Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

In this solo episode, I take you into my comments section, where a listener called my parenting content "snowflake." I use it as a doorway into what Positive Discipline actually looks like with tweens and teens — why kind AND firm isn't soft, why consequences don't build skills, and how curiosity under the iceberg shifts how we show up. If you're raising an adolescent and tired of the "kick in the butt" narrative, this episode is for you. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/ eps-652-soft-teens-or-snowflake-parenting/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this solo episode, I dig into what so many parents of teens wrestle with: rebuilding trust after your kid has hurt or scared you. I explore why hypervigilance is a trauma response and not a character flaw, the difference between earned trust and naive trust, why the body holds on even when our mind wants to move on, and how doing your own healing work matters as much as anything they do. Tender, real, and full of practical tools. Bio: Casey O'Roarty, M.Ed., is a Positive Discipline Lead Trainer, parent coach, speaker, and author of Joyful Courage: Calming the Drama and Taking Control of YOUR Parenting Journey. She's been supporting parents and families for over 20 years and hosts the Joyful Courage Podcast, where she holds space for parents of tweens and teens navigating the messy terrain of adolescence. She's the mom of two young adult kids and the captain of the adolescent ship at Be Sproutable. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-651-rebuilding-trust-with-our-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Teen sleep struggles are real — and they're not about laziness or bad parenting. In this episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Melissa Moore to unpack why adolescent sleep is so hard and what parents can actually do about it. We explore the circadian shift of adolescence, neurodivergent sleep challenges, and how to have conversations that build cooperation instead of conflict. If your teen's sleep schedule is driving you crazy, this one's for you. Dr. Melissa Moore is a clinical psychologist board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. She works at the Sleep Center at Rady Children's Health in San Diego and maintains a private practice serving children, teens, and young adults across the country, specializing in sleep, mood, and neurodiversity. She is the author of The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever watched your teen spiral into negative thinking and felt completely helpless — or worse, realized your response made it worse — this episode is for you. I sat down with certified youth life coach Anna Kashner to talk about teen life coaching, how it's different from therapy, and what's actually happening in your teen's brain when they catastrophize. Anna is warm, practical, and deeply experienced, and she left me (and will leave you) with real tools you can use starting today. Don't miss this one. GUEST BIO Anna Kashner is a certified youth and young adult life coach and executive function coach with over two decades of experience working with teens, young adults, and their families. Founder of Bolster Coaching, Anna supports young people ages 14–26 with motivation, executive functioning, academic success, friendships, and major life transitions. Her approach is rooted in unconditional positive regard, practical skill-building, and the belief that growth happens when young people feel truly seen and supported. She works in person in the Seattle area and virtually nationwide. Learn more at bolstercoaching.net or on Instagram @bolstercoaching. For more info and show notes go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-649-teen-coaching-with-anna-kashner/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I'm sitting down with the incredible Wendy Snyder of Fresh Start Family — and this conversation is good. We're talking about breaking painful generational cycles, the power of humility as a parenting superpower, and why releasing control actually works better in the teen years. Wendy shares her raw, honest journey from overwhelmed mom to leading educator, and we get into the real stuff: shame, nervous system patterns, and what a fresh start actually looks like when things have already gotten hard. Guest Bio: Wendy Snyder is a certified positive parenting educator, family life coach, and founder of Fresh Start Family. Through her podcast, courses, and coaching programs, she's helped thousands of parents ditch fear-based discipline and raise emotionally healthy kids. She is the author of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home, releasing May 19, 2026. For more info and show notes go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-648-parenting-with-humility-and-breaking-cycles-with-wendy-snyder/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've been feeling off lately (like me) — scattered, insecure, or like you've lost your footing — this episode is for you. In this solo show, I'm sharing what happened when I finally returned to my Soul Care practice after weeks away, and why intentional inner work is our most important foundation. I walk you through gratitude, affirmations, card pulls, and the mindset shifts that help me stay grounded as a parent and a person. This one is a reset. Come back to yourself. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-647-returning-to-our-soul-care/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever wondered why your "good kid" seems fine on the outside but distant, perfectionistic, or quietly falling apart — this episode is for you. I sat down with Maggie Nick, licensed clinical social worker and trauma therapist, to talk about what she calls "good kid" patterns: the relational shame that forms when kids learn to hide their messy, real selves to stay lovable. We dig into the check engine lights parents miss, why reassurance backfires, and what kids actually need to feel safe enough to show up as they are. Don't miss this one. Maggie Nick is a licensed clinical social worker, trauma therapist, and author of Good Kids: Why You Suffer in Silence and How to Break the Cycle. She helps parents and adults understand the roots of people-pleasing, perfectionism, and shame — and how to break generational cycles. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-646-getting-real-about-good-kids-with-maggie-nick/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you parenting from trust—or survival? In this episode I sit down with Debbie Simmons, mom of thirteen and leadership strategist, to explore the hidden defaults that hijack our parenting when pressure hits—control, silence, over-functioning, people pleasing. We talk about why being the "strong one" in your family might actually be costing you your health and your connection with your teen. Debbie shares her T.R.U.S.T. framework and we dig into how letting go of control opens the door to the relationship your teen actually needs from you. This one will shift something in you. About Debbie Simmons: Debbie Simmons is a keynote speaker, author, leadership strategist, and CEO of Anchor Point. Known as The Legacy Architect, she guides high-capacity leaders from success into significance through her Architecture of Trust framework. A mother of thirteen—four in heaven, nine through adoption—Debbie is the author of The Heart of Legacy and creator of The Vision Day Experience. Learn more at thedebbiesimmons.com. Find out more and see the show notes at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-645-parenting-from-trust-with-debbie-simmons/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever promised yourself you'd respond differently to your teen—and then found yourself right back in the same reactive loop—this episode is for you. I sat down with somatic educator and counselor Layne Burkette to explore why parenting teens is a physical experience, not just a mental one. We dig into how your own teenage wounds show up in your parenting today, and Layne guides us through several live somatic practices you can use right now. Your nervous system is the key to everything. Layne Burkette is a counselor, somatic educator, yoga psychology and meditation teacher, author, and mother of four. She helps overwhelmed parents regulate their nervous systems so they can respond with calm, clarity, and connection during the tween and teen years through her simple Breathe, Move, Heal framework. Find show notes and more at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-644-teen-triggers-healing-with-layne-burkette/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money talk on a parenting podcast? Yes — because financial stress shows up in our relationships with our teens whether we acknowledge it or not. In this episode I sit down with financial planner Lori Atwood to explore why so many of us avoid looking at our finances, how that avoidance leaks into our parenting, and what we can actually do about it. We dig into allowance, buyer's remorse as a teaching tool, prioritizing when college costs feel crushing, and how to model a healthier relationship with money for our kids. This one is practical, honest, and long overdue. Guest Bio: Lori Atwood, CFP® is the founder and CEO of Fearless Finance, a virtual financial planning firm offering expert, fiduciary, hourly guidance with no sales, no minimums, and no judgment. With over 25 years in finance — from investment banking and private equity to one-on-one planning — Lori is passionate about helping families feel empowered rather than stressed about money. She's also a parent of a teen, so she gets it. For more info and show notes, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-643-fearless-finance-with-lori-atwood/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I'm unpacking the unintended results of punishment, and why it isn't helpful with teenagers — and what actually is. We dig into the adolescent brain science behind why our kids make impulsive choices, why consequences are often just punishment in disguise, and how focusing on solutions builds the critical thinking skills our teens actually need. If you've ever wondered what to do instead of grounding, lecturing, or taking the phone away, this one's for you. Come listen and let's shift the mindset together. Casey O'Roarty is a parent coach, positive discipline lead trainer, speaker, and author of Joyful Courage: Calming the Drama and Taking Control of YOUR Parenting Journey. With over 20 years of experience supporting families, Casey specializes in helping parents of tweens and teens build connected, skill-based relationships through her membership program, coaching, and the this podcast. For more show notes and info go to https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-642-skip-the-punishment-focus-on-solutions/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm diving deep into what happens when we release others—including our teens—to their own journeys. As parents, we hang on so tight, resisting what scares us, but what we resist persists. I'm sharing my own messy middle of personal growth work, walking through the five principles of Positive Discipline from a radically honest place about marriage, parenting teens, and the hardest truth: our wellbeing is an inside job. If you're navigating the push-pull of adolescence while doing your own inner work, this episode is for you. Guest Bio: This is a solo episode with Casey O'Roarty, Parent Educator, Positive Discipline Lead Trainer, and host of the Joyful Courage podcast. Casey has over 20 years of experience supporting parents of tweens and teens through her coaching practice, Be Sprout­able, and her Living Joyful Courage membership program. Find more show notes and info at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-641-well-being-is-an-inside-job/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feeling like you're living with a wildfire instead of just putting out fires with your teen? In this solo episode, I explore why traditional discipline approaches fail when relationships are ruptured, and introduce the concept of a "relationship reset" - an energetic cast that gives both you and your teen space to heal. Learn how disengaging with love (not indifference) can restore influence, rebuild trust, and create the connection your struggling teen desperately needs. This is a solo episode with Casey O'Roarty, parent educator, Positive Discipline lead trainer, and host of the Joyful Courage podcast. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-640-relationship-reset-with-your-teen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with psychotherapist and Positive Discipline expert Alyson Schafer to explore how we can support our teens through today's turbulent political climate. We discuss Alfred Adler's vision for raising cooperative citizens, reading our kids' stress signals, using curiosity over lectures, and helping teens move from doom-scrolling to meaningful action. If you're struggling to hold space for your teen's big feelings about current events while maintaining hope for the future, this episode is essential listening. Guest Bio: Alyson Schafer is a psychotherapist, bestselling author, and one of the leading voices in Positive Discipline and Adlerian psychology. She has written multiple books including Breaking the Good Mom Myth and Ain't Misbehavin', and her work has helped families worldwide move from power struggles to cooperation. Alyson hosts her own podcast and runs child guidance programs rooted in