Services Archives - Healthy Teen Network

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

This project is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (1 PHEPA000006-01) totaling $1,063,776.35 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.

The post Supporting Sex Educator Safety appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Protecting Yourself From Hacking

Megan Thomas — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:04:00 +0000

Protecting Yourself From Hacking

Basic, practical strategies that give you a starting point to protect your accounts, data, and devices from hacking

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Protect your accounts

Teaching sex ed is powerful work, and you deserve to feel safe doing it—not just physically and emotionally, but also digitally.

Hacking is when someone gets access to a digital system without permission. While there’s still a lot to learn about sex educators’ experiences of hacking, taking steps to stay safe online can support your overall well-being.

Tips for digital safety and security

This starter guide breaks down how to protect your accounts from hacking, plus other defenses you can put in place.

“When I read through it, my brain begins to think of, ‘Oh, this is something I could do right now!’ or, ‘This is something that will take more of my focus and time; I’ll have to work on this change over time,’ or even, ‘Awesome! I’m already doing this one!’”

Services Coordinator

You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started. In fact, you may find that you’re already taking steps to protect yourself from hacking! Using even one new strategy in this tipsheet can help protect your privacy and security, keeping you in the work safely and sustainably.

And if you’ve already experienced a digital attack, know this: You are not to blame, and you are not alone. It’s up to all of us to advocate for better protections for educators’ safety.

Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this resource.

More Safety Resources

Enjoying this resource?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Protecting Yourself From Hacking appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Managing Your Personal Information Online

Megan Thomas — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:00:01 +0000

Managing Your Personal Information Online

Basic steps to take control of your personal information online—no tech skills needed

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Take steps to stay safe online

As a sex educator, you’re doing essential work to make sure all young people have the knowledge and support they need to thrive. You deserve to feel safe in your work—not just physically and emotionally, but also digitally.

As conversations about sex ed become more visible, so do the people leading them. That visibility can sometimes bring unwanted attention online. Taking steps to stay safe online can support your overall well-being.

Sex educators deserve tools to protect themselves now

This interactive workbook provides you with an understanding of key online safety risks and concrete steps to take control of your personal information online.

Prioritize and organize

As you complete the workbook, prioritize and keep track of all your accounts with this helpful spreadsheet.

You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started. Even small steps can make a big difference.

And if you’ve already experienced online harassment, know this: You are not to blame, and you are not alone. It’s up to all of us to advocate for better protections for educators’ safety.

Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this resource.

More Safety Resources

Enjoying this resource?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Managing Your Personal Information Online appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Seeds of Healing

Megan Thomas — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:32:16 +0000

Seeds of Healing

Focus on healing through community art

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

A community garden experience

The Thrivology team created the original Seeds of Healing installation as an immersive experience at #HealthyTeen23 October 2-4, 2023, in Portland, Oregon.

Inspired by community art installations, this was a space where individuals could pause, reflect, and connect—both with themselves and with others.

Attendees considered how they cultivate the world they want to see while selecting seeds from stations throughout the installation for a planter they took home with them as a reminder of the importance of nurturing their own seeds.

Want to create your own Seeds of Healing installation at an event or conference?

This do-it-yourself guide walks you through the following steps to facilitate Seeds of Healing in your community.

User flow

Understand the goal of the event and how attendees will interact with the installation.

Preparation

Plan for the event by determining a budget, printing materials, and more.

Materials

From seeds to paper supplies to artificial turf, find the right materials for your installation.

Set-up

Get everything set up for the installation, station by station.

Facilitation

Guide attendees through each station of the installation.

Make it an activity

Don’t have the space or time to create an immersive installation? You can still bring a Seeds of Healing activity to your community on a smaller scale.

Facilitate this activity in a meeting or at a shorter event using the activity guide, complete with everything you need from start to finish.

Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this resource.

Enjoying these resources?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Seeds of Healing appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Grounding Exercises

Megan Thomas — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:31:41 +0000

Grounding Exercises

Unwind, destress, and de-stimulate

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Stay present, stay grounded

When strong emotions take over, it might feel like you’re losing control. Grounding exercises can help you stay connected to the present and remind you that you are safe right now. They help calm your body’s stress response and bring your clear thinking back. While grounding exercises won’t solve everything, they can help you manage your feelings and keep things from getting worse in the moment.

