Mood Prep 101 A Parent's Guide to Preventing Depression and Anxiety in College-Bound Teens

Our teenagers are suffering more than ever. College counseling centers are overwhelmed, parents are worried, and mental health issues are increasingly common in young people between the ages of 12 and 20. Parents are particularly concerned about how to help their kids achieve a safe, healthy, and fulfilling college experience in light of soaring rates of depression and anxiety in young people.

Mood Prep 101: A Parent's Guide to Preventing Depression and Anxiety in College-Bound Teens answers the question most parents have - "What can we do?" - when it comes to college-bound teens who may be vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Written with humor and compassion by award-winning psychologist and psychotherapist Carol Landau, this timely book empowers parents by providing strategies for helping their children psychologically prepare for college and adulthood, as well as by addressing and alleviating the anxiety parents themselves may feel about kids leaving home for the first time. Young people need a solid foundation of parental support in order to succeed at college; as such, Landau shows parents how they can promote healthy communication and problem-solving skills, and how they can help young people learn to better regulate emotions and tolerate distress. Landau also describes stressors typical amongst college students, and explains how to identify vulnerabilities to anxiety and depression, including perfectionism, social isolation, and the feeling of being "different". Finally, the book sheds light on some of the risky behaviors commonly found on today's college campuses, such as substance use and unsafe sexual relationships, and how they can exacerbate or even trigger anxiety and depression in young people. Landau concludes by calling on parents and educators to back away from the stressful, competitive focus of the college admissions process and turn instead to the values of curiosity, collaboration and empathy.

Carol Landau, PhD, is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Brown University's Alpert Medical School. Dr. Landau is an expert in the treatment of depression, and has been treating high school and college students and their families for over 30 years.

PART ONE Depression and Anxiety in College Students: How Parents Can Help

Chapter One: Empowering Yourself to Support Your Teen and Prevent Depression and Anxiety

Chapter Two: Adolescent Development: Myths and Realities

Chapter Three: Traveling Companions: Adolescent Depression and Anxiety in all Their Forms

PART TWO Strong Foundations

Chapter Four: Communication Skills: Active Listening, Avoiding the Lecture

Chapter Five: " I got this!" The Joy of Competence and Self-Efficacy

Chapter Six: Self-Regulation: Healthy Sleep, Nutrition, and Physical Activity

Chapter Seven: Healthy Boundaries: Growing Up Safe

Chapter Eight: Distress Tolerance, Distraction, and Mindfulness Matters

Chapter Nine: Social Power: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Chapter Ten: Time Out for Self-reflection

PART THREE Vulnerabilities and Strategies for Change

Chapter Eleven: How the Principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Other Evidence-Based Therapies Can Help Your Family

Chapter Twelve: Transforming Malignant Perfectionism and Encouraging Flexibility

Chapter Thirteen: Growing Up Different: LGTBQ Issues and Teens Who Are Overweight

Chapter Fourteen: No Shame, No Stigma: When and How to Get Psychological Help

PART FOUR Changing Times: Campus Life, Anxiety and Depression

Chapter Fifteen: College as a Land of Opportunity: Family, Friends, and Faculty

Chapter Sixteen: College as a Land of Challenges

Chapter Seventeen: Getting Help on Campus

Chapter Eighteen: Is Taking Time Off a Good Idea?

Chapter Nineteen: Can We Change the Culture to Promote Psychological Health?

Appendices

Appendix One: Depression Checklist

Appendix Two Anxiety Checklists

Appendix Three: LGBTQ Vocabulary