Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty for Teens: 10 Tips to Overcome Anxiety, Fear, and Worry

by Juliana Negreiros PhD, RPsych, Katherine Martinez PsyD, RPsych, Sheri L. Turrell PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

A fun and practical guide to help you deal with feelings of anxiety, fear, worry, and self-doubt.

Do you ever feel stressed, worried, or anxious about the future? You aren’t alone. From pandemics and natural disasters to school violence and social media overload, today’s teens face an increasingly overwhelming and uncertain world. Add in the daily stress of school and grades, friends and relationships, extracurricular activities, jobs, and planning for college, and there’s plenty to feel anxious about. The good news is that you can manage your fears, live with confidence, and make a positive impact. This book will show you how.

In this friendly guide just for teens, you’ll gain a greater understanding of how uncertainty can trigger feelings of anxiety, fear, worry, and self-doubt. Grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), the book offers ten skills-based tips to help you take “smart risks,” stop avoiding the things that make you feel uneasy, and bounce back from challenges and setbacks. Most importantly, you’ll learn to become more comfortable with uncertainty, and take valued actions toward creating positive change in your life—and the world.

Not knowing what to do, what’s going to happen, and what other people are thinking and feeling can be scary. And as a teen, you’re going through a whole bunch of changes and transitions. Uncertainty is a part of life, but with this book as your guide, you’ll learn to stay cool, calm, and focused on your bright future!

*The foreword by Sheri L. Turrell, PhD, is available at the publisher's website: https://www.newharbinger.com/turrell-foreword*

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684039395
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	08/01/2022
Series:	Instant Help Solutions Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Juliana Negreiros, PhD, is a registered psychologist and researcher in British Columbia, Canada; passionate about working with children, youth, and young adults with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and behavioral difficulties using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) techniques. Negreiros completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Provincial OCD Program at the BC Children’s Hospital, where she led several studies and coauthored a number of academic papers. Negreiros has provided numerous trainings on anxiety nationally and internationally, is a consultant and collaborator with Anxiety Canada, and codeveloped province-wide curriculums for educators to help students manage anxiety in schools.

Katherine Martinez, PsyD, is a registered psychologist in British Columbia, Canada; with more than twenty years of experience in clinical work, training, and research. Martinez uses CBT, ACT, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to assess and treat anxiety, mood, and childhood disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as provide parent effectiveness training to parents and caregivers. In addition to direct clinical care, Martinez is also a staff writer and contractor for Anxiety Canada, and is a consultant at CBT Connections—an organization that provides evidence-based training for health professionals working for the government and community-funded agencies at the provincial and regional level in both British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Foreword writer Sheri L. Turrell, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in helping adolescents move toward a life that matters. Over the past ten years, Turrell has coauthored two ACT texts, supervised graduate students and mental health professionals, and facilitated workshops internationally.

Sheri L. Turrell, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in helping adolescents move toward a life that matters. Over the past ten years, Turrell has coauthored two ACT texts, supervised graduate students and mental health professionals, and facilitated workshops internationally.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Tip 1 Becoming Aware: Understanding Uncertainty 5

Tip 2 Dropping the Uncertainty Struggle 25

Tip 3 Making Friends with Uncertainty: Becoming Frenemies! 43

Tip 4 Creating Space Between You and Uncertainty 57

Tip 5 Giving Thanks to Uncertainty 77

Tip 6 Understanding Social Uncertainty and Creating a Team of Helpers 93

Tip 7 Pursuing Your Passions in the Presence of Uncertainty 109

Tip 8 Taking GRASP Risks 129

Tip 9 Being Kind to Yourself 145

Tip 10 Looking Ahead to Life with Uncertainty 159

Conclusion 177

References 181

Editorial Reviews

Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty for Teens is a gift to every stressed and anxious teen. The authors offer ten powerful tips to help teens understand, tolerate, and ultimately master the uncertainty that is both a source of suffering and the juice of life. I highly recommend it.”
—Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy, and author of The Anxiety and Depression Workbook for Teens

