As adolescence becomes increasingly fraught with stress, worry, and uncertainty, finding ways for teens to manage their emotions has never been more critical. Stefanie Lachenauer, 2025 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year and certified mindfulness and trauma-informed resilience trainer, brings nearly two decades of educational experience to the challenge with her new book, Let the Glitter Settle: Mindfulness for Teens. The book offers practical, accessible strategies designed to help young people regain focus, calm, and a sense of control when life feels overwhelming.
Lachenauer’s approach is grounded in meeting teens where they are, acknowledging the swirl of emotions, social pressures, and academic demands they navigate daily. Through her book, she provides tools that can be used anywhere, anytime, empowering teens to pause, breathe, and reset when stress threatens to take over. In addition to serving teens directly, Let the Glitter Settle offers guidance for teachers, parents, and counselors seeking to foster supportive, emotionally grounded environments at school or at home.
A unique feature of the book is its focus on “glimmers”—small, joyful moments that anchor the mind, shift perspective, and invite presence amid chaos. By noticing these glimmers, teens can practice mindfulness in a tangible, relatable way, transforming fleeting moments of calm into lasting habits. Lachenauer combines this with exercises for breathing, grounding, and emotional regulation, helping teens understand their feelings without shame or judgment.
Part guidebook, part journal, and part quiet companion, Let the Glitter Settle frames mindfulness as both a practical skill and an act of self-compassion. Teens are encouraged to experiment, explore what works for them personally, and set aside what doesn’t, fostering confidence in their ability to navigate emotional turbulence. Lachenauer likens the experience to a shaken jar of glitter—chaotic and overwhelming—but through her exercises, the glitter slowly drifts to the bottom, leaving a clear, calm surface behind.
“Whether you’re an educator, parent, counselor, or someone who simply cares about the well-being of teens, this book is for you as much as it is for them,” Lachenauer said. “Let’s notice the good, savor the small moments, and let the glitter settle together.”