Why Empowerment is Important

by Jacklyn Eding, LLMSW, Wedgwood Outpatient Therapist

Why empowerment is important. 

In a world of uncertainty, it’s important young people know they have a voice and can believe in themselves. Empowerment can be defined as the act of guiding youth in a matter that encourages their belief in their own abilities and potential for positive growth (International School of Science). Growing empowerment for our youth assists in developing stronger self-esteem, empathy, guidance, and courage to try new things. Strong self-empowerment can also assist youth in learning and growing from challenges and mistakes made along the way.  

Jacklyn Eding, LLMSW, Wedgwood Outpatient Therapist, shares how we can encourage personal development by fostering an environment for young individuals to feel empowered to express themselves and pursue their passions.  

Here are some helpful tips to assist in the development of empowerment for your child/children: 

Make sure they feel heard and understood. 

Communication is key in any relationship. When a child or adolescent feels their voice is not being heard or valued, it can discourage their confidence to continue to speak up. It is important adults around them take the time to stop and listen with the intent to understand rather than to provide immediate guidance, reassurance, or support. Utilize active listening (listen without distractions or thinking of what you’re going to say next.) As well as reflective communication (summarizing the thoughts or problem and reflecting on their emotions) to assist in allowing youth to advocate and speak up for themselves. 

Allow risk taking. 

It’s important to keep children safe, however, allowing our youth and adolescents to explore their environment independently fosters a strong sense of self-confidence. Provide accurate supervision and guidance while also allowing for independent choices and taking risks. Try to avoid immediately stepping in, for example, when a child is attempting to slide the big slide, or when your teenager is behind the wheel for their first driving lesson (yes, this one can be hard but try your best!). 

It’s these experiences, where our youth are allowed to test their boundaries and capabilities, that they learn to trust their instincts and develop the confidence to tackle challenges head-on. While it may be difficult to resist the urge to intervene, giving children and adolescents the space to learn from their own mistakes and successes is essential for their growth and development.  

Teach and model appropriate personal boundaries.  

It’s important children and youth know their personal boundaries from an early age and have complete body autonomy. Start teaching as well as showing your children body safety, consent, emotional safety and psychological safety from a young age. Encourage open communication about their bodies, emotions, and experiences, and validate their feelings without judgment. Children and adolescents need to know they have a right to be protected and can use their voices when they feel uncomfortable. 

Lead by example by respecting their boundaries and teaching them to respect the boundaries of others. This lays the foundation for healthy relationships built on mutual respect and understanding.  

Check out the Wedgwood Coffee Break Conversation with Kali Jackson (a mental health expert from Wedgwood) to learn about the unique and vital role boundaries play in personal and professional relationships. You can find our podcast on our YouTube channel, or the Wedgwood Podcast – available wherever you get your podcasts.  

Model appropriate expressions of feelings and emotions. 

Youth and adolescents learn how to interact with others and process their emotions through observing the main caretakers in their lives. By allowing children to witness a healthy expression of both positive emotions such as happiness and joy, as well as challenging emotions, such as fear and anger, children learn that emotions and feelings are beneficial and can be healthy to express. Teaching children to express how they feel clearly through the utilization of a feelings chart, statements such as “I feel ___ because ___” and communicating needs clearly, allows for better conflict resolution, communication, and empowerment in teenage years and adulthood.  

Provide encouragement and reassurance. 

Encourage perseverance and allow children and adolescents to know that it’s okay to fail, as long as they get back up and try again. Encourage them to try their best in every situation and reassure them that not everything in life has to come easy, but that tough situations can be achieved. Provide praise in both times of success and failure, allowing for youth to understand that it is not the act of succeeding that is most important, but the act of persevering and learning through successes as well as challenges and mistakes. Sharing stories of your own struggles and successes can further inspire and motivate them to embrace challenges as opportunities for personal growth and development.  

Wedgwood is here to help you, wherever you are. 

At Wedgwood Christian Services, you’ll find a caring and compassionate team of professionals who understand the complexities of mental health and are committed to providing individualized care that meets your unique needs. Wedgwood’s holistic approach offers a comprehensive range of services to help you or your loved one achieve mental health growth & progress. 

Wedgwood Christian Services is located on the southeast side of Grand Rapids in West Michigan.  

Learn more about our counseling services to get connected to support. We’re here to help! 

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, Wedgwood’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services have immediate openings. You can contact the Bouma Counseling Center at (616) 942-7294 or email counseling@wedgwood.org for more information.  

If you would like additional parenting support or are caring for and empowering a child who has experienced trauma, Wedgwood offers a six-week class for caregivers. Learn more at: www.wedgwood.org/trauma-informed-parenting.