We aim to improve mental health in teenagers through self-care and mindfulness, equipping them with strategies that will empower them and inspire confidence. 

Grace DiMarco is a licensed social worker, and currently serves as the District Social Worker for Middlesex County Magnet Schools. She earned her master's in social work from Rutgers University and is licensed to practice clinically.

Mrs. DiMarco helped us understand the various external and internal factors that can cause stress in a teen and cause their self-esteem levels to drop.

Dr. Chhaya N. Maisuria, PsyD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who is currently in private practice. She is the founder and owner of CMS Counseling Services, LLC located in Manalapan, NJ where she provides psychotherapy for adult clients seeking assistance with depression, anxiety and general life stressors.  

Dr. Maisuria gave us a demonstration of how therapy methods such as EBT, ACT, and CBT work; specifically explaining how these treatments help a person struggling with mental health change their thought process.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy initially developed in the 1960s to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, is now used in order to treat an array of mental health issues. 

• This form of therapy is verbal and teaches patients how to be mindful, regulate emotions, interact with others, and tolerate distress. 

• DBT is recommended for those who have very strong emotions. 

  • • Dr. Maisuria stressed the importance of being in touch with your emotions, as all of them are essential for good mental health. 

• Mindfulness helps with this greatly. It can also help us form stronger connections with others, and accept ourselves leaving us with space to reflect and change.

Self-esteem is how we value and perceive ourselves. There are several factors that impact self-esteem. One of them is internal dialogue. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches us that behaviors, thoughts, and feelings are connected, so positively reframing any of these can lead to improved self-esteem.

Another factor of self-esteem is stress, which can be harmful to an extent. Stress will always be there, but how you cope with it is what matters the most. This can be through self-care, positive self-talk, or CBT.

Emotional regulation plays an important part in self-esteem. Dr. Maisuria emphasized that responding rationally rather than reacting impulsively can increase self-awareness, essentially boosting self-esteem. 

Another significant way of improving self-esteem is mindfulness. By being aware of yourself and your surroundings, you can perceive the bigger picture, which makes it easier to be unaffected by negative external factors.