Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express, and Connect for Success

Description

Communication is an essential life skill that every teen must learn. Based on the New Harbinger classic, Messages, this book will teach you the necessary skills--such as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion--to become an effective communicator for life. In an age of social media, texting, and ever-evolving technology, it's easy to forget how to engage in real, face-to-face communication, a critical skill for your future success! As you become more connected to your smartphone and the internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. But technology doesn't replace the need for effective communication skills. In fact, successful personal and professional relationships are dependent upon connecting with people face-to-face. Communication Skills for Teens provides the guidance you need to become a better communicator and succeed in all areas of life. You'll also learn tons of essential life skills, including active listening, assertiveness, clarifying language, the art of an apology, compassion, interviewing skills, family communication, and more. Each chapter focuses on one key aspect of communication, offers a real teen's perspective, and includes practical exercises to help you apply what you've learned in the real world--away from your computer and smartphone screens. the practical, skills-based tips in each chapter, you'll learn powerful communication techniques to last a lifetime.

Michelle Skeen, PsyD, is a therapist who lives and works in San Francisco, CA. She has provided brief and long-term therapy for individuals and couples by utilizing schema, cognitive, and behavioral therapies to address interpersonal issues, weight management, anger, depression, anxiety, disabilities, and trauma. She is author of The Critical Partner and coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems. Skeen hosts a weekly radio show called Relationships 2.0 with Dr. Michelle Skeen on KCAA 1050 AM. Matthew McKay, PhD, is a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has authored and coauthored numerous books, including The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, When Anger Hurts, and ACT on Life Not on Anger. He has also penned two fiction novels: Us and The Wawona Hotel. McKay received his PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, and specializes in the cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety and depression. He lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. Patrick Fanning is a professional writer in the mental health field, and founder of a men's support group in northern California. He has authored and coauthored eight self-help books, including Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, Couple Skills, and Mind and Emotions.

"Communication Skills for Teens is an invaluable and solid resource for helping teens navigate through life by teaching them the fundamentals of effective communication. Many of today's teens heavily rely on social networking and social media outlets as a means to connect and express themselves. These electronic devices will never replace the value of face-to-face interactions. Communication Skills for Teens provides a wealth of information to help teens master the art of in-person communication. This is a book that every teen would benefit from reading!" --Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC, counselor, author of The Anger Workbook for Teens, and coauthor of The Bullying Workbook for Teens and The Sexual Trauma Workbook for Teen Girls "Communication Skills for Teens is brimming with tools for success. Do you know how to express your needs without stepping on toes or cheating yourself? How to handle hidden agendas? How to get past your jitters and break the ice with new people? This book answers these questions and so many more. It is more than a practical book for teens; it's a great communication book for anyone. It will be required reading for my young daughter--as soon as I'm done with it!" --Shawn T. Smith, PsyD, author of The User's Guide to the Human Mind "Communication Skills for Teens provides practical skills that you can use right away to listen and speak more clearly, more effectively, and with less chance of unnecessary hurt feelings and misunderstandings. The real-life teen examples will illustrate how you can use these skills in your everyday life to develop stronger and happier relationships with your friends, peers, parents, and adults." --Dzung X. Vo, MD, author of The Mindful Teen "A great resource for parents and professionals wanting to understand and help teens to communicate. The addition of a teen as a coauthor provides a unique and down-to-earth reflection on key communication styles. [Communication Skills for Teens] goes beyond active listening to provide a comprehensive range of communication patterns and situations. [The book] explains step by step the different ways we communicate our feelings, needs, and beliefs, and then provides exercises to help young people practice the skills." --Louise Hayes, PhD, clinical psychologist, academic, and coauthor of The Thriving Adolescent and Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens "I can't think of a teen, or even an adult, who wouldn't benefit from reading this book. Teens will appreciate the enjoyable flow as well as the relevance of the information and voice. Page by page, easily absorbed concepts increase social intelligence while simply presented tips and strategies increase communication skills. Before I knew it, I was completely through the book and communicating more effectively myself, with more awareness and depth of presence. Yes!" --Lucie Hemmen, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, author of Parenting a Teen Girl and The Teen Girl's Survival Guide, and mother of two teen girls "In a world that has evolved into a culture of disengagement, it's refreshing to see such a thoughtful tool that both teaches and encourages teens to authentically connect with one another. The Communication Skills for Teens workbook offers excellent, relatable activities to help teens learn the art and skill of sound communication." --Julia V. Taylor, MA, author of The Body Image Workbook for Teens, Salvaging Sisterhood, and Perfectly You, and coauthor of G.I.R.L.S. (Girls in Real Life Situations) and The Bullying Workbook for Teens "Learning healthy and effective communication skills at an early age is one of the best tools for creating success in life. This book is the perfect guide for teens. The authors' wise advice can be implemented immediately. I highly recommend Communication Skills for Teens, not only for adolescents, but for their parents and teachers as well." --Alan C. Fox, author of the New York Times bestseller People Tools, People Tools for Business, and People Tools for Love and Relationships "Many young adults feel insecure in their ability to engage and exchange ideas and are often flummoxed by messages they did not mean to send. Therapist [Michelle] Skeen, professor Matthew McKay, mental health writer Patrick Fanning, and college student Kelly Skeen offer older teens a targeted version of their everyday text messages, which covers such skills as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion. ... An inside look into where and why, when it comes to conversing, young people encounter difficulty. Recommended for high schoolers through adult." --Library Journal "Michelle and Kelly have made the guide for interpersonal effectiveness. As a therapist, I will be recommending this book to teens, parents, and adults. Their tone is genuine, the stories are real, and the tools are invaluable. In today's digital world, communicating can be difficult. This book gives you the tools to feel secure in any interaction you face--online or in person." --Emily Roberts, MA, LPC, psychotherapist and author of Express Yourself "This is the missing manual so many of us wish we'd had in our confusing, turbulent teenage years. Even as an adult, I walked away with more effective communication skills for myself as well as my teen clients." --Christopher Willard, PsyD, author of Child's Mind and Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety, Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School