Trails Carolina Blog

Every year, millions of Americans are affected by some form of substance abuse. That’s why it’s so important to support National Recovery Month this September. Many young people dealing with substance abuse issues don’t understand that this is an issue that can stay with them for the rest of their lives. National Recovery Month recognizes…

When a teen is struggling with alcohol and drug abuse, finding them the best treatment possible is crucial to their recovery process. One form of treatment used to help teens struggling with these issues is known as motivational interviewing.  Motivational interviewing helps teens get back on the right track towards living a positive, healthy lifestyle.…

Experiences in nature decrease negative thoughts In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers led by Gregory Bratman from Stanford University found a link between positive thinking and nature. It only took a 90-minute stroll through some greenery to elicit a change in the way people were thinking. Those who…

In today’s hectic world, it’s hard to get two minutes to talk to your children, let alone an entire meal’s worth. We live in a “grab n’ go” world where teens head from school straight to their extracurriculars which may last until after dinner time. Because of this, family dinners have kind of become a…

In today’s culture, marijuana use by teens is pretty widespread and well known to mainstream culture. It’s a dangerous drug because of the effect it can have on teen brains. However, nowadays, there’s a profoundly dangerous drug camouflaging as marijuana’s cousin: synthetic marijuana. This new drug in town goes by the name of “Spice”, K2,…

In every school, there are a few notoriously “bad” kids. These young people are defiant to authority figures like teachers and administrators, and act out at home, too. But some of these kids can’t help their insubordination. Oppositional defiant disorder in teens is a pattern of irritability and defiant, insubordinate behavior that lasts at least six…

At a party, you’re talking with a friend about what’s going on in their life. Suddenly, their tone becomes hushed and they say, “I’ve gone to see a therapist recently for the problem I’m having.” Why did your friend feel the need to talk about going to see a therapist in hushed tones? Probably because…

In our society, people just expect teenagers to be extremely tired all the time, but many don’t ask why. Sleep deprivation in teens has become an epidemic in the United States. According to the CDC, about 70 percent of teens are sleep deprived. It’s hard to believe that seven in 10 teenagers you meet are running on…

From the ages 10 to 17, your son or daughter will experience some of the most formative stages of youth development. Piaget’s cognitive development theory states this as a time when reasoning becomes focused and logical and teens begin to develop the ability to think abstractly. They will attempt to understand the world and themselves. These…

It’s difficult to find an adolescent without a cell phone or some form of technology attached to them in today’s society. We all know the agony of having to repeatedly tell our kids, friends and loved ones to put their “screens” away in order to get them to pay attention. For some, it becomes hard…