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Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment
Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment
This podcast guides parents of struggling teens and young adults through the challenges of treatment, whether the teen is at home, transitioning home, or currently in treatment. Hosts Beth Hillman, a parent coach, and Seth Gottlieb, a wilderness therapy guide turned recovery coach, share practical advice on developing healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear. Each episode features candid conversations focused on shifting parents' own behavior rather than trying to control their teen. Listeners gain tools to reduce family conflict and improve relationships with their teens.
Episodes
216. There Is No Easy Way Out: Parenting a Teen or Young Adult After Treatment
Your child is looking for the easy way out. And maybe you are as well.If you're parenting a teen or young adult after treatment, you may know the feeling. Your child has worked through treatment, but now they're talking about drinking instead of using drugs, experimenting with a different substance, or finding a way to manage their pain without truly addressing what's underneath. Yo
215. Helping a Teen with Addiction Without Enabling Them With Former Struggling Teen Thomas Henderson
Your teen is struggling with addiction and you’re terrified that helping them might actually be making things worse. What do you do?In this episode, I’m joined by Thomas Henderson, a former struggling teen who began using substances at just 11 years old and eventually found himself caught in a cycle of addiction, relapse, treatment, and recovery. Today, Thomas works with families and uses his own
214. When Your Expectations Become Pressure: A Struggling Teen’s Perspective With Justin Levine
You want the best for your teen. You want them to succeed, make good choices, and build a life they can be proud of. But what happens when the expectations you have for your child start to feel like pressure to them?If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking right now, “But I don’t expect my kid to become a doctor!” And neither did I. But parental expectations and pressure can be much more
213. Rebuilding Connection With Your Struggling Teen: Why You Might Need to Stop Trying So Hard
You’re trying so hard to repair what’s been broken, to rebuild trust, and feel close again with your teen or young adult. So when they pull away, it can feel almost impossible to not try harder.But what if trying harder to reconnect is actually making this very connection harder?In this episode, Seth and I have a very honest conversation about rebuilding connection with your struggling teen or you
212. After Treatment Comes Real Life: Part 2 of Harrison Paletti's Story of College, Relapse, and Finding His Way Back
🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults.Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!What happens when your teen leaves treatment, goes to college, and suddenly has more freedom than they’ve had in years? For Harrison Paletta, the
211. A Struggling Teen's Perspective: How Harrison and His Parents Worked Together for Change - With Harrison Paletta
🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults.Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!What if you could sit down with your struggling teen and hear what was really going on inside their head? In this episode, Harrison Paletta gives
210. Relapse Is Imminent, But Your Teen Isn’t Back at Square One
🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults.Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!You see old behaviors showing up again and your first thought is, “Oh no. Are we back here again?”. When you’ve worked so hard to support your str
209. Talking to Your Kids About Porn: Prevention Isn’t Enough With Jarrod Hoffman
🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults.Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!Prevention isn’t going to protect your child from seeing porn. You might think that if you set parental controls, keep devices out of bedrooms, an
208. Teaching Emotional Resilience to Teens and Young Adults With Dr. Jerry Weichman
🍁 Small GROUP COACHING program starting October 6th & 7th, 2026 🍁How to Influence Change: Small-group program for parents of struggling teens & young adults.Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups I hope to see you there!Teaching emotional resilience isn't about making your teen's life easier. On the contrary. t's about helping them discover they&apo
207. Don't Wait for a Crisis: Building Support Before Your Teen Needs It
When your family is in crisis, the last thing you want to do is start the orientation process of finding support. You need help - ASAP. So that time when things feel a bit calmer, and your teen seems to be doing okay, might actually be the best time to build the support system they'll need for the road ahead.In this episode, Seth Gottlieb joins me to explore why waiting until your family is i
