Adolescence is about the emergence, at times traumatic, of a new adult identity, which is continuous with the identity of the child but contains and opens up many new things. Acceptance isn’t a unique need of young people, rather one of the basic desires of the human race. All around us we are bombarded with the negative aspects of life, not least in the media. Add to that the ongoing desire for self improvement which can manifest in our self comparison to others. This can lead to negative thinking where we can put ourselves down with our self talk. In the uncertain world of the adolescent in the middle of finding their adult identity they need acceptance at this fragile time of life