HomeArticlesTeach Your Teen to Set Emotional Boundaries

Teach Your Teen to Set Emotional Boundaries

Top Tips for Festive-Season Survival

Teach Your Teen to Set Emotional Boundaries

by on March 6, 2021

Articles

Learning how to set and maintain emotional boundaries is an important part of growing up. It is also a key to developing relationships that are supportive, caring, and respectful. These kinds of positive relationships create the foundation for lifelong happiness.

Prioritizing mental health in the workplace can bring an array of positive outcomes. A mindful leader inspires a mindful team which, in return, develops better results. Here are some of the reasons why you should start making mental health a workplace priority:

What is an emotional boundary?

An emotional boundary is a limit we establish to protect ourselves from being hurt, manipulated, or used by others. It is an expression of self-worth that helps people understand who we are, what we think, and how we feel. Boundaries create needed emotional space between us and others.

Examples of healthy emotional boundaries for teenagers may include:

Moving slowly into friendships to establish trust
Stating personal values despite what others believe
Respecting others, despite their differences
Respecting oneself, even though someone may not like you
Clearly communicating needs and wants, even though you may be rejected
Noticing when your personal boundaries feel invaded
Understanding that others cannot anticipate your needs

Examples of unhealthy emotional boundaries for teenagers may include:

Trusting no one, or everyone
Going against personal values to please others or to be liked
Giving as much as you can for the sake of being liked
Allowing friends to direct your life, without questioning
Letting others define you
Falling apart or being a victim so others will take care of you
Believing that others can anticipate your needs

Four Tips That Will Increase Your Child’s Happiness

1. Talk with your teenager about emotional boundaries.

Help your children understand the concept of emotional boundaries, and how important this understanding is to happiness and well-being.

Share a story of a time when your personal boundaries were invaded by a friend and how you successfully or unsuccessfully reacted. Acknowledge how difficult it is to speak up for yourself and what you need. Ask if your teen has noticed being uncomfortable with friends who did not respect boundaries. Help children learn that setting emotional boundaries is not about blaming others for hurting them. It is about remaining calm and explaining what you need from others that is different from how they are behaving toward you.

2. Teach teens to be responsible for their emotional reactions.

Help children learn that setting emotional boundaries is not about blaming others for hurting them. It is about remaining calm and explaining what you need from others that is different from how they are behaving toward you.

3. Identify unacceptable actions and behaviors.

The first step to setting boundaries is to be able to notice when people around you are behaving in ways that are unacceptable. Start with a simple family exercise that parents and children can do together: 1) Think of a friend or friends with whom you sometimes or often feel uncomfortable. Perhaps you experience them as uncaring, or you feel put down or manipulated by them. You don’t need to share the names of these people. 2) Each person lists five things you’d like your friend(s) to stop doing or saying to you or around you.

When you have your lists, sit down together and brainstorm how an emotional boundary could be communicated for each item on the list.

4. Encourage action

There are many barriers to boundary- setting—fear of rejection, guilt, and fear of confrontation. Healthy boundaries allow teens to feel respected, valued, and empowered to build positive relationships in their lives.

Emotional boundaries also play a vital role in building healthy family relationships and are a crucial part of self-care. When parents model effective boundary-setting with children, children learn how to do the same. Younger children can learn the basics of boundary-setting through simple role-play situations. As they mature to adolescence, this foundation is an asset toward understanding and reacting to more complex human interactions.

If you would like to talk, feel free to reach out to us. An LifeWorks therapist would be able to help.

Dr. Saba Aslam

Clinical Psychologist - English

I’m Dr. Saba Aslam, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at LifeWorks. I have more than seven years of experience working in this field with all age groups as children, adolescents, adults and older.

I have worked with the patients having diverse mental health issues as stress, depression, anxiety, emotional behavioral problems, anger issues, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, interpersonal relationship problems, self-esteem issues, decreased self-confidence, or trust issues, adjustment problems, stress and coping related to developmental changes and physical or sexual abuse in children or adolescents.
I am proficient in using protective techniques, IQ tests, personality tests and other psychological and neurodevelopmental assessment protocols. I prefer to combine elements of various approaches, including humanistic, psychoanalytic/ psycho dynamic, gestalt, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior modification, social skills trainings, dialectical behavior therapy and applied behavior analysis.

