Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

Do you think you can maintain your calm and parent a teen? Well Hesha Abrams believes you can. In fact, she believes you can "Hold the Calm". ⁠Hesha Abrams ⁠is on a mission to help people from all walks of life to find a solution when it seems impossible. A recipient of the Brutsche Award for Excellence in Mediation and 2021 Women Leaders in The Law, Hesha is an internationally recognized attorney, mediator and negotiator for crafting highly creative settlements and resolutions in very difficult matters. She has successfully mediated thousands of parties and was an innovator in the mediation field serving on the legislative task force that drafted landmark ADR laws and taught mediation and negotiation at the 2001 International Symposium on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in The Hague. Hesha recently published, Holding the Calm the Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension. And we are going to discuss the secret in this episode. So if you would like to resolve conflict and defuse tension in your family then listen to this episode. Contact Hesha at ⁠https://www.holdingthecalm.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a mom who feels like you’ve lost your spark—like so much of your life has been poured into raising your teen that you’re no longer sure what lights you up? In this episode, I sit down with Laura Best, author of Born to Buzz, to talk about how moms can reconnect with their passions without blowing up their lives to do it. Laura shares a refreshing and realistic approach: you don’t have to quit everything—you can rediscover your energy and purpose right where you are. Laura Best is a motivational keynote speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Passion Collective—a global community helping people reconnect with what they love. With over 25 years of experience as a corporate marketing leader, she has worked with major brands like U.S. Bank and now helps individuals and organizations unlock passion to drive energy, engagement, and fulfillment in both work and life. We explore why so many moms feel disconnected from themselves during the teen years, how guilt keeps us stuck, and why prioritizing your own fulfillment isn’t selfish—it actually makes you a better parent. Laura offers practical tools to help you reconnect with what you love, even if you’ve completely lost touch with it. If you’ve been feeling flat, burned out, or like you’ve disappeared somewhere along the way—this episode is your invitation to come back to life. ✨ 3 Takeaways 1. It’s not selfish to prioritize yourself—it’s necessary. When moms engage in what lights them up, they show up calmer, more present, and more connected. Taking care of yourself benefits your teen too. 2. You don’t need a big life change—start small. You don’t have to quit your job or overhaul your life. Reconnecting with passion can begin with small, consistent moments that bring you joy. 3. Look back to move forward. If you feel lost, think about a time when you felt most like yourself. What were you doing? That’s a clue to what still matters to you—and what you can bring back into your life. Learn More at: https://www.passioncollective.co/book Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passioncollective/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Were you a “good kid” growing up—and did anyone ever ask how you were really doing on the inside? In this eye-opening episode, Colleen O’Grady sits down with trauma therapist and author Maggie Nick to explore the hidden cost of being the “good kid.” While these kids are often praised for being easy, responsible, and well-behaved, many are silently struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, and a deep fear of disappointing others. Maggie shares her personal story of being a lifelong people-pleaser who looked “sunshine and rainbows” on the outside but felt intense pressure and self-criticism on the inside. Through her own healing journey, she discovered that shame—not behavior—is often at the root of the good kid pattern. This conversation helps parents understand how well-intentioned parenting, combined with a child’s temperament and sensitivity, can unintentionally create kids who disconnect from their own needs in order to feel loved and accepted. 💡 3 Key Takeaways 1. “Good” Behavior Can Hide Internal Struggles Good kids often look like they’re thriving—but many are anxious, self-critical, and disconnected from their own wants and needs. They’ve learned to focus outward—keeping others happy—while losing touch with themselves. 2. Shame Shapes Identity More Than We Realize When kids receive messages like “I expected more from you” or “What’s wrong with you,” they don’t just change behavior—they internalize it. The takeaway becomes: “Something is wrong with me.” This can follow them into adulthood. 3. Small Parenting Shifts Can Break the Cycle You don’t have to overhaul your parenting—just adjust your approach: Move from criticism to curiosity Allow your child to struggle without shame Stay connected: “I don’t like the behavior, but I’m always on your side” These small shifts help your teen stay connected to themselves—and to you. Learn More at: https://www.instagram.com/maggiewithperspectacles?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/maggiewithperspectacles?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Colleen O’Grady talks with pediatric obesity specialist Dr. Joey Skelton about one of the most sensitive topics for parents of teens: how to address weight and eating habits without causing shame or harm. Drawing from his new book, Your Child Is Not Their Weight: Parenting in a Size-Obsessed World, Dr. Skelton explains how well-meaning parents can unintentionally heighten body image struggles, disordered eating, and family tension when they focus too much on weight. Dr. Skelton introduces the idea of “threading the needle”—supporting a teen’s health without feeding the cultural obsession with body size. He encourages parents to move away from comments, pressure, and restriction, and instead create a home environment built on love and structure. That means modeling healthy habits, setting consistent routines around meals and snacks, limiting food-related commentary, and avoiding moral labels like “good” and “bad” foods. Colleen and Dr. Skelton also explore the difference between healthy eating, disordered eating, and eating disorders, the emotional impact of weight talk in families, when parents should be concerned, and how to help teens develop a healthier relationship with food and their bodies. This episode offers practical, compassionate guidance for moms who want to protect both their child’s physical health and emotional well-being. Three key takeaways from this episode: 1. Talking about weight can backfire. Even loving comments like “Do you really need another cookie?” may be heard by teens as criticism or shame. Dr. Skelton encourages parents to focus less on weight and more on creating healthy family routines. 2. Replace pressure and restriction with love and structure. Rather than policing food, parents can help by planning meals, setting snack and dinner routines, eating together when possible, and modeling a balanced relationship with food and movement. 3. Your teen’s worth is never defined by their body. Helping teens build body confidence starts with what parents model at home—avoiding negative body talk, not commenting on appearance, and reinforcing that health, character, and identity matter far more than weight. Learn More at: https://school.wakehealth.edu/faculty/s/joseph-skelton https://www.wakehealth.edu/specialty/b/brenner-fit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we help our teens stay hopeful when life is hard? In this episode, I talk with psychologist and optimism expert Dr. Deepika Chopra, author of The Power of Real Optimism: A Practical Science-Based Guide to Staying Resilient, Curious, and Open Even When Life Is Hard. We explore the difference between toxic positivity and real optimism, and why trying to cheer our teens up when they’re upset often backfires. Dr. Chopra explains that real optimism doesn’t deny hard feelings—it helps teens learn how to move through them. We also discuss why teens need validation before solutions, how parents can unintentionally fall into pessimistic thinking about their kids, and how shifting our language and mindset can help teens build resilience and confidence. Dr. Chopra shares practical ways parents can help teens develop optimism as a skill—by reminding them that emotions are temporary, helping them collect evidence of their strengths, and modeling optimism in our own lives. This conversation will encourage parents who may feel discouraged with their teen and remind them that hope and growth are always possible. 3 Takeaways for Parents 1. Validate feelings before fixing the problem. Teens aren’t looking for us to immediately cheer them up or solve their problems. They want to feel heard, understood, and safe expressing their emotions. 2. Optimism is a skill—not a personality trait. Teens can learn optimism by recognizing that difficult feelings are temporary and by remembering past challenges they have overcome. 3. Focus on strengths, not just problems. When parents constantly focus on what their teen is doing wrong, it can shape how both the parent and the teen see them. Looking for evidence of strengths helps teens build confidence and resilience. Learn More at: https://www.drdeepikachopra.com/ Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/drdeepikachopra/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your teen being disrespectful — or just dysregulated?Are power struggles in your home really about control… or miscommunication? In this episode, Colleen sits down with adolescent psychologist Dr. Cam Caswell, also known as the “Teen Translator,” to unpack what it truly means to speak teen. They explore how small language shifts can completely change your relationship dynamic, why stricter consequences often backfire, and how behaviors like arguing, messy rooms, and pushback can actually be signs of healthy development. Dr. Cam shares practical tools parents can implement immediately — from handling screen time without making it the enemy, to phrases that de-escalate conflict and build emotional safety. This conversation is packed with wisdom to help you shift from control and fear to connection and confidence. Dr. Cam Caswell is a nationally recognized adolescent psychologist, parent coach, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and founder of the Parenting Teens Academy. With over 20 years of experience and a doctorate in developmental psychology, she has helped thousands of families navigate shutdowns, anxiety, attitude, and emotional blowups. As a single mom of a 20-year-old daughter, she brings both clinical expertise and personal insight — along with humor, heart, and zero judgment. 🔑 3 Key Takeaways 1. Disrespect is often dysregulation. When teens push back, argue, or use tone, they’re usually overwhelmed — not malicious. If parents regulate themselves first, it changes everything. 2. Connection is not a reward — it’s the foundation. Withdrawing warmth, time, or relationship to punish behavior actually increases disconnection. Emotional safety builds cooperation. 3. “I see you. I get you. I’ve got you.” When teens feel understood and emotionally secure, power struggles decrease and trust increases. Learn more at: https://www.askdrcam.com/ Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/drcamcaswell/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are going to love this episode. Today we are going to dive into a teenager's emotional life. I think what makes parenting teens so challenging is dealing with their intense emotions. Sometimes you're the target of their emotional storms and sometimes they turn their emotions inward. You worry about them being depressed or anxious. How many times have we brought up a simple request to our teen, but it turns out to be not so simple because it triggers a huge emotional response? Moms can find themselves avoiding talking about important topics because they don’t know how to handle their emotions. I invited Dr. Lisa Damour, the author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, to talk about this nuanced subject of teenage emotions. In this episode we focus on her chapter called Managing Emotions, Part One: Helping Teens Express Their Emotions and the following chapter called Managing Emotions, Part Two: Helping Teens Regain Emotional Control Recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association, Lisa Damour, Ph.D., co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, writes about adolescents for the The New York Times, appears as a regular contributor to CBS News, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and maintains a clinical practice. She is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls. She and her husband have two daughters and live in Shaker Heights, Ohio. To find out more about the Emotional Lives of Teenagers go to ⁠https://drlisadamour.com/ ⁠ And while you are there go to the tab that says How Can I Help to get your downloadable bookmarks. Follow Lisa on Instagram at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/lisa.damour/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we talk to our teens about friendships, dating, sex, and consent—without panicking, preaching, or pushing them away? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Bronwen Carroll, pediatric emergency medicine physician, mom of four, and child protection advocate. With over 20 years of frontline experience, she shares what she’s seen, what works, and how parents can build “conversational scaffolding” early—so hard conversations feel natural later. We talk about: Why healthy romantic relationships are built on early childhood friendships How to help teens recognize red flags in dating relationships The emotional and physical risks of teen dating violence Why welcoming your teen’s boyfriend or girlfriend may be smarter than banning them How to talk about consent in clear, practical ways Why honest conversations about sex don’t encourage early sexual activity (and what research from the Netherlands shows) How alcohol, vulnerability, and online spaces increase risk And most importantly—how to stay calm and connected when your teen is emotionally flooded Dr. Carroll reminds us that no topic should be off-limits—and that starting the conversation today can make all the difference. 💡 Key Takeaways Start Early with “Conversational Scaffolding.” The more we normalize discussions about friendship, feelings, and safety when kids are young, the easier it is to talk about dating and sexuality later. Focus on How Relationships Make Them Feel. Teach teens to ask: Do I feel supported? Do I feel relaxed and accepted? Or do I feel anxious, insecure, and like I’m walking on eggshells? Stay Calm and Stay Curious. Panic creates power struggles. Curiosity keeps communication open. Learn more at: https://www.bronwencarrollmd.com/ Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/bronwencarrollmd/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Midlife moms are carrying so much—parenting teens, managing work, holding families together, and often supporting aging parents at the same time. It’s no surprise so many moms feel emotionally depleted, overstretched, and quietly burned out. In this episode, Colleen O’Grady sits down with Dr. Allison Alford, author of Good Daughtering: The Work You’ve Always Done, The Credit You’ve Never Gotten, and How to Finally Feel Like Enough, to name a role many women live out—but rarely talk about: daughtering. Dr. Alford explains why adult daughters often don’t recognize (or receive credit for) the mental and emotional labor they carry, and how that invisibility can fuel guilt, resentment, and burnout. Together, they explore what it looks like to define “good enough,” set healthy boundaries, and create more balance—without losing love or connection. ✅ 3 Key Takeaways Daughtering is more than what you “do.” It includes emotional labor, mental load, planning, worrying, smoothing conflict, and carrying responsibility—often unseen and unmeasured. Burnout grows when expectations stay unspoken. Many women feel “never good enough” because they’re trying to meet a standard that hasn’t been clearly defined—by their parents, siblings, or even themselves. You can define “good enough” and still be loving. Healthy daughtering includes boundaries. You don’t have to overfunction to prove your worth—and you’re not responsible for managing everyone else’s feelings. 👤 About the Guest Dr. Allison Alford holds a PhD in interpersonal communication from the University of Texas at Austin and is a leading scholar on daughter and family communication. Her work has been featured in outlets like The Atlantic and Oprah Daily, and she previously hosted the Hello Mother, Hello Daughter podcast. Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/daughtering101/?hl=en Learn More at: https://daughtering101.com/about/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your teen’s behavior a sign that something is “wrong”… or could it be part of normal development in a high-pressure world?When should parents seek help—and when might labels actually do more harm than good? In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Colleen O’Grady sits down with child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Sami Timimi, author of Searching for Normal. With over 35 years in the UK’s National Health Service, Dr. Timimi challenges many of the assumptions parents have been taught about teen mental health. Together, they explore why diagnoses like ADHD, autism, anxiety, and depression have exploded—and why medicalizing distress can sometimes steal hope instead of restoring it. This conversation reframes teen behavior through the lens of context, development, relationships, and resilience, reminding parents that emotions are not emergencies and that most teens are not broken—they’re responding to a stressful world. About Dr. Sami Timimi Dr. Sami Timimi is a British child and adolescent psychiatrist with more than three decades of clinical experience in the UK’s National Health Service. He has authored numerous academic papers and books and is widely known for his critiques of the over-medicalization of mental health. In Searching for Normal, Dr. Timimi offers a deeply humane, evidence-based challenge to psychiatric labeling and invites families to reclaim a more hopeful, relational understanding of distress. Three Takeaways for Parents Distress is not the same as disorder. Many teen struggles are understandable responses to pressure, change, and context—not signs of lifelong pathology. Labels shape identity—and not always in helpful ways. Diagnoses can unintentionally limit teens, increase fear, and turn temporary struggles into permanent stories. Relationships matter more than control. Teens don’t need to be “fixed”—they need connection, patience, and adults who aren’t afraid of emotions. Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/dr_samitimimi/?hl=en Learn More at: https://www.samitimimi.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a teen whose emotions feel huge and explosive—and nothing you say seems to calm things down?Do you find yourself reacting out of fear, walking on eggshells, or second-guessing whether you’re doing any of this “right”? In this episode, Colleen O’Grady talks with therapist and author Katie K. May about what’s really happening when teens have big, intense emotions—and why common parent responses (like “You’re fine” or “Relax”) often backfire. Katie introduces the concept of “fire feelers,” teens who experience emotions as all-consuming, and explains how self-destructive behaviors can become a desperate attempt to shut down emotional pain. You’ll learn why validation is the fastest way to lower emotional intensity, how “radical acceptance” helps parents stop fighting reality and start rebuilding connection, and why parents need a plan to regulate their own nervous system so they can respond instead of react—especially when safety is a concern. Guest Bio: Katie K. May Katie K. May is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and group practice owner. She founded Creative Healing, a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area, and is the author of You’re On Fire, It’s Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors. With lived experience as a teen who turned to self-harm, Katie is one of a select few board-certified DBT clinicians in Pennsylvania. She equips parents and clinicians with practical, trauma-informed tools to decode behavior as survival and create lasting change. Three Takeaways Validation lowers the emotional “fire.” Before problem-solving, teens need to feel seen and understood—validation helps calm the nervous system and opens the door to change. Radical acceptance reduces parental suffering. Accepting “this is where we are” doesn’t mean approving—it means stopping the fight with reality so you can respond more effectively. Parents need their own regulation plan. A “stress meter” and a proactive calming strategy help moms manage fear, avoid catastrophic thinking, and stay steady when emotions run high. Learn More at: https://katiekmay.com/ Follow at https://www.instagram.com/katiekmay/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are things you tolerated in 2025 that you don't want to tolerate in 2026? Today we are going to explore tolerations, messes, and irritations. You know the things that annoy you on a daily basis and steal your I feel good energy. If I ask you the question what are you tolerating? What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe the first thing that comes to your mind is something about your teen, your boss, or your partner. In other words you are tolerating your relationships. Or, maybe the first thing that you thought of is the color of your kitchen wall, all those piles of papers on the table, or the kitchen disposal that hasn’t worked in a year. You are tolerating things in your physical space. Heres the thing. All of us tolerate things we shouldn't, instead of handling them. Every time we tolerate things instead of managing them they drain our energy. It steals our attention away from what we really want to do and what we want to achieve. And if we don’t handle these little things in life we can go into resignation. Like if I can’t handle these little irritations then I can’t have what I want and we feel this at a deep unconscious level. This episode helps you become aware of what you're tolerating and gives you a plan to clean up your irritations and messes in your physical space and your relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if grief isn’t something you “get over,” but something you learn to carry—without losing yourself in the process? In this powerful conversation, Colleen O’Grady talks with grief expert and widowed mom Krista St. Germain about what grief really looks like—beyond the outdated “five stages” idea. Krista shares her personal story of losing her husband suddenly and what she learned the hard way: grief doesn’t end, it changes—and healing comes from integrating loss into your life with compassion, emotional safety, and realistic expectations. Together, they explore how grief shows up differently in families (including anger, shutdown, clinginess, and conflict), why time doesn’t “heal” on its own, and how parents can support grieving teens without forcing conversations or pressuring anyone to “be okay.” Krista St. Germain is a Master Certified Life Coach, post-traumatic growth and grief expert, widow, mom, and host of the Widowed Mom Podcast. After her husband was killed in a crash caused by an impaired driver, Krista rebuilt her life using tools from life coaching, nervous system regulation, and modern grief science. She now coaches and teaches widows—and educates the broader public—so people can move forward without being harmed by outdated, isolating grief myths. Grief isn’t a problem to solve—it’s an experience to understand. When a teen becomes clingy, angry, or shuts down, start with: “How does this make sense?” Instead of pushing for words, offer steady presence, reassurance in the present, and emotional permission. Healthy grieving includes both sorrow and restoration. The Dual Process Model helps families stop judging themselves: you’ll naturally move between “loss-oriented” moments (crying, remembering, handling logistics) and “restoration” moments (laughing, hobbies, friends). Healing lives in the back-and-forth. Watch for secondary losses—and name them. Grief isn’t only the big loss. It’s also the “paper cuts” that keep coming: milestones, holidays, weddings, traditions, even taking something down in the house. Naming a moment as a secondary loss reduces shame and helps you respond with compassion instead of “What’s wrong with me?” When your teen won’t talk but is acting different: “I notice you’ve been wanting to stay close lately. That makes a lot of sense after what happened. You don’t have to talk about it, but I’m here—and we’ll get through this together.” When anger shows up (yours or theirs): “Something big is underneath this. We can take a pause. I’m not here to fight you—I’m here to understand what’s going on.” When you feel guilty for laughing or having a good moment: “This is the restorative bucket. I’m allowed to breathe. Grief and joy can exist in the same life.” Learn More at: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/ Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I interview Dr. Charles Sophy, author of FAMILY VALUES: Reset Trust, Boundaries, and Connection with Your Child . He is the medical director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and a regular contributor on the Dr. Phil show. Dr. Sophy has helped all kinds of families break harmful patterns. Based on his wealth of experience as a psychiatrist and as a father, Dr. Sophy assures every parent: “No matter how complicated life gets or how off course your family dynamics become, it’s never too late to hit the reset button and move forward with confidence, love, and authenticity, with your family values leading the way.”  For more information on Dr. Charles Sophy: ⁠https://drsophy.com/⁠. Follow on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sophyonthestreet/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your teen wake up in the middle of the night overwhelmed with worries they can’t shut off? Have you noticed that everything feels so much bigger for teens at 2:00 AM than it does in the light of day? There’s been a surge in what experts are calling the “2 AM Spiral”—a late-night loop of overthinking fueled by screen time, academic pressure, social stress, and the natural sleep-cycle shift that happens during adolescence. In this episode, Colleen talks with therapist Kevin Logie about what’s really happening in teens’ brains during these late-night spirals, why sleep deprivation intensifies anxiety, depression, and irritability, and how parents can respond with more curiosity and less control. You’ll learn why this isn’t “teen drama,” how phones and lack of downtime play a major role, and practical, compassionate strategies to help teens regulate, reset, and sleep better—without turning bedtime into a nightly battle. Kevin Logie is an associate therapist who brings creativity, warmth, and flexibility to his work with children, tweens, teens, and families. With a background in the arts and improv, Kevin blends narrative and person-centered therapy with evidence-based tools such as CBT, EMDR, ABA, and mindfulness practices. He specializes in helping clients rewrite unhealthy narratives, build emotional awareness, and develop resilience. Kevin is also a dad to a 12-year-old son, bringing both professional insight and lived experience into his work. 🌱 Three Key Takeaways for Moms 1. The 2 AM Spiral is biological, not behavioral. Teens’ brains are still under construction, and late-night exhaustion weakens emotional regulation—making worries feel catastrophic at night. 