By Ellen Braaten, PhD and Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Posted in: Hot Topics, Multimedia, Parenting Concerns, Podcast, Teenagers

Topics: Child + Adolescent Development, Relationships

Peers can be an excellent source of social support, and it’s great that more young people today talk to friends about their emotional challenges. But for every teen who shares, there’s another teen absorbing the info like an emotional sponge. And while it feels good to help a friend, it can also feel overwhelming – even scary – to be a friend’s sole source of support, especially for serious issues.

On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Ellen Braaten help parents to think about the pros and cons of being an emotional sponge, ways for teens to set boundaries around what they can do on their own, and strategies to bring in others to help a friend in need, when it needs to be part of a team effort.

Thanks for joining in this conversation. If you have a comment or question about being an emotional sponge, write to us!

Media List

• Steve Martin and Chris Rock Welcome Everyone to Oscars 2020 (YouTube)
• Movie Review: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Common Sense Media)
• Being an Emotional Sponge: Supporting Young People Who Are Supporting Friends (MGH Clay Center)
• Navigating A Mental Health Crisis (NAMI)
• Self-Care for Resilience – Resources (MGH Clay Center)
• Building Mental Wellness in Children – What Parents Can Do (MGH Clay Center)
• Five Parenting Rules for Coping With the Current Political Climate (MGH Clay Center)
• Tweet to us @mghclaycenter (Twitter)

 

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin