Dr. Stuart Slavin

The Success Trap: How the Pressure to Stand Out Is Fueling Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout in teens - and the Fundamental Fix They Deserve.

In The Success Trap, Dr. Stuart Slavin demonstrates how the culture of achievement has become a key contributor to the teen mental health crisis, and how it can be reimagined for better outcomes and greater well-being.

From school and sports to college admissions and parental and societal expectations, young people are navigating an environment where success is demanded at every turn—often at the cost of their well-being. During his tenure as Dean of Curriculum at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Slavin led a program that resulted in an 80% decrease in rates of depression and anxiety among his medical students—all while improving academic outcomes.

Drawing on decades of research and leadership, Dr. Slavin offers practical, evidence-based strategies that help young people flourish—not simply achieve.

It’s not just the phones. This crucial new investigation into the teen mental health epidemic reveals how rising expectations in school, extracurriculars, and daily life have driven unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression—and shows what you can do about it.

The Success Trap is available at Orinda Books, and at the event.

This program is made possible in part thanks to our Program Sponsors Orchard Nursery.

Stuart Slavin, MD and The Success Trap

Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation presents