Teens: No Cap

Welcome back to episode 55 of Teens: No Cap with your host, Charity Chafee! In this episode, we sit down for a deeply insightful conversation with Amie Parsons, a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA) who specializes in working with teenagers and neurodivergent populations. Amie shares her fascinating career shift from being a high school history and special education teacher to pursuin...

Welcome to another episode of Teens: No Cap! In this episode, host Charity Chaffee sits down with Dr. Rachel Hughes, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), child mental health specialist, and certified autism spectrum disorder clinical specialist based in Washington state. Dr. Hughes brings an incredibly refreshing and honest perspective to the realities of treating neurodivergent teens,...

In Episode 53 of Teens: No Cap, host Charity Chaffee sits down with therapist Alyssa Desroches to explore the intersection of neurodivergence, trauma, and EMDR therapy in teenagers. They dive deep into why "high-performing" and high-masking neurodivergent teens are often missed, the vital difference between oppositional behavior and nervous system overwhelm, and how compounded "small t" traumas im...

Welcome back to another episode of the Teens: No Cap! In Episode 51, host Charity Chaffee sits down with Laura Chackes, a psychologist and owner of the Center for Mindfulness and CBT in St. Louis, Missouri. Laura specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs). In this important conversation, we explore the heavily stigmatized and under-recognized world of BFRBs...

Are you struggling to connect with your teenager, or wondering why they seem totally shut down? In Episode 50 of Teens: No Cap, we dive deep into the unfiltered reality of teen mental health and how families can break cycles of generational trauma. Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with licensed social worker Tatyana White to explore what really goes on in therapy sessions with kids ag...

Welcome back to another episode of Teens: No Cap! In Episode 49, host Charity Chaffee, LMHC, sits down with Sarah Evert, LICSW, a clinical social worker and private practice owner based in Minnetonka, MN. Both Charity and Sarah are fiercely passionate about specializing exclusively in adolescents, and they break down exactly why teens require a completely different therapeutic approach than adults...

In this episode of Teens: No Cap, host Charity Chaffee, LMHC, sits down with board-certified art therapist and licensed counselor Lindsey Jonin to break down the transformative power of creativity in therapy. Many parents and even clinicians wonder: What is the actual difference between a certified art therapist and someone who just uses art activities in a session? Lindsey unpacks this hot topic,...

In episode 47 of Teens: No Cap, host and licensed Massachusetts mental health counselor Charity Chaffee tackles some of the most complex questions surrounding teen mental health. When dealing with high-risk behaviors, do coping skills actually work? Designed as a resource for both clinicians and parents, this episode dives deep into effective strategies for supporting treatment-resistant teenagers...

Welcome back to another episode of Teens No Cap with your host, Charity Chaffee! In this episode, we sit down with Jason Kelley, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, to discuss the unique experiences and mental health challenges faced by teenagers in military families. Jason brings an incredible blend of lived and professional experience to our coffee chat. After serving in the military for 17 years...

Welcome back to Teens: No Cap! In episode 45, licensed mental health counselor Charity Chaffee shares her top insights from day two of a specialized teen therapy conference. In this episode, we cover: 🎙️Rethinking Tech Use: Why it is more important to understand the how and why of a teen's screen usage rather than simply tracking their time limit. 🎙️Guides, Not Guards: Exploring presenter Chris Co...

Hey everybody, welcome back to episode 44 of Teens: No Cap! I’m your host, Charity Chaffee, a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts who specializes exclusively in treating teenagers. In this episode, I’m coming to you straight from Pennsylvania after an exciting Day 1 at the Teen Therapy Conference run by Katie Kates May. It's been a long day and I am tired, but I couldn't wait to shar...

Welcome back to Teens No Cap! I'm your host, Charity Chafee, a licensed mental health counselor specializing in teens and their families. Today, I am absolutely jazzed to welcome Jamie Roberts to the show! Jamie is a California-based LMFT who specializes in working with neurodivergent teens and young adults (ADHD, autism, learning differences, and anxiety). She joins us to discuss her incredible n...

Working with teenagers isn't the same as working with children or adults. Because of their unique brain development, teenagers are their own distinct clinical subspecialty. In Episode #40 of Teens: No Cap, licensed mental health counselor Charity Chaffee breaks down the critical standards of care required for working effectively with adolescents. If you want to offer better scaffolding and support...

