Social Media Week
Social Media Week, in partnership with Facebook and the 404, hosted a series of workshops for teens and industry leaders to discuss the importance of empathy in the digital world. Katie Hurley led the workshops and challenged teens and adults alike to create empathy action plans to bring back to their communities.
Speaking Topics
Katie covers a number of topics within child and adolescent development and mental health to help parents, educators, and organizations understand how best to help kids and teens thrive.
Know The Signs of Stress
Kids and teens can exhibit physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms of stress. Watch for frequent psychosomatic complaints, decreased motivation, focus, and attention, forgetfulness, tantrums, excessive tears, and increased irritability.
Focus on Empathy
Your kids and teens are likely struggling with their emotion regulation during this time. When they yell, have tantrums, or snap in response to your input, take a deep breath and focus on empathizing first. "This is really hard. I know you miss your friends and school," goes a long way toward opening the door to a productive conversation instead of a power struggle..
Get Back to Basics
It might be tempting to let kids stay up late and scrap the schedule during this time, but routine does play an important role in preserving the mental health of kids and teens. Sleep hygiene is essential. Kids need 10-12 hours of sleep each night, and teens need 9-10. A healthy diet, balanced screen time, and daily exercise are also important to decrease stress and anxiety.
For all Inquiries
For media, speaking, or to work with Katie, please send a message and include your contact information.