Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

What if grief isn’t something you “get over,” but something you learn to carry—without losing yourself in the process? In this powerful conversation, Colleen O’Grady talks with grief expert and widowed mom Krista St. Germain about what grief really looks like—beyond the outdated “five stages” idea. Krista shares her personal story of losing her husband suddenly and what she learned the hard way: g...

In this episode I interview Dr. Charles Sophy, author of FAMILY VALUES: Reset Trust, Boundaries, and Connection with Your Child . He is the medical director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and a regular contributor on the Dr. Phil show. Dr. Sophy has helped all kinds of families break harmful patterns. Based on his wealth of experience as a psychiatrist and as...

Does your teen wake up in the middle of the night overwhelmed with worries they can’t shut off? Have you noticed that everything feels so much bigger for teens at 2:00 AM than it does in the light of day? There’s been a surge in what experts are calling the “2 AM Spiral”—a late-night loop of overthinking fueled by screen time, academic pressure, social stress, and the natural sleep-cycle shift tha...

Our guest today is a wonderful human being and has so much well-earned wisdom to share with us in this episode and she is also a relatable and engaging writer. Which you can find in her recently published book, Mom Enough: Inspiring Letters for the Wonderfully Exhausting but Totally Normal Days of Motherhood. I love her viral quote: “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought...

Are you parenting a teen in a world that feels far more complex than the one you grew up in? What if understanding the adolescent brain could actually help your teen not just survive—but truly thrive? Today’s teens and young adults are growing up on a very different bridge to adulthood than previous generations. In this powerful and hopeful conversation, Colleen O’Grady sits down with Lisa M. Laws...

• Do you ever feel so burdened, overwhelmed, or stressed that hope feels out of reach? And do you wonder how to help your teens hold onto hope when life feels heavy—for them and for you? In this inspiring conversation, psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. Julia Garcia shares why hope isn’t something you passively wait for—it’s something you practice, one emotional habit at a time. Drawing from be...

Have you ever wondered why some conflicts deepen relationships while others tear them apart? What if the very moments that feel the most uncomfortable with your teen—or your partner—could become the doorway to more intimacy and trust? In this rich and eye-opening conversation, Colleen talks with Anna Lecat—researcher, author of Loving Conflict, intimacy consultant, and global speaker—about how con...

In todays show we talk about the importance of awe and wonder. Research reveals that the benefits of being awe-seekers is that you are more generous, curious, and more humble. Is the feeling of awe within our control or does it just happen unexpectedly? How do moms help their teenagers experience more awe? Listen as we discuss. Today’s guest is Deborah Farmer Kris. Deborah is an education journali...

Are you worried about how easy it is for your tween, teen, or college-age child to get alcohol, weed, vapes, or “wellness” gummies—and not sure where to even start the conversation? In this episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms of Teens, Colleen talks with Pam Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Pa...

Do you have a teen who feels everything deeply—who’s easily overwhelmed, deeply compassionate, or just needs more downtime than others? Have you ever wondered whether your child’s sensitivity is actually a superpower rather than a weakness? In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Judith Orloff, psychiatrist, empath, and New York Times bestselling author, joins Colleen O’Grady to explore how parents ca...

Are our daughters really prepared for today’s challenges? And how can moms balance protecting their girls’ innocence with preparing them for the real world? In this episode, I talk with Kari Kampakis, bestselling author, podcaster, and mom of four daughters, about her new book Is Your Daughter Ready? 10 Ways to Empower Your Girl for an Age of New Challenges. Kari shares wisdom from decades of pare...

Have you noticed your teen spending more time online but seeming more withdrawn in real life? Are you wondering if what your teen is experiencing is normal teenage behavior—or signs of something deeper, like loneliness? In this powerful episode, we dive into The Loneliness Epidemic in Teens. Research shows that about half of adolescents today report feeling lonely—and many experience this at least...

What if boredom is the birthplace of your teen’s creativity—and your sanity? And what if your own playfulness is the most powerful “parenting tool” you’re not using? In this episode, internationally recognized play designer and RISD professor Cas Holman (creator of the RIGAMAJIG and author of Playful) shows us why free play—play that’s freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivate...

When your teen snaps or shuts down, could anxiety be hiding underneath? What can you do—today—to support them without “fixing” them? Colleen talks with therapist and author Sophia Vale Galano, LCSW about recognizing teen anxiety (including surprising signs like irritability and anger), the biological and cultural drivers (from hormones to social media and admissions pressure), and what actually he...

Do you ever feel like stress is running your life? And are you worried about how stress is affecting your teen’s confidence and resilience? In this episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens, Colleen O’Grady welcomes stress expert Dr. Rebecca Heiss, author of Springboard: Transform Stress to Work for You. Dr. Heiss shares her powerful, research-backed approach to using stress as a source of...

Do you ever wonder how you can help your teen truly love themselves from the inside out? Or how you as a mom can stay grounded and respond from love instead of fear when your teen pushes your buttons? In this empowering episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens, Colleen O’Grady talks with Debra Beck, founder of Empowered Teens and Parents and award-winning author of My Feet Aren’t Ugly and...

Have you ever felt like you’re running on empty—giving everything to your family, your work, and your home, yet never feeling caught up? Do you wonder if balance is even possible for moms in today’s world? In this episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens, Colleen O’Grady talks with Tiffany Sauder about what it really means to redefine work–life balance. Tiffany shares her journey from burn...

Is your tween or teen suddenly refusing school—or saying they’re “sick” every morning? How do you tell what’s normal pushback versus a red flag that needs support? In this conversation, Colleen and pediatric psychologist Dr. Ariana Hoet unpack school avoidance—what it is, why it happens, and how moms can respond without escalating morning battles. You’ll hear how anxiety fuels avoidance (and why a...

Are your teens labeling themselves—“I’m just bad at math,” “I’ll never get this”? What if one small language shift could help them persist, problem-solve, and bounce back? In this conversation, we unpack Growth Mindset through the lens of real classrooms and real homes. We explore why praising “smart” backfires, how to swap outcome praise for process praise (effort, strategies, persistence), and h...

Want your teen to swap scrolling for soul-filling creativity? Curious how “mind-watching” (kids’ word for mindfulness) can calm thought-storms and build resilience? In this episode, Colleen talks with artist and youth-mental-health advocate Rafael McMaster, founder of Indivisible Arts. Rafael shares how a 30-minute “Fundamental Life Tools” practice—taught in kid language and paired with an hour of...

Have you ever wondered what kind of health information your teen is actually absorbing from TikTok, Instagram, or even AI chat tools? Do you know how to recognize—and gently disrupt—the misinformation that could be shaping your teen’s choices about their body and health? In this eye-opening conversation, I talk with Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, a family physician, health advocate, and mom of two girls...

What if you could shift your child’s behavior not with consequences, but with calm? What if the most powerful tool you have is love—biochemically speaking? In this eye-opening episode, Colleen O’Grady welcomes trauma and adoption expert Bryan Post to unpack the neuroscience behind stress and connection in parenting. Bryan explains how fear-based reactions (driven by cortisol) and love-based respon...

Are the words you're speaking building connection or creating distance with your teen? Could everyday phrases be unintentionally fueling your child’s anxiety or shame? In this heartwarming and eye-opening episode, Colleen O'Grady talks with Amy Hughes—mother of nine, writer, parenting coach, and author of the upcoming book Words Like Honey. Together, they explore the profound impact of the words w...

Are you worried that your relationship with your teen will fade once they leave home? Have you ever wondered what your role as a mom should look like once your child becomes an adult? In this powerful episode of the Power Your Parenting: Moms of Teens podcast, Colleen O’Grady is joined by seasoned therapist and executive coach Catherine Hickem to explore the often-overlooked transition between par...

In this episode I have a great conversation with Lisa Hinkelman, author of Girls Without Limits: Helping Girls Succeed in Relationships, Academics, Careers, and Life. Lisa has recently released her second edition of Girls Without Limits, Her first edition was published in 2013. Lisa and I talk about how much has changed for girls in the past ten years. Lisa raised a very important question. "What...