In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Access Psychology Foundation’s (APF) Executive Director Damian Travier, shares the top 10 tips parents can use to help their children build emotional resilience and lead healthier lives.
APF’s mission is to increase access to proven, successful mental health care for underserved, racially diverse communities. Since 2022, APF has served thousands of students and families while partnering with schools and organizations to provide training and resources that support students in crisis. To learn more about APF’s mission, visit access-psychology.org.
Based on principles of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) here are 10 things parents can do to keep kids safe and build emotional resilience:
- Prioritize open and nonjudgmental communication.
Create space for your child to share thoughts and feelings without fear of criticism or punishment. Validate their experiences, even if you don’t fully understand them. - Learn and reinforce DBT skills at home.
Familiarize yourself with DBT’s core skills — mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness — and help your child practice them in daily life. - Set clear and consistent boundaries.
Adolescents benefit from structure. Establish rules and consequences calmly and consistently and be clear about expectations around safety, school and social behavior. - Address risky behaviors directly.
If your child is engaging in self-harm, substance use or other impulsive behaviors, take it seriously. Seek professional help and work collaboratively with clinicians rather than punishing or shaming them. - Model emotional regulation yourself.
Demonstrate healthy ways to manage frustration, stress and disappointment. Kids notice how their parents react and often mirror those behaviors. - Foster positive peer and adult connections.
Encourage your child to build supportive relationships with peers and trusted adults (teachers, counselors, coaches). Social connection is a strong protective factor. - Monitor for warning signs of emotional dysregulation.
Look out for mood swings, social withdrawal, intense outbursts, or black-and-white thinking. These may signal the need for clinical intervention or support. - Get involved in treatment.
If your child is in therapy —especially DBT — participate in the multifamily skills training component when possible. Your engagement boosts outcomes and gives you tools to support your child more effectively. - Encourage a balanced routine.
Help your child maintain a healthy schedule that includes adequate sleep, physical activity, schoolwork and downtime. Balance reduces stress and supports emotional regulation. - Don’t wait to seek help.
If you suspect your child is struggling with mental health issues, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Early intervention can prevent crises and build long-term coping skills.
Who is Damian Travier?
Executive Director of the Access Psychology Foundation, a position he has held since January 2022, Damian Travier has more than 25 years of experience in education, philanthropy, and corporate sectors. He has focused his career on corporate engagement, leadership development and diversity initiatives. Previously, he served as vice president and chief program officer at the Jackie Robinson Foundation and director of leadership development at Prep for Prep Inc.
Travier has developed impactful programs, including a national Professional Development and Leadership Conference, a Corporate Internship Program and a National Mentorship Program. He is dedicated to addressing mental health challenges faced by young people of color, promoting wellness and creating strategic partnerships.
In addition to his roles with the Access Psychology Foundation, he is a board member of Democracy Prep Public Schools and the African American Men of Westchester. Travier holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and an MBA from Syracuse University, where he actively mentors youth and coaches sports.
