I'm Here: A Peer Counseling Guide for Teens - Paperback

by James J. Crist (Author), Jomike Tejido (Illustrator)

Advice for teens wanting to help friends and peers with their mental health.

Mental health problems in young people are on the rise, and teens want resources to help friends in crisis. I'm Here: A Peer Counseling Guide for Teens fills that need, discussing teens' mental health and providing information about the skills needed to help others. With advice around problem-solving, goal setting, conflict resolution, and what to do when someone's problems put the person or others in harm's way, this book shares important helping skills teens can use to listen to and support one another.

Whether helping others informally or as a peer counselor, teens will find tips for learning helping skills and sample dialogues and ideas for teaching skills to others. I'm Here also shares when it's time to seek adult help and considerations before helping others. Recurring Peer Counselor Tips provide advice specific to teens participating in formal, school-based peer counseling programs. A special section includes additional resources, articles, and organizations for teens.

Author Biography

Dr. James J. Crist is a psychologist and Clinical Director at the Child and Family Counseling Center (CFCC) in Woodbridge, Virginia. At CFCC, he provides psychological testing and individual, couples, and family psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and adults, specializing in children with ADHD, depression, and anxiety disorders. He is also a licensed substance abuse counselor who works with addictive disorders in teens and adults. Dr. Crist has authored and coauthored numerous books, including Keeping Your Cool When They Can't: Parenting Children Who Struggle with Anger; I'm Here: A Peer Counseling Guide for Teens; What's the Big Deal About Addictions?; What to Do When You're Cranky and Blue; What to Do When You're Scared and Worried; Siblings: You're Stuck with Each Other, So Stick Together; and The Survival Guide to Making and Being Friends.

Jomike Tejido is an architect and award-winning illustrator and author who has made over 100 children's books in his hometown in Manila. Some of which are Tagu-taguan: A Counting Book in Filipino and the Foldabots Toy Books. His debut picture book as author-illustrator, There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Book, was published in 2019. Jomike also does whimsical fine art on canvas he describes as a dopamine-rich mid-century modern forms. He has had 20 solo exhibitions. Apart from art, Jomike enjoys soccer, eating seafood, cooking, and traveling to new places. He lives in Manila with his wife and two daughters.