The Stressed Years of Their Lives by B. Janet Hibbs and Anthony Rostain

THE STRESSED YEARS OF THEIR LIVES by B. Janet Hibbs and Anthony Rostain is subtitled “Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years.”  The authors, experts in the fields of family therapy and child psychiatry respectively, do an excellent job of outlining issues that students – and their families - may face.  This helpful book is divided into two sections: one on stress and resilience and another on crisis and recovery. 

The work is research based and includes case studies, almost 20 pages of notes, numerous internet resources and a helpful index. I particularly liked some of the summary charts (such as Seven Ways to Overhaul your Smartphone Use and Questions to ask a Therapist) which are interspersed throughout their discussion.  Another excellent chart (on page 109) lists target area components (academics, time management career planning, social settings, etc.) that address executive functioning skills. The authors include suggestions for taking practical, concrete steps to help overcome mindset barriers to success, mentioning, for example, the acronym IMPROVE (Use Imagery to visualize a safe place. Find Meaning in the situation. Use Prayer and Relaxation. Take One thing at a time. Create a Vacation spot in your imagination. Encourage yourself through positive, calming self-talk). 

Yes, the authors rely on many acronyms (e.g., SUD for Substance Use Disorder) which can make the reading more challenging, but exploring THE STRESSED YEARS OF THEIR LIVES is worth the effort with its excellent overview of the Teenage Brain, information about alcohol abuse, and entire chapters on anxiety and depression (with tips for parents and students), on crisis care and on recovery to relaunch. Our Advisor Chairs and Post High School Counselors, plus the parent community and many students will definitely be interested in this book. Kirkus notes “the sound advice” it offers and says, THE STRESSED YEARS OF THEIR LIVES “is the type of book every parent should read before discussions of college even begin.”