Adolescents Archives - Heather Hayes & Associates https://heatherhayes.com/tag/adolescents/ Interventions & Treatment Consulting Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:46:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://heatherhayes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-HH_logo-32x32.png Adolescents Archives - Heather Hayes & Associates https://heatherhayes.com/tag/adolescents/ 32 32 TikTok Bans #SkinnyTok: A Step Toward Protecting Mental Health or Just a Patch? https://heatherhayes.com/tiktok-bans-skinnytok-a-step-toward-protecting-mental-health-or-just-a-patch/ Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:46:37 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7169 In a move lauded by public health experts and mental health advocates alike, TikTok recently banned the hashtag #SkinnyTok, along with related content promoting extreme thinness and disordered eating. While this step reflects growing platform accountability, specialists warn it may not be enough to curb the deeper social and algorithmic drivers of eating disorders among […]

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]]> Parental Alienation: A Relational Wound at the Heart of the Family https://heatherhayes.com/parental-alienation-a-relational-wound-at-the-heart-of-the-family/ Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7132 Parental alienation is a complex and often misunderstood dynamic in which one parent intentionally or unconsciously manipulates a child to reject the other parent, undermining the child’s attachment and loyalty to that parent. This behavior is most often seen in high-conflict separations or divorces but can occur in any family system where resentment, control, or […]

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]]> Understanding the Polyvagal Theory in Adolescence: A Foundation for Trauma-Responsive Adolescent Transport https://heatherhayes.com/understanding-the-polyvagal-theory-in-adolescence-a-foundation-for-trauma-responsive-adolescent-transport/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7130 In recent years, Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory has revolutionized our understanding of the nervous system, particularly in the context of trauma and adolescent development. The theory provides a crucial framework for professionals working with adolescents, especially those involved in therapeutic transport.  One of the most compassionate and trauma-informed approaches to adolescent transport comes from Heather […]

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]]> From Harm to Healing: Reimagining Adolescent Treatment with Dignity and Accountability https://heatherhayes.com/from-harm-to-healing-reimagining-adolescent-treatment-with-dignity-and-accountability/ Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7125 Over the past several years, a powerful wave of truth-telling has emerged from adults who once lived through the harsh realities of the so-called “troubled teen industry.” Survivors have courageously shared stories of coercion, neglect, and abuse—often beginning with midnight transports, followed by long periods in programs where they felt stripped of autonomy, safety, and […]

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]]> Building Family Connection and Secure Attachment: Foundations, Disruptions, and Tools for Healing https://heatherhayes.com/building-family-connection-and-secure-attachment-foundations-disruptions-and-tools-for-healing/ Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:53 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7100 Healthy families are built on two fundamental pillars: connection and attachment. When these are strong, family members feel safe, seen, and valued, which fosters emotional resilience, trust, and overall well-being. When disrupted, however, individuals can struggle with lifelong emotional regulation, relational difficulties, and mental health challenges. Below, we explore the foundations of family connection and […]

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]]> The Importance of Safety in Healing Family Dynamics: Insights from Judith Herman and Steven Porges https://heatherhayes.com/the-importance-of-safety-in-healing-family-dynamics-insights-from-judith-herman-and-steven-porges/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:33 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7091 Safety is a fundamental prerequisite for healing within any family system, particularly for members who have experienced emotional abuse. The pioneering work of Judith Herman and Steven Porges highlights the critical role of safety in the recovery process. Their essay explores the importance of safety, drawing on Herman’s work on trauma and recovery and Porges’ […]

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]]> The Power of Expectation: Bowlby’s Theory, Coping Patterns, and the Family System https://heatherhayes.com/the-power-of-expectation-bowlbys-theory-coping-patterns-and-the-family-system/ Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:00:28 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7065 “What cannot be communicated to the [parent] cannot be communicated to the self.” — John Bowlby, Attachment and Loss (1980) British psychoanalyst John Bowlby, best known for founding attachment theory, proposed that the expectations children form about themselves and others are deeply shaped by early relational experiences. Often overlooked within his broader framework is his […]

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]]> Family Systemic Therapy and the Role of Family Involvement in Adolescent Treatment https://heatherhayes.com/family-systemic-therapy-and-the-role-of-family-involvement-in-adolescent-treatment/ Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:30 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7059 Family Systemic Therapy is a therapeutic approach that views the family as a system in which each member affects the others. This framework, largely developed by pioneers in the field such as Salvador Minuchin, Carl Whitaker, and Jay Haley, emphasises the importance of involving family members in therapeutic interventions, especially when treating adolescents.  Adolescents often […]

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]]> Incongruence in Family Systems: Exploring Covert Contracts and Adolescent Development https://heatherhayes.com/incongruence-in-family-systems-exploring-covert-contracts-and-adolescent-development/ Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:18 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7035 Family systems theory, a cornerstone of systemic family therapy, emphasizes the interconnectedness of family members and the impact of these relationships on individual behavior and development. Pioneers like Jay Haley and Salvador Minuchin have profoundly influenced our understanding of these dynamics, particularly how unspoken rules, or covert family contracts, shape interactions within families. One critical […]

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]]> Understanding the Reality of Autism in Teens https://heatherhayes.com/understanding-the-reality-of-autism-in-teens/ Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:13 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=6831 Understanding autism necessitates a nuanced comprehension of this complex and diverse condition. Considering the real experiences of real individuals enhances our ability to create an inclusive and accepting world where autistic people are supported, understood, and empowered. Teenagers are at a special time in their lives, at once navigating an exit from childhood and an […]

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]]> Is “Birth Order” Theory a Myth? Unpacking the Role of Siblings in Family Systems https://heatherhayes.com/is-birth-order-theory-a-myth-unpacking-the-role-of-siblings-in-family-systems/ Thu, 22 May 2025 19:05:15 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=6990 What does it mean to be the eldest daughter, the youngest son, or the “middle child” of a family? These are terms that we often use to describe ourselves and others; their broad and folkloric connotations have even made their way into online meme culture.  Generally speaking, birth order theories are based on the idea […]

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]]> The Hidden Architecture of Dysfunction: Robert Subby’s Family Rules Explained https://heatherhayes.com/the-hidden-architecture-of-dysfunction-robert-subbys-family-rules-explained/ Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:22:03 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=6926 In families impacted by mental health issues, substance use disorders (SUDs), or unresolved trauma, patterns of communication and behavior often develop in an attempt to maintain stability. Robert Subby, a leader in the field of addiction recovery and family systems theory, identified a set of family rules that often govern these families. While intended to […]

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