Key Takeaways:

Influence of Self Talk: The constant internal chatter significantly impacts our emotions, behaviors, and overall well-being, with both positive and negative aspects.

Parental Responsibility: The manner in which parents talk to their children can shape their children’s inner voices, underlining the importance of mindful and compassionate communication.

Recognition and Awareness: Encouraging teens to recognize and articulate their negative self talk can diminish its impact and pave the way for positive thinking.

Challenging Negative Thoughts: Teaching teens to question the validity of their negative self talk and to reframe it in a constructive, supportive manner is crucial for mental resilience.

Impact of Media and Social Influences: Monitoring media consumption and discussing its impact helps teens understand and mitigate negative influences on their mental health.

Notable Quotes:

"Our voice will become our child's inner voice."

"Negative self talk can often be the loudest and most constant voice in our heads."

"Saying sorry teaches kindness, humility, and empathy."

"Helping teens challenge their thoughts by asking, 'Is this actually true?'"

"Respond to negative self talk as you would to a friend—with kindness and support."

Click here to contact Collett or ask her a question or Click here to contact the Raising Teens team.

Collett is a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker, and internationally published author, with 25 years' experience working in private and public schools, as well as in private practice.

Visit Raising Teens for more resources, click here for Collett's books, or join the discussion on Facebook.

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