Are the kids alright? Teen psychologist Lisa Damour thinks so

Manoush Zomorodi

Harsha Nahata

Fiona Geiran

Sanaz Meshkinpour

Rachel Faulkner

September 05, 2025 / 9:12 am

On a recent summer day in Washington,D.C., TED Radio Hour producer Fio Geiran walked the National Mall and asked teenagers from around the country what's stressing them out.

The answers came fast: too much homework and not enough sleep; climate change and rising seas; worries about bills, rent and insurance; whether a social media post got enough likes. The list was sprawling and familiar: school, money, the planet and fitting in online and off.

But when Geiran asked how they cope, the responses shifted. One teen talked about biking with his dad and going fishing. Another discovered a love for coding during cla

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