Feeling My Way Towards Healing

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. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

A while back, my roommate accidentally let slip something I asked them to keep quiet. They felt horrible about it and apologized to me profusely. Of course, I forgave them, because in my eyes it was clearly an accident. but they kept apologizing for well over an hour. Continue reading Feeling My Way Towards Healing

Stress and Anxiety with Dr. Krystal Lewis

Stress and anxiety are terms we hear a lot in our daily lives, especially while living through such extreme circumstances, like the current pandemic, but how often do we see these topics broken down in a helpful way? In a 30-minute talk presented by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Krystal Lewis, a licensed clinical psychologist, explains where stress and anxiety come from and some coping strategies. Continue reading Stress and Anxiety with Dr. Krystal Lewis

The “P” Word

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. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

Growing up, I was not allowed to say the word “perfect.” It was a parenting technique used to help my brother and me keep from obsessing over details or getting disappointed over a B in school. My parents didn’t want us to think their love was conditional. They made it clear they expected us to try our best, and we should strive for “good enough.” Continue reading The “P” Word

Finding a Therapist Who Looks Like Your Child

The mental health profession, unfortunately, lacks diversity. The American Psychological Association found that 86% of practitioners are white, with other races making up less than 5% each. In a nation that continues to not just get more diverse, but is also becoming more open in talking about mental health, it’s important for people of color to not just find, but have access to therapists who look like them (you can read more about the topic here). Continue reading Finding a Therapist Who Looks Like Your Child

Overanalyzing Social Media Posts

Earlier this week, we mentioned the Britney Spears documentary that has sent social media in a frenzy. As we mentioned in our Monday post, many have used the documentary to reflect about how the culture at the time vilified, sexualized, and mocked a celebrity in her late teens and early 20s to the point that it likely contributed to the mental health issues that became the center of her celebrity status. Continue reading Overanalyzing Social Media Posts

New Years Resolution Check-In

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. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

About 80% of people make a New Year’s Resolution every year. Some of the more common New Years Resolutions are to exercise more, eat healthier and to lose weight. Even though New Years Resolutions are so popular, very few are sticking to that resolution after a few months. I will admit, I am the first one in the gym on January 2nd and sometimes my goals sputter out around February. This year has been no exception with trying to exercise more and eat better but, I have a new mindset this year about setting goals! Continue reading New Years Resolution Check-In

Forgiving Yourself

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. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.

I know that it’s not my fault. But I still feel guilty. Guilty that I let him in, guilty that I didn’t totally kick him out of my life right then and there, guilty that recovery took so long. Continue reading Forgiving Yourself

The Power of One’s Own Words

If you’ve been on social media at all these past couple of weeks, you have most likely come across at least one person talking about the “Britney documentary.” Earlier this month, the New York Times released a documentary on Hulu about Britney Spears’ current situation and provides some background as to why she is there. For those who haven’t seen the documentary, Framing Britney Spears discusses how one of the biggest popstars in history has been in a legal battle with her father due to the conservator relationship they have. For the past few years, her father has been acting as her guardian, legally allowed to make all of her decisions for her because of her mental health. Continue reading The Power of One’s Own Words

Podcasts about Black Mental Health

Podcasts are everywhere these days, and that’s a good thing! Especially now, when stay-at-home orders are still in place and social distancing is still encouraged, podcasts can provide some sort of substitute for the busy background noise and conversations that you may be used to in your schools, a coffee shop, or large public places like malls. They can be educational and informative, explore topics you never even thought of before, and most of the time, have at least the smallest amount of much-needed humor.  Continue reading Podcasts about Black Mental Health

Who Does Your Child Interact with on Social Media?

Obviously, social media is a form of communication. However, compared to our offline lives, where we’re likely not talking to more than a few people at a time, being on social media can feel like yelling out to the whole entire world, where your words can be seen by anyone, everyone, and with many of whom have the ability to respond. Continue reading Who Does Your Child Interact with on Social Media?