These 30 grounding exercises from Thrivology are research-based and can help you unwind, destress, and de-stimulate.

Grounding exercises are for everyone and can be used any time you need them. The exercises below are divided into three types:

Mental

Mental grounding exercises, like counting or visualizing, help break distressing thoughts and focus your attention on the present.

Physical

Physical grounding exercises use your senses or objects around you to help you stay grounded.

Soothing

Soothing grounding exercises use kind and positive thoughts to bring a sense of calm and improve your mood.

Flip through the cards below to find a grounding exercise that works for you:

Scripting

Write out your morning routine like a script. Use the present tense, such as “I wake up…then I turn off my alarm…”

Box Breathing

Try “box breathing”: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, old your breath for another 4 seconds, and repeat.

After a few breaths, notice how your body feels.

Positive Reframe

Read the following statements and rewrite them with positive thoughts.

E.g., flip “I am not good enough” → “I am always learning and growing.”

• I feel like giving up.

• I feel embarrassed.

• I feel anxious.

Visualization

Close your eyes and picture your favorite,
most peaceful place.

Imagine what you see, feel, hear, and smell there.

Sensory Awareness

Pick an activity that engages your senses.

For example, splash your face with cold water, light a scented candle, or sit outside and listen to nature.

Post It

Write something true and positive about yourself on sticky notes.

Put the notes where you can see them often, like on your desk, mirror, or bedside table.

Senses in 5-4-3-2-1

Name…

5 things you see around you.
4 things you can touch.
3 things you can hear.
2 things you can smell.
1 thing you can taste.

Body Scan

Sit comfortably or lie down.

Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Slowly move your focus from your head to your toes, paying attention to any sensations or emotions you notice.

Stating Safety

Say these phrases out loud:

“It was just a thought or memory.”
“It’s over now.”
“I am safe in this moment.”

Feel It

Hold a comforting object.

Pay attention to how it feels. Is it soft or hard? Bumpy or smooth? Warm or cold?

Gratitude Practice

Make a list of people, places, and things you are thankful for, no matter how big or small.

Recite, Recite, Recite

Think of a favorite song, prayer, poem, or book passage.

Recite it from memory, and repeat as needed.

Tense & Release

Sit comfortably or lie down.

Clench your entire body—your jaw, fists, and limbs. Hold for 20 seconds, then relax.

Positive Mantras

Repeat positive phrases to yourself, such as:

“I am capable,”
“I am strong,” or
“I can handle this.”

ABCs

Go through the alphabet in your mind and think of a word for each letter (e.g., A for apple, B for ball).

Tap, Tap

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.

Close your eyes and cross your arms over your chest.

Gently tap your shoulders, one side at a time, while breathing deeply.

Memory Recall

Think about a time when you felt calm, confident, or at peace.

Try to relive the positive feelings from that memory.

Name Objects

Look around and name the objects you see, focusing on their colors, shapes, or what they do.

Touching Ground

Press your heels into the ground and feel how your feet connect.

Spread your toes and press evenly from the big toe to the little toe, and from the front of your foot to the heel. Notice how your feet connect with the ground.

Visualization of Support

Picture someone who loves or supports you. Imagine where you are, what you’re doing, and what encouraging words they are saying to you.

Counting

Count slowly, either forwards or backwards.

Try counting by twos, threes, fours, and fives for a change.

Savor

Eat or drink something you love.

Take your time and focus only on enjoying it.

Don’t do anything else while you savor the taste.

Emotional Validation

Acknowledge your feelings without judging them.

Accept that your emotions are valid and it’s okay to feel this way.

Solve the Puzzle

Try a mental puzzle that makes you think.

For example: Five people are eating apples. A finishes before B but behind C. D finishes before E but behind B. What’s the finishing order?

Self-Massage

Gently massage your hands, arms, or feet.