Michael A. Tompkins

This book draws on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) principles, and presents a range of evidenced-based ideas in a way that does not talk down to the reader. Teens will learn how to connect to the present, treat themselves with more compassion, identify their values, and plan how to take steps toward these. With such a range of helpful tips, there’s likely to be something helpful for every teen struggling with anxiety.”
—Ben Sedley, psychologist, author of Stuff That Sucks, and coauthor of Stuff That’s Loud

Ben Sedley

In this book, Negreiros and Martinez do an excellent job of introducing the reader to the role that uncertainty plays in worry and anxiety, and they do so in a friendly and approachable manner. This book is chock-full of practical tips and strategies for inviting uncertainty into one’s life, and becoming a more confident, social, and happier person as a result. This book will be an invaluable resource for any teen struggling with worries in daily life.”
—Melisa Robichaud, PhD, coauthor of The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Workbook and The Worry Workbook

Melisa Robichaud

Negreiros and Martinez have written a clear and practical guide to help young people navigate fear and worry associated with the uncertainties of our modern society. The authors demonstrate an empathetic connection with today’s youth, and use their many years of experience to provide a comprehensive tool kit that will help all young people come to terms with the threat of uncertainty.”
—Ronald M. Rapee, PhD, distinguished professor and director of the Centre for Emotional Health at Macquarie University, and author of Helping Your Anxious Child

Ronald M. Rapee

As a parent of teens and a mental health advocate, it is a pleasure and relief to read a book about uncertainty and anxiety that empowers teens in a challenging, validating, and engaging way. I like that the book is structured and includes practical knowledge and skill building activities such as quizzes and takeaways. And even better that these tips are written by trusted experts who treat teens every day.”
—Judith Law, CEO of Anxiety Canada, a Canadian charity dedicated to reducing the barrier of anxiety so people can live the life they want

Judith Law

The formidable duo of Negreiros and Martinez have created what will surely become a leading self-help book for teens living with disabling fear, anxiety, and worry. Drawing upon research and decades of clinical experience with youth, they provide a straightforward guide via teen-friendly, accessible language. What makes this book stand out is the attention paid to promoting evidence-based approaches while concurrently offering practical tips and pearls of wisdom. In summary, I am certain that this book will enormously and positively impact the lives of youth who follow the ten described steps towards embracing uncertainty!”
—S. Evelyn Stewart, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, and coauthor of OCD in Children and Adolescents

S. Evelyn Stewart

Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty for Teens addresses a very common struggle, seamlessly blending cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and ACT to create a much-needed resource for teens. It provides powerful life skills for accepting and embracing uncertainty, pursuing passions, and cultivating self-compassion. The exercises can be done anywhere, anytime, and the short quizzes are super helpful for increasing self-insight into one’s behavior and willingness to implement new strategies. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.”
—Tamar D. Black, PhD, educational and developmental psychologist, and author of ACT for Treating Children

Tamar D. Black

Finally, a workbook that goes right to the beating heart of anxiety: uncertainty. Teens will be guided, step by step, toward increasing awareness, acceptance, and willingness in the face of the vast variety of uncertain situations they may face. A unique and important contribution to the field and a must-read for teens, parents, and therapists alike.”
—Chris McCurry, PhD, author of Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance, and coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Teen Anxiety

Chris McCurry

2022-05-10
This practical mental health text guides and reassures readers through a journey of understanding.

First, readers become aware of uncertainty, something the authors explain in the context of fear about negative, unknown outcomes of future events. Readers then learn how to stop struggling with this inevitable aspect of existence and instead create intentional space for uncertainty, even finding the positives in it. They are encouraged to build social support networks while pursuing their individual passions and taking calculated risks, ultimately coming to look forward to full lives that include moments of uncertainty. The authors, both practicing psychologists working with young people, make readers feel welcome through the use of affirming and inclusive language and encouragement to take their time with the text to effectively develop the skills presented. Each of the 10 chapters is structured similarly and includes an opening and closing check on readers’ knowledge, research-based scientific context, helpful definitions, profiles of a diverse assortment of teens, concrete skill-building steps, sample tips, and summative takeaways. The text assumes the maturity of its readers and validates the difficulties inherent in being a teenager. It also honors the mental struggles brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors normalize the act of seeking professional help when needed; they acknowledge that this text is only a starting point for those with more severe symptoms of anxiety.

A good resource for those with moderate anxieties. (references) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews