Welcome Back to Me and Hello to Dr. PP
3/11/2019
I have been on, well, shall we say, a little blog sabbatical? I've been writing in other places and working joyfully at my practice, but I thought, why not return to to a spot that provides me with a place to express myself and maybe even, help a soul or two with a tidbit of something, helpful?
I've been working with many many teens and learning so much from them. Other than the most trendy fashion, the ins and outs of juuling and how to break down a meme, I learn so much from their sharing. If this, aging-like-a-fine-wine, therapist knew today what she has learned from her insightful and brilliant young clients, the early 80's would have gone a lot smoother in her world.
One thing I am learning from these teens is the beauty of being more open and transparent. I love how so many of my clients are sharing; they say it like it is. They talk about body issues, bodily fluids and sexuality with an open, freer sense than I remember discussing in the 80's. It's quite refreshing.
I recently learned from one of my teens that there is a show called Dr. Pimple Popper. (I just googled it to make sure I was spelling it right and it popped (no pun intended) right up on the google search. I am clearly late to the game). I remember feeling embarrassed about pimples, not really discussing them, and if the need occurred, quietly popping them in the bathroom. These teens are talking and popping and sharing and I find it beautiful. There is less shame and more openness and I believe that it helps these developing young adults to connect better with one another and have a better understanding of themselves.
This brings up another topic which I will save for another post, the idea of teen connections. They are all about the phone and the screen and not talking directly to anyone, but instead texting all of the time, which I do agree has impacted their communications. But, what I have seen is that there is a level of connecting amongst teens that is raw and exposed and, honestly, very healthy.
I can tell from the way they talk to me. They are often very open and share very comfortably. They also tell me about conversations that they have had with their friends, and again, it shows a nice openness that makes for strong and close relationships. These teens talk about their struggles, their sexuality, their vulnerability far better than many adults I know.
Do they go too far? I don't know. Some may think so; some may not want to know about every pimple, hook-up or suicidal ideation. I encourage the openness, in an appropriate way of course, and encourage my clients to keep sharing and connecting with their peers.
There is more to be said on this subject, but for now I am going to check out Dr. Pimple Popper.....or maybe not.