I got into this work because I noticed something troubling.

Adults talk about teens all the time. But they don’t always stop and ask teens what they are going through.
They worry about how much time teens spend on their phones, what they’re watching on social media, what kind of friends they have, and if they’ll grow up to have a happy and healthy life.

And when adults do ask, they often rush to give advice, dismiss how teens feel, or feel helpless and confused.

I want to change that.

I want teenagers to have the space to speak honestly about their daily lives.
What’s hard. What’s good. What drains them. What helps them feel better.

Why does this matter?

Because the years teens are living through right now shape who they become as adults. The daily challenges that are ignored today turn into bigger problems tomorrow. Listening to them now matters.

A little about me:
I’m a Positive Developmental Psychologist and a PhD candidate at Claremont Graduate University. I’ve spent over 10 years working with children and teenagers. My work focuses on helping young people feel confident in dealing with tough challenges, take charge of how they spend their time, and be mindful of what they pay attention to. My research has appeared in journals like the Journal of Boredom Studies and the Journal of Leisure Research, and in academic books on flow, mental health, and positive psychology. I've also written for the Los Angeles Times.

I was trained by the late Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the founder of Positive Psychology and the “Father of Flow.” I’m currently advised by Jeanne Nakamura from Claremont Graduate University and Reed Larson from the University of Illinois.

If you’re a teen, parent, or someone who works with teens, I’d love to partner with you on improving emotional well-being for teenagers.

— Sumana