Susan Averna, PhD

Susan Averna, PhD
Mental performance and well-being

09/07/2026

Illluminate strengths and raise the expectations. Change is bidirectional in relationships. Be deliberate in sharing the best in others, not just the struggles.

09/05/2026

Mental rehearsal or visualization changes the brain in the same way as practicing in real life. Elite athletes and performers use this strategy to their advantage. We can use mental rehearsal to our advantage by being aware of what we are rehearsing and choosing to rehearse the desired outcome.

09/03/2026

Help your teens connect the dots between phone use and feelings. The more they arrive at their own conclusions about what makes them feel well or unwell, the more likely they will be to take action toward their wellbeing.

09/01/2026

Moderate phone and social media use is a skill that is learned over the course of the teen years. Parents help teens build the skill by providing autonomy within parameters. Resist the urge to use the loss of phone as punishment for non-phone related events.

08/30/2026

Becoming aware of our triggers is empowering. We regain control over the external environment. We may learn to have a different response or we may accept and be ok with our response. Either way, we regain our mental wellbeing instead of being at the mercy of others.

08/28/2026

We are what we repeatedly do. We are our habits, tendencies, and automatic responses. If you don’t like who you are, do something different.

08/27/2026

Teens are wired to be sensitive to criticism. They will see criticism where there isn’t any and amplify any judgment on them. Stay curious and out of judgment when engaging your teen. They are more likely to stay connnected, seek out support, and share their struggles when they feel safe from criticism. Your voice and how you engage them becomes their voice and how they relate to themselves and others.

08/26/2026

Anxiety is the body’s threat response to the unknown. We crave certainty but can never be certain of the future. If you find yourself running through scenarios that cause anxiety, contemplate the worst case scenario and build trust that your future self has the capacity to handle it. You’ve handled it so far.

08/25/2026

The best thing we can do for our children is to hold the belief that they can and will figure it out. Worrying (or expecting and bracing for failure) doesn’t serve them. Be the soft place to fall when they struggle and fail, but know that the setbacks are a part of growth. Let’s stop pathologizing normal development.

08/23/2026

Late night teen confessions. Teens will often seek out parents late at night to connect and offload the stress of the day. They’ll share difficult experiences or emotions. They may appear distressed but by the time they are talking about it, it is mostly solved in their minds. They are looking for connection, co-regulation, a witness or sounding board, and may toss the hot potato to you. While it can be distressing to us as parents, it is a good sign of their connection to you and, more often than not, they will be fine in the morning.

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