How To Better Understand Teens In 10 Minutes

Is the uniqueness of teen brains a super power? A new documentary says yes.

Hi Readers - I hope you are doing well! Some notes of celebration I’d like to share:

• Joanna Schroeder
  and I turned in a finished manuscript of our book “Talk To Your Boys” to our editor in New York last week. What a relief to get to this stage! We’ll be making edits and revisions over the next few months, and look forward to seeing it in to bookstores (and hopefully in your hands) in 2025.

• Thanks to all of you who have subscribed to this newsletter, shared it with friends, and (especially) signed up for a paid subscription. It’s now officially a “Substack Bestseller.” I really appreciate the support!

Now on to today’s newsletter…

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An Inspiring Look Inside The Minds Of Teenagers

“So, you want to know what it feels like to be a teen?”

That’s the question that opens The Teen Brain, a new short film (watch it free at the link below) that explores all the rapid, significant remodeling and development happening inside teenagers’ heads.  

“We have more science than ever before to understand the teen brain and why it’s such an amazing time,” explains director Tiffany Shlain at the start of the film. “So we asked the top scientists and researchers: What are the most important things to know about the teen brain?

“Thrilling,” “scary” and “stimulating” are some of the adjectives the teens in the film used to describe what it feels like inside their heads.

"A lot of it is like a roller coaster," says one. "Everything is just more extreme," says another.

"Emotions feel so strong," another teen says. "And it's so like, I’m upset in this moment and it’s hard to sort of see the bigger picture.”

 Executive produced by Goldie Hawn and MindUP, the documentary seeks to help teens feel more understood by adults, and to help both adults and teens alike see how the uniqueness of teen brains can actually be a super power.

"I have wanted to create a film on the adolescent brain because it’s important for our teens, parents and educators to understand that being a teen is an extraordinary time to be alive," Hawn told Good Morning America

The filmmakers hope that people watch the documentary and then discuss some of the issues it raises. To that end, they created sets of discussion questions to use after viewing.

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WATCH THE TEEN BRAIN FILM:

THE TEEN BRAIN Discussion Questions​

You’ve just seen The Teen Brain. Here are questions to get you thinking and talking.​

Ages 10-12

1. What are three things you like to do that help calm you when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? Remember these – they’re part of your toolbox to feel better.

2. What’s something you learned about the teen brain that you didn’t know before?

3. What part of the teenage years are you most excited about? 

4. What are you most nervous about?

5. How have you changed in the last two years? What do you look forward to about being a teenager?

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Ages 13-15

1. How would you describe how it feels to be a teenager?

2. What are three things you like to do that help calm you when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? Remember these – they’re part of your toolbox to feel better.

3. What’s something you learned about the teen brain that you didn’t know before?

4. What’s the best part about being a teen?

5. What’s the hardest part about being a teen?

6. What advice would you tell your younger self (at 10 to 12)? Is there anyone in your life that age that you could share that with?

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Ages 16-18 

1. How would you describe how it feels to be a teenager?

2. What are three things you like to do that help calm you when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? Remember these – they’re part of your toolbox to feel better.

3. What’s something you learned about the teen brain that you didn’t know before?

4. What’s the best part about being a teen?

5. What’s the hardest part about being a teen?

6. How have you changed in the last three years? How do you imagine you’ll change in the next three years? 

7. What advice would you tell your younger self (at 10 to 15)? Is there anyone in your life that age that you could share that with?

​Ages 19-99+

1. What are three things you like to do that help calm you when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? 

2. How do you remember feeling when you were a teen?

3. What do you wish you could tell your teen self?

4. How has being a teen changed since you were a teen?

5. How has being a teen changed since you were a teen?

6. What’s something you learned about the teen brain that you didn’t know before?

7. What is something you learned in the film that you can apply when supporting the teens in your life?

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Goldie Hawn's MindUP program, the executive producer of this film, has recently been highlighted by the CDC for their successful mental health programs for schools. By teaching learners of all ages how to self-regulate emotions and learn about their brain to help them with improved mental health and emotional literacy, MindUP creates a more interconnected and compassionate future for all. Check out their resources for all ages.

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Thanks for reading! And extra special thanks to those of you supporting Teen Health Today through a paid subscription to this Substack. The only reason that I’m able to devote so much time to this project is because of your generosity.  

PS: Another way to support Teen Health Today is by purchasing books through our page on Bookshop.org, where we feature many of the books we’ve talked about in this newsletter.

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