Education and Training:

PhD Clinical Psychology.
MS/M. Phil Clinical Psychology.
CBT Certification: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Practitioner Course.
Two Research Rewards for Excellent Research Publications

Qualifications and Memberships:

Dubai Health Authority Licensed Psychologist (DHA)
CBT Certification: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Practitioner Course.
Member American Psychological Association # C2203825762
Member Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMH)
Member International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP).
Member Pakistan Association of Clinical Psychology (PACP).

Languages:

English, Urdu, Hindi

Ph.D. in Psychology - Experience: 7 Years

Lorena Santambrogio

Clinical Psychologist - English

About

Raised and educated in Italy, Dr. Lorena is a highly experienced Cognitive Behavioural Clinical Psychologist-Psychotherapist. She achieved her 5 years Bachelor/Master Degree in Clinical Psychology at Padua University (Italy) and further she completed her professional profile with a 4 Years Master Specialization in Como (Italy) at the Post Bachelor Specialization School in Cognitive Therapy.

She also has a Master in Counselling at Brescia University (Italy) and completed level 1 and 2 training in EMDR.

She has been working as a Psychologist /Psychotherapist for 20 years in both Public, Private Hospitals and outpatients clinics.

In addition to her clinical skills experience, Dr Lorena has had an extensive involvement in teaching, clinical research and publications in different fields such as Binge Eating Disorders and Psychological Rehabilitation after heart attack.

After moving to Dubai in 2012 Dr. Lorena got a DHA Licence as Clinical Psychologist and provides psychological treatments in a wide range of mental health and emotional issues.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology-University of Padua(Italy)
Postgraduate degree in Cognitive Therapy – Postgraduate School of Como (Italy)
Postgraduate degree in Counselling-University of Brescia (Italy)
EMDR- level 1 and 2
Couple Therapy Gottman Method -Level1
Member of Italian Society of Psychologists-Pychotherapists – Lombardy Region
Member of CBT–Italy
Dubai Health Authority Licence

Expertise

Anxiety Disorders ( Panic attack, Generalized Anxiety, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia , Obsessive Compulsive Disorders)
Mood Disorders ( Major Depression , Post partum Depression, Cyclothymia, Dysthymia) Adjustment Disorders
Personality Disorders (Narcissistic Personality Disorder. – Avoidant PD- Dependent PD.)
Eating Disorders -Anorexia-Bulimia- Binge Eating Disorder
Relational Difficulties
Worry and Rumination
Workplace stress and burnout
Self- esteem
Parent training
Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder
Coping with Emotional and psychological problems during Covid19

Therapies

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ( third wave approach)
Post-Rationalism Cognitive Therapy approach
Attachment theory approach
Mindfulness Approaches
EMDR
Marital/couple Therapy ( Gottman approach)

Ph.D. in Psychology Ain-Shams University - Experience: 16 Years

Maryam Ebrahimnezhad

Social Worker - English, Dutch, Persian, German

About

Maryam has master’s degree in Relationship therapist and has been working in the Mental Health field since 2009. She believes that therapy is a collaborative process and she kindly guides clients to increase self-awareness, gain new perspectives, decrease symptoms, and increase personal strengths to have a more meaningful life experience.

Throughout her career, Maryam has worked with adults, adolescents, and children, across various settings, including private practice and outpatient primary care clinics, in Netherlands and UAE. She has been working as a psychologist in UAE since 2013.

Maryam has extensive experience in applying various Social worker including Neurofeedback therapy, ABA (behavior) therapy, Counseling and relationship therapy.