Pay attention to how it feels and adjust the pressure as needed.

Relaxation with Affirmation

Relax your muscles one group at a time while repeating calming affirmations, such as:

“I am relaxed” or
“I feel at ease.”

Memory Recall

Think about a vacation or a favorite memory.

Describe the memory in detail to yourself, remembering as much as you can.

Stomp, Tap

Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.

Close your eyes and focus on the feeling of your feet touching the ground.

Gently tap or stomp in place.

Dear Friend

Imagine your best friend came to you for support. Think about what comforting words you’d offer them.

Then, consider what they might say to you if you needed encouragement.

Describe an Activity

Describe the steps in an activity you know well (e.g., how to shoot a basketball, how to prepare your favorite meal, or how to braid hair).

Press & Hold

Press your palms together, hard, and hold for 15 seconds. Notice the feeling of tension in your hands and arms.

Reflect on Joy

Write down or mentally list 5 things in your life that bring you joy. Visualize each thing briefly.

Spell in Reverse

Spell your full name and the names of three other people backwards.

Brisk Rubbing

Rub your palms together briskly for 15 seconds. Notice the sound and the feeling of warmth.

Make Yourself Laugh

Look up a silly joke, watch a funny animal video, or find a clip from a comedian.

Air Draw

Think of an object and “draw” it in your mind or the air with your finger, such as your home, a vehicle, or an animal.

Reach for the Stars

Reach your hands over your head and stretch for 10 seconds. Bring your arms down to relax at your sides.

Leave It Behind

Reflect on a negative feeling you’re having. Imagine gathering up the emotions into a small ball and putting them in a box. Imagine closing the box, then picture yourself moving away from painful feelings.

Describe an Object

Pick up an object and describe it in detail. Consider the color, size, texture, scent, weight, and any other features you notice.

Wiggle & Curl

Place both feet flat on the ground. Wiggle your toes. Curl and uncurl your toes a few times. Notice the sensations in your feet.

Practice Self-Kindness

Repeat kind, compassionate phrases to yourself, aloud or in your head, as many times as you need. (You’re strong; you can move through this pain. You’re trying hard; you’re doing your best.)

Reverse It

Read something backwards, letter-by-letter. Repeat for at least a few minutes.

Cuddle with a Pet

Spend a few moments with a pet, if you have one. Pet them, if you can, focusing on how they feel. Notice their markings and unique characteristics.

Touch a Stone

Pick up a small stone. Run your fingers over it. Is it smooth or rough? Does it feel cold or warm? Is it round or jagged?

30 days of grounding

Make grounding a daily practice by sharing Thrivology’s 30 Days of Grounding social media campaign with your followers.

Ready-to-use images, stories, and captions make it easy to bring grounding tools to your audience.

You can also follow along and easily reshare posts from Thrivology on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Print your own

Want to print a deck of grounding exercises on your own?

While we cannot endorse a specific printer, we printed this deck using SmartPress. Here are the specifications we chose:

• Paper Stock: 310 GSM Cardstock
• Card Face Styles: Custom Faces
• Packaging Options: Custom Printed Tuck Box

How to use grounding exercises

Whether you’re new to grounding or looking to deepen your practice, this guide provides a step-by-step approach to make using the Thrivology Grounding Exercises deck simple, effective, and accessible.

Using grounding exercises with young people

Supportive adults can help young people build “recipes” to manage stress. Whether for a quick reset or to decompress after a difficult conversation, these curated recipes can offer a moment of grounding in specific situations.

You can also work together to build your own custom recipes, using this guide as a starting point to explore and try ideas together.

If you’re printing the guide, remember to set to landscape and flip on the short edge!

The research behind grounding

See how grounding exercises help regulate stress and trauma.

Citations

Armstrong, J. (2022, December 10). How explorations of art, trauma-informed principles and contemplative practices can come together to support well-being and nervous system regulation. Medium.

