S3 EP13 - SEL Summer Camp Week 3: Oceans of Emotion: Why Middle Schoolers Feel Everything All at Once

About this episode

The episode explores the intense emotions experienced by middle schoolers and discusses the reasons behind these feelings.

Why does your middle schooler seem happy, anxious, excited, embarrassed, frustrated, and overwhelmed—all before dinner? In Week 3 of our whole family Socioemotional Learning (SEL) Summer Camp series, Suzanne M. Swain, EdS, LMSW, is joined by Jessica Ragnio, MSW, LICSW, Clinical Director at Mightier, to explore the fascinating world of adolescent emotions. Always a good hang with Jessica! Together, the duo discuss why emotions become more intense during the middle school years, how identity development, independence, social awareness, and puberty shape emotional experiences, and what neuroscience can teach us about the adolescent brain. In this episode, you’ll discover: 🌊 Why middle school emotions can feel like an emotional hurricane 🧠 How the adolescent brain develops differently than the adult brain 💜 Why kids often experience multiple emotions at the same time ⚡ How emotional energy and emotional valence help us better understand feelings 🌡️ Why emotions show up in the body before children always have words for them 🎣 How families can build emotional awareness through conversation and play You’ll also learn why social rejection can genuinely hurt, what cortisol has to do…

People in this episode

Host: Suzanne M. Swain

Guest: Jessica Ragnio

Topics covered

• socioemotional learning
• adolescent emotions
• middle school
• emotional intensity
• family dynamics

Keywords

• middle school
• emotions
• socioemotional learning
• adolescents
• family

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mightier

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