Helping Kids and Teens Navigate Big Emotions: Empowering Self-Expression and Self-Discovery

Growing up comes with a rollercoaster of emotions—sometimes overwhelming, sometimes confusing. Whether it’s anxiety about school, sadness from friendships changing, or frustration with family dynamics, all of these emotions are valid and important. As a community, we can work together to help kids and teens understand what their emotions are telling them, rather than feeling controlled by them.

Understanding Big Emotions

Most people, adults and kids alike, are conditioned to believe that there are "good" and "bad" emotions. One important reframe is understanding that there are no "good" or "bad" emotions—only positive and negative emotions. Emotions like happiness, excitement, and hope evoke positive feelings, while emotions like sadness, anger, and envy evoke negative feelings. This distinction is crucial because it teaches us that all emotions are important to feel and helps us to engage with those feelings to find the root cause, rather than avoid them and allow them to grow. Whether they make us feel better or worse, our emotions provide valuable information that we can learn from to better understand ourselves and our needs.