206. What's Behind Your Teen's Behavior? Looking Beyond the Lies, Anger & Power Struggles
Your teen’s behavior is never just that. They’re not lying because they want to, they’re not missing curfew because they want to annoy you, and they’re not pulling you into power struggles because they enjoy it. There’s always something underneath the behavior, so let’s try to understand.As a parent, it's natural to react to the behavior that's right in front of you. After all, being lie
205. Your Teen Has ADHD... Now What? With Lisa Miller & Tatiana Guerreiro Ramos
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis for your teen can bring a mix of relief, confusion, and a hundred new questions. What does it actually mean? How does ADHD show up beyond the stereotypes? And perhaps most importantly: how can you best support your teen without unintentionally making things harder?In this episode, I'm joined by ADHD and executive functioning specialists Lisa Miller and Tatiana Guer
204. Parenting a Child With Autism: The Small Moments That Shape a Lifetime With Brittany Moser & Brady Esham
When your child is diagnosed with autism, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by questions about their future. Will they be okay? Am I doing enough? What actually helps?The encouraging truth is that it often isn't one big breakthrough that shapes your child's future. It's the small, everyday moments of consistency, belief, acceptance, and connection that leave the biggest impact over
203. Navigating Your Teen Driver's New Freedom and Responsibilities
Handing your teen the keys to a car can feel like a huge milestone, for them and for you. It's exciting to watch them gain more independence, but if your teen has struggled in the past, it can also bring up a lot of fear. Can you trust them? Are you giving them too much freedom? What if something goes wrong?The truth is, there isn't one right answer. Every teen is different, every family
202. Why Does My Teen Lie? Understanding the Behavior Behind the Lies
Before your teen can tell the truth, they need to feel safe enough to do it.When your child lies, it's easy to feel hurt, betrayed, or even disrespected. But what if their lying isn't about manipulating you at all? What if it's simply their brain's attempt to avoid pain, shame, or consequences?In this episode, Seth and I unpack one of the most frustrating challenges parents fac
201. Why Repairing Your Relationship With Your Teen Matters More Than Getting It Right With Emil Harker
You probably spend a lot of energy trying to prevent mistakes, avoid conflict, and get parenting “right.” But what if the real goal isn’t perfection at all?In this conversation, therapist and parent coach Emil Harker and I explore why conflict, misunderstandings, and even parenting mistakes are not signs that you’re failing. In fact, they may be some of the most important opportunities you have to
200. Navigating the First 90 Days After Treatment: A Parent's Guide With Brenda Zane from Hopestream
FREE online workshop - June 24 from 5-630MT Respond Like Yoda (When Your Kid Is Acting Like Vader)How to be grounded, avoid power struggles, and respond with clarity instead of reactionRegister at https://bethhillmancoaching.com/yodaBringing your teen home from treatment is something you've likely thought about for months. Maybe even longer.You miss them. You want them home. And yet, if you&a
199. The Parenting Tools That Help Teens Build Resilience and Confidence With Dr. Jerry Weichman
You want to help your teen be resilient and feel more confident and capable of handling life's challenges. But when they're struggling, whether with mental health, motivation, school, substances, or simply growing up, it's easy to slip into protection mode. You try to shield them from pain, solve their problems, and prevent mistakes before they happen.The problem? Confidence isn&ap
198. Helping Teens Change Behavior: What Motivational Interviewing Can Teach Parents with Jarrod Hoffman
Why is it that the harder you push for change, the more your teen seems to dig in their heels?If you've ever found yourself repeating the same conversations, giving advice that goes nowhere, or feeling exhausted by your teen's resistance, you're not alone. Most parents assume that if their child would just understand the consequences of their choices, they'd make better decisio
197. Intergenerational Narratives and Passing On Trauma to Our Children With Kellyn Smythe
When you grow up inside fear, survival, instability, or emotional chaos, those experiences don’t just disappear when you become an adult. They quietly shape the stories you carry about safety, relationships, success, control, and even what it means to be a “good” parent. And without realizing it, you might begin to pass those same narratives on to your own children.In this deeply personal and thou