In her clinical practice, Maryam helps the individuals t

Manage their moods and emotions
Process anxiety
Reduce levels of general distress and discomfort
Increase attention and the ability to focus
Improvement of memory
Treatment of headache and migraine

Maryam uses a warm, empathetic approach to create a safe and nonjudgmental space where clients can learn, grow, and achieve their goals. She makes sure to offer flexibility, meet the individuals where they are, and have patience to help each individual feel secure throughout the process. She always encourages open communication regarding the course of therapy and goal achievement.

Education

Master of Relationship therapist/System therapy VU University, Amsterdam
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Hogeschool University of Holland, Enschede
Neurofeedback therapist

Board Certifications:

Community Development Authority License (CDA), Dubai, UAE
Certificate of completion the Biofeedback and Neurofeedback of New York.

Languages

English
Dutch
Persian
German

Ph.D. in Psychology Ain-Shams University - Experience: 16 Years

Ritasha Varsani

Psychologist - English , Urdu (Hindi)

About

Ritasha Varsani is a CDA licensed Psychologist practicing in Dubai. She has an experience of over ten years in providing psychotherapy to a diverse population in a mental health settings in India and United States. She has been professionally trained from USA and her expertise lies in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy. She offers problem solving insights with evidence based therapies to clients giving them the strength to express themselves and promotes equal privilege is what she believes in.

“Empathy and sensitivity is key to connecting with people on a human level”. I support my clients by cultivating the ability and demonstrating with authenticity, vulnerability and honesty and increase their sense of their own well being. As a result of her approachable, non-judgmental and compassionate attitude her clients feel safe in addressing and overcoming developmental challenges, psychological obstacles and traumatic life experiences.

Her Therapeutic Approach

Ritasha uses an integrative approach by incorporating interpersonal and psychodynamic principles and evidence based therapies such as Cognitive behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, compassion focused therapy, solution focused therapy, family therapy. She takes a client centered and culturally competent approach to facilitate progress and change by quality of care and moving through the journey of recovery. Her age range of clients varies from preschool kids to adolescents, individuals and couples/ families providing therapeutic interventions in individual and group settings.

Specialization:

Depression
Anxiety
Marital and family Disputes
Personality Disorders
Anger Management
Bereavement
Premarital guidance
Self identity and life transition issues
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ( OCD )
Trauma and stressor-related disorders
Mindfulness
Psycho education Qualifications and Memberships
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – St Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
Masters in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy – San Francisco, USA
Certificate of Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy – NHS, London
Certificate of Applying Hope to Couple Therapy – American Psychological Association
Member of American Psychological Association, International Affiliate ( APA )
Member of Middle Eastern Psychology Association ( MEPA )

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – St Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
Masters in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy – San Francisco, USA
Certificate of Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy – NHS, London
Certificate of Applying Hope to Couple Therapy – American Psychological Association
Member of American Psychological Association, International Affiliate ( APA )
Member of Middle Eastern Psychology Association ( MEPA )

Languages

English
Hindi
Gujarati

Ph.D. in Psychology Ain-Shams University - Experience: 16 Years

Safia Ali Malik

Clinical Psychologist - English , Urdu (Hindi)

About

Safia Ali Malik is DHA licensed Clinical Psychologist with comprehensive knowledge and understanding on different therapeutic techniques. Compassionate, dedicated and empathetic with clients. Experience of working with clients with different needs and nationalities with utmost cultural sensitivity. Excel at providing adolescents and adults with individual psychotherapy to help them facilitate their social and personal growth and allow them to lead more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

She specializes in psychological and educational assessments and provides individual, family and group therapies.

Her Therapeutic Approach

Psychometric and Psychological assessment, Cognitive therapy, Group therapy, individual therapy, Management, Dialectic Behaviour therapy, Solution Focused and Problem solving Approaches depending on the need of the client.

Specialization:

Behavioural Disorders
Anxiety Management
Psychometric Assessment
Cognitive problems
Coping skills
Grief therapy
Mindfulness
OCD and PTSD.

Education

Masters in Psychology from Government College University Lhr, Pakistan.
Post Graduate Diploma in Child and adult Psychotherapy from Government College University Lhr, Pakistan.
Graduation in Psychology from Punjab university Lhr, Pakistan.

