Associates in Christian Counseling

There is probably no period of life that involves more concentrated change and challenge than adolescence. As a result, this intense and often turbulent transition to young adulthood can be a time of unusual stress. We hope you will find this information helpful.

We also want everyone to be aware of a special blessing from River Birch Lodge and how you can help. In less than two weeks we hope to see you at our annual banquet featuring basketball great Bobby Jones.

Blessings,
Dr. Joe Verga
Executive Director, ACC

APRIL FEATURES

Teenagers! -
Handle with Care

Adolescent Stress -
An Interview with
Dr. Karolyn Thompson

Teens and Depression

A Special Gift -
River Birch Lodge

2008 Banquet -
Special Guest, Bobby Jones

How Well Do You Know
Your Teenager?

Book Reviews

Teenagers! — Handle with Care

Did you know that teenagers did not always exist? Obviously, since Adam and Eve became parents, children have grown through the years we define as adolescence, generally 12-18. As a defined demographic, however, teenagers have only been around since the early 1940’s. Read More

Adolescent Stress—
An Interview with Dr. Karolyn Thompson

If you have a teenager, this time of year may bring added stress to your life. If your teen is young, you may have someone who is getting ready to move from middle school to high school. If your teen is older, they may be preparing for a first summer job or even high school graduation and moving on to college, military or just out of the nest. For some helpful thoughts from Associates’ Dr. Karolyn Thompson, Read More

Teens and Depression

For some teenagers, the turmoil they experience during these transitional years will become something more. “Within the past thirty years, the average age of depression onset has dropped from 29 to between 14 and 15. Depression has now become a ‘teenage disorder’ accompanied by such other problems as anxiety, eating disorders, cutting, and substance abuse” [Stressed or Depressed, p6; see Book Reviews] Read More

A Special Gift from
River Birch Lodge

Love good food?
Looking for a great excuse to eat out?
Support Associates in Christian Counseling by eating at River Birch Lodge!

On Wednesday, April 9th between 11AM and 9:30PM

River Birch Lodge has graciously offered us a unique opportunity—

10% of all proceeds will be donated to Associates in Christian Counseling!

Although their gift applies to the full menu, the feature that day will be—
Orange ginger salmon and shrimp with mango pepper relish!

River Birch Lodge is located at 3324 Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem.
They are able to accommodate large parties and do take reservations.
For reservations, call 336-786-1111.

Book Reviews

Boundaries with Teens: When to Say Yes How to Say No
Dr. John Townsend

Gives parents a way to look at adolescence to help parents understand how a teen thinks, feels, and relates to others. Offers help in raising your teens to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions.

The Five Love Languages of Teenagers
Gary Chapman, PhD
Northfield Publishing, 2000

Contains practical guidance on how to express the teen’s primary love language, how to teach them appropriate responsibility, and how to handle both parental and teen anger.

Parenting Teens with Love and Logic
Foster W. Cline and Jim Fay
Pinon Press, 2006

Teaches parents how to let teens solve their own problems by setting up choices and consequences. Examines many of the anxious periods parents may endure with teens.

Stressed or Depressed:
A Practical Guide for Parents of Hurting Teens
Dr. Arch Hart and Dr. Catherine Hart Weber
Integrity Publishers, 2005

Helps parents discover and identify nervousness, irritability, negativity, and low self-esteem, and determine whether their teen’s symptoms are caused by physical problems, raging hormones, stress, or depression. Offering practical suggestions, spiritual solutions, and encouragement this resource helps parents and teens face their own feelings of fear, anger and hurt.

How Well Do You Know Your Teenager?

What is going on inside your teen’s world? Ask yourself the following questions:

Who are your teen’s friends? Why does he hang around them? What does he like about them?
What does your teen worry about? What specifically is on his mind?
How do God and spiritual matters fit into his life?
What does he enjoy doing in his free time?
What is important to him? Ask him to share some of his music, video games or whatever is important to him with you. Listen, be interested, and temper your own reaction.
What adults does your teen admire? Why?
What drama or crisis has recently occurred at school among his friends or with any of the groups he is associated? How has that impacted him?
What does your teen long for? What does he need and want from you right now?

from Stressed or Depressed: A Practical and Inspirational Guide for Parents of Teens, Dr. Arch Hart and Dr.Catherine Hart Weber, Integrity Publishers, 2005, p. 11

A Thought

There’s nothing wrong with teenagers that reasoning with them won’t aggravate.

Anonymous

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in 7 years.

Mark Twain, Atlantic Monthly, 1874

Click here to go to the ACC web site.

Click here to visit our e-newsletter archive

Click here to subscribe to the ACC e-Newsletter

Click here to unsubscribe to the ACC e-Newsletter

Click here to
contact ACC