20 Activities for when you need some Relaxation

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.

You don’t need me to tell you that this year has been a very stressful time. With the year coming to a close, I want to take the opportunity to find some techniques that will help me take a step back and work on relaxing and be more mindful. If you ever feel like you are getting stressed or overwhelmed, try one of these activities and see how it can help! Continue reading 20 Activities for when you need some Relaxation

New Year…Same Me

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.

With the start of a new year, there is mounting pressure to create a better version of yourself. There’s talk of resolutions and all the things that we have to accomplish in 2021 in order to be successful. The radio, social media, and your family will all be talking about their grand goals for the new year. Continue reading New Year…Same Me

Headspace on Netflix

Headspace: Guide to Meditation (Netflix)

One of the most popular meditation apps, by far, is Headspace. We’ve talked about it before (several times, in fact), and it’s usually one of the first options on lists about apps to download and try for wellness and meditation. However, in order to get the full experience and benefits of the app, you have to pay for it, which may not be a plausible option for young people. Continue reading Headspace on Netflix

Are Your Child’s Social Media Habits Toxic?

Though it’s easier said than done, sometimes the best way to improve our experiences on social media is to not just change how much we’re using it, but how we talk to others and react to what we encounter online. This is particularly true for your child, given how much they are likely connected to a variety of social media apps. Continue reading Are Your Child’s Social Media Habits Toxic?

Exploring New Coping Mechanisms in 2021

Given the past year and the ongoing conversations about how important self-care is, you might be considering more ways to explore and include coping mechanisms that really help you. This can be the predictable ones like exercising more, incorporating more meditation practices, and journaling and writing things down, and you may have added a bunch of relevant items in your online shopping carts to help support these goals. Continue reading Exploring New Coping Mechanisms in 2021

New Year’s Goals

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’m not sure about you, but every year I try my absolute best to set a New Year’s resolution…but they never happen. When I say this, I mean it in the most sincere way, but I truly am a goal-setter and achiever. What was the difference then between a resolution and a goal for me to actually get things done and reset new habits each year? Continue reading New Year’s Goals

Together in Loneliness

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.

For anyone who needs to hear this: you are not alone. It’s hard for a lot of people to know that, especially when their mind convinces them otherwise, and if you fall under that spell, do me a favor and read the first sentence again. And again. And as many times as you need until you can feel all of us from SOVA right next to you. We may all be anonymous, but we’re here together to support each other. Continue reading Together in Loneliness

Navigating Optimism and Combating Intrusive Thoughts into the New Year

Usually, the end of the year comes with articles on top of articles and posts on top of posts about changes that people want to make and habits they want to start once the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. With those also come some sort of critiques, or sarcastic jabs about how resolutions never work, so what’s the point. The cycle is the same every single year. Continue reading Navigating Optimism and Combating Intrusive Thoughts into the New Year

When Mental Health Affects Your Job

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.

Over the past few months, the numerous life changes that have happened to me (moving across the country back home, losing not one but two different jobs, and starting a new position thousands of miles away from the rest of my team) has been incredibly challenging. I thought I had it under control – I had a team of doctors working with me to get a better plan for managing my anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, a few slight changes to my health insurance plan and I’m back to the starting place where I was a few months back prior to all of these crazy events. Continue reading When Mental Health Affects Your Job

Resolutions: Setting SMART Goals

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.

It’s that time again. While the January gym rush may look a little different this year, I wanted to share my goal-setting process and reflect on my 2020 resolutions. Well-set goals are SMART: Continue reading Resolutions: Setting SMART Goals