STATE COLLEGE — When a 14-year-old Centre County girl died by suicide two years ago, psychologists Henry and Elaine Brzycki said the tragedy became a turning point.
The State College couple, who have spent decades working with teens and families, transformed a long-running mental health curriculum into a new book, “Champions in Life: The Playbook for Teens and Their Parents with 10 Essential Skills to Optimize Mental Health,” with the goal of helping young people build resilience before a crisis occurs.
“We said we’ve got to do something,” Henry Brzycki said. “That’s what initiated our book, to take our Champions in Life course that we’ve been offering for many years and turn it into a teen self-help book.”
The book is based on the couple’s “Integrated Self Model,” a framework they said focuses on developing protective factors that help teens navigate life’s challenges. According to the Brzyckis, the curriculum has been used for more than 30 years and is now utilized in more than 50 countries through educational and psychological programs.
Unlike traditional approaches that often focus on treating mental illness after symptoms emerge, the Brzyckis describe their work as preventative.
“We see this as preventative,” Henry Brzycki said. “Would you send your child out to the beach without SPF 50? That’s what we are. We’re SPF 50.”
The book contains 30 exercises designed for teens, parents or families to complete together. Elaine Brzycki said one of the most important concepts is self-awareness, which she described as the leading protective factor for long-term mental health.
One exercise asks teens to consider who or what they would like to help beyond themselves. The purpose, she said, is to encourage a sense of purpose and contribution.
“Having a sense of purpose resolves two very difficult diagnoses,” Elaine Brzycki said. “One is anxiety, one is depression.”
The authors believe mental health should be viewed as a skill set that can be developed over time, much like athletic ability or academic achievement.
“Mental health is not a bad word. It’s not a sad word. It’s not an ‘I’m sick’ word,” Elaine Brzycki said. “It is a skill word.”
The Brzyckis point to concerning local data as evidence that families need additional tools. Henry Brzycki cited a recent Centre County school survey that found 40% of students reported feeling so sad or hopeless for at least a two-week period that they struggled to perform daily activities.
He said parents should watch for signs that extend beyond typical teenage mood swings.
“One of the signs of trouble regarding depression would be when a teen feels so hopeless that they cannot get up and do their day-to-day activities,” he said.
At the same time, the couple encourages parents to recognize positive indicators of well-being, including self-motivation, responsibility and willingness to advocate for oneself.
They also stress the importance of open communication between parents and children.
Henry Brzycki recalled working with a family whose 12-year-old daughter told her parents they never asked about her dreams for the future.
“Parents can often sit down with their teen and ask them, ‘What are your dreams for your life?’” he said. “Children, when they hear that question, they open up right away.”
The couple operates The Brzycki Group in State College, where they offer psychoeducational programs focused on positive psychology and mental well-being. Positive psychology, Elaine Brzycki explained, is not simply about “thinking positive,” but understanding the attitudes, behaviors and skills that help people move toward a flourishing life.
As they continue promoting the book through workshops and upcoming presentations at libraries across Pennsylvania, the Brzyckis hope families will take a more active role in building mental health skills at home.
“Families are waiting too long to help their child develop mental health skills,” Elaine Brzycki said. “The emphasis is on skills.”
“Stop relying on schools to help your teens in terms of their mental health and well-being,” Henry Brzycki said. “Take action and go out and get the resources that your child needs or that your family needs, like our work or other work that’s available out there to make certain that you have put in place the number one protective factor for your child to live a happy, healthy, flourishing life.”
“Champions in Life” is available through major booksellers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