B., M. (2016, December 2). Mental health treatment is a privilege many people can’t afford. NAMI Iowa. https://namiiowa.org/mental-health-treatment-privilege-many-people-cant-afford/

Bolić, E. B. (2018). Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization in child welfare professionals in Serbia. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 13(2), 214–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2018.1502117

Cavanagh, N., Cockett, G., Heinrich, C., Doig, L., Fiest, K., Guichon, J. R., Page, S., Mitchell, I., & Doig, C. J. (2020). Compassion fatigue in healthcare providers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(3), 639-665.

Clay, R. A. (2022, July 11). Are you experiencing compassion fatigue? https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/compassion-fatigue

Crowder, R., & Sears, A. (2017). Building resilience in social workers: An exploratory study on the impacts of a mindfulness-based intervention. Australian Social Work, 70(1), 17-29.

Denham, I. P. (1993). The power of the word. Positive affirmation as self-healing, reshaping or remodelling technique: A dissertation (9404427). [Doctoral dissertation, Union Institute School for Advanced Studies]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Ginwright, S. (2020, December 9). The future of healing: Shifting from trauma informed care to healing centered engagement. Medium. https://ginwright.medium.com/the-future-of-healing-shiftingfrom-trauma-informed-care-to-healing-centered-engagement634f557ce69c

Gold, E., Smith, A., Hopper, I., Herne, D., Tansey, G., & Hulland, C. (2010). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for primary school teachers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19, 184-189.

Hopwood, T. L., Schutte, N. S., & Loi, N. M. (2019). Stress responses to secondary trauma: Compassion fatigue and anticipatory traumatic reaction among youth workers. Social Science Journal, 56(3), 337–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2018.08.008

Irving, J. A., Dobkin, P. L., & Park, J. (2009). Cultivating mindfulness in health care professionals: A review of empirical studies of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 15(2), 61-66.

Jiang, X., Topps, A. K., & Suzuki, R. (2021). A systematic review of self-care measures for professionals and trainees. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 15(2), 126–139. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000318

Posluns, K., & Gall, T. L. (2020). Dear mental health practitioners, take care of yourselves: A literature review on self-care. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 42(1), 1-20.

Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Biegel, G. M. (2007). Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1(2), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1037/1931-3918.1.2.105

Shukla, A. (2019). A 5-Step Mindfulness Grounding Technique To Ease Anxiety & Why Mindfulness Works. Cognition Today. Retrieved from https://cognitiontoday.com/5-step-mindfulness-grounding-technique-to-ease-anxiety-why-it-works/.

Taylor, JT., & de León, S. (2018). Healing systems: Reflections on the first four years of Trauma Transformed. Trauma-Transformed. https://traumatransformed.org/documents/Healing-Systems_Reflectionson-Trauma-Transformed.pdf

Thorpe, K., & Barsky, J. (2001). Healing through self‐reflection. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 35(5), 760-768.

Williamson, J., & Smith-Austin, B. (2021). Trauma Informed E-Newsletter: Issue 8.

Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this resource.

Enjoying these resources?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Grounding Exercises appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

What’s Right With You

Megan Thomas — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:56:52 +0000

What's Right With You

Applying the science of trauma-informed care

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Begin true healing by asking "What's right with you?"

It is unfortunately common in our culture that when talking to/about those impacted by trauma, there is a harmful focus on the questions: “What’s wrong with you?” or “What happened to you?” For true healing to begin, we can begin by imagining/asking, “What’s right with you?” Healing means to restore our innate and collective sense of who we are. It means remembering that, despite trauma, we are joy, brilliance, and dreams. Young people must be reminded of this, too!

“Mindfulness not only makes it possible to survey our internal landscape with compassion and curiosity but can also actively steer us in the right direction for self-care.”

The Body Keeps the Score

Move toward a healing-centered approach

No one can deny that everyone, regardless of age, geography, or identity, has faced trauma over the last few years.

As youth-supporting professionals, we have a responsibility to create safe, healing spaces for young people. And we, the adults, must also take care of ourselves and heal from our own trauma, so we don’t transpose our wounds on those we teach, guide, and mentor.  Being familiar with what trauma is not enough. We must understand what it is born of, who it impacts, and most of all, how we can respond.