196. Understanding ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation in Teens & Young Adults With Debbie Murad
Simple tasks that seem easy to you become overwhelming battles for your teen or young adult with ADHD. One small request turns into a massive blow-up. And when we don’t understand the ADHD brain, it can feel like they’re being disrespectful, lazy or even manipulative. In today’s episode, I’m joined by therapist and ADHD expert Debbie Murad to unpack what’s really happening underneath ADHD and emot
195. Summer Scaffolding: Supporting Your Teen’s Transition Home From Treatment During Summer Break With Hilary Moses
Summer can feel terrifying when you’re parenting a struggling teen or young adult. The routines disappear. Structure falls away. And suddenly you’re left wondering how to support your child without slipping into control, conflict, or constant anxiety.And if your teen is coming home from treatment? The pressure can feel even heavier.Today, I sit down with Hilary Moses to talk about what parents oft
194. What It Feels Like to Come Home From Treatment (And Why Your Teen Is Struggling) With Casie Fariello
You bring your child home from treatment and expect things to get better. But instead, everything feels off. They’re overwhelmed. Irritated. Withdrawn. Maybe even struggling more than you expected. You don’t understand. Why is this so hard? Did we do something wrong?This special episode will help you understand something most parents never fully see… until now.Because what your teen experiences co
193. Is This ODD or Normal Teen Behavior? With Brittney King
Is your child pushing back, arguing over everything, ignoring rules, or seeming impossible to parent right now? It’s easy to wonder: Is this normal teen behavior… or something more serious like ODD?When conflict becomes the norm at home, many parents start fearing they’re losing their child. You might even feel like you’re failing as a parent. But not all defiance is ODD. Sometimes, what looks lik
192. When Your Teen Is Self-Harming: What Parents Need to Know With Courtney Deadman
When you find out your child is harming themselves, you’re thrown into a world you don’t understand.Fear hits first. Then confusion. Maybe even anger.Is this a cry for help? Is it manipulation? Is my child suicidal?And most of all… what am I supposed to do?If your teen is self-harming, you’re not alone in these questions. And you’re not failing as a parent.In this conversation, I sit down with the
191. The Boy Brain Explained: Why Your Teen Manipulates, Complains, and Plays the Victim
Your teen’s behavior might feel confusing, frustrating, or even manipulative… but when you understand the boy brain, it starts to make a lot more sense.In this episode, I sit down with Mark Spalding (LCSW) to unpack what’s really going on beneath behaviors like complaining, blaming, or playing the victim, and why so many parents feel emotionally pulled in when it happens.We start with a situation
190. Dealing With the Negativity of Your Teen's Weekly Call From Treatment
You wait all week for that call… and then it comes. But your child sounds miserable. They’re complaining about everything. The food, the people, the program. They tell you it’s not working. That they shouldn’t be there. Maybe they even promise they’ll do better if you just bring them home.And suddenly, you’re right back in it: confused, overwhelmed, and questioning everything.Did I make the wrong
189. What Is in Your Control as a Parent? - The Circles of Control, Influence & Concern
You’re lying awake at night, running through every possible scenario. Should I step in? Should I say something? Should I let this go?When your teen is struggling, it can feel nearly impossible to know what’s actually yours to handle and what isn’t. And without clarity, it’s so easy to slip into overthinking, overfunctioning, and trying to control things that were never yours to begin with.In this
188. The Anatomy of Trust for Parents - A Breakdown of Brené Brown’s Work With Danny Frazer
Trust is one of the most fundamental parts of every relationship. If you don’t trust your teen, or you notice they don’t trust you, it will be hard to build the kind of parent-child relationship you want to have with your struggling teen or young adult.But sometimes it can feel like an impossible task to ‘just trust’ your teen again, especially if that trust has been broken before. So how does tru
187. The Mind F*ck of Tracking Your Adolescent’s Location on “Find My”
You check their location, just to make sure they’re okay. Then again. And again. And suddenly, your entire nervous system is tied to a blinking dot on a map.In this episode, Seth and I talk about something that so many parents are quietly struggling with right now: the urge to track, monitor, and stay one step ahead of your teen or adolescent… and how it slowly starts to take over.Because here’s t
186. Raising Boys: Video Games, Anxiety, and Raising Independent Young Men With Jarrod Hoffman
Is your son glued to his screen and telling you, “you just don’t get it”? But as a parent nowadays, you are navigating a world that looks very different from the one you grew up in. Video games double as social spaces. Screens shape friendships and status. And many teen boys are quietly struggling with anxiety, uncertainty about the future, and pressure they don’t always know how to talk about.So
185. Learned Helplessness: When Helping Your Struggling Teen Is Actually Hurting Them
You step in because you love your child.You pay for treatment again because you’re scared.You cover the rent because you don’t want them on the street.You call to check in because something feels “off.”You offer solutions because you can’t stand watching them struggle.Of course you do.But here’s the hard question:What if, sometimes, the helping is reinforcing learned helplessness?What if the messa
184. Should You Just Let Your Teen Fail? Parenting Without Helicoptering or Micromanaging
You’ve heard me say it over and over again: You have to let go of what is out of your control. But does that mean you just stop parenting? Are you just supposed to sit back and watch your teen or young adult fail and make mistakes?When you start stepping back from micromanaging, rescuing, and constantly stepping in, it often doesn’t feel like relief. It feels like you’re doing something wrong. You
183. Wilderness Therapy for Struggling Teens: What Open Sky Founder Danny Frazer Wants Parents to Know
The thought of wilderness therapy for your struggling kid can feel simultaneously hopeful and terrifying. Is it too extreme? Is it necessary? How do you even know? And how do you trust the people who would be caring for your child?In this episode, I sit down with Danny Frazer, one of the founding partners of Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, to talk honestly about what makes wilderness therapy work, an
182. Letting Go of Expectations for Your Teen (and Trusting Their Process)
Every day, you’re watching your teen or young adult make choices you wouldn’t make, and feeling the constant pull to intervene. You see the risks. You imagine the consequences. And somewhere along the way, hope for progress turns into pressure for outcomes.Today, Seth and I talk about what happens when parents become attached to how growth is supposed to look: sobriety first, independence next, em
181. Understanding Self-Destructive Behaviors in Teens & Young Adults With Therapist Katie May
When your teen is engaging in self-destructive behaviors, what you usually see is the tip of the iceberg. You see the cutting, the substance use, the school refusal, the shutdowns or blowups, and it’s scary, confusing, and exhausting. But what’s happening underneath those behaviors is often invisible. Big emotions. Overwhelm. Shame. Anxiety. A nervous system that’s trying to survive. And when all
180. The False Hope of ‘Rock Bottom’ in Parenting a Struggling Teen or Young Adult
Have you ever found yourself thinking, “This has to be rock bottom… surely it can’t get worse than this,”? As painful as that thought is, it can also feel strangely comforting. Because if this is the worst of it… then maybe things will finally start to get better.When your teen or young adult is making painful, risky, or destructive choices, the idea of rock bottom can feel like a lifeline. A way
179. Feeling Like You’re Failing as a Parent? Welcome to the Club! With Jessica Stewart
You’re doing everything you can, and yet you feel like you’re failing as a parent… Believe me, you’re not alone, and today, I’d even like to offer you a change of perspective: What if you’ve been giving the wrong job description as a parent?You might believe your role is to keep your kids happy, safe, and “on track.” And when it inevitably becomes clear that you don’t have any control over this du
178. When a Child Dies by Suicide: What Parents Miss When We Only Focus on Behavior
Recently, we lost a dear friend to suicide. One of my son’s best friends, who had become a part of our family. This is a tender and deeply personal conversation in which Seth and I talk about the loss of a young man who mattered deeply to our family, and what witnessing his death taught me about struggling teens, their ‘yellow’ or ‘red friends’, pain, and connection.This is not an easy conversatio
177. Learning to Let Go: A Mom’s Journey Through Her Daughter’s Substance Use, Self-Harm, And Suicidality Pre-Diagnosis [BPD] With Michelle Park
Learning to let go is one of the hardest but most necessary parts of parenting a struggling teen, especially when your child’s behaviors feel frightening, confusing, and completely out of your control.In this episode, I’m joined again by Michelle, a mom who has walked a long, painful, and ultimately transformative path with her daughter, who was later diagnosed with borderline personality disorder
176. Teen Substance Abuse and Relapse: Grieving the Life You Thought They’d Have With Paul King
