Msc Applied Psychology
Angela Karanja is a psychologist specializing with parents of teenagers and teenagers. She helps parents raise mentally healthy teenagers - this includes helping educators and parents become confident and competent leaders and influencers to teenagers. For over 20 years, Angela has worked directly with teenagers empowering them to recognize their uniqueness and utilize their brain and body power to take charge and become game-changers in their specific spaces and uniqueness.Angela’s edge is the ability to blend science, psychology, and spirituality into practical information that clients can take action on and achieve transformation. She is available for both online and in-person services. Through her Raising Remarkable Teenagers Movement, Angela provides parents and educators access to various online workshops.
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Positive reinforcement for children is a research-backed practice used to support and encourage children to use their skills and behavior (1). Learning often results from rewards and consequences or punishments (2). The practice of positive reinforcement focuses on appreciating the child’s good behavior rather than punishing them for their mistakes. It is proven to be an effective behavior modification strategy for children and people across age groups and animals (3). This practice can promote consistent good behavior in children. Read about the technique, its benefits, examples, and an exhaustive list of words you can add to your vocabulary for positive reinforcement in your children. [mj-toc] How Positive Reinforcement Works [caption id="attachment_894278" align="alignnone" width="720"] Image: Shutterstock[/caption] Appreciating your child’s right behavior with appropriate rewards helps positively reinforce good behavior. Since undisciplined behavior is easier to notice, one should consciously focus on the child’s appropriate behavior while ignoring the inappropriate behavior for the desired results (4). You should pick a reward that...
Marijuana is a mix of dried leaves, stems, and flowers of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. The most potent ingredient in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. This chemical has psychotropic effects that can change one’s mood and consciousness (1) (2). According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency, marijuana is the most common illicit drug used in the US. The survey results also suggest that around 33% of 10th graders and 44% of 12th graders have used marijuana in their lifetime (3). Read this post as we give you some facts about the use of marijuana among teens, its effects on the teenage brain, the signs of teens using it, and ways to prevent marijuana addiction. [mj-toc] Facts About The Use Of Marijuana Among Teenagers The following are some facts about the use of marijuana by American teenagers. Around 3.1 million teens aged between...
Teens and social media have a close association since it is not uncommon to find teenagers spend several hours on social media websites. Teenage social media addiction isn’t a medical condition, but it’s a common problem that can adversely affect teens\' physical and mental health. According to a Pew Research Center report, 95% of teens have access to smartphones, and 45% stay online almost constantly (1). Due to this, several teens spend less time engaging in in-person activities, such as going outdoors or socializing with friends and family, raising their risk of developing sadness, loneliness, distress, and other related issues (2) (3). Thus, parents should proactively guide their teens to have responsible and regulated social media use. Keep reading as we share the signs of social media addiction in teens, its causes, effects, and practical tips to help teens regulate their social media use. [mj-toc] Signs Of Social Media Addiction In Teens When a child or teen first joins a social...
During teenage years, children expect more freedom, and most parents do not mind giving them space. But sometimes, this freedom can go out of bounds, and teenagers might need help. Boot camps for teens may help in such cases. In most cases, at-risk youth are sent to private teen boot camps to remedy an undesirable behavior. Whether it is substance abuse, anger, authority defiance, academic underachievement, or rule-breaking, there is likely a deeper, underlying emotional issue that needs to be addressed. When parents have exhausted their resources and don’t know where to turn, treatment methods such as a boot camp for teens may help their struggling child. [mj-toc] Do Teen Boot Camps Work? While teen boot camps effectively build strength and discipline, they typically do not have a therapeutic model to address the underlying issues behind teen defiance and rebellion. The goal of these programs for troubled teens is centered on training teens to take ownership of their choices. However, they...
As adults, we may not consider teenage relationships as serious.. Hence, we can ignore or minimize the effects of teenage breakups and deny them the rightful attention. When a relationship ends in ways that were not expected, it can cause immense emotional stress, even among teens. The effects of a breakup may even be compounded by teenage-related factors, such as less experience with life and dealing with emotions and lack of self regulation skills. This article will help you understand the different ways in which you can help your teenager deal with a breakup. We list common reasons that result in teenage breakups and some teenage breakup advice. [mj-toc] Common Reasons For Teenage Breakups There are multiple reasons teenagers decide to break up. Here are a few common ones. 1. Emotional immaturity [caption id="attachment_882590" align="alignnone" width="720"] Image: iStock[/caption] Teenagers are not children anymore yet still lack the emotional intelligence of an adult. They may call off a relationship due to...