Got a soon-to-be college freshman? This is THE pep talk for you. I’m sharing what I think every student should do for solid mental wellness support before going away to school. We chat about foundational wellness regarding nervous system regulation, the parent transition to college, and why mentorship becomes *even* more important the summer before freshman year.
never ask your teens this question
I’ve had a lot of parent chats in the last couple of weeks and I don’t know if it’s the end of the school year or college kids coming home from school, but communication has been wonky! In today’s pep talk, I’m sharing communication tips including what question to avoid, reframing for more peaceful conversations, and how to reinforce confidence in your kid’s ability to make decisions for themselves.
mentor links:
when coming home for the summer isn’t a smooth a transition
The transition from college back to living at home for the summer is HUGE for both parents and students. If you’re finding it bumpy that’s totally normal. In this pep talk, we chat about parent/student summer expectations, what I feel parents should keep in mind, and a tip for bringing up tough topics with your young adult child.
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the impact of the pandemic on students
I know that everyone is tired of talking about the pandemic, but I feel like we’re only now starting to process what went down… and it was TRAUMATIC. In this pep talk, I explain my “the pandemic made you more of who you already were” theory, the grades I felt had their social emotional health impacted the most, and an exercise for parents to consider when thinking about the wellbeing of your teens.
mentor links:
what’s causing dysregulation on college campuses
Do you know what your trauma response is? That sounds heavy, but what I’m really asking is: do you know when you’re dysregulated? aka what brings us in and out of emotional wellbeing. In this pep talk, we chat how understanding the nervous system supports mental wellness for college students, the mind/body connection, where drugs and alcohol fit in, and what I’m seeing on college campuses in terms of what’s dysregulating students.
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parent pep talk: why college is an interesting time for mental health
Prior the pandemic college campuses had a mental health crisis and in this mini parent pep-talk, I’m chatting one reason college has always been an interesting time for mental health and what self-care for students really means.
that ‘time is running out’ feeling
Did you know that the ‘time is running out’ feeling might just be an anxiety response? Typically when you’re wrestling with the idea of time you’re feeling OOC (the mentor way to saying: Out of Control). In today’s pep talk we talk about being out of control, how to move through the feeling of being OOC, and tips for staying present when you feel like time is moving too fast.
assuming the worst
Have you ever assumed the worst about something or someone and then been proven absolutely wrong? I have and so have my friends and students that’s why this is a pep talk today. We are chatting about what assuming the worst is really about, how it totally sucks when someone does this to us, a technique to help all of this, and why text messages are a breeding ground for misunderstanding.
mentioned pep talk:
the roommate race
Something new I’ve seen over the last few years is the freshman year hunt for the roommate. Instead of getting assigned randomly, students are connecting and finding roommates online, which although has definitive positives, it’s also causing stress. In today’s pep talk, I’m sharing some tips for handling a roommate search no matter if you’re a freshman or post grad!
my mentor origin story
I LOVE an origin story. I deeply appreciate hearing about how someone got to where they’re at. I’m always searching for podcasts featuring someone’s backstory and in today’s pep talk, I share my own mini mentor story. I also give you some homework (not the hard kind) to help you think about your own story. Enjoy!