Did You Know?
A University College London study found that it took people an average of 66 days for a new healthy habit to become automatic. Missing a single day along the way did not undo their progress.
How to Get Started
Addiction counselors spend their days listening, building trust, and helping people make plans for hard moments, and you can start practicing the same skills in your own life and community. Every step builds the same habit of asking what a person needs, what is getting in the way, and who can help.
Explore the Basics
Find or draw a feelings chart with faces and words, then pick a favorite book or show and find three moments when a character feels something different. Match each moment to a feeling on the chart. Talk with a family member about what helped the character feel better.
Try It Out
Take turns with a family member telling a one-minute story about your day. When you are the listener, say back what you heard, like "You felt proud when...," without giving advice. Switch and see whether the speaker feels understood.
Join the Community
With help from a parent or teacher, ask your school counselor if you can visit for a few minutes to learn what a counselor does. Bring two questions, like "How do you help someone who is having a hard day?" Afterward, share one thing you learned with your family.