While many adults might dismiss teens as not-quite-ready to meet the real world, Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist, author, and this week’s guest on the Make Meaning podcast, knows that adolescents have the ability to perceive situations with clarity and accuracy often missed by adults. Adolescence is the age where true passion and natural talent develop, sowing seeds of purpose that provide life direction. Listen as Lynne and Lisa discuss how understanding adolescence can not only help us guide young people to find their purpose but might also shine light on finding our own.
Lisa Damour writes the monthly Adolescence column for the New York Times, is a regular contributor to CBS News, operates a private psychotherapy practice, is a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University, and serves as the Executive Director of Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls. Damour is also the author of two New York Times bestsellers, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls.
On this episode, Lynne and Lisa discuss:
- Why working with teenagers is gratifying
- How teenagers just “get it”, and adults don’t – but should
- Making time for passions and interests that don’t impact a college application
- Helping teens find their purpose, and what we can learn from our own teen selves
Links and Resources
- Lisa Damour website
- Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood
- Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls.
- Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls
- Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University
Coming up November 4th on the Make Meaning podcast: Tune in as Lynne talks with writer, author and Voluntourist Ken Budd about finding meaning and purpose through volunteering around the world following the unexpected death of his father. Budd also discusses the launch of his new web project, 650,000 hours, which focuses on maximizing our time spent here on earth.
Other episodes you might like:
- Episode 39 – Rabbis who Rock with the God Squad
- Episode 41 – Making Meaning from Loss with Marianne Simon
- Episode 48 – The NFHS Reunion Episode: Reflecting on 30 years since graduation