We designed a one-day skills-building training (as well as a shorter overview, as a presentation) for youth-supporting professionals who work directly with young people and want to move beyond the basics about trauma to learn how to put trauma-informed and healing-based approaches into practice.

We’ve facilitated this resource at several events:

• #HealthyTeen23, October 2-4, 2023, in Portland, Oregon

• In Solidarity We Rise Conference, May 2-4, 2024, in San Francisco, California

• #HealthyTeen24, November 18-20, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona

Here's what you'll learn

By the end of the one-day training, training participants will be able to…

Use youth-centered language and asset-based framing to describe what trauma is, the different levels of trauma, the impacts of trauma on the developing brain and body, and the societal factors that create persistent traumatic environments.

Apply select elements of trauma-informed frameworks—including SAMSHA’s 6 principles of Trauma-Informed Care, Flourish Agenda’s Healing Centered Engagement (CARMA), and other relevant approaches—to their work.

Utilize strategies for resilience and healing to mitigate secondary traumatic stress experienced by youth-supporting professionals.

“The presenters were well-informed and engaging in their presentation. The session was upbeat, motivating, and allowed the opportunity for collaboration between participants.”

Training participant

Schedule your own

Ready to learn more about how you can use a healing-centered approach in your work?

We’re available to train your staff, on-site. If you have at least 12 participants, this may be the option for you!

Please note: There are fees for all training and presentations.

Join one of our events

We regularly host trainings, and when available, we’ll be sure to update this website.

Currently, we have no trainings or presentations scheduled for this resource. Be sure you’re on our email list for updates to our schedule.

Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this training.

Enjoying this training?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post What’s Right With You appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Serenity Moments

Megan Thomas — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 18:05:57 +0000

Serenity Moments

Ready-to-go self-care activities for the workplace

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Take a pause

Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s a necessity. As a hard-working youth-supporting professional, you carry the heavy burden of the trauma you encounter in your work, along with the weight of your lived experiences. Amidst busy schedules and demanding responsibilities, it can be hard to prioritize your own healing.

That’s why Thrivology created Serenity Moments, a series of simple self-care activities you can employ at any time—including during a busy workday. Take a break and engage your senses to make sure that you are taking care of you.

Create a Serenity Moment

Use the tools below to plan, lead, and debrief Serenity Moments in your workplace.

Take it step by step

Each Serenity Moment creates an experience engaging one of the five senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.

Use the following step-by-step guide to lead a Serenity Moment.

Use our slides

Need some visual cues while facilitating Serenity Moments?

This ready-to-use slide deck walks you through the process of leading and debriefing activities that appeal to each sense.

Thrivology is here to answer your questions about Serenity Moments.

The Serenity Collection

Enjoying this resource?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Serenity Moments appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Numbers to Narratives

Nick Sufrinko — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:25:34 +0000

Numbers to Narratives

Using data to uplift stories, uncover needs, and build community readiness for healing-centered sex ed

Thrivology

Resources

News

About Us

Ask Us

Stay Inspired

Making the case

When it comes to advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and well-being, you want all the support you can get. But how do you build community support?

Leading these workshops in your community can help you build support by uplifting adolescent health data and stories.

Numbers to Narratives resources don’t just talk about why healing-centered approaches are important—they provide concrete ways for organizers and participants to use them throughout the entire process.

Why Numbers to Narratives?

From healthy relationships to improved social/emotional learning and even increased media literacy, the case for sex ed is strong.

But how do you begin to incorporate healing-centered sex ed in your community?

By uplifting stories

Public health data are often the starting places for understanding health trends both nationally and locally. However, even data can reflect biases around gender, race, and ethnicity that ends up skewing the public’s understanding of health issues. From a lack of visibility for people from marginalized communities to ineffective strategies that ultimately cause harm, biases in data have a wide range of detrimental effects.

Numbers to Narratives combats gaps in inclusive data by underscoring the role of diverse narratives. By providing guidance for people leading workshops on how to intentionally seek out inclusive data and including diverse workshop participants and giving everyone a space to share their lived experience, Numbers to Narratives uplifts stories that are more inclusive than data alone.

By uncovering needs

You may have access to national data related to public health needs, but what do these numbers really mean? And how do they relate to the needs of young people in your local community? Numbers to Narratives empowers educators to lead conversations making sense of local adolescent health data and question what the numbers mean for their community.

Visual forms of data are pivotal in helping people both understand the nature of an issue and problem solve. By connecting local data with visual storytelling, Numbers to Narratives supports data literacy, helping community members better understand the needs of young people in their area—and how to take action to meet those needs.

By building community readiness

The healing-centered approach woven throughout Numbers to Narratives places a focus on community strengths, as workshop participants identify existing resources in their community. This exercise builds participants’ capacity to understand, locate, and improve local resources.

In addition, community members fully lead the Numbers to Narratives process, with local educators and young people driving the process. Young peoples’ well-being is connected to the influence they have in their schools and communities, so centering young people’s involvement helps them thrive.

Start planning

From logistics to evaluation, the Implementation Guide includes useful checklists that walk you step-by-step through the process of leading workshops in your community

See it in action

In this case study, see how real-life communities used a similar process to make sense of local data

Find the right data

The Data Storytelling Guide includes tips for sourcing data to maximize the impact of your storytelling

Hold an initial workshop

Facilitate an initial workshop with young people using this guide

Host a follow-up workshop

This guide outlines a workshop with youth-supporting professionals

Dive in

Get the full suite of Numbers to Narratives resources delivered directly to your inbox by filling out this quick form.

“Remember that these workshops are just a starting point to create buy-in and momentum to get the ball rolling!”

– Charlie Blue Brahm, Lead Designer

Enjoying these resources?

Leave a more detailed review for a chance to win a gift card!

Want to chat?

We’re here to help you put these resources to work in real life!

More from Thrivology

In My Own Words: A Curiosity Deck for Young Parents

The post Numbers to Narratives appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Words Matter: A Guide to Inclusive Language for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

matt — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:22:22 +0000

Words Matter: A Guide to Inclusive Language for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

October 2024

Language shapes our world, and the words we choose can build bridges or barriers. That’s why, across fields and industries, experts agree: Words matter.

Words carry stories of their own, holding the weight of history, power, and social dynamics. In their content and contexts, they reveal human triumph and suffering. Research shows that the use of inclusive language in education and health care benefits everyone, while language that excludes has negative psychological and physical effects on individuals whose identities are left out.

Using inclusive language shows we care about the unique communities around us and expresses a dedication to remaining in relationships with them. Words Matter: A Guide to Inclusive Language for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health provides you with practical, real-world strategies to use inclusive, affirming language.

We Want Your Feedback!

What can we improve? Share your thoughts on this resource in our quick, anonymous feedback form. If you want to be entered to win a full conference registration—leave your contact info at the end!

Contributing Staff

Sexual Health Influencers: A Guide to Collaborating with Young Content Creators

Words Matter: A Guide to Inclusive Language for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

National Observances, Awareness Campaigns, and Holidays Calendar

#SexEdForAll Tool Kit

The post Words Matter: A Guide to Inclusive Language for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health appeared first on Healthy Teen Network.

Parenting in the Digital Age

matt — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:51:05 +0000

Parenting in the Digital Age

September 2024

As parents and caregivers, you want to be a source of help and support for your teens. We know your top priority is keeping your kids safe and providing a healthy environment where they can grow, learn, and thrive.

However, with ever-evolving health information—and misinformation—freely available on the internet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction.

That’s why U Choose released this new video, exploring how parents and caregivers can help their teens verify health information online. Providing easy sources to fact-check and verify claims, this quick resource is a great tool to guide these crucial conversations about finding reliable health information in the digital age.

Created by Healthy Teen Network and Baltimore City Health Department
Animated by Matt Torode

We Want Your Feedback!

What can we improve? Share your thoughts on this resource in our quick, anonymous feedback form. If you want to be entered to win a full conference registration—leave your contact info at the end!

Contributing Staff

Incorporating Youth-Friendly Services in a Clinical Setting