Languages

English
Urdu (Hindi)

Ph.D. in Psychology Ain-Shams University - Experience: 16 Years

Corina Saramet

Psychologist - English,Romanian,Spanish

Corina has her master’s degree in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and has been working in the Mental Health field since 2007. She believes that therapy is a collaborative process and she kindly guides clients to increase self-awareness, gain new perspectives, decrease symptoms, and increase personal strengths to have a more meaningful life experience.

Throughout her career, Corina has worked with adults, adolescents, and children, across various settings, including private practice and outpatient primary care clinics, in Romania, Spain and UAE. She has been working as a psychologist in the Emirates since 2017, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Her last position was in a children’s medical center, where she had helped families overcome various challenges, such as anxiety, depression, challenging behaviors and OCD, to name a few.

Corina has extensive experience in applying various empirically-supported Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT), including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Solution Focused Brief therapy (SFBT), Trauma Focused CBT (TF-CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI).

In her clinical practice, Corina delivers evidence-based treatments to individuals facing a wide range of emotional, behavioral and adjustment problems, such as:

Anxiety Disorders
Anger and Stress Management
Behavioral Challenges
Depression
PTSD
Self-Harm Behavior
Grief and Loss
Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder
Trauma
Family and Relationship Challenges
Low Self Esteem
Suicide prevention

Corina uses a warm, empathetic approach to create a safe and nonjudgmental space where clients can learn, grow, and achieve their goals. She makes sure to offer flexibility, meet the individuals where they are, and have patience to help each individual feel secure throughout the process. She always encourages open communication regarding the course of therapy and goal achievement.

Education:

Master Degree in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Bucharest, Romania
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Bucharest, Romania

Board Certifications:

Community Development Authority License (CDA), Dubai, UAE
Romanian College of Psychologists, Bucharest, Romania

Languages:

English, Romanian, Spanish

Master Degree in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Bucharest, Romania

Dr.Marwa Abd El Hamid

Clinical Psychologist - Arabic and English

About

Dr.Marwa Abd El Hamid is a certified and trained psychologist with over 16 years of experience working in different countries in a variety of settings. She Specializes in Clinical and Educational Psychology. She has been associated with large hospitals, schools and corporate clients in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in conducting sessions on various mental health issues including stress management, parenting and child development, and mindfulness for holistic wellbeing.

As a professional psychologist, she is continually inspired by people’s ability especially she believes deeply that the people themselves are the real experts in their own lives.

Her therapeutic approach

Cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectic behavior therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Solution Focused on compassion based therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Psychoanalysis, Existential therapy as well as Psychodrama and group therapy based on the needs of the client.

Areas of Specialization for Children

Kids & Special needs (play therapy).
Dealing with Autism – Asperger – Down syndrome using (PECS –TEACCH –HELP –LOVAAS-INTEGRATION-PORTAGE).
Skills development.
Childhood Emotional disorders.
Behavioral Problems.
Attention difficulties.
Developmental learning difficulties.
Cognitive difficulties.
Difficulties of remembering.
Difficulties in conceptual formation.
Difficulty solving problems.

Professional Experience

Adjustments to life transitions like adoption, bereavement, divorce, relocation.
Mood disorders like depression, and Bipolar disorders.
Low self-esteem.
Body image issues.
Anxiety disorders like phobias, panic, OCD and PTSD.
Pre-marital counseling and couples counseling.
Family Conflict Therapy.
Trauma.
Addictions.
Anger and stress.
Career decisions and work-life balance.
Mindfulness for the holistic wellbeing.
She has also worked with Kids with special needs.

Education

Ph.D. in psychology Ain-Shams University.
Master in Educational Psychology Ain-Shams University.
Special diploma in Mental Health Alexandria University.
Professional diploma in Special Education Alexandria University.
Educational Diploma in Education at Alexandria University.

Board Certifications or equivalent

Community Development Authority (CDA), Dubai.

Languages

Arabic
English

Ph.D. in Psychology Ain-Shams University - Experience: 16 Years

Dr. Sravani Behara

Specialist Psychiatrist - English, Hindi and Telugu

About

Dr. Sravani Behara, is Specialist Psychiatrist, MBBS ; MD, MRCPsych (UK) and Medical Director at LifeWorks Holistic Counselling Centre. She is experienced in managing mental health conditions across all age groups in both OP, IP settings using various pharmacological and psychological approaches.

She has also worked as an Asst. Professor in a 650 bedded tertiary care teaching hospital (Nimra Institute of Medical Sciences, India) for more than three years and one year in a Government Medical College (Siddhartha Medical college, India). He has extensive experience in handling child guidance, geriatric, de-addiction, general adult clinics.

Areas of expertise include:

Anxiety disorders (Generalised anxiety, panic disorder)
Phobias (social and specific phobias)
Obsessive and compulsive disorders
Puerperal disorders (postpartum blues, postpartum depression)
Affective disorders (depression, BPAD, mania)
Psychosis (schizophrenia and acute psychotic conditions)
Stress related disorders(PTSD)
Substance abuse disorders (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis)
Eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia nervosa)
Personality disorders (schizoid, borderline)
Child psychiatry (ADHD, Autistic spectrum and bedwetting)
Conversion disorders
Neuropsychiatry

Qualifications & Memberships

MBBS, MD (Psychiatry)
DHA licensed

Languages

English
Hindi
Telugu

FaQ’s

Who is a psychiatrist? Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in mental health, including substance and other addictions.

When should I see a psychiatrist? You should see a psychiatrist suffering from:

– Finding it hard to cope with the death of a loved one.
– Tension and anxiety and depression
– Phobias and Worthlessness
– Family and Relationship Problems
– Performance enhancement and Lack of concentration
– Chronic sadness and Guilt
– Irritability and Fatigue

What are the major diseases that psychiatrists treat?
Psychiatrist treat disorders like anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorder, sexual dysfunctions and gender dysphoria, substance-related and addictive disorders, and schizophrenia.

Difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
Psychologists focus on psychotherapy and treating emotional and mental suffering with behavioral intervention. Psychologists are also qualified to conduct psychological testing but in most cases, cannot prescribe medications to their patients.

What happens in your first appointment with a psychiatrist?
The first appointment with a psychiatrist is usually one hour long. During your meeting, your psychiatrist listens to you talk about your concerns and symptoms, asks questions about your general health, asks about your family history, takes your blood pressure and do a basic physical check-up and might asks you to fill out a questionnaire.

MBBS, MD - Experience: 12 Years

Dr.Bassem Badr

Consultant Psychiatrist,Holistic Approach - Arabic and English

About

Dr. Bassem Hamed Mohamed Badr is an Egyptian Consultant Psychiatrist and Fellow of American Psychiatric Association, with 25 years of experience. He graduated from Alexandria University in 1993 with MBBch in Medicine, he then went to on to complete further education with a Diploma of Psychiatry and Addiction Practice, Master of Science in Neuropsychiatry, Diploma in Mental Health, Diploma in Hospital Administration and then ultimately received his Medical Doctorate in Psychiatry in 2008 at the University of Suez Canal in Egypt. He is also licensed as Aeromedical examiner: GCAA, General Civil Aviation Authority

Dr Bassem Badr provides comprehensive care for patients of all ages. He believes that the best outcomes are achieved through a combination of professional excellence and an empathic approach. As an expert in the field of general and adult psychiatry, he adopts an approach that is based on a combination of the psyche, the soma, and the spirit through both scientific and philosophical overviews.

Professional Experience

Not only has Dr. Bassem worked in Senior Roles in Hospitals in Dubai, Kuwait, and Egypt but he has also been a Lecturer and Professor at several Educational Institutes, a peer to peer speaker and a coordinator for various addiction treatment programs. He has contributed to scientific research in a number of medical journals. He is also a talented writer in the field of social and psychological problems and has had many publications in reputable newspapers and magazines.

Areas of Specialization