Heartful

Humans

Hi, I'm Annabel!

I’m a youth mentor and I’m on a big mission to help young people like and love who they are.

Adolescence is a really tough time for us humans!

While young people are navigating who they are physically, mentally and emotionally, the parent or caregiver is also navigating the changes in their teenager as they develop from a child into a young adult.

With today's society being full of more pressures, expectations and stresses, parenting a teenager is indeed a tough gig! Many parents are feeling disconnected, alone, abnormal, frustrated worried and exhausted.

Main concerns from parents and care givers include:

Not being able to talk to their young person who once shared everything
Their young person getting caught up in the wrong crowd
If their young person is making good decisions
The physical, emotional and mental health of their young person
If their young person is happy and experiencing joy
Their young persons body image
Negative impacts of social media and media in general
How their young person manages peer pressure

Our Young People

While young people learn about who they are and the adult they are becoming, it is common for them to experience:

A lack of confidence

A lack of self esteem
Disconnection with parents
Anxiety and worry
Stress
Overwhelm
Withdrawing from school/family/social occasions
A difficulty in communicating
Feeling like something is wrong with them
Like they don’t fit in
That they don’t want to burden/worry anyone with what is going of for them
Peer pressure

“To be beautiful means to be yourself . You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself . ”

-Thich Naht Hahn

Having someone trustworthy they can talk to is paramount to their overall well being and mental health.

It takes a village to raise a child but remember it also takes a village to support a parent. Support during this time for both parties is critical. Enter youth mentor. A youth mentor can:

Support
Guide
Be a sounding board
Champion/be their cheerleader
Be a role model
Listen/be a confidant
Provide feedback
Provide resources and recommendations

Mentoring has been linked to multiple benefits including improved relationships with parents with increased communication and trust between the young person and their parents. A mentor does not replace or compete with the role of a parent, teacher, counsellor, psychologist or coach but rather complements them.