This led to the formation of my initiative, Our Teen Brains, which is aimed to help teenagers and their guardians understand the teenage brain and the changes it is going through. Our goal is to spread awareness about the developing teenage brain towards explaining some of the causes of mental health failures. We teenagers should learn about our constantly changing brain because I think it’s empowering for young people to know and understand more about why they might be feeling a certain way and more adequate steps may be taken to correct the mental challenges they may feel. I give presentations on various topics which impact us teens, especially during our high school years. Like Peer Pressure, depression, stress, mindfulness, and how they are related to the developing brains of us teens. Some videos can be found on our YouTube channel on our website (Ourteenbrains.org).
I also share my research and workshops with various school communities as part of our wellness sessions. I have received testimonials from school counselors, teachers and parents stating that my workshops add a wonderful element of the neuroscience and student perspective. I have also been told that I bring enthusiasm, insight and relevant information to the sessions. But, most of all, the students themselves feel that understanding the developing teen brains can help them with tips and tools to manage mental stress and pressures of high school life….