2. Phones intensify spirals, but connection matters. Instead of harsh phone rules, collaborative wind-down routines and advance warnings help teens disengage without feeling controlled. 3. Regulation beats resolution at 2 AM. Late night isn’t the time to solve problems. Gentle tools like breathing exercises, body scans, calming sounds, and mindfulness help teens settle their nervous systems and return to sleep. Follow The Mood Tools https://www.instagram.com/themoodtools/ Learn more at: https://moodtools.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is a wonderful human being and has so much well-earned wisdom to share with us in this episode and she is also a relatable and engaging writer. Which you can find in her recently published book, Mom Enough: Inspiring Letters for the Wonderfully Exhausting but Totally Normal Days of Motherhood. I love her viral quote: “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are living." Our guest today Rachel Marie Martin is the founder of the social media community Finding Joy™, author of both Mom Enough and The Brave Art of Motherhood, and a founding partner in Audience Industries – a company designed to train and equip entrepreneurs in their ventures. Her articles have been translated into over 25 languages, her site reaches millions of visitors per month and she has a robust, engaged Facebook community. Her content has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Today Show, PopSugar, Motherly, and many more. She speaks worldwide encouraging moms and entrepreneurs to live each day with purpose and drive. Beyond that, she’s a mom to seven and calls Nashville, Tennessee, her home. Follow Rachel Marie on Facebook at ⁠https://www.facebook.com/findingjoyblog⁠ Find out more at: ⁠https://findingjoy.net/author/rachel-marie-martin/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you parenting a teen in a world that feels far more complex than the one you grew up in? What if understanding the adolescent brain could actually help your teen not just survive—but truly thrive? Today’s teens and young adults are growing up on a very different bridge to adulthood than previous generations. In this powerful and hopeful conversation, Colleen O’Grady sits down with Lisa M. Lawson, President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and author of Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children. Together, they explore how adolescent brain science—now understood to extend into the mid-20s—can transform the way parents guide, support, and relate to their teens. Lisa invites us to see teens through a lens of possibility rather than problems and introduces five essential “cables” that hold up the bridge of adolescence, from connection and education to financial stability and youth leadership. This episode is both deeply reassuring and incredibly practical for moms who want to widen the bridge for their teens and help them grow into resilient, confident adults. Lisa M. Lawson is the President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she leads national efforts to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. Since stepping into the role in 2019, she has championed bold initiatives such as Thrive by 25, focusing on the wellbeing of Generation Z ages 14–24. Prior to becoming CEO, Lisa served as Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer overseeing all grantmaking strategies, and as Vice President of External Affairs, where she led development of the KIDS COUNT Data Book. Before joining the foundation, she spent 14 years at UPS in senior leadership roles, including President of the UPS Foundation. She is also the author of Thrive, a hopeful and science-based guide to understanding adolescence. ⭐ Three Takeaways for Moms Teen behavior isn’t defiance—it’s development. Impulsivity, emotional intensity, and peer influence are signs of a brain under construction, not bad character. Parents often serve as their teen’s “borrowed prefrontal cortex”—and explaining why decisions matter helps teens learn how to think, not just what to do. Widen the bridge instead of turning it into a tightrope. College, careers, sports, and interests don’t have to be high-stakes, one-shot decisions. Teens thrive when they’re allowed to explore, pivot, and learn by doing—building confidence and resilience along the way. Connection is the strongest protective factor. Teens don’t need perfect parents—they need consistent, caring adults. One solid relationship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Parenting was never meant to be done alone; it truly takes a village. Learn more at: https://www.aecf.org/people/lisa-lawson Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/annieecaseyfdn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• Do you ever feel so burdened, overwhelmed, or stressed that hope feels out of reach? And do you wonder how to help your teens hold onto hope when life feels heavy—for them and for you? In this inspiring conversation, psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. Julia Garcia shares why hope isn’t something you passively wait for—it’s something you practice, one emotional habit at a time. Drawing from behavioral science, storytelling, and her own lived experience, Dr. Garcia reveals the five habits that help us navigate difficult emotions, interrupt cycles of overwhelm, and reconnect with a grounded sense of worth and possibility. She speaks directly to the silent struggles so many moms carry—the shame, pressure, worry, and emotional load that can eclipse hope—and offers a compassionate, practical roadmap for finding your way back to yourself. This episode will help you cultivate hope in your own life and model it for your teens, young adults, and entire family. Dr. Julia Garcia is a psychologist, author, and internationally recognized speaker dedicated to empowering people through the science of mental health and emotional wellbeing. For nearly twenty years, she has helped educators, students, business leaders, families, and individuals navigate fear, doubt, burnout, and hopelessness by building sustainable habits of healing. Her book, The Five Habits of Hope, blends neuroscience, emotional practice, and real-life stories from people around the world to show that hope is not merely a feeling—it’s a daily discipline. Whether through her TEDx talks, interactive workshops, or national presentations, Dr. Garcia’s mission is to make the tools of hope accessible for everyone. Three Takeaways for Moms of Teens and Young Adults 1. Hope is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait You don’t have to feel hopeful to begin cultivating hope. Each of the five habits—reflection, risk-taking, release, receiving, and repurposing—creates a pathway back to emotional regulation, self-worth, and grounded optimism. 2. Your Feelings Don’t Make You Weak—They Make You Real Emotions leads to overwhelm, burnout, and disconnection. Naming what you’re struggling with, taking emotional risks, and receiving support strengthens your resilience and helps your teen see that emotional honesty is part of wellbeing. 3. Your Kids Need to See Who You Are, Not Just What You Do When your teens witness you engaging in passion, joy, creativity, rest, advocacy, and purpose—not just managing logistics and meeting expectations. Repurposing your emotions into something meaningful teaches them that hard things can lead to beautiful outcomes. Learn More at: https://www.drjuliagarcia.com/habitsofhope/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjuliagarcia/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered why some conflicts deepen relationships while others tear them apart? What if the very moments that feel the most uncomfortable with your teen—or your partner—could become the doorway to more intimacy and trust? In this rich and eye-opening conversation, Colleen talks with Anna Lecat—researcher, author of Loving Conflict, intimacy consultant, and global speaker—about how conflict can be a bridge rather than a barrier. Anna shares her powerful framework for “fighting kindly,” transforming hard conversations into moments of connection, courage, and clarity. With stories from her own family, her multicultural life, and her work with couples and executive teams, Anna reveals how naming fears, listening deeply, and expressing humanity can turn everyday tensions into opportunities for deeper love and understanding. Anna Lecat is the researcher and author of Loving Conflict, an intimacy and conflict consultant, and a global speaker on connection, trust, and collaboration. A proud EO member and triple immigrant, she has built companies and communities across Ukraine, China, the U.S., and now France. With over 25 years of experience supporting couples, executive teams, family businesses, and high-stakes relationships, Anna blends practical tools, embodied practices, and the relational language of dance and play to help people move through conflict, build trust, and create authentic connection—in love, leadership, and life. She believes the quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our relationships, and that intimacy is the key. ✨ Three Takeaways for Moms 1. Conflict is an opportunity—not a danger. When handled with presence and curiosity, conflict becomes a doorway to deeper connection with your teen, not a threat to your relationship. 2. Name the fear beneath the fight. Behind every tense moment is a fear—of being dismissed, misunderstood, or not enough. When moms and teens identify the fear, defenses soften and true dialogue begins. 3. Model the skills you want your teen to learn. You teach conflict-resolution not by lecturing, but by showing vulnerability, taking responsibility for your part, apologizing when needed, and demonstrating how adults repair relationships. Follow Anna at: https://www.instagram.com/anyalecat/ Learn More at: https://annalecat.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In todays show we talk about the importance of awe and wonder. Research reveals that the benefits of being awe-seekers is that you are more generous, curious, and more humble. Is the feeling of awe within our control or does it just happen unexpectedly? How do moms help their teenagers experience more awe? Listen as we discuss. Today’s guest is Deborah Farmer Kris. Deborah is an education journalist, parent educator Her bylines include PBS KIDS, NPR’s Mindshift, The Washington Post, the Boston Globe Magazine, and Oprah Daily. Deborah’s work is grounded in the two decades she spent as a K-12 teacher and administrator. She has a B.A. from Boston University in English, a B.S. from Boston University in Elementary Education and a Masters of Education from Rutgers University, 2009 for Counseling Psychology. . Her writing has been featured several times in The Washington Post; she is the co-author of the book Building Character in Schools: A Resource Guide; and she is the author of the picture book series All the Time, which has been featured on Oprah Daily, Slate's Mom and Dad are Fighting and more.  Learn more about Deborah at ⁠https://www.parenthood365.com/⁠ Follow on Instagram at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/parenthood365/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices