Teen Savvy Coaching
Helping teens and the adults who care for them to thrive
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 …
Parenting has never just been about what we do. It’s also about what we carry. The mental load of parenting–the constant thinking, anticipating, worrying, remembering, and managing–is often invisible to everyone except the person holding it. And for many parents, especially those raising teens, that load can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Parenting Shrink …
If you have a high school senior in your house, there’s a good chance you’re feeling the weight of college applications right alongside them. Essays, deadlines, recommendations, test scores—it’s enough to make even the most organized family feel like they’re living inside a pressure cooker. But here’s the truth most parents don’t realize: applying to …
As parents of teens, we know this stage of life brings new opportunities—and new responsibilities. One big milestone that often comes up? Babysitting. Whether your teen is eager to start earning money, gaining independence, or just helping out neighbors and family friends, it’s natural to wonder if they’re truly ready. In this week’s episode of …
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 …
If parenting triggers—like finding laundry on the floor, a missed homework assignment, or a teenager’s “I got it” shrug—ever make you lose your cool, you’re not alone. In this week’s episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and I unpack what’s really going on when minor parenting moments become major meltdowns. Spoiler: it’s usually not about …
Understanding what ADHD kids wish their parents knew is the key to unlocking more compassion and more connection. Helping to have fewer power struggles. With Part 2 of our ADHD series on the Parenting Shrink Wrapped podcast, we dig into the real-life parenting challenges that come with raising neurodivergent kids. We discuss how a few …
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 it feels like your house is being held together with forgotten permission slips and lukewarm coffee, you’re not alone. May is chaos. And for parents of teens and tweens, surviving the end of the school year can feel like an extreme sport. In the latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa Wellner, MD, and …
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 …
If you’ve ever felt like the peanut butter squished between two very emotionally complex slices of bread—your teen on one side and your parent(s) on the other—congrats. You’re living the sandwich generation life. In our latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Parenting While Being Parented, Melissa and I dig into the emotional complexity of raising …
Many parents of teens and tweens feel stuck, powerless and overwhelmed, wondering how they lost their ability to communicate with their child – and see no way forward.
This is not the way it has to be. There is a better way to have corrective conversations and help your kids change their behavior and keep the parent-child connection strong. You just need someone to show you the right way to talk with your teen and break the cycle.
That’s why I created my free video guide:
Download the L.O.V.E.D. Framework now to help decrease your teen’s resistance and increase connection, EVEN during sensitive or corrective conversations.
