Defense mechanisms take all forms in teenagers; sometimes they masquerade, ironically, as the obvious.  I taught one girl several years ago at Taft, a hockey player, who, upon entering the class for the first time, announced loudly in front of...

Cheryl Wilson, an assistant principal in Columbia, South Carolina perfectly captured the process of helping a teenager back on track with compassion in the following anecdote from her experience: My first year as an administrator, I encountered a young lady...

In a recent TED talk, Charles Hazelwood, an orchestral conductor, recalls the early days of his career when he likened his conducting to a “rabid windmill.” The more animated he became with his body, the poorer the results.  Trust cannot be...

A boy’s mother got in touch with me one night in early December and asked me if I’d be available to tutor her boy for the coming ACT.  According to his mother, the boy (let’s call him Brian to protect the...

It should be of little surprise that a rising number of adolescent teens experience anxiety disorders amid the increasing demands the high school world.  With the head-spinning pressures provided by parents, peers, siblings, coaches, and teachers all directly and indirectly cattle-prodding...