The teenage years are an exciting time of development. Teens are exploring their relationship values, sexual identity, and sense of self-worth. In this episode, Diana talks with social workers Leah Aguirre and Geraldine O’Sullivan about how caregivers, parents, and therapists can best support teens in consent, sexuality, body image, and healthy communication.

Listen and Learn:

• Brain changes that happen during teenage years
• How to talk about sexuality with teens
• How to be a safe adult for teens to talk to
• Exploring relationship values with teens
• Talking with teens about consent
• Conversations Diana is having with her teen
• The language of consent
• Navigating online teen relationships
• Taking teen feelings seriously
• How to support teens during a break-up

About Leah Aguirre

Leah Aguirre is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California. She currently works in private practice providing individual psychotherapy. She has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults who have experienced complex trauma including childhood abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapeutic modality used to address and treat trauma and PTSD and practices from a trauma-informed lens. Leah is the co-author of The Girl’s Guide to Relationships, Sexuality and Consent: Tools to Help Teens Stay Safe, Empowered and Confident, has a blog on Psychology Today and has contributed to various media platforms including San Diego Union Tribune, Bumble, GQ, rē spin, HelloGiggles and Reframe App.

About Geraldine O’Sullivan

Geraldine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and published author. Geraldine and Leah Aguirre are co-authors of a self-help book for teens titled The Girl’s Guide to Relationships, Sexuality, and Consent: Tools to Help Teens Stay Safe, Empowered and Confident. Her undergraduate thesis titled The Relationship Between Hope, Eustress, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduates was published in 2011 in Social Indicators Research. Geraldine is employed as a school social worker providing bilingual services to teens and their families including individual and group counseling as well as case management support and crisis intervention. Her training includes Trauma Informed Practices for Schools, Positive Behavior Intervention Supports, and Restorative Practices. She has also implemented a school-wide suicide prevention curriculum. She also currently serves on the Escondido Education COMPACT Board of Directors. Geraldine is available for speaking engagements, professional collaboration, and consultation for creative projects including writing or film.

Related Resources

• Become a MORE Life in Process member to support the show. You’ll be designated as a “Founding Member” as we build a community to discuss ideas and our practice from the show. Founding Members receive exclusive bonus content from Diana.
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• Want to learn more about ACT? Take Diana’s on-demand course Foundations of ACT
• Read The Girl’s Guide to Relationships, Sexuality, and Consent
• Tools to Help Teens Stay Safe, Empowered, and Confident by Leah Aguirre and Geraldine O’Sullivan
• Take Diana’s course (6.5 hours) ACT for Eating and Body Image Concerns: Help Clients Drop the Rope in their Tug of War with Food and Weight
• Take Diana’s course (1 hour) ACT for Body Acceptance: Help Clients Confront the Barriers that Stop Them from Living the Life They Value

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Thank you to the team Craig and Ashley Hiatt. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Remember when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.