Teens: No Cap

What if the anxiety we're seeing in teens isn't actually the whole story? Sometimes what looks like anxiety is sitting on top of ADHD, autism, AuDHD, or a nervous system that simply had too much. In Episode 70 of Teens Uncharted, host Charity sits down with Dr. Ivy Horan, DSW, LCSW, to explore the underlying factors of adolescent anxiety and neurodivergence. Drawing from over 13 years of experienc...

In Episode 69 of Teens Uncharted: the Pod, host Charity Chaffee sits down with Oklahoma City-based licensed clinical social worker Laura Jacobs to discuss the nuances of doing authentic therapy with adolescents. Laura shares her personal journey through teen mental health struggles and how it inspired her 21-year career in the field. In this episode, we cover: 🔹 Using Pop Culture in Session: How...

Have you ever had a brilliant, articulate teen in your office who can explain exactly why they do what they do, but absolutely cannot stop doing it? In Episode 68 of Teens Uncharted: the Pod, Charity sits down with Emily Yi, LCSW, owner of Jacksonville Creative Therapy, to discuss the nuances of working with bright, neurodivergent, and emotionally intense adolescents. Emily shares why traditional...

If you work with or raise a neurodivergent teen, you know that finding the right support can be challenging. In Episode 67 of Teens Uncharted: the Pod, host Charity Chaffee sits down with Dr. Diane Hudson. Dr. Hudson is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and former school psychologist who specializes in helping older autistic kids, teens, and their people. Dr. Hudson breaks down why so many...

What if the very things that make a teenager feel "weird" are the exact traits we should be protecting? In episode 66 of Teens Uncharted: The Pod, host Charity Chaffee sits down with author Cynthia Baseman to discuss her new young adult novel, Weirdos Welcome. Drawing from her personal experiences raising neurodiverse sons and witnessing her niece's journey with a late diagnosis, Cynthia explores...

Raising teenage girls can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, especially when you are simultaneously navigating your own hormonal changes like perimenopause. In Episode 65 of Teens Uncharted, host Charity Chaffee sits down with pediatric nurse, seasoned dance mom, and author Amy Young to discuss the reality of the mother-daughter relationship. Drawing from 18 years in a pediatric office and her...

If you've ever sat across from a teen who is completely checked out on the therapy couch, you know that just talking about trauma doesn't always cut it. In Episode 64 of Teens Uncharted: the Pod , host Charity Chaffee sits down with Nick Bremer , a pre-licensed therapist based in Michigan who is completely flipping the script on somatic work. Nick is certified in trauma-informed weightlifting and...

If you work with teens, you know that therapy does not happen in a vacuum, and eventually, school will enter the chat. In Episode 63 of Teens Uncharted, licensed mental health counselor Charity Chaffee dives into the complexities of school collaboration during the back-to-school season. As requested by our listeners, this episode explores how therapists, parents, and school professionals can commu...

In Episode 62 of Teens Uncharted, licensed mental health counselor Charity Chafee tackles an unspoken reality in the field: getting abruptly fired by your teen clients. Rather than letting a sudden termination trigger imposter syndrome or financial panic, this episode explores how to process the experience and use it to become a better clinician. In this episode, we cover: 🎧 Why being fired is an...

Welcome back to the very first episode of our newly rebranded podcast, Teens Uncharted the Pod! Whether you have been here since the beginning or are just tuning in, we are so happy to have you for the Season 2 premiere. This podcast is dedicated to discussing teens through the lens of the professionals who work with them, including therapists, social workers, doctors, and coaches. In this episode...

Welcome to Episode 60 of the Teens: No Cap Podcast! I can't believe we've made it to 60 episodes, and to celebrate, we have some massive announcements. This episode marks the official finale of our "No Cap" era, as we are shifting gears and rebranding to Teens Uncharted the Pod starting next season. Thank you to all the wonderful guests who have shared their expertise and helped this community gro...

In Episode 59 of Teens: No Cap, host Charity Chaffee sits down with mental health professionals Justyna Wolek and Reagan Webb to explore the realities of the juvenile justice system. Drawing from their clinical experience at youth correctional facilities—including the McLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Oregon—Justyna and Reagan shed light on the systemic challenges and chronic dysregulation th...

Welcome to episode 58 of Teens: No Cap, hosted by licensed mental health counselor Charity Chaffee! In this episode, Charity is joined by Dr. Terry Rousseau, publisher Alexia Melocchi, and editor Heidi Stangeland to discuss the creation and powerful message behind their new children's novel, Jenna Finds a Dog. Originally written as a screenplay by Terry during the COVID-19 lockdown, the story was...

Welcome back to episode 57 of Teens: No Cap! Today, host Charity Chaffee, LMHC, sits down with Sarah Haugh, an LMHC based in Topsfield, MA who specializes in anxiety and trauma. In this episode, Charity and Sarah dive deep into the complexities of "school avoidance" —a term Sarah prefers over the pathologizing labels of "school refusal" or "truancy." In this episode, we cover: 🎙️ Why terms like "t...

Welcome back to another episode of Teens: No Cap! In episode 56, host Charity Chaffee, a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts, sits down with the amazing Yasmin Miranda. Yasmin is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania who specializes in working with teenagers and young adults. In this episode, they dive deep into the incredible value of bringing a t...

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...