EXPEDITIONS
GROUP PROGRAMS
WAYS TO GIVE
OUR DIFFERENCE
ABOUT US

TEEN COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Expedition Finder

TO
?

Instructor-Approved Teen Communication Strategies

Tips for working with troubled teens

On an Intercept expedition, a strong sense of community is crucial to the group’s success. In order to elicit productive, positive behavior among this often-resistant student population, Outward Bound Instructors employ a few key techniques. Here we’ve listed a few Instructor-approved strategies for the next time you hit a roadblock with your teen. Sign up below to stay in touch – and receive more communications like this one.

  1. Treat teenagers like adults 
    Teenagers know when they aren’t being treated like adults. They want to know “why.” Why do I have to do that? Why should I care? Satisfy your teenager’s need for answers by being transparent about why you’re asking them to do (or not do) something. If you can’t answer “why” yourself, re-evaluate what you’re asking.
  2. Use “we” language
    If you can align yourself and your teen with the purpose of a task, they may feel empowered rather than feeling bossed around. We vs. you language can have a great impact on minimizing power struggles.
  3. Be patient – and thick-skinned
    It’s extremely difficult and takes intentional practice – but patience pays off. If you can resist getting defensive, your teen may resist getting defensive, too. The longer you can keep your cool, the more likely you are to see a positive outcome.
  4. Join in
    Need help with the dishes or the yard? Sometimes the simplest, most effective response to resistance is to join your teen. Joining in on the chore communicates the value and necessity of the task – and doing it together helps foster compassion between you both.
  5. Demonstrate compassion and empathy
    The world can feel like an uncertain, complex, chaotic place. The more compassion you show your teen, the more likely they’ll feel “heard.” Act with compassion and speak with empathy on a daily basis; when parents model a compassionate approach, teens are more likely to follow suit.

Learn about our Intercept program.

View upcoming courses.

Stay In Touch

Sign-up for our email newsletter with information on upcoming courses for families with teens facing challenges, resources and information, and special offers. 

Sign Up for Updates

Stay informed on upcoming courses, Outward Bound news and special offers. Please fill out the form below to begin receiving our email newsletter.

En Español
Contact
©ALL CONTENT 2025 OUTWARD BOUND
Created by Designsensory

NAVIGATION

SOCIAL