Extract: What’s Going On In There?

We’re pleased to share this extract from What’s Going on in There?, a helpful book for parents, teachers, social workers and whanau by Wellington-based author and educator Kathryn Berkett.

Kathryn explains what is happening in the teenage brain, using clear, relatable language backed by neuroscience.

This book breaks down the huge physical and chemical changes happening beneath the surface, including shifts in dopamine, facial recognition, hormones and more, helping you make sense of your young person’s behaviour.

Behaviours that seem ‘moody’, ‘avoidant’, or ‘reckless’ can be reframed as biological responses to intense change. Understanding this stage as a temporary, essential upgrade allows us to respond with more empathy and less confusion.