Joshua Wayne, MA has worked with kids in just about every setting imaginable since 1996: drug and alcohol treatment, with at-risk foster youth, community mental health, private practice and as a Director of Special Education at District of Columbia Public Schools.
A former struggling teen himself, Joshua understands deeply what they are going through. He inspires teens to courageously face the challenges before them, and build the skills & confidence needed to find the path in life that is right for them. He also teaches parents, teachers and other caring adults how to best love and support them through this process.
With teens he addresses topics such as mental health & getting the support they need, how to say “no” without losing face, and building healthy relationships.
With adults he addresses topics like getting them to both “listen up” and “open up”, warning signs there may be a deeper issue, and when to hold the line vs. give them room to figure it out.
Joshua holds a Masters Degree in Counselor Education from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. He has been featured as a Life Coach on the Style Network and is the co-creator with Josh Shipp of the One Caring Adult online community.
SPEAKING TOPICS :
As parents, teachers and other caring adults in the lives of kids, we all want the same thing: to see them happy, self-confident and ready for the adult world. Using humorous and touching stories from more than two decades working with at-risk youth and their families – plus his own challenges as a struggling teen – Joshua will give your audience the essential tools they need to help them make that a reality for the children in their lives.
Learning Outcomes:
- RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: Build strong relationships that lead to trust and influence.
- COMMUNICATION: Tools to get them to both “listen up” and “open up”.
- GOALS: Help them focus on the right goals & priorities.
- RESILIENCE: Tools to help them learn from mistakes & adversity.
On average, teens in the United States spend 7.5 hours per day in front of a screen. This amounts to 40% of their lives, and doesn’t even include time spent on school work! Research increasingly shows how this leads to increased anxiety and depression rates, mental health challenges, behavior problems, reduced social skills, and even obesity.
The problem isn’t technology, however; the problem is moderation and as the adults in their lives we have to help them set proper limits because most won’t do it for themselves. In this talk, Joshua provides practical tools for helping our kids benefit from all the good tech has to offer without getting derailed by the bad.
Learning Outcomes
- MENTAL HEALTH: Understanding the link between excessive device use and increased adolescent anxiety and depression rates.
- MODERATION: Learning practical tools to minimize excessive screen use.
- BEHAVIOR: Teaching them to use screens safely and appropriately.
- FAMILY HEALTH: Making sure we are setting the right example.
- BALANCE: How to keep them involved in healthy, non-digital activities.
According to the Child Mind Institute, nearly 1 in 4 students today meet the criteria for a mental health disorder, and suicide has become the second leading cause of death for this generation. We also can’t ignore the fact that adolescent depression and anxiety rates have risen in direct correlation to smartphone usage. This is clearly an issue that must be addressed in a practical but direct way.
A former struggling teenager himself, Joshua understands deeply what students are going through. Using the struggles of superheroes as a conversation starter, Joshua discusses mental health in a humorous, down to earth way your students will relate to.
Learning Outcomes:
- WELLNESS: Practical tools to handle stress and strengthen mental well-being.
- BALANCE: Practical tools for managing tech use in a safe, kind and healthy way.
- RESILIENCE: Developing healthy coping mechanisms to deal with adversity in a positive way.
- GETTING SUPPORT: Knowing how – and when – to ask for help.
