It’s easy to forget to prioritize ourselves as parents, especially when our children are struggling. In this episode, Seth and I dive into the emotional balancing act of parenting a teen in treatment while still finding time for self-care. It’s common to feel guilty for taking care of yourself, especially when your child is away in treatment. Whether you feel guilty about telling your kid that you had a good day while they’re in treatment, or it feels exhausting to you to always be 'on' as a solo parent, it’s crucial to make time for self-care.

“It’s one of the hardest asks, but it’s so important to be intentional about [self-care]” - Beth Hillman

But filling your own cup isn’t just crucial for yourself, but also for your teen. The way you find balance and make time for self-care can be a great model for your child, even if they don’t show appreciation right away.

If you've ever felt guilty for having a good day or wondered how to balance taking care of yourself while being there for your child, this episode is for you.

In this episode on self-care for parents, we discuss:

• The emotional guilt parents feel when taking care of themselves while their teen is in treatment;
• The importance of self-care for parents and how it affects your ability to support your child;
• How modeling self-care can project its importance to your child;
• Balancing self-care with parenting responsibilities;
• What does true self-care look like for parents?;
• The 3 main ways to fill you cup and practice self-care as a parent;
• And more!

Need support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

Got a question or something to share? You can always send me a message by clicking here. I'd love to hear from you!

Your teen appears calm and composed with their therapist but displays anger or aggression at home, how frustrating!? It feels like you're dealing with two completely different versions of the same person.

In this episode, Seth and I explore the challenge of handling teens who have been through enough therapy to know exactly what to say to 'work the system.' While their providers see one side, you as a parent experience something entirely different. We’ll talk about how to navigate these mixed signals, how actions often speak louder than words, and how you can open up this conversation with your teen. Have a listen!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Teens showing different behaviors at home vs. in therapy;
• The frustration parents feel when their child “works the system.”;
• Actions as a more accurate reflection of what's really happening;
• Opening the conversation between your teen, their therapist, and you;
• Why your teen might feel the need to present themselves differently with their providers;
• And more!

Need support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!
🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

Got a question or something to share? You can always send me a message by clicking here. I'd love to hear from you!

Balancing the need for rules with the desire for connection can be incredibly challenging when parenting teens. In this episode, therapist Trevor Allen and I dive into the complex dynamics of rules versus boundaries versus expectations and how to navigate them in a way that promotes healthy relationships.

We discuss the confusion that can arise when trying to balance control and support, particularly when parenting a struggling teen. It’s not just about setting strict rules but more about understanding how to teach our kids how to treat us through our own actions and the boundaries we set. We want to influence without trying to control, allowing for growth while maintaining a healthy home environment.

One key takeaway from our conversation is that zero-tolerance policies can set kids up for failure, particularly when dealing with issues like addiction. So let’s explore other options in today’s episode.

“If I lived with anybody and ALL they could see are the things that are problematic that I’m doing, I would have a really hard time being around that person. I think that’s a relationship destroyer” - Trevor Allen

If you’re wondering how to create a supportive yet structured environment for your child without taking their choices personally, this episode is for you.

In this episode on rules vs. boundaries vs. expectations, we discuss:

• The differences between rules, boundaries, and expectations in parenting;
• How to influence your struggling teen without controlling them;
• Managing yourself and maintaining a healthy home environment;
• Supporting your teen despite poor decisions and bad behavior;
• The importance of focusing on what you do, not just what you say;
• Why controlling the situation by controlling your teen doesn’t work;
• Being consistent with rules vs. being flexible to meet your teen’s needs;
• The impact of only seeing the negative and how to shift focus to positive progress;
• Why nuance and flexibility in rules can improve family dynamics.

Need support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.


You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

Got a question or something to share? You can always send me a message by clicking here. I'd love to hear from you!