Jessica L. Schleider - The Growth Mindset Workbook for Teens: Say Yes to Challenges, Deal with Difficult Emotions, and Reach Your Full Potential

This workbook is an exciting offering that leverages decades of research on peoples innate power to change. Written by a team of rising stars, this workbook uses easy-to-understand language and includes many real-world examples and helpful exercises. There is something here for all teens who wish to realize their dreams, design their futures, and become the best version of themselves.

Bruce F. Chorpita, PhD , professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles; president of PracticeWise, LLC; and coauthor of MATCH-ADTC

This is a terrific, engaging, much-needed, and practical workbook that will equip teens with powerful tools to reach their full potential. Youth will find using this book appealing, relevant, and accessible. It is full of interactive activities and thought-provoking exercises. Individuals of all ages will find this book beneficial for developing essential lifelong skills for thriving and surviving in a complicated world.

Golda Ginsburg, PhD , professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Jessica Schleider and colleagues have created a thoughtful, powerful, and science-guided workbook for teens who may feel stuck in cycles of anxiety, depression, and stress. Their book is also the first to integrate our research on growth mindsets with brief, evidence-based treatments for youth depression and anxiety. The activities are creative, engaging, and right on-target with what science tells us can help teens cope and succeed!

Carol Dweck, PhD , Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor in the department of psychology at Stanford University

A gem of a book that is packed with evidence-based advice, practical strategies, and engaging material. It provides a much-needed road map for navigating the emotionally challenging teen years. I wish I had this book when I was a teen!

Christopher Beevers, PhD , Wayne H. Holztman Regents Chair in psychology, and director of the Institute for Mental Health Research at The University of Texas at Austin

Adolescents, like all of us, have setbacks and disappointments. These may undermine mental health, or they may become opportunities for growth. This engaging, highly readable workbookbased on sound researchguides young people through the kinds of thoughts and actions needed to turn challenges into strengths. The book is a truly valuable resource for young people, as well as for parents and clinicians

John R. Weisz, PhD, ABPP , professor of psychology at Harvard University, director of the Harvard Lab for Youth Mental Health, and past president and CEO of the Judge Baker Childrens Center

This book helps you understand why you think, feel, and behave the way you do, and delivers the tools you need to change for the better or deal with what life brings you. Reading it feels less like youre in class, and more like youre with a close friend whos revealing secrets about life that you might have searched forever to discover, only your friend has a PhD from Harvard!

Andres De Los Reyes, PhD , professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, Fulbright Scholar, and editor in chief of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Schleider, Mullarkey, and Dobias bring the concept of using a growth mindsetovercoming obstacles, developing desired skills, and managing ones mood effectivelyto life for teens in this book. Full of useful, guided activities based on proven therapeutic strategies that work, this book will help both teens struggling with intense emotions and those that love them to follow a well-laid-out path toward achieving their goals.

Jill Ehrenreich-May, PhD , professor in the department of psychology at the University of Miami, and coauthor of Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

NEW HARBINGER PUBLICATIONS is a registered trademark of New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2021 by Jessica L. Schleider, Michael C. Mullarkey, and Mallory L. Dobias

Instant Help Books

An imprint of New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Amy Shoup

Acquired by Jess OBrien

Edited by Karen Schader

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Schleider, Jessica L., author. | Mullarkey, Michael C., author. | Dobias, Mallory L., author.

Title: The growth mindset workbook for teens : say yes to challenges, deal with difficult emotions, and reach your full potential / Jessica L. Schleider, Michael C. Mullarkey, and Mallory L. Dobias.

Description: Oakland, CA : Instant Help Books, [2021]

Identifiers: LCCN 2020041393 (print) | LCCN 2020041394 (ebook) | ISBN 9781684035571 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781684035588 (pdf) | ISBN 9781684035595 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Emotions in adolescence--Juvenile literature. | Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence--Juvenile literature. | Change (Psychology)--Juvenile literature. | Self-realization--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC BF724.3.E5 S345 2021 (print) | LCC BF724.3.E5 (ebook) | DDC 155.5/19--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020041393

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020041394

To every kid, parent, and family who has taken part in our clinical research, tried out our programs, enjoyed them, hated them, and helped make them better: This workbook is for you and because of you. Thank you all so much.

Contents

a note to teens

My parents keep saying Itll be okay and Itll get better but what if theyre wrong? What if feeling bad is just part of who I am? Katy, age 14

Katy was fed up. Half the time, she worried about saying something stupid in front of her friends; the other half, she stressed about schoolwork, which was harder this year than ever before. At home, she spent most of her time in her room, even though being alone made her feel worseand she knew it! Katys parents wanted to help, but no matter how many times they said everything will be okay, Katy never really believed them. Instead, she got angry at her parents and at herself: They dont get it. Other people can handle things, but I just cant. Im going to feel like this forever.

If youre like most teens, Katys story may sound familiar. Middle and high school can feel like emotional tornadoes: totally out of control, with stress whirling in every possible direction. As therapists who work with teens (and former teenagers ourselves!), we know how hard this can be. Its tough to believe that everything will be okay when change really, truly feels impossible. Its common to feel like anger, sadness, or anxiety are just part of who you are, whether you like it or not.

This book will not tell you that everything will be okay. But it will tell you how and why you have the power to make it more okay, a little at a time.

Heres a secret that most teens, and even most adults, dont know: all of us have the ability to change our emotions, our thoughts, and the types of people we are. How do we know? Well, it turns out your power to change is a scientific fact. The human brain is a supercharged change-machine, and teen brains like yours are some of the most flexible of all. You were literally born with the ability to change.