✨ 6-week Boundaries Masterclass ✨Starting January 13th -- Early Bird price until December 31st!👉🏼 Click here to sign up, or go to bethhillmancoaching.com/boundariesmasterclassI hope to see you there!There’s a kind of grief many parents of struggling teens carry that doesn’t always get named.It’s not just the fear.It’s not just the exhaustion.It’s the quiet heartbreak of realizing that the life you
175. Stuck in Repeating Patterns With Your Teen or Young Adult? Our #1 Parenting Advice
✨ 6-week Boundaries Masterclass ✨Starting January 13th -- Early Bird price until December 31st!👉🏼 Click here to sign up, or go to bethhillmancoaching.com/boundariesmasterclassI hope to see you there!When your kid keeps struggling and nothing seems to change, it’s natural to focus all your energy on them. Their choices. Their behavior. Their refusal to do things differently. But have you ever tried
174. Parenting a Teen With Borderline Personality Disorder With Mom Michelle
✨ 6-week Boundaries Masterclass ✨Starting January 13th -- Early Bird price until December 31st!👉🏼 Click here to sign up, or go to bethhillmancoaching.com/boundariesmasterclassI hope to see you there!If you’re parenting a teen with a mental health condition, like borderline personality disorder, you may recognize the constant confusion: Is this normal? Am I helping, or making it worse? Why does not
173. Deciding Whether to Send Your Teen to Treatment (Again)
✨ 6-week Boundaries Masterclass ✨Starting January 13th -- Early Bird price until December 31st!👉🏼 Click here to sign up, or go to bethhillmancoaching.com/boundariesmasterclassI hope to see you there!It’s never an easy decision to send your struggling child to treatment, whether it’ll be their first time or their tenth. As a parent, you’re exhausted, scared, unsure what’s actually best, and constan
172. Learning to Trust Yourself Again After Trauma and Conditioning, For Teens & Parents, with Jake Wood
What if the behaviors you see in your struggling teen aren’t just “problems,” but signs that the identity they were given no longer fits? What if their resistance, shut-down, or self-destructive choices are really the early stages of something Jake Wood knows all too well: the painful beginning of learning to trust yourself again after trauma, addiction, and conditioning?In today’s conversation, J
171. Rethinking Labels, Teen Drug Addiction, Shame, and the Soul with Jake Wood
Before your child has the chance to understand who they truly are, the world is already telling them what they are. Jake Wood knows this firsthand, and his story turns our whole conversation about teen drug addiction upside down.In one of the favorite interviews I’ve ever done, I sit down with transformation guide Jake Wood to explore a perspective on teen drug addiction that most parents never he
170. How to Stop Negotiating With Your Teen, Break the “Just This Once” Pattern & Hold Boundaries
Does your teen always have one more promise, one more deal, or ‘just this once’ plea? You’re not imagining it. The moment you start negotiating with your teen, you’re pulled into a messy family dynamic that almost never works out the way you hope it will.In this episode, Seth and I talk about why these IOUs, bargains, and “I swear I’ll do it tomorrow” promises fall apart so quickly, and why they o
169. How to Express Emotions to Your Child in a Healthy Way with Therapist Dana VanRenterghem
You want to be honest with your child… but when emotions run high, it can be hard to know where the line is between healthy emotional expression and unintentionally putting a burden on your young child, teen, or young-adult kid.If you’ve ever felt terrified, overwhelmed, or lost in the fear of “what if,” and weren’t sure whether to show your child how scared you really are…If you’ve ever wondered
168. Your Teen Deserves a Fresh Start: How to Rebuild Trust After Treatment with Colin MacDonald
So much work happens during treatment, but the real test begins when your child comes home. The patterns that once kept your family stuck can easily reappear unless you intentionally create space for something new. This week, we talk about how to allow a fresh start after treatment and rebuild trust in a way that supports lasting independence and connection.I’m joined again by Colin MacDonald, co-
167. What Parents Need to Know About Teen Drug Addiction with Former Addicts Josh and Heidi Case
What do former addicts wish their parents had done differently? Josh and Heide Case are joining us today to explore that question.Both Heidi and Josh began using as teens and spent decades navigating addiction before finding lasting recovery. Their stories are raw, real, and filled with moments every parent of a struggling teen can learn from. Now, through their platform and podcast Sober.Buzz, th
166. How to Pause Before Reacting to Your Teen or Young Adult Kid
You’ve probably found yourself reacting before you even realize what’s happening countless times. I certainly have. Those fast, heated moments, when your blood boils, your breath shortens, and everything speeds up, can feel impossible to stop. And before you know it, you’re in a reactive back-and-forth with your teen or young adult kid. But what if things could go differently?In this episode, Seth
