“Teens use a significant amount of brain space to juggle all that’s happening in their world, from meeting academic responsibilities and family expectations to navigating a challenging social landscape while forming their own unique identities,” explains de Mars. “When anxiety or depression is added to this heavy load, you need resources at hand that don’t require additional thinking.”
“As we build a support team around an adolescent, having easy access to ‘one-stop shopping’ tools can be extremely valuable,” she adds. “The process of creating these resources with teens is also a great exercise that can help build the relationship between provider and patient.”
Tool #1: A Safety Plan
From the start of treatment, de Mars works with patients to create a safety plan that is integrated into the Princeton Health electronic health record, enabling a continuum of care across providers. The safety plan is also helpful for family members, and it can be shared with the teen’s school if desired.
An effective safety plan details the tools and resources that are beneficial for the individual patient in various situations. Beyond provider and emergency contact information, this might include a list of favorite songs, television shows, activities, scents, and grounding activities, such as petting a dog, box breathing, muscle relaxation exercises, or talking with a friend who provides helpful distraction. School-specific examples might include the opportunity for a teen to go to the bathroom to splash cold water on their face.
Tool #2: A Self-Care Kit
A more tangible version of the safety plan, the self-care kit serves a similar purpose in ensuring quick and easy access to effective coping and communication tools based on each patient’s needs. Items might include sour candy, a photo of a loved one, a special piece of jewelry to wear, a favorite piece of memorabilia, a worry stone, a stress ball, or essential oils.
Color-coded index cards to represent different emotions are also useful to include, according to de Mars. For example, a red card – or even saying the word red – could communicate to family members exactly what the teen needs in an accessible, immediate way.
“These resources empower teens to really think about what works for them and build effective cope-ahead skills,” adds de Mars. “They can adapt these tools for use in college and beyond, bringing a greater level of confidence to their ability to handle the ups and downs of life.”
