Parenting Anxious Teens | Parenting Teens, Managing Teen Anxiety, Parenting Strategies

125 Episodes

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124 | Why Girls Quit Sports and What They Lose When They Walk Away with Nicole Johnston

2026-11-0340:08

Hi Parents! Sports can give teen girls so much more than physical fitness. They can become a training ground for taking risks, navigating failure, communicating with others, developing leadership skills, and learning how to keep going when things don't turn out as planned. And yet, adolescence is also a time when many girls begin walking away from sports. So, what's happening? Nicole Johnston brings an interesting perspective to this conversation. After spending more than 30 years in global sales and marketing leadership at companies including Procter & Gamble, Hershey, and Kimberly-Clark, she now works with career and executive-track women as a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, and founder of innatePOWER LLC. She's also the best-selling author of Taboo Topics: Things Women Should Talk About, But Don't. In this episode, we're exploring why girls quit sports and the factors that can make staying involved increasingly difficult during adolescence. We talk about puberty, periods, changing body image, perfectionism, fear of failure, and some of the conversations girls may not feel comfortable initiating themselves. We also look at what girls stand to gain when they're encouraged to stay in the game. Nicole shares how experiences like trying out, not making the team, losing, communicating with teammates, and getting back up after disappointment can develop skills that reach far beyond the playing field. And for parents, we get practical about what support can look like. How do you respond when your daughter doesn't make the team? How do you encourage her to take risks without putting more pressure on her? And how can we make sure things like periods, body changes, or fear of failure don't become reasons girls feel they no longer belong in sports? If you're raising a teen girl - whether she's been an athlete for years, is considering trying a sport for the first time, or is thinking about walking away from one - this conversation offers a different way to think about what participating can give her long after the game is over. NEW: My 6-week parent program, The Parent’s Anxiety Toolkit™, is now open! If you’re raising an anxious teen and feeling overwhelmed, unsure what to say, or exhausted by the constant worry, this program will help you feel more calm, confident, and equipped with practical tools that actually work. Big hugs, Monica Crnogorac Next Steps Book a Free Discovery Call Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program for Teens Connect With Me on Instagram

123 | Are You Supporting Your Teen or Carrying Their Anxiety for Them?

2026-10-2720:11

Hi Parents! When your teen is struggling with anxiety, it’s natural to want to help. You check in, offer strategies, remind them of what they’ve learned, and try to make difficult moments a little easier. But sometimes, without realizing it, supporting your teen can slowly turn into carrying their anxiety for them. In this episode, we’re exploring the difference between being a supportive, involved parent and becoming so involved in your teen’s anxiety that there’s less room for them to develop their own awareness, coping skills, and independence. You’ll learn what carrying your teen’s anxiety can look like, even when your intentions are supportive, why constantly checking, reminding, planning, and troubleshooting can sometimes get in the way of ownership, and how too much focus on anxiety can begin to affect your relationship. We’ll also talk about why your teen experiencing discomfort doesn’t always mean they need you to intervene, and the question you can ask yourself when you’re unsure whether to step in or give them more room to try for themselves. Sometimes helping your teen means stepping in. Sometimes it means leaving room. The skill is learning to know the difference. If you’re tired of second-guessing how to respond to your teen’s anxiety, The Parent’s Anxiety Toolkit™ is my 6-week program designed to help you understand what’s happening beneath the anxiety, respond with greater confidence, and support your teen without taking over. Inside, we cover supportive communication, boundaries, emotional regulation, avoidance, building confidence through anxiety, and how to bring everything together when the right response isn’t obvious. Big hugs, Monica Crnogorac Next Steps Book a Free Discovery Call Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program for Teens Connect With Me on Instagram

122 | The Hidden Ways Stress and Anxiety Show Up in Your Teen’s Body with Dr. Mary Sanders