Welcome back to Teens No Cap! In episode 39, we are tackling a heavy but crucial topic for March, which is Self-Harm Awareness Month. Self-harm is still a very taboo subject today, and there are many misconceptions about what it actually is. As a licensed mental health counselor specializing in high-risk teens, I want to share a different perspective on how we approach and treat self-injury. Here...

Is your health journey impacting your teen’s body image? In Part 2 of our deep dive into GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic and Wegovy), Charity Chaffee, LMHC, and Dr. Emily Gordon, Psy. D., explore the complex "spiderweb" of parenting while on a weight-loss journey. As GLP-1s become a cultural movement, many parents are left wondering: Should I tell my teenager?. In this episode, we discuss the "Gre...

Happy Friday! In this episode of Teens No Cap, host and licensed mental health counselor Charity Chaffee dives deep into the "lens" she uses in her specific practice: Harm Reduction. Many parents and providers struggle with the shift between childhood and teenhood, often defaulting to a demand for compliance. Charity explains why a "hard no" often backfires and how shifting the locus of control fr...

Is it "all in their head," or is something else going on? In this episode of Teens: No Cap, Charity Chaffee sits down with Destiny Davis, LPC, CRC, a specialist in counseling people with physical and mental disabilities. Together, they dive deep into the pervasive issue of chronic illness in teenagers—an often invisible struggle that is frequently misidentified as "just anxiety." In this episode,...

Welcome to our Valentine's Day chat on all things teen relationships! Whether you are a parent supporting your teen's first relationship or navigating the preteen dating years, this episode is for you. It can be tempting for parents to say, "No dating until college!". However, if teens don't date now, they often end up navigating their first serious relationships in college without the supervision...

In this powerful episode, Haley Moss—autistic attorney, author, and neurodiversity advocate—joins Teens Uncharted for a deep conversation about autism, neurodivergence, and supporting teens through self-discovery and advocacy. We explore: 🔹 The pressure to constantly achieve and how to enjoy the journey 🔹 Navigating autism and neurodiversity in school, work, and relationships 🔹 Parenting teens...

What do you do when your teen says they don't want to go to college? In this episode, host Charity Chaffee talks with Cathy Tallone, founder of The Non-College Blueprint: Finding Futures That Fit. They discuss how to navigate this pivotal decision without shame, build a practical and fulfilling alternative path, and support your teen's confidence, values, and network. Cathy shares her personal jou...

In this important first installment of a two-part series, Dr. Emily Gordon returns to Teens: No Cap to discuss the rise of GLP-1 medications and their impact on teen mental health, body image, and eating behaviors. We dive into the history of these drugs, their shift from diabetes treatment to widespread weight loss use, and the serious risks they pose for adolescent development. 🔍 In this episod...

🤔 It's the tough question every parent and educator wrestles with: Is your teen's IEP setting them up for success, or is it holding them back? In Episode 31 of Teens: No Cap, host Charity Chaffee sits down with Monica Trost—a school psychologist, educational psychologist, and parent advocate—for a raw, honest conversation about the fine line between support and enabling in special education. We g...

Welcome back to Teens: No Cap! In this episode, your host Charity Chaffee sits down with Gaby Diller, founder of Lotus Advocacy, to dive deep into the world of IEPs, student-led meetings, and effective collaboration between families, schools, and providers. We explore practical strategies for empowering students to take ownership of their education, how to foster productive partnerships with schoo...

Welcome back to Teens Uncharted! 🎙️ I'm your host, Charity Chafee, LMHC, a teen specialist and licensed mental health counselor. In this solo New Year's special, recorded on January 1st, 2026, we dive deep into why January through March is one of the most challenging times for teenagers. We discuss the perfect storm of post-holiday letdown, academic pressure, seasonal affective disorder, and few b...

Is your teen constantly exhausted, struggling with joint pain, or labeled as "lazy"? In this episode of Teens Uncharted, host Charity Chaffee sits down with therapist and mom, Becky Shaulis, to discuss the complex reality of raising a teenager with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Becky shares her personal journey of fighting for a diagnosis after realizing her daughter’s extreme flexibility and pain...