Thriving Family: Safe Haven for Adolescents

Thriving Family is a family-based mindfulness program for schools and community settings, for adolescents aged 11–16 and their parents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a mindfulness program in enhancing emotional regulation, family communication, and mental health resilience among adolescents and their parents in a local Vietnamese context. It will adapt international mindfulness practices to meet the needs and cultural sensitivities of Vietnamese families.

This innovation offers an 8-week mindfulness course for adolescents, designed to foster emotional resilience, improve communication, and strengthen family connections. Rooted in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques and the evidence-based Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) framework, it equips participants to manage stress and foster resilience. Additional components, such as mindfulness journals, a Family Day of Mindfulness, and parent support courses, further reinforce mindfulness practices. Meanwhile, workshops for teachers and the public provide tools to promote adolescent well-being and foster a mindful community.