Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

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 energy and growth rather than something to avoid or suppress. She explains why trying to “calm down” often backfires, why stress can actually be a sign of meaning and purpose, and how parents can model healthier responses to stress for their kids.

With humor, science, and practical tools, Dr. Heiss breaks down her Fear Less Stress Formula—helping moms and teens recognize stress, reframe it as an adventure instead of an ordeal, and take small steps forward instead of freezing or avoiding. She also highlights how storytelling, mindset shifts, and psychological safety at home can empower both parents and teens to thrive.

1. Stress isn’t the enemy—it’s energy your body gives you to rise to challenges.

2. Stories shape outcomes—choose the one that best serves you and your teen.

3. Model the response you want—your emotional tone sets the “symphony” at home.

   Find out more at: https://rebeccaheiss.com

   Follow on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/drrebeccaheiss/

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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 What If Your Teen Isn’t the Problem?. Debra shares her own stories, practical tools, and compassionate wisdom for raising confident teens while staying steady as a parent in today’s fear-driven culture. Together they explore self-acceptance, social media’s impact, conscious parenting, and how to turn emotional triggers into opportunities for connection.

About Debra Beck
Debra Beck is a mentor, retreat facilitator, and bestselling author who has dedicated decades to helping families heal, reconnect, and thrive. Through her retreats, mentoring, and books, she empowers both teens and parents to shift from fear to love, building stronger relationships rooted in authenticity, compassion, and trust.

Takeaways

1. Model self-acceptance — Teens absorb how you speak about yourself, so practice compassion toward your own body and choices.

2. Shift from fear to love — Recognize when you’re triggered, pause, breathe, and return with calm energy before addressing your teen.

3. Guide through experiments — Instead of strict control, invite your teen to try small experiments (like putting their phone away) so they can feel the difference themselves.

   Find out more at: https://empoweredteensandparents.com/

   Follow on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/debra.beck.1806

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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 burnout to creating a sustainable rhythm where career, family, and self can thrive together. Through practical examples and honest stories, she helps moms understand how to clarify priorities, reduce guilt, and find peace in the middle of busy seasons.

Tiffany Sauder is a wife, mom of four daughters (ages 5 to 16), entrepreneur, podcast host, and keynote speaker. After years of chasing big dreams while burning out, she developed a new framework