Brainstorm: Discovering the Hidden Power & Purpose of the Adolescent Mind

In this presentation, Dr. Dan Siegel explores the nature of the changes in the teenage brain and how they set the stage for changes in adolescent mental, physical, and interpersonal well-being. He also discusses the increased risk-taking and statistically demonstrated heightened chances of harm during this stage. But these negative aspects of adolescence are only one side of the coin of this period of life. Seen from an inside view, adolescence is an essential part of our development and our evolution. This "inside out" approach to the second dozen years of life gives us an exciting new perspective on the essence of adolescence: Emotional intensity, social engagement, novelty-seeking, and creative explorations are not aspects of an "immature" stage of development but actually can be seen as a necessary set of characteristics that are essential for both the individual's development and for the health and adaptation of our species. Further, these features of the teenage brain set the stage for changes that not only shape our life as adolescents, but can surprisingly be seen as essential to thriving in adulthood. How we approach adolescence as a period and adolescents as individuals can make all the difference in how these important years are navigated well. (May 2021)

About the Presenter: Dr. Daniel Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, which educates individuals, families, and communities about insight, empathy, and integration.

Dr. Siegel has published extensively for both professional and lay audiences. He has written five New York Times bestsellers: Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence; Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human; Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain; and two books with Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D, entitled The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline. His other books include: The Developing Mind; The Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology; Mindsight; The Mindful Brain; and The Mindful Therapist. He has also co-authored The Yes Brain and The Power of Showing Up with Tina Payne Bryson, PhD.

Dr. Siegel also serves as the Founding Editor for the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, which currently contains over seventy textbooks.