Strategies for increaseing protective factors among youth at school  

• Talk about problems with others
• Take deep breaths, accompanied by thinking or saying aloud, “I can handle this”
• Perform progressive muscle relaxation, which involves repeatedly tensing and relaxing large muscles of the body
• Set small goals and break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks
• Exercise and eat regular meals
• Get proper sleep
• Break the habit of relying on caffeine or energy drinks to get through the day
• Visualize and practice feared situations
• Focus on what you can control (your reactions, your actions) and let go of what you cannot (other people’s opinions and expectations)
• Work through worst-case scenarios until they seem amusing or absurd
• Lower unrealistic expectations
• Schedule breaks and enjoyable activities
• Accept yourself as you are; identify your unique strengths and build on them
• Give up on the idea of perfection, both in yourself and in others
• SOURCE: Dyl, J. Helping teens cope with stress.

Lifespan

. Retrieved from www.lifespan.org/services/childhealth/parenting/teen-stress.html

For teens, dating is about more than just finding a boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s a critical part of adolescent development, but with reports of increased violence occurring within relationships, there is growing concern about how that early experience with dating aggression can impact young-adult relationships…..