“We Need to Help Kids Overcome Today’s Crisis of Connection,” Visiting NYU Professor Warns

Southport, CT - NYU Professor, founder of the Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity, and Past President of the Society for Research on Adolescence Dr. Niobe Way will speak at Trinity Spiritual Center in Southport on November 20th with an urgent, timely message for today’s parents.

"Although the conventional wisdom is that boys are emotionally illiterate and don’t want intimate friendships,” says Dr. Way, “research reveals that in early and middle adolescence boys not only share their deepest secrets and feelings with their closest male friends, they claim that without them they would go ‘wacko.’ It’s in late adolescence that boys feel they must ‘man-up’. That is when they become distrustful, lose these friendships, feel isolated and alone, and the crisis of connection begins, with serious consequences for boys and our society. We must find a way to address this crisis.”

For over thirty years, Dr. Way has been studying the social and emotional development of adolescents and how their cultural contexts influence their development. Her research has traced the way that our dominant culture of masculinity forces boys to disconnect as they mature into men with disastrous repercussions. That’s when:

  •       The suicide rate for men jumps to 4X that of women, with white males making up 70% of all suicides . (AFSA)
  •       72% of adolescents leaving substance abuse treatment programs are male. (SAMHSA)
  •       Only 52% of high school boys vs. 68% girls plan to attend college (PEW)
  •       Depression among adolescent males starting at age 12 rises from 2.0% to 13.6% between ages 12-17 (NIH). Symptoms are often under-diagnosed and under-treated (Frontiers)

Her book Deep Secrets: Boys Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (Harvard University Press) has been discussed in the mainstream media for over a decade. It is also the inspiration for a movie, Close, that won the Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Film festival, The Hamptons Film Festival award for best narrative, and was recently nominated for an Academy award.

“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to discuss the findings of my research that tell us a story about how we are as humans, what gets in the way and leads to a crisis of connection, and what are the solutions,” says Dr. Way. “It is vitally important that we reimagine not only boys and young men but also ourselves and our culture and create a culture that is more aligned with our human needs and desires. The stakes are very high. We need to get this right.” At New York University Dr. Way teaches a core course for undergraduates called The Science of Human Connection that shares the story that boys and young men have been telling her research team for decades.

Trinity Spiritual Center Director Mark Grayson adds, “Niobe’s research offers parents and teachers a vision of how we might better support the emotional development of boys and girls during early adolescence. Her work reveals that this pivotal period presents a unique opportunity to reframe the culture into which boys and girls will mature as adults and reduce its consequences: rising rates of anxiety, depression, suicide, and substance abuse among men, as well as its strong negative impacts on women.  This discussion requires our urgent attention.”

Dr. Way has authored nearly a hundred journal articles and books, including Everyday Courage: The Lives and Stories of Urban Teenagers (NYU Press), The Crisis of Connection: Its Roots, Consequences, and Solution (NYU Press), and Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (Harvard University Press). Her next book is titled: Rebels with a Cause: Reimagining boys, ourselves, and our culture. (Dutton Press).


WHAT:         NYU Professor Niobe Way: “Youth and the Global Crisis of Connection”
WHEN:         Sunday, November 20th at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE:       Trinity Spiritual Center, 651 Pequot Ave, Southport CT, Livestream via Zoom
COST:          $25 per person
REGISTER:  https://tscniobeway.eventbrite.com/
QUESTIONS: Call the Church at (203) 255-0454

About Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church is located in the historic seaside district of Southport at 651 Pequot Avenue (at Center Street) and welcomes seekers of all denominations. Trinity’s mission is to provide a vibrant 21st century Episcopal community that inspires spiritual growth, nurtures genuine connections and promotes charitable service.

About Trinity Spiritual Center

Trinity Spiritual Center is a dynamic and growing community of people of all ages and beliefs, engaging in a broad range of learning experiences to inspire and support their own journeys of spiritual growth.  It offers programs and practices that inspire and engage the greater community.

 

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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