The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives.
I first saw Unstuck: An OCD Kids Movie at the International OCD Foundation Conference in San Francisco last year. I found it so moving that when I saw it again at a local OCD week event, I decided to interview the makers of the film for a post. In Unstuck, kids inspire viewers as they share their experiences dealing with OCD. There aren’t any adults in the entire movie!
For more information check out the trailer:
And their website and Facebook page.
Here is the interview.
Continue reading An Interview with the Makers of Unstuck: An OCD Kids Movie
One thing that can be really tough when you have a mental illness is feeling like you are less than. Especially when seeing stuff on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the like. It can be hard to feel like you’ve made any progress toward a healthier you when it seems like everyone you see is on vacation, or cooking like a pro, or having a blast with all their friends. These things also affect adolescents, and perhaps even more so because this is the world they are emerging into rather than coming from it as an adult.
Do you remember when you were young and had tough topics you wanted to talk to your parent or caregiver about? Sometimes it is important to reflect on those times and realize your child is going through them too. Today, we posted an article on our SOVA site (for adolescents) about talking to their parents using the listed tips below. We think they are also good tips for parents!
Have you ever thought about what the source of your child’s depression symptoms are? Have you discussed with them why they think they have depression?
One of the simplest random acts of kindness you can perform is writing an encouraging note for someone. This can be done in a number of ways, such as delivering a letter to someone in person or anonymously leaving an inspirational quotation for someone to find. And there is actually an organization, 
Have you ever noticed your teen studying and checking their phone compulsively, all while slaving away on on a final paper or cramming for a final exam? Are they checking to see what other people are doing—in case their friends are having a more interesting life than they are?
As many as one in every five teens experiences depression during adolescence, but their symptoms often go undiagnosed and untreated because they lack access to mental health specialists.
Human beings all crave the feeling of belonging. We want to have familial relationships and friendships that support us and make us feel good. However, when we start to feel others no longer want us, we experience the weight of loneliness and isolation. This is especially true with adolescents. 
In Mr. Klingensmith’s 20 years of working as a therapist, supervisor, and community educator in a variety of settings for young people and their families, he has seen many changes happening in the lives of adolescents—one of the biggest being technology. In 2010, while working as a therapist, he began to see how much the youth were becoming dominated by social media. And he started to see that many adolescents to share personal, private and even risky content online.