TEEN WORKSHOPS
Our workshops offer tweens and teens a safe and friendly environment to share their concerns. We collaborate with schools to offer well-being and resilience workshops. Topics include uncovering your self-talk and thinking errors and how to use the CBT model to rewrite your story, identifying emotions and how to regulate big feelings, growth mindset vs. fixed mindset and the power of optimism. We also explore what self-care and self-worth really mean and how to create more of both, skills in conflict resolution and how to set healthy boundaries. Most importantly, we introduce the concept of how to design your own identity by uncovering your values, strengths, interests and talents. Mindfulness and meditation practices are also woven into these workshops to teach teenagers powerful coping tools to deal with stress and anxiety.
Using interactive exercises and delving deeply into various teen topics, these precious hours together help demonstrate that although each teenager's story is unique, we all share the same fears, doubts and questions.
Teens leave with tools to help navigate through the challenges of growing up in this fast-paced world defined by selfies, social media, internet and reality TV. With values often influenced by external forces, it's important teens embrace their authentic self.
Fitting in and feeling "normal" are huge motivators, even though they strive for independence and how to discover their true self. The energy created in these workshops encourage teens to build trust, enhance empathy and support each other. Once they learn that they are not alone, it allows their free spirit and wild heart to shine.
We also offer additional female empowerment workshops that cover the following topics.
Free to be me
This introductory workshop explores the pressing issues teen girls face today. Our focus will be on: self-esteem, self acceptance and body image. Through fun exercises, videos and group discussions, we will learn tools to quieten down our inner critic. Girls today are quick to negatively label themselves and believe everything their "inner" mean girl tells them, be it about their body, personality or self worth. This workshop will allow girls to tap into their intuitive wisdom and wild heart, and help silence their negative self-talk. They will walk away with a deeper understanding about the beauty myth in media and fully embrace the idea that real girls are never perfect and perfect girls are never real.
Selfie Detox
Connection, connection, connection, we can't say it enough! Connecting with peers is by far one of the most important aspects of teenage existence. Feeling connected = feeling accepted. Teens spend hours on their devices, posing and posting to be "liked", sending the perfect emoji, Snapchatting, Instagramming etc. The irony is teenagers are losing the art of conversation and are more comfortable behind a screen. Although there are upsides to social media, many tweens and teens get sucked into the not-so-positive side and need tools to navigate their way out. This workshop explores the pros and cons of social media and the teenage psyche. Through powerful exercises, videos and in-depth discussions, we will empower girls to make good decisions, help them deal with cyber-bullying and explore ways to maintain a positive online presence. We will also highlight the benefits of the occasional selfie-detox.
Friend and foe
Navigating the rocky road of girls' friendships is tricky. Friends come and go, besties become frenemies and queen bees become wannabes. Teen girls are living a reality where fitting in and becoming popular has become more essential than being themselves. In this workshop, we teach the girls some great life hacks for developing positive friendships, what it takes to be a good friend, when it's time to "break up" with a friend, how to set boundaries and avoid people pleasing. We will also discuss the two types of mean girls. The mean girl in the school courtyard and the mean girl in our own minds.
Mirror mirror on the wall
This workshop delves into self-respect, self-worth, the importance of self-love and the necessity of self-acceptance in a world where media tricks young people into believing they are not good enough. It teaches girls the power of positive vs negative beliefs and thought patterns. We look at gender roles and the influence of Photoshop and other deceptive tricks in the media. Knowledge is power when it comes to self acceptance and confidence. Through interactive exercises, videos and powerful discussions, we will tackle questions dealing with: comparing oneself to others, beauty myths and girl power. We will brainstorm societal expectations, cultural trends and conflicting messages as profoundly explained by psychologist Stephen Hinshaw in his book the "Triple Bind". The Triple Bind highlights the pressure to act sweet and nice, be a star athlete, get straight A’s and seem sexy and hot even if you’re not.