Life is this incredible, beautiful journey of trying to find out who we are, what we want, and the people we want in our lives.  

We may search our entire life to find out who we are and still never recognize our strengths.

In counseling, I focus on building and uplifting teens to know that they are so much more than their mistakes, their grades, or their romantic status.  They are filled with kindness, deep thoughts, powerful ideas, beauty, fierceness, adventure, and abilities to teach not only the peers around them, but also the adults in their life.   

As we work to guide and educate teens we should also take time to let them know how much they have to offer. It’s a difficult time to raise children.  It’s easy for teens to get lost in the pressure of succeeding, the high of alcohol/drugs, the lack of self-esteem, or the feeling of inadequacy about their bodies.   For this reason, I strive to always be a symbol of light and hope. I want every teen that I meet to know that they have a gift to offer others.

It doesn’t matter how angry, sad, anxious, introverted, or unmotivated your teen is – each one has something to give.

Who are they? What do they have to offer? While it isn’t exhaustive, this list is something I’ve come up with to help provide some insight on who and what your teen is capable of–without having ever met them.

YOU

You are a beautiful person.

You are filled with talents and gifts.

You are a dreamer.

You are valuable and worth being heard.

You are the future.

You are worth getting to know.

You are strong and powerful.

You are more than your mistakes.

You are kind and thoughtful.

You are fun to be around.

You are more than rumors and gossip.

You are here for a reason.

You are creative and have a lot to contribute.

You are loved.

You are passionate.