Bernstein - The stress survival guide for teens: CBT skills to worry less, develop grit, and live your best life

Stress is part of life for any teenbut it doesnt have to run your life. Jeffrey Bernsteins new book, The Stress Survival Guide for Teens , offers proven tools for making you feel more in control, independent, and happier.

Mark Bertin, MD , developmental pediatrician, and author of How Children Thrive and Mindful Parenting for ADHD

I loved Jeffrey Bernsteins integration of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) practices with positive psychologytwo powerful sets of practices to help you deal with the stresses of being a teen in the twenty-first century. The principles you learn here can help you not only survive the challenges of your teenage years, but will be invaluable skills as you transition to the demands of adulthood.

Seth Gillihan, PhD , creator of the Think Act Be podcast and blog, author of The CBT Deck , and coauthor of A Mindful Year

The Stress Survival Guide for Teens provides valuable tools to help teens decrease their stress. Jeffrey Bernstein has created exercises that combine CBT and positive psychology that are fun and engaging. I would highly recommend this book to teens and those who work with teens. Looking forward to using this workbook with my clients!

Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD, psychologist, and author of The Grit Guide for Teens

As with his other books, Jeff Bernsteins most recent offering, The Stress Survival Guide for Teens , takes on an important issue that directly affects the lives of many adolescents and their families. Bernstein not only describes the common problems, but also provides page after page of clear and thorough guidance for what to do about them. He delivers the tried-and-true skills for facing and handling the many pressures and worries of adolescence in a manner that will leave readers feeling as though they are sitting across from an expert who really gets it.

J. Russell Ramsay, PhD , associate professor in the department of clinical psychology, and codirector of the Perelman School of Medicines Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program at the University of Pennsylvania; and author of The Adult ADHD Tool Kit and Rethinking Adult ADHD

Wow! What a relevant book in this age of increasing anxiety with todays youth. With Jeffs many years working with young people on mental health issues, he has collected the best of techniques to help children gain control over their emotions! This book is a great resource for any child dealing with anxiety! It is also a must-have for school counselors!

Carol DeMarco, MSW , middle school counselor for twenty years at Peirce Middle School in West Chester, PA

Jeffrey Bernsteins latest book teaches teens of all ages important cognitive-behavioral and positive psychology skills to help equip them to handle the roller-coaster ride of life. This is a practical, easy-to-read, relatable, and highly recommended resource to put teens into the drivers seat of the stressful and emotional highs and lows, and challenging twists and turns of adolescence that are an inevitable part of growing up.

Stephanie Margolese, PhD , clinical psychologist; associate professor in the department of psychiatry, and assistant professor in the department of psychology at McGill University; and author of My Brain Team and Sams Big Secret

Bernsteins wisdom is on point in The Stress Survival Guide for Teens . I heartily recommend this skills-based book for anyone wanting to reduce their stress, gain control in their life, and learn to put the brakes on the difficulties that come with being a teen. For professionals, the combination of CBT, mindfulness, and positive psychology practices make this a complete tool kit for assisting clients. For teens and young adults, this practical guide provides accessible examples for getting a handle on and taming your stress.

Gina M. Biegel, MA, LMFT , psychotherapist; researcher; author and coauthor of several books, including The Mindfulness Workbook for Self-Harm , The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens , and Be Mindful Card Deck for Teens ; founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T) program; and CEO of Stressed Teens

Lets face it, todays teens face more challenges and experience more stress than at any other time in modern history. The realities of a fast-paced digital world leave many feeling chronically anxious, and at times, emotionally and physically overwhelmed. The Stress Survival Guide for Teens provides practical, easy-to-understand, research-supported tools to cope with the mounting pressures of teen life. Although a self-help book written specifically for teens, this is a valuable resource for parents, school personnel, and clinicians.

Roger K. McFillin, PsyD, ABPP , executive director at the Center for Integrated Behavioral Health, board certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, and coauthor of Specialty Competencies in Clinical Psychology

Teenagers today live in a modern world filled with stress and uncertainty. In The Stress Survival Guide for Teens, Jeffrey Bernstein expertly delivers clinical wisdom to help teens cope with life stressors using a unique blend of CBT and positive psychology that is both personal yet practicala highly effective guide for teenagers, parents, and clinicians alike!

Shannon Delaney, MD , child and adolescent psychiatrist, and assistant professor at Columbia University Medical Center

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.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2019 by Jeffrey Bernstein

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 Elizabeth Hollis Hansen

Edited by Will DeRooy

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

Contents

To the countless teens who live the wisdom of the fictitious boxer, Rocky Balboa: It aint about how hard you hit. Its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

Introduction:
Managing Stress to Feel Happier

Stress is an unfortunate reality for nearly all teens. And teens in this fast-paced digital age may be under more stress than any other generation of youths in recent history. Believe me when I say that, by comparison, your parents had it easy!

Many different aspects of a young persons life can be stressful. Maybe right now youre super-worried about an upcoming test. Maybe a good friend of yours has been acting strange and youre not sure what the deal is. Perhaps youre being left out of group texts or your social-media feed isnt getting the likes it used to. Maybe your well-intended parents keep asking you questions but just dont seem to understand what makes you tick. To be totally fair, maybe youre still trying to figure out what makes you tick.

Whenever stress hits, you might feel really overwhelmed, worried, irritable, or sad. You might find yourself trying to avoid these feelings by watching videos or playing games on your phone every chance you get. Maybe you lash out at your parents (or your brother or sister) without meaning to (after all, youre only human, right?). Perhaps you vent about your stress to your friends, but after a while they dont seem to want to listen anymore, which is frustrating in itself. Or maybe you just want to sleep so that you dont have to deal with anyone or anything. Unmanaged stress can take a big-time toll on your physical and emotional health. At the same time, theres a lot of fun to be had as a teenager. Right now, there are probably some very exciting experiences and opportunities opening up for you.