democratic parenting principles. She lives in Canada and continues the legacy of Adlerian psychology through her international community work. For more show notes and info at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/politics-and-parenting-with-alyson-schafer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I recently sat down with Kevin Dahill-Fuchel to explore what's really happening with teens' mental health today and why traditional models aren't enough. We discussed the crisis of isolation among adolescents, how schools can become centers of healing, and the critical importance of adults modeling healthy relationships. Kevin shares powerful insights about meeting kids where they are, making suicide a speakable word, and why staying present with our teens—even when they push us away—matters more than ever. If you're wondering how to support your teen's mental health while managing your own overwhelm, this conversation offers hope and practical wisdom. Kevin Dahill-Fuchel is the Executive Director of Counseling in Schools, a pioneering organization that embeds mental health professionals directly into New York City public schools. With over 30 years of experience, Kevin has led his organization through major collective traumas including 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and COVID-19, evolving their model to provide comprehensive community-wide support that now serves over 6,700 students, nearly 2,000 families, and 1,400 school staff across 52 schools. His healing-centered, anti-oppressive approach recognizes emotional and social wellbeing as foundational to student success. Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-638-school-based-mental-health-solutions-with-kevin-dahill-fuchel/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I sat down with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a neuroscientist who's worked with over 1,000 schools globally, and what he shared about educational technology absolutely validates what so many of us have been feeling. After reviewing six decades of research, Jared reveals how ed tech actually undermines our kids' learning—and why COVID didn't change that. Dr. Horvath earned his doctorate from University of Melbourne and master's from Harvard, and he breaks down the neuroscience of why analog learning beats digital every time. If you've felt uneasy about your teen's screen-based schoolwork, this conversation will empower you to push back. Listen now. For more about the guest and show notes, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-637-dr-jared-horvath-edtech-harms-learning/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm starting 2026 at the heart of everything I teach: the shift from problem-focused to possibility-focused parenting. This solo episode dives deep into the work I've been doing with parents for nearly 20 years—understanding why your tools disappear when emotions run high and what actually bridges that gap. I'll unpack the neuroscience of focus, share the embodiment practices that ground my approach, and explain why self-regulation isn't just another task—it's the core of transformation. This isn't about New Year's resolutions or fixing your teen. It's about the daily practice of becoming the parent you want to be, one intentional moment at a time. For full show notes and more, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-636-create-dont-correct-in-2026/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this solo episode, I'm getting real about navigating the holiday break with your teen. I'll walk you through the both/and of this season—how to hold hope and anxiety at the same time, including the grief that might be present. We'll explore how break is actually a low-stakes laboratory where teens practice essential life skills like managing unstructured time and problem-solving boredom. I'm sharing powerful language shifts that move you from exhausted cruise director to connected partner, plus a three-part gratitude practice to close the year with intention. If you're feeling anxious about break, this episode offers encouragement and practical tools. For show notes and more info go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-635-winter-break-with-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this powerful replay from last year, I team up with my business partner Julietta Skoog and the incredible Dr. Shefali to reframe everything you think you know about the holiday season. We explore how to stay present with yourself and your teens when expectations run high and chaos feels inevitable. I guide you through grounding practices, Julietta shares practical strategies for involving your kids meaningfully, and Dr. Shefali delivers her signature perspective-shifting wisdom about cultural expectations. If you're feeling overwhelmed by holiday pressure or worried about family dynamics, this conversation will help you reclaim your power and actually enjoy this season. Guest Description Julietta Skoog, a Positive Discipline trainer and our early years lead and parent coach at Sproutable. She has spent extensive time in schools as a school counselor and school psychologist. She’s a sought after expert facilitating parents and educators world-wide. Julietta practices what she preaches with her own three kiddos. Dr. Shefali Tsabary received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia University. She specializes in the integration of western psychology and eastern philosophy, bringing together the best of both worlds for her clients. She is an expert in family dynamics and personal development, teaching courses around the globe. Dr. Shefali’s written four books, three of which are NYT best sellers, including “The Conscious Parent” and “The Awakened Family.” Find more info and show notes at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-535-holiday-presence-connection-with-dr-shefali/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During this week's solo show, I am digging back into one of the biggest parenting struggles: the illusion of control. As a parent educator with nearly 20 years of experience, I'm breaking down why trying to control our teens backfires and how shifting to influence transforms everything. Learn why getting out of your teen's way doesn't mean permissive parenting, how to move from the driver's seat to the passenger seat, and why relationship-centered parenting beats rewards and consequences every time. If you're struggling with power struggles, school avoidance, or screen time battles, this episode offers a completely different approach that actually works. For more show notes and info go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-332-solo-show-the-challenges-of-giving-up-control-with-our-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices