Resources for Educators: Teens

Supplemental resources for teachers, parents, and other caregivers

Teen Health & Wellness Resources

Learn more about your health

  • Sex etc. - a Teen-powered nonprofit site and magazine for all your sex-ed questions
  • Q+Edu - (from the Central Texas GSA Coalition) has resources and webinars about all aspects of Queer Life. 
  • VaxTeen - information about vaccines for teens, including resources to share with parents who may be vaccine skeptics.
  • Teen Central - support for teens across a variety of topics (free, anonymous)
  • The Foundry - includes resources on health and wellness for teens [service is based in Canada]
  • Teen Brain Development - learn about your developing brain in this series from Youth.gov
  • Youth.Gov has topical information about everything from finances to accessibility and more. 
  • Go Ask Alice - from Columbia University, this advice site has answers to many health-related questions (plus quizzes!)

Virtual Chill Zone

Need to take a quick break to recenter yourself? Check out this free Virtual Chill Zone for teens to find resources to help you recover your equilibrium. The virtual care package includes links to activities, breathwork exercises, and videos on coping with change, changing your perspective, and more.  

End Harrassment

  • HeartMob - a community to support those experiencing online harassment
  • RightToBe - free resources with to help you fight against harassment whether you're the target or a bystander.

Mindfulness Minute Videos (click the tabs for more)

Apps for Wellness, Resiliency, and Self-Care

click to visit the Psyberguide.org website to learn about free apps for your phone that can form your pocket self-care toolkit.

Mental Health

If you are experiencing an emergency, find help here.


More resources to help you care for your mental health:

NAMI Central Texas

Comprehensive resource list, includes info on low cost and sliding-scale counseling

AISD School Mental Health Centers

AISD provides insurance-paid (or sliding scale/free if no insurance) mental health support to all students and adults in the AISD family

NotOK App

Created by teen siblings to address their own mental health needs, when prompted by the user, the app sends an alert to five friends to immediately inform them that the user is not okay, followed by a GPS location. This resource acts as a system to let others know when and where you need trusted help and urgent support.  

NAMI Toolbox

Resources for a variety of different mental health conditions

Teen Central

Support for teens across a variety of topics (free, anonymous)

To Write Love on Her Arms

Quick access to support on a variety of topics

Mind Your Mind 

Includes information and resources like "creating a safety plan" and where to get help in a crisis (Canada & US)

Supporting Friends

Check with your friend to see how they want to be supported. Sometimes, it can be helpful just to pull together a list of phone numbers or websites for your friend to keep on hand, if they ever need them. Here are some resources to help you make a plan to help your friend. 

Teen Central 

Support for teens across a variety of topics (free, anonymous)

Project Semicolon

If your friend has mentioned suicide, Project Semicolon has guidance for concerned friends

NAMI

NAMI has a section for how to help a friend through a mental health crisis

Teen Mental Health

TeenMentalHealth.org has some great solid advice on how to help a friend find resources for a variety of problems

Mind Your Mind

The Mind Your Mind Organization [Canada] has general advice on helping struggling friends

The Foundry

The Foundry BC [Canada] offers streamlined info about supporting friends

To Write Love on Her Arms

Look up local support systems using the search feature at To Write Love On Her Arms

 

Mental Health & Resilience for Teens