The Mindful Teen

My Stress Signatures

My Stress Signatures
Adapted with permission from Jake Locke (inspired by Segal, Williams, and Teasdale 2013).

Place a check mark next to the stress signatures that you have observed in your own life. If a certain stress signature is
particularly strong or important for you, draw a star next to it. If you’ve noticed some stress signatures of yours that aren’t
listed, write them in the blanks.
   Hopelessness

    Increased irritability and arguing

    Impatience and decreased politeness

    Sleep disturbance

    Physical pain or uncomfortable sensations (e.g., stomachache, headache, muscle tension, tightness in chest)

    Change in appetite

    Change in eating habits (e.g., eating too much or skipping meals)

    Decreased energy

    Decreased social contact/increased isolation

    Quitting or skipping a healthy activity (e.g., exercise)

    Decreased concentration

    Poor memory

    Increased guilt and sense of worthlessness

    Not dealing with usual stuff like hygiene or homework

    Poor judgment

    Increased procrastination

    Increased negative thoughts and rumination

   Apathy

    Agitation and anxiety

    Decreased ability to have fun or enjoy things

    Thoughts of self-harm

    Sadness and crying

    Increased use of substances (e.g., alcohol, marijuana)

    Other: 

Copyright © 2015 Dzung X. Vo / New Harbinger Publications.

Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use.
The Mindful Teen My Stress Signatures

What has prevented you from noticing and attending to these signs of stress in the past (for example, denial, self-med-
icating, blaming, arguments)?

Who can help you notice these signs of stress in the future? Write down one or two people you feel comfortable enough
with to ask (e.g., a parent, a close friend).

The Mindful Teen My Mindfulness and Resilience Action Plan

My Mindfulness and Resilience Action Plan

Adapted with permission from Jake Locke (inspired by Segal, Williams, and Teasdale 2013).

Actions to help me deal with stress:

1. STOP (Stop, Take three breaths, Observe, Proceed). Then, “Proceed” into practicing a SOBER Breathing Space
(Stop, Observe, Breathe, Expand, Respond).

2. Do an activity for pleasure or mastery.

Pleasure Activities

Mastery Activities

3. Attend to basic needs.

• Sleep

• Nutrition

• Exercise and activities

• Social connectedness

Copyright © 2015 Dzung X. Vo / New Harbinger Publications.

Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use.
The Mindful Teen My Mindfulness and Resilience Action Plan

4. Practice formal mindfulness.

• Sitting meditation

• Belly breathing

• Walking meditation

• Mindful stretching (yoga)

• The body scan

5. Practice informal mindfulness.

Activities:

Other Actions:

1.

2.

3.
The Mindful Teen My Stress Management Emergency Plan

My Stress Management Emergency Plan

Adapted with permission from Jake Locke.

Stop whatever I’m doing. Stop whatever I’m doing.

Observe what’s going on for me right now. Observe what’s going on for me right now.
Breathe—focus on my breath. Breathe—focus on my breath.
Expand my awareness. Expand my awareness.
Respond with awareness. Respond with awareness.

Do some mindfulness and self-care activities: Do some mindfulness and self-care activities:
• Eat and drink. • Eat and drink.
• Talk. • Talk.
• Journal. • Journal.
• Walk or exercise. • Walk or exercise.
• Shower. • Shower.
• Other:                    . • Other:                    .
Ask for help—call:                   . Ask for help—call:                   .

Stop whatever I’m doing. Stop whatever I’m doing.

Observe what’s going on for me right now. Observe what’s going on for me right now.
Breathe—focus on my breath. Breathe—focus on my breath.
Expand my awareness. Expand my awareness.
Respond with awareness. Respond with awareness.

Do some mindfulness and self-care activities: Do some mindfulness and self-care activities:
• Eat and drink. • Eat and drink.
• Talk. • Talk.
• Journal. • Journal.
• Walk or exercise. • Walk or exercise.
• Shower. • Shower.
• Other:                    . • Other:                    .
Ask for help—call:                   . Ask for help—call:                   .

Copyright © 2015 Dzung X. Vo / New Harbinger Publications.

Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use.
The Mindful Teen My Mindfulness Practice Plan

My Mindfulness Practice Plan

By: (Name)                 Date:            

1. My Vision and Intentions

II want to practice mindfulness in order to (e.g., help me manage my stress, help me manage my anger, help me in
school, help me manage my pain):

1.

2.

3.

2. Formal Practices That I Want to Make Time For

    Sitting meditation (mindful breathing)

    Belly breathing

    Walking meditation

    Loving-kindness meditation

    The body scan

   Other:               

    minutes per day      days per week

   Monday    Tuesday    Wednesday    Thursday    Friday    Saturday    Sunday

Copyright © 2015 Dzung X. Vo / New Harbinger Publications.

Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use.
The Mindful Teen My Mindfulness Practice Plan

3. Informal Practices That I Want to Make a Part of My Everyday Life

      Listening to the bell of mindfulness       times per day

     
Mindfulness of my pain  
    times per day

     
Writing  
    times per day

    Walking to:              

    times per day

   
Mindful eating  
    times per day

    Mindful STOPping: When?         

    times per day

   
Mindfulness of my thoughts  
    times per day

    SOBER Breathing Space: When?             

    times per day

   
Petting my dog or cat  
    times per day

    Mindful listening: To what?             

    times per day

   
Mindfulness of my feelings  
    times per day

    Mindful speaking: With whom?             

    times per day

   Mindfully            
    times per day

   Mindfully            
    times per day

    My “bells of mindfulness” (reminders, triggers):           

    times per day
The Mindful Teen Resources

Resources

Guided Mindfulness Meditation Recordings

Gina Biegel, LMFT, Mindfulness for Teens: Meditation Practices to Reduce Stress and Promote Well-Being
(CD, MP3)

http://www.stressedteens.com/store/

Amy Saltzman, MD, Still Quiet Place: Mindfulness for Teens (CD)

Available from http://www.stillquietplace.com/?page_id=16

Meditation Supplies: Meditation Bells, Cushions, and More

Parallax Press

http://www.parallax.org

(Search for “bell.”)

Local import stores such as Ten Thousand Villages often carry Asian-style meditation bells, some-
times called “singing bowls.”

Some practitioners and schools prefer to use a musical chime instead of a bell for meditation. Chimes
are available at local music stores. The Woodstock Zenergy chime is a popular version, available at
http://www.chimes.com.

Mindfulness Books for Parents, Educators, and Health Care Providers

Patricia C. Broderick, Learning to Breathe: A Mindfulness Curriculum for Adolescents to Cultivate Emotion
Regulation, Attention, and Performance (New Harbinger Publications, 2013)

Susan Kaiser Greenland, The Mindful Child: How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become Happier,
Kinder, and More Compassionate (Free Press, 2010)

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain,
and Illness (rev. and updated ed.) (Bantam Books, 2013)

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment—And Your Life (includes
audio CD) (Sounds True, 2012)

Copyright © 2015 Dzung X. Vo / New Harbinger Publications.

Permission is granted to the reader to reproduce this form for personal use.
The Mindful Teen Resources

Amy Saltzman, A Still Quiet Place: A Mindfulness Program for Teaching Children and Adolescents to Ease
Stress and Difficult Emotions (New Harbinger Publications, 2014)

Daniel Siegel, Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2013)

Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger Pub-
lications, 2010)

Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation (Beacon
Press, 1999)

Thich Nhat Hanh, Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices (Parallax Press, 2009)

Chris Willard, Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm, and
Relaxed (Parallax Press, 2010)

Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, The Mindful Way Through Depres-
sion: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness (Guilford Press, 2007)

Mindfulness Books for Teens

Gina M. Biegel, The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: Mindfulness Skills to Help You Deal with Stress
(Instant Help Books, 2009)

Joseph V. Ciarrochi, Louise Hayes, and Ann Bailey, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens:
A Guide to Living an Extraordinary Life (Instant Help, 2012)

Mark C. Purcell and Jason R. Murphy, Mindfulness for Teen Anger: A Workbook to Overcome Anger and
Aggression Using MBSR and DBT Skills (Instant Help, 2014)

Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger Pub-
lications, 2010)

Christopher Willard, Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at
School, and Everywhere Else (Instant Help, 2014)
The Mindful Teen Resources

Mindfulness Classes and Retreats for Teens and Families in North America
Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme): Teen mindfulness retreats throughout North America

http://www.ibme.info

Connecting Adolescents to Learning Mindfulness (CALM): 8-week mindfulness program for teenag-
ers, in Los Angeles

http://stefaniegoldsteinphd.com/connecting-adolescents-to-learning-mindfulness-calm

Retreats and Days of Mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh:

WakeUp Movement: http://www.wkup.org/

Deer Park Monastery (Escondido, California): http://deerparkmonastery.org/

Blue Cliff Monastery (Pine Bush, New York): http://bluecliffmonastery.org/

Magnolia Grove Monastery (Batesville, Mississippi): http://magnoliagrovemonastery.org/

Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Family/Teen Program

http://www.spiritrock.org/page.aspx?pid=292

Insight Meditation Center, Youth and Family Programs

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/programs/youth-children/

Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescent (MARS-A): 8-week mindfulness program for
adolescents, at BC Children’s Hospital (Vancouver, BC, Canada). By provider referral only.

http://www.bcchildrens.ca/Services/SpecializedPediatrics/YouthHealth/
Programs+and+Services.htm

University of California, San Diego, Center for Mindfulness Stress Reduction Program for Teens &
Pre-Teens

http://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/mindfulness/youth-family/teens/Pages/default.aspx
The Mindful Teen Resources

Mobile Apps
Calm.com: Free website and mobile app with guided meditation and relaxation exercises

http://www.calm.com

Insight Timer: Free mobile app with virtual “bells” to time and support your meditations

https://insighttimer.com

MindShift: Mobile app for teens developed by AnxietyBC, with mindfulness and other coping skills
for anxiety

http://www.anxietybc.com/mobile-app

Smiling Mind: Free mobile mindfulness app for young people, from Australia

http://smilingmind.com.au

Stop, Breathe, and Think: Free web and mobile app for youth, with meditations for mindfulness and
compassion

http://stopbreathethink.org

Social Networking
Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/themindfulteen

Like “The Mindful Teen” on Facebook to receive regular inspirational quotes, poems, and articles to
help you keep your mindfulness practice fresh and alive.

Twitter:

Follow The Mindful Teen (@TheMindfulTeen) for mindful tweets.

https://www.twitter.com/themindfulteen

Other mindfulness and positive teen Twitter feeds: See the feeds that The Mindful Teen (@TheMind-
fulTeen) is following, and follow some of those. The more mindful feeds you have on Twitter, the
more opportunities you’ll have to practice mindfulness!
The Mindful Teen Resources

Websites and Organizations

Association for Mindfulness in Education

http://www.mindfuleducation.org

A collaborative association of organizations and individuals working together to provide support for
mindfulness training as a component of K–12 education.

Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society

http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/Stress-Reduction

(Navigate to: The Stress Reduction Program > Find MBSR Programs Worldwide.)

Based at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, this center is dedicated to integrating mind-
fulness-based approaches in mainstream medicine and health care. Provides a variety of educational
opportunities in the United States and Canada.

Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education

http://dalailamacenter.org

Inspired by the Dalai Lama, and operating in a non-sectarian framework, this center (based in Van-
couver, British Columbia) has as its mission “to educate the hearts of children by informing, inspiring
and engaging the communities around them.”

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, Healthy Living Toolkit

http://keltymentalhealth.ca/toolkits

Toolkit for youth and families, with practical information on healthy sleeping, eating, exercise, and
stress management.

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, mindfulness page

http://www.keltymentalhealth.ca/healthy-living/mindfulness

Check out the three-minute “Mindfulness: Youth Voices” video to learn more about mindfulness for
youths, from youths themselves.

Also contains more information and resources on mindfulness for youths.

The Mindful Teen Resources

Learning 2 Breathe

http://learning2breathe.org/

Resources related to Patricia Broderick’s Learning to Breathe mindfulness curriculum and book (see
also “Books” section, above)

MindfulnessforTeens.com. This website, created by The Mindful Teen author Dzung Vo, contains more
information, meditations, videos, and resources on mindfulness for teens.

http://www.mindfulnessforteens.com

The Still Quiet Place

http://www.stillquietplace.com

Mindfulness resources from Dr. Amy Saltzman for parents, teens, teachers, and service providers.

Mindful Magazine

http://www.mindful.org

A bimonthly magazine available in print and digital editions. The website features many informative
articles and videos.

Mindful Schools

http://www.mindfulschools.org/

This organization (based in Oakland, California) has as its mission to “lead the integration of mind-
fulness into education,” through training courses and research.

Mindfulness in Education Network

http://www.mindfuled.org/

A network whose purpose is to “facilitate communication among all educators, parents, students and
any others interested in promoting contemplative practice (mindfulness) in educational settings.”
The Mindful Teen Resources

Mindfulness Without Borders

http://mindfulnesswithoutborders.org/

This organization, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, provides “educational programs in mindful-
ness-based social and emotional learning that help individuals to flourish socially, emotionally, aca-
demically and professionally.”

MindUp

http://thehawnfoundation.org/mindup

A school-based curriculum that teaches social-emotional and mindfulness-based learning skills in

the classroom.