165. Don’t Loosen Boundaries When Your Teen’s Doing Well — Here’s Why
When your teen starts doing better (going to school, staying sober, following through), it’s natural to breathe a sigh of relief. It’s also natural for your teen or young adult to plead their case and ask you to loosen the boundary. But that’s the trap many parents fall into: they loosen the boundaries that helped create that progress in the first place.Today, Seth and I unpack the psychology behi
164. Parenting Your Teen After Treatment: Rebuilding Trust and Letting Go of Fear With Colin MacDonald from Not Therapy Coaching
You want to trust your teen again when they come back from treatment, but every setback and every little misstep can send your mind spiraling back to worst-case scenarios. Luckily, we’re joined again by Colin MacDonald from Not Therapy Coaching to explore what it really looks like to parent your teen after treatment, and how to make sure fear doesn’t take over. He shares powerful mindset shifts fo
163. Teen Suicide and a Parent’s Journey Through Grief With Andy Campbell
Teen suicide is every parent’s worst nightmare. Andy Campbell lived through it when his 18-year-old son took his own life.“I used to tell my son, ‘make any decision you want, but not the irreversible decision’, until he did.” - Andy CampbellAndy shares his story with raw honesty, describing the years of living with his son’s suicidal thoughts, the heartbreaking day of his death, and the painful ye
162. The Truth About Wilderness Therapy With 'Forest for the Trees' Filmmakers Mark Strauss & Vince Dixon
Stories about wilderness range from life-saving transformations to devastating failures, and often, the loudest voices online lean toward fear and controversy.That’s why I’m so excited to be joined by filmmakers Mark Strauss and Vince Dixon, co-directors of the upcoming documentary Forest for the Trees: The Truth About Wilderness Therapy. With lived experience of loss, addiction, and healing in th
161. Surviving Teen Addiction: One Family’s Path Through Wilderness and Recovery With Dawn McCord
When your teen is caught in the cycle of substance abuse, it can feel like you’re living in a nightmare you can’t wake up from. You find yourself wondering: Is this just normal teenage behavior? Or is something much bigger going on? I remember asking myself those same questions when my own son was struggling.That’s why this conversation with Dawn McCord resonated so deeply for me. Dawn is a fellow
160. Why Psychological Testing for Teens Matters: Getting the Right Diagnosis With Liz Griffith
Misdiagnosis, trial-and-error medication, and treatment plans that miss the real issue are realities many families haave to face, even though the last thing you want is guesswork when it comes to your struggling teen’s or young adult’s care. That’s where psychological testing comes in.In this conversation with Liz Griffith, owner of Psychological Solutions, we dive into why comprehensive psycholog
159. Helping Your Teen Build Independence and Resilience With Virginia Townsand
You want to protect your child and give them a better life than you had. But sometimes, those good intentions backfire, leaving our teens less capable, less confident, and more dependent than we ever wanted.In this conversation with licensed clinical counselor and life coach Virginia Townsand, we explore how over-helping can unintentionally create learned helplessness, and what you can do instead
158. Are You Helping or Enabling? How to Support Your Struggling Teen Or Young Adult Kid Without Rescuing
You step in to help, ease your kid’s struggles, but is your help actually helpful or is it keeping your struggling teen or young adult from making the changes they need most? You want the best for them, but how can you influence internal change?It’s a painful truth many parents don’t realize: sometimes “help” becomes enabling. By rescuing your struggling teen from discomfort, whether through finan
157. Is This Normal Teen Behavior? A Parent’s Guide to Knowing the Difference, With Therapist Jen Murphy
Ever wondered if your teen’s latest mood swing, eye roll, or total shutdown is just part of growing up or a sign that something deeper is going on? You’re not alone. Parents ask me about normal teen behavior almost daily, especially when past struggles or treatment make it harder to tell what’s typical and what’s cause for concern.In this conversation with therapist and parent coach Jen Murphy, we
156. Understanding Why Teens Lie, With Therapist Dana VanRenterghem
When your teen lies to you, it can feel like a betrayal, whether it’s about doing the dishes, where they were last night, or something much bigger. But what if their dishonesty isn’t a sign of disrespect, but a sign of something deeper?Today, therapist Dana VanRenterghem is back to unpack the emotional complexity behind why teens lie. From little white lies to big cover-ups, together we explore wh