2026-10-2041:30

Hi Parents! Has your teen ever complained of a stomachache before school, developed a headache during a stressful week, or seemed physically exhausted when they're emotionally overwhelmed? Our emotions don't just exist in our thoughts. Stress and anxiety can affect how we experience our bodies and learning to recognize that connection can give teens another way to understand what they're going through. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Mary Sanders, a chiropractor, medical intuitive, and practitioner whose work brings together positive psychology, intuition medicine, energy medicine, spiritual embodiment, and meditation. Dr. Mary holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic, a Certificate in Positive Psychology from the Wholebeing Institute, and a Master's in Intuition Medicine®. She is also the host of the internationally acclaimed Energy Medicine podcast. Together, we explore the mind-body connection and how emotional stress can influence physical sensations. Dr. Mary shares some of the less obvious ways stress may show up, how parents can help teens become more aware of what they're experiencing physically and emotionally, and why approaching those sensations with curiosity can be so valuable. We also talk about nervous system regulation, meditation, energy medicine, and Dr. Mary's perspective on chakras and their role in overall well-being. Most importantly, we discuss practical ways parents can help teens slow down, notice what's happening within them, and develop greater awareness of the connection between their emotions and their bodies. If your teen struggles with anxiety, stress, overwhelm, or physical symptoms that seem to intensify during difficult seasons, this conversation offers a different perspective on understanding the relationship between the mind, body and soul. NEW: My 6-week parent program, The Parent’s Anxiety Toolkit™, is now open! If you’re raising an anxious teen and feeling overwhelmed, unsure what to say, or exhausted by the constant worry, this program will help you feel more calm, confident, and equipped with practical tools that actually work. Big hugs, Monica Crnogorac Next Steps Book a Free Discovery Call Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program for Teens Connect With Me on Instagram

121 | What Your Teen Doesn't Know About Their Body Is Fuelling Anxiety with Physician Dr. Robin Dickinson

2026-10-1357:47

Hi Parents! Many teens feel anxious about their bodies, relationships, and the changes they're experiencing but often, that anxiety isn't because something is wrong. It's because no one has given them the information they need to understand what's happening. Today I'm joined by family physician Dr. Robin Dickinson to discuss why body education is about so much more than puberty or reproduction. Drawing from years of clinical experience and her work developing a comprehensive curriculum for teens, Dr. Dickinson explains how filling the gaps in body knowledge can reduce anxiety, build confidence, and help young people make safer, more informed decisions. We talk about the information many schools leave out, why understanding the neuroscience behind early attraction can help teens navigate relationships more confidently, and how parents can approach conversations about consent, healthy relationships, and personal safety without increasing fear or shame. Dr. Dickinson also shares practical advice for parents who never had these conversations growing up themselves and aren't sure where to begin. Whether your teen is just entering adolescence or already well into their teenage years, this episode offers a practical roadmap for having honest conversations that strengthen trust, reduce anxiety, and help your teen better understand both their body and themselves. 👉🏻 FREE Parent Guide from Dr. Robin Dickinson NEW: My 6-week parent program, The Parent’s Anxiety Toolkit™, is now open! If you’re raising an anxious teen and feeling overwhelmed, unsure what to say, or exhausted by the constant worry, this program will help you feel more calm, confident, and equipped with practical tools that actually work. Big hugs, Monica Crnogorac Next Steps Book a Free Discovery Call Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program for Teens Connect With Me on Instagram

120 | When Your Anxious Teen Says Nothing Works and Stops Trying

2026-10-0618:45

Hi Parents! Have you ever suggested a strategy to help your teen with anxiety only to hear, "That doesn't work," "I've already tried that," or "Nothing helps me"? It can be incredibly frustrating when your teen tells you they desperately want things to change but seems unwilling to try the very things that could help. You find the resources, encourage them to use their coping strategies, connect them with support, and try to keep them accountable, only to feel like you're working harder at managing their anxiety than they are. In today's episode, we're exploring what can happen when an anxious teen starts believing that nothing will work and how that belief can affect their willingness to keep trying. We'll talk about why strategies can sometimes make anxiety feel more noticeable before they feel helpful, why teens may give up when they don't experience immediate relief, and the important difference between a strategy eliminating anxiety and helping your teen respond to anxiety differently. We'll also explore what it really means when your teen says a therapist, coach, coping strategy, or other form of support "isn't working," how to distinguish between something genuinely being the wrong fit and something that hasn't had a fair opportunity to help, and why parents can provide support and accountability without taking responsibility for the change itself. If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll love The Parent's Anxiety Toolkit™. Inside the program, I teach parents how to move beyond simply understanding anxiety and confidently support their teen through resistance, uncertainty, and the everyday moments that build lasting confidence, resilience, and independence. Big hugs, Monica Crnogorac Next Steps Book a Free Discovery Call Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program for Teens Connect With Me on Instagram

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Parenting Anxious Teens | Parenting Teens, Managing Teen Anxiety, Parenting Strategies