Youth Coaching Expert Insights

Stay informed, inspired, and engaged in mentoring and coaching tweens, teens, and young adults with the Youth Coaching Institute blog. Here you’ll discover expert strategies, research, and tools to empower your practice or organization and foster growth and resilience in adolescents.

Understanding Addiction & Recovery

Substance use and addiction are complex issues that affect millions of people, particularly young adults whose brains are still developing. Understanding the nuances between substance use, misuse, and addiction is the first step toward providing effective support and fostering recovery. This post will clarify these key definitions, explore the science behind addiction, and outline evidence-based strategies to support those on their recovery journey. By gaining a deeper insight into this

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A Guide to 30-Minute Academic Coaching

As an educator or academic coach, you know that some students need more than just academic instruction; they need guidance on how to learn. But when you only have 30 minutes—or even less—for a coaching session limited to one or two encounters, how can you make a lasting impact? Brief academic coaching has emerged as a practical, scalable way to support students. Research shows that even micro-coaching (brief, short, targeted

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Actionable Learning Strategies to Help Students Excel on Exams

Preparing for exams can feel overwhelming for students, and as academic coaches, parents, or teachers, you play a vital role in guiding teens and young adults toward success. Understanding how the brain learns—and applying evidence-based strategies—can transform study habits and improve outcomes. This article explores the science behind learning and offers practical, research-backed techniques you can share with your students. You’ll discover how to help them move beyond passive studying,

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How Mental Health Coaching Supports Teens with Anxiety

Mental health challenges among teenagers have reached crisis levels. Anxiety disorders and depression are now the two most common mental health conditions in the United States, with 20% of adolescents ages 12-17 reporting symptoms of anxiety in the last two weeks, and 18% reporting symptoms of depression during the same timeframe (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025). As parents, educators, and youth-serving professionals, you witness firsthand how these challenges

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The Art of Helping: Why Good Intentions Can Harm Young People

When working with adolescents and young adults, every parent, educator, or coach faces a critical moment: a student struggles with a challenge, and you want to help. Your instinct might be to jump in with solutions, take over the task, or rescue them from difficulty. While these impulses come from genuine care, they can actually undermine the very growth you’re trying to foster. Understanding the difference between constructive and dysfunctional

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Stop Venting, Start Solving: A Guide

Expressing our emotions is essential for our health and well-being. When we feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or unheard, the instinct to vent can be powerful. While it might offer a moment of relief, relying on venting as a primary coping mechanism can reinforce negative emotions and prevent us from addressing the root of the problem. This guide explores the difference between venting and problem-solving. It explains why simply expressing negative feelings

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