Your Amazing Teen Brain - (Instant Help Solutions) by Elisa Nebolsine (Paperback)

About the Book

Teen brains are primed to learn and grow. In Your Amazing Teen Brain, teen readers will find fun and easy "brain hacks" grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neuroscience to help them make the most of their growing minds, manage difficult emotions, build better relationships, and face all the challenges of growing up.

Book Synopsis

"Teens looking for help in understanding their brains and making positive shifts will find this effective."--Kirkus Reviews

Your teen brain is amazing! These fun and easy "brain hacks" will help you make the most of your growing mind, deal with ALL the feelings, build friendships, and face life's challenges with confidence.

As a teen, your brain is changing--a lot! Your feelings are bigger and more intense. Friends and peers are more important than ever before. You're discovering who you are as a person, and what matters to you. And you're also starting to understand how the world works--and not all of it is sunshine and roses. If you're like many other teens, you may feel overwhelmed by these changes. And that's okay!

In Your Amazing Teen Brain, you'll find skills grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and neuroscience to help you take advantage of your growing mind, manage difficult emotions, build better relationships, and face all the challenges of growing up--from academic pressure to social drama. You'll also gain a better understanding of how your brain works and why the teen years are so intense, and find real skills you can use to stay cool when emotions take over.

Life as a teen is exciting and challenging, and your brain is energized and ready for change. With this unique guide, you'll learn to make the most of your growing brain, so you can be your very best. What are you waiting for?

Review Quotes

"Your Amazing Teen Brain is a must-read for all teens--and those who live with teens! Elisa Nebolsine writes with clarity and wit, and the result is a powerful, highly engaging resource that gives teens the information they need to understand their emotions and successfully navigate through this pivotal developmental stage. By educating teens about the adolescent brain, Nebolsine empowers them to take charge of their experiences--and she gives them the tools to do this."
--Sherin Stahl, PhD, faculty in the Yale Child Study Center and department of pediatrics at the Yale University School of Medicine; also in practice in in Fairfield and Woodbridge, CT

--Sherin Stahl, PhD

"This down-to-earth guide to cognitive behavioral therapy based on adolescent brain development is practical and accessibly written. Developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck as an alternative to traditional methods, CBT focuses on how thoughts influence behaviors. Nebolsine, an experienced CBT practitioner, provides clear interpretations of many research studies that back up her suggestions for changing readers' attitudes toward their problems, illustrated with anecdotal examples from real teens' lives. The book opens with simple scientific explanations of the teen brain and its structure and functioning.... The dangers of drinking, drugs, and risky sexual behavior are addressed. Short sections labeled "Brain Hack" offer practical suggestions, supplementing other specific techniques in the main text.... Chapters on stress and meditation and mindfulness will be of general interest, and the last section, on creating a meaningful narrative for one's life, will also appeal to many. Teens looking for help in understanding their brains and making positive shifts will find this effective."
--Kirkus Reviews

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches teens the skills and strategies they need to feel more in control of their thoughts and behaviors in this helpful installment in the Instant Help Solutions series. Teens will learn to cope with their emotions, reduce stress, and avoid procrastination. The book explains what emotions and feelings are, how they're amplified in adolescence, and how teens can manage them and learn to change how they feel by changing how they think. The book explains how friendship and peer factors influence the teen brain, provides study tips, and explores meditation and mindfulness, risk-taking, and how to create a sense of personal meaning. Teens are urged to tell their own stories by building purpose and meaning in their lives. "Brain hacks" sidebars are interspersed throughout the book, along with a diagram of the brain. Anecdotal stories and research studies support the information presented. Nebolsine's respect for young people is evident, and she makes a complex topic very understandable. Teens seeking practical, useful, and reassuring advice will find it in this engaging book."
--Booklist-- "Booklist"

"Your Amazing Teen Brain is a fantastic resource for teenagers trying to understand the incredible changes they are experiencing. It is clear that Elisa 'gets' teenagers. Everyone who reads it will benefit in some way from reading it. A true winner!"
--Melissa Grady, PhD, associate professor of social work at Catholic University of America, and coauthor of Moving Beyond Assessment
--Melissa Grady, PhD

"Your Amazing Teen Brain is invaluable! Nebolsine shares research from the past decade about the adolescent brain, the changes and quirks that occur in the teen years, and makes it understandable and relevant for teens, parents, clinicians, and teachers. This user-friendly book is a wealth of easy-to-understand information and practical interventions that teens will embrace."
--Amy Wenzel PhD, ABPP, clinical assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, adjunct faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and author/editor of fourteen books and over one hundred peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters
--Amy Wenzel PhD, ABPP

"Excellent and much-needed resource for teens! Adolescence is a challenging time, and this text provides a basic overview of what's going on in the teen brain--from intense emotion to complicated friendships. Elisa explains not only the whys of adolescence, but also provides a map of CBT skills that allow teens to navigate and even succeed during the teen years."
--Mary K. Alvord, PhD, psychologist, and coauthor of Conquer Negative Thinking for Teens and Resilience Builder Program for Children and Adolescents
--Mary K. Alvord, PhD

"I love this book! I want a copy for every teen and parent of a teen in my practice. CBT, the teen brain, and basic neuroscience? What else do you need? A perfect combination of important facts, strategies, and skills written in a way that appeals to adolescents."
--Catherine McCarthy, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist in Washington, DC
--Catherine McCarthy, MD

"If there is a teen in your life, you need this book! Elisa has written a fun, engaging, and eminently practical user's guide to your brain for adolescents. The 'brain hacks' are tried and true cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques based on decades of research, and they can lead to real change!"
--Beth Salcedo, MD, immediate past president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, medical director at The Ross Center, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
--Beth Salcedo, MD

About the Author

Elisa Nebolsine, LCSW, is owner and clinician at CBT for Kids, a private practice in Alexandria, VA. She is adjunct faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, adjunct faculty at the Catholic University of America, and a diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. She has presented locally and nationally on the topic of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and is a consultant for schools, agencies, and other organizations on the implementation and use of CBT with children, teens, and young adults. She is author of The Grit Workbook for Kids.

Foreword writer Judith S. Beck, PhD, is president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. She is author of the seminal text, Cognitive Therapy, which has been translated into more than twenty languages, and whose third edition contains a recovery orientation.