredible tool that can lead to transformation in your own life. In part 2 of this interview, Casey McCollum will cover some of the childhood messages and spiritual disciplines for each of the nine types. Casey will also give suggestions for other Enneagram resources if you want to learn more about this system. Let’s take a step in self-transformation so we can focus on helping those around us. Listen to this episode for another introduction to the Enneagram and how this tool can help you help teens!
read more