Donna Cunningham, MSW: How you talk to teens about the remedies is an important component in the success of this modality, for the remedies can't work if teens won't take them! We can't tell you the words to say, for every young person is different. The most important thing is to examine your own heart and your motives in suggesting the essences, for teens read adults with unerring accuracy and react accordingly--even appropriately.

If you are coming from a place of wanting to control and correct the young person's behavior, they will rebel against taking them, and those daily doses will become as much of a power struggle as their apparel or homework. If you are coming from a place of judgement and criticism about who the young person is turning out to be, then your suggestion will be seen as just another proof that they are not okay and need to be fixed. Your attempt to help will instead be another blow to the fragile self-esteem so typical of that age. If you are coming from a place of love and acceptance, then that love itself will be part of the healing.

One good approach may be to share very briefly about how the remedies have helped you to address some of your own issues. Mention a few essences that you know about, like the ones Ouapiti describes in her article, and then ask what issues they themselves might like to address. Based on what they come up with, give them some suggestions, and then let them make their own choices--maybe even let them mix the remedies themselves. And then let them alone!! IF they want to talk, be available to listen to how the remedies are affecting them, but don't nag them to take their doses or intrude on the privacy of their inner healing process.

Ouapiti Robintree: Respect is all-important. To me, respect is a dynamic, mutual process that fluctuates, sometimes moment-by-moment. It's hard for teens to respect someone who doesn't respect them. The first thing I try to do with teens is find a way or reason to respect them, which is usually easy for me. Their feelings, opinions, and concerns are valid for them and need to be honored. A trick I've used with teens among my friends and family is to talk about all the ways essences have worked in my life. What teen wouldn't want to feel more self-confident, emotionally balanced or capable of growth and inner change?

Offering them a choice in the issues they want to work on (better study habits, confidence in communication, friendships and relationships, increased ability to learn new material, etc.) allows them to feel like co-creators in the process. I ask them, if you could have a Christmas-like wish list of all the things you'd like to change in yourself, what would it be? And from there, we try together to find remedies that address these wishes.

Deborah Bier, M.Ed.: Even preteens need to be consulted and informed when an essence mixture is made for them. One of my essence colleagues has two preteens, and they will rebel if she doesn't let them know about an essence she wants to give them. If she explains what it is for and why she thought of it for them, they are much happier and want to participate. Her eleven-year-old goes into the essence collection and decides which she wants to take, makes her own dosage bottles and administers them herself.

If preteens are empowered to use, love and accept essences themselves according to the dictates of their own needs, once they are into asserting their independence as teens, they may not need to rebel around taking essences. If teens only first meet essences once they have begun a journey into rebellion, there could be every reason for them to believe essences are something their parents want them to take to control or change them. And that is a pity, because those are terrible conditions under which to first introduce potential lifelong friends.

If you are thinking of introducing your preteen or teen to essences, it might be a good idea if your first examine your heart, as Donna suggests above. And, once the examination is over, give YOURSELF a course of essences to help you heal whatever judgements about your teen (or yourself) may lie there.

NOTE: See Ouapiti Robintree's article on remedies for common adolescent issues. Those who are trying to explain the remedies to teens might find them receptive to Donna's Remedy Rap.

ART CREDITS: ArtToday

The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.

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