Teen Savvy Coaching
Helping teens and the adults who care for them to thrive
Before we even started recording this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, our guest, 19-year-old Tilghman Grim, told me he agreed to come on the podcast because he believes in the exchange of ideas. That immediately told me we were in for a thoughtful conversation, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Tilghman’s parents divorced when he was …
I’ve been thinking today about what an incredible privilege my career has been. Most of us grow up knowing our own family from the inside. We know a handful of other families through friends or relatives, but we don’t often get to see the incredible variety of ways families love each other, disconnect, reconnect, solve …
There is a cruel little twist of biology that no one talks about. Just as our teens enter puberty, many of us enter perimenopause. And it can feel like everything is unraveling at once. In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we sat down with Dr. Susan Zink to unpack what actually happens in the …
If you’re trying to help an anxious teen, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once: Is this just normal stress… or is something actually wrong? That uncertainty alone can make parents feel anxious too. Teen anxiety is incredibly common. But not all anxiety is the same, and not all of it needs to …
Parents today are navigating an overwhelming amount of information about teen mental health diagnosis. Anxiety, ADHD, depression, autism — labels are everywhere, and many kids are learning to define themselves by them. But what if some of what we’re seeing isn’t pathology at all? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we speak with researcher …
My husband hates ceremonies. Like–hates them. Our oldest is graduating from college this spring, and I’m just waiting for the “Can’t’ they just mail the diplomas and call it a day?” conversation that will inevitably go down. It’s not that he’s not proud of our son, or happy about whatever accomplishment is being “ceremonied”. He …
If your teen is dreading school—or you’ve started getting those “stomachache” texts every morning—here’s something important to remember: it might not be your teen that’s broken. It might be the system. In this week’s episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and I talked with Rebecca Luhm and Tonya Gardner from Fusion Academy in …
Halloween might look like candy and costumes on the surface, but parenting through Halloween offers a surprisingly rich snapshot of our kids’ growth—and our own. When my children were small, I was the one steering the ship: planning the route, managing meltdown and candy consumption, and creating the costumes (When he was two, my son …
There are few words that make a parent’s stomach drop faster than sexual trauma.It’s a topic none of us ever want to face in our families, and yet, as our guest Dr. Courtney Glickman, founder of The Collective Healing Center in Annapolis, reminded us, it’s far more common than most realize. In our latest Parenting …
Raising bicultural kids is both a gift and a challenge, and it can shape the way teens see themselves and the world around them. In a recent episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and I sat down with licensed clinical counselor and life coach, Maria Winters, to talk about her experience raising her children in …
Let’s be honest—parenting judgment is everywhere. At the playground. In the school pickup line. Even at Dunkin’ Donuts. And whether you’re the one handing it out or the one on the receiving end, it never feels good. In our latest Parenting Shrink-Wrapped episode, Melissa shared a story you might find all too familiar. Her 5-year-old …
Parenting teens with clarity isn’t about having the perfect script—it’s about knowing when to pause, when to check yourself, and how to hand kids the agency they crave. In our latest Parenting Shrink Wrapped episode, Melissa and I talked with social worker and founder of The Betty Center, Christa Welch, who shared hard-earned wisdom on …
When I was in 7th or 8th grade, my middle school librarian decided to make an “All About Middle School” video for incoming 5th graders—a behind-the-scenes peek at the excitement (and terror) of grades 6–8. This was the ’80s, so she lugged around a video camera roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, popping into …
When it comes to high school back to school tips, one thing is certain—there’s no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Whether your teen is a confident senior, a pressure-packed junior, an easygoing sophomore, or a wide-eyed freshman, each grade comes with its own quirks, challenges, and opportunities. In this week’s episode of the Parenting …
College drop-off is supposed to be the finish line, right? You did the visits, survived the applications, filled out the FAFSA, bought the XL twin sheets. You waved through tears as the dorm room door closed behind your now-officially-an-adult kid. But then the texts start coming. “I think I picked the wrong school.”“My roommate is …
ADHD in kids is one of the most commonly discussed—and commonly misunderstood—diagnoses in parenting today. If your mental image of ADHD involves a fidgety, blurting, can’t-sit-still kind of kid, you’re not wrong… but you’re not seeing the whole picture. In the latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, child psychiatrist Dr. Melissa Wellner and I take …
If you’ve ever found yourself snapping at your teen over something small—only to later think, Why did I overreact like that?—you’re not alone. Many parents are carrying emotional baggage from the past that’s quietly influencing how they respond today. That’s where EMDR therapy for parents comes in. This powerful, evidence-based approach helps reprocess unresolved trauma …
This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we’re honoring Father’s Day with a raw, real, and refreshingly unfiltered conversation about fatherhood and grief. Our guests—two dads who aren’t afraid to admit they don’t have it all figured out. They open up about the messy, meaningful, and often emotional journey of raising kids. Our guests are Dr. …
When hormones and mental health are running the show, your household can start to feel like a cross between a teen soap opera and a sleep-deprived group therapy session. Parenting teens is tough—but it gets even trickier when you’re juggling your own mood shifts right alongside theirs. In Episode #26 of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we …
When it comes to parenting teens, few things raise the stress level faster than figuring out how to prepare teens for medical procedures. It could be the dread of hearing, “You’re getting a shot today.” Or the full-on refusal to swallow that chalky bubblegum-tasting medicine. Or it might be something bigger—like chronic fatigue, post-concussion recovery, …
As parents, we all want our teens to succeed and build life skills, but the road to success isn’t always about academic achievement or winning trophies. One of the most valuable places for teens to build important life lessons is through youth sports. Whether they’re playing competitive soccer, gymnastics, or even participating in recreational team …
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re starting it with some real talk—and real myth-busting—about teen mental health. 🎤 In the newest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, I team up with my co-host, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Melissa Wellner, to break down three of the most common (and dangerous) misconceptions we hear from …
Spoiler alert: Your teen probably isn’t going to sit cross-legged in a playroom and build castles in a sand tray in play therapy. But what if the principles behind play therapy could still help you understand, connect with, and support your teen—especially when they’re struggling to express what’s going on inside? In the latest episode …
Parenting is never a one-size-fits-all journey, and when you’re raising a child on the autism spectrum, the path can feel even more complex. From navigating school accommodations to understanding sensory needs, parenting a child with autism requires patience, advocacy, and a whole lot of love. In the latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we sit …