155. The Pain of Watching Your Teen Resist Help: Understanding Resistance to Change
It’s one of the most heartbreaking parts of parenting a struggling kid: watching them resist the very help they need, even when they KNOW they need it.In today’s conversation, Seth and I talk about the resistance to change: what it looks like, why it shows up, and how powerless it can make you feel as a parent. Whether your teen is avoiding treatment, clinging to unhealthy coping mechanisms, or si
154. What Struggling Teens Wish Their Parents Knew: Advice From Former Troubled Teen Enzo
What if your struggling kid isn’t defiant, out of control, or ungrateful… but just hurting, lost, and desperate to be understood?In this follow-up conversation, Enzo returns. Last week, he shared his story. This time, he’s here to offer something every parent craves: honest, compassionate advice from someone who’s been there. Someone who ran from treatment, overdosed, and nearly didn’t make it, bu
153. Inside the Mind of a Troubled Teen: Enzo's Journey Through Substance Abuse, Running From Treatment, and Two Overdoses
What’s underneath the chaos when your teen or young adult is out of control? I may seem like they don’t care about anything: school, their future, you. But what if underneath, there’s a deep sense of fear, loneliness, and the desperate need to belong?As parents, we often only see the surface: defiance, shutdowns, risky behavior, silence. But there's always something underneath. And this conve
152. Self-Care for Parents: Knowing Your Worth and Setting Boundaries
You’re probably sick of hearing about self-care, and you’ve surely heard a hundred times that “you have to take care of yourself.”But when parenting a struggling teen or young adult, choosing yourself doesn’t always come naturally. So what does it actually look like to take care of yourself it feels like your family is in constant crisis?In today’s conversation, Seth and I dig into the often-overl
151. Advocate for Your Child at School: 10 Tips for a Successful IEP Meeting With Andrea Svendsen
There’s no handbook on how to advocate for your child at school, especially when things get hard.Navigating IEP meetings can feel overwhelming, intimidating, and downright confusing. You know your child needs support, but between the legal jargon, emotional stress, and resistance from schools, it’s hard to know how to show up as a strong advocate for your child, no matter their age.That’s why I in
150. Helping Your Teen Find Community & Belonging After Treatment With Hayley From ‘Not Therapy’ Coaching
Nobody really talks about what happens after treatment. The messy, vulnerable in-between where your teen or young adult is no longer in crisis but still doesn’t quite feel at home in the world. They’ve changed… and they can feel it. But instead of feeling proud, they often feel disconnected, misunderstood, or even rejected by their peers.They’ve gained emotional intelligence, insight, and tools mo
149. Setting Healthy Boundaries With Your Teen Through Complaints and Pushback
“You’re so controlling!” Did your kid ever tell you that?If your teen or young adult constantly complains about your rules, expectations, or structure, saying that you’re controlling them, you're not alone. Many parents trying to set healthy boundaries with their teen end up questioning themselves the moment they face pushback. You want to listen, validate, and stay connected… but does that m
148. Setting Boundaries With Grandparents and Extended Family + Where to Seek Support Instead
When you’re desperate for support, it’s tempting to turn to extended family. But sometimes their “help” just makes things harder.It’s a common and painful dynamic for many struggling parents: your teen is having a hard time, and suddenly the grandparents or extended family start weighing in with passive-aggressive comments, outdated advice, or judgmental questions. You’re already doing everything
147. Not Every Struggling Teen Needs Wilderness: Talking Family Intensives with Mom Kathy & Therapist Jen Murphy
What if the solution isn’t sending your teen away?When your child is struggling and the emotional rollercoaster has taken over your home, wilderness therapy might seem like the only real option. But what if it’s not the right option for your family?Today, I’m joined by mom Kathy and therapist Jen Murphy to talk about a different kind of approach for struggling teens, young adults, and families. Ka
146. When Your Teen Doesn’t Want Your Advice
You’re trying to help. They think you’re trying to control them. Sound familiar?As parents, we often step in with the best intentions: to protect, guide, or simply make things easier. But when your teen or young adult shuts down, gets defensive, or accuses you of being controlling, it can leave you feeling confused, hurt, and stuck. So, what do you do when your support backfires?In this episode, S
145. How to Apologize to Your Teen or Young Adult Kid With Dana Vanrenterghem.
"I'm sorry" might be the hardest two words to say to your teen. But what if apologizing is actually the key to rebuilding trust and connection?In today’s episode, I sit down with therapist Dana VanRenterghem to unpack the real challenge of taking accountability with our teens and young adults. We dive into those messy moments when emotions run high, technology fails, and communicati
144. Parenting Without Enabling: How to Support Without Condoning Harmful Behavior
When your kid makes harmful or self-destructive choices, it's natural to want to step in, correct, and fix. But at some point, empathy might feel like enabling. How do we listen with compassion without sending the message that their behavior is okay?In this episode, Seth and I unpack the fear that being supportive might mean condoning poor behavior. We look at the complexity of parenting teen
143. Motivating Behavior Change in Teens & Young Adults With Teen Mentor, Michael Corbett
When our kids struggle to make better choices, we often focus on offering consequences, creating a plan, and following through. It’s a natural instinct to try harder, create structure, and hold boundaries. But what often gets overlooked is the role that beliefs play in motivating behavior change, both our kids’ beliefs about themselves and our own beliefs as parents.That’s what I explore in today’
142. Feeling Used by Your Teen? How to Move Away from Transactional Parenting With Trevor Allen
“I do so much for them, and they don’t even notice”. Sounds like a familiar thought? Many parents of struggling teens or young adults feel used, taken for granted, or stuck in a dynamic where love feels more like a series of trades than a relationship.In this episode, I’m joined again by therapist Trevor Allen to unpack the tricky dynamic of transactional parenting and behavior: what it is, how it
141. What Are Your Expecting? - Navigating Expectations Before, During, and After Treatment
It’s not your child’s job to live up to your expectations. That might sound harsh, but it’s one of the most important truths I’ve had to learn as a parent, especially during the transition home after treatment. If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking: ‘But I don’t even have that many expectations!’ I used to think that too… I wasn’t asking for straight A’s or a high-powered career path.
140. Parenting a Teen vs a Young Adult: Nuanced Changes at Every Stage
There’s a distinct shift that happens when your teen becomes a young adult, and it’s not just about age. Whether your child is living at home, in college, or fresh out of treatment, the transition from parenting a teenager to parenting a young adult is one of the most nuanced and challenging shifts we make as parents.In this episode, Seth and I talk about what that transition looks like: what need
139. How to Help Your Anxious Teen or Young Adult With Monica Crnogorac
If your teen seems anxious, unmotivated, or constantly overwhelmed, there's often more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. Teen anxiety is more common and more complex than many parents realize. Life coach for teens Monica Crnogorac brings both personal and professional insight on how to help your anxious teen. Together, we explore how anxiety can show up for our teen or young ad
138. Life After Treatment: How Your Kid Can Find the Peer Support They Need
One of the most overlooked challenges after treatment? The loss of community. Teens and young adults often return home (or head off to college) and suddenly find themselves without the peer support they had in treatment, even though that kind of support, being seen and understood by someone who’s been through it too, can be one of the most powerful parts of the healing process.“Especially for youn
137. How to Care Without Losing Yourself When Your Teen Is in Crisis
When your teen or young adult is struggling, it’s easy for everything else to fall away, including you. It’s a pattern we both see often: parents abandoning their own needs in the name of care, staying on high alert for the next crisis, and losing themselves in the process.I remember the desperation I felt when my son was struggling. I poured every ounce of my energy into trying to get him to choo
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