Therapy in a Nutshell - I love this You Tube Channel. It is a fun an exhausting list of many of the mental health challenges the world is facing and some great pragmatic solutions.

 

The Power of Hope -- this is one of my favorite Ted Talks on the subject of finding Hope in our lives. Chan, who delivers this Ted Talk is a co-author of the book Hope Rising. The book is awesome! You can also calculate your own Hope Score.

 

Write your own manifesto -- here is a job aid to make this enjoyable and productive! 

 

Find a damn hobby -- I am a big fan of encouraging clients to "find a damn hobby". Hobbies are things that are all yours. Hobbies are opportunities to escape into something you love. One of my favorite-ever descriptions of why hobbies are so important is this Elizabeth Gilbert video that explains the difference between a hobby, a job, a career and a vocation. 

 

Feeling Words - I am certain I have shared this Hoffman Process feeling word list with a hundred people and I plan to continue to share it. It is hard to talk about feelings that we have yet to acknowledge. These feelings and sensations are great journal prompts. ​

 

Personality Assessment -- This is a fun free personality assessment based on Meyers Briggs profiles, but it is a free version. The assessment is super visual and is fun to read aloud in groups. 

 

Strong Interest Assessment - Created by Donald Super, one of the leading theorists on lifetime career development.  It doesn't matter your age, interests can change! The average person has between 12-20 jobs over a lifetime. The assessment is $40 but is a great conversation starter at all ages. If we can't find jobs that feel like our vocation, understanding our interests can help us spend time outside of work more intentionally. 

 

Self-Directed Search (SDS) - Created by John Holland, another leading theorist in helping people find work that aligns with their personality styles. His hypothesis is that if we find work that closely aligns with our personality types, we will be happier. The six basic personality types are: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. This is $14.95. 

 

Strengths Finder 2.0 - this is a book ($19) that comes with a code that allows you to take a strengths finder assessment. I really love this quick exercise that will help you identify your top five strengths that can guide career & life development.

 

Here is a list of some great free personality assessments that are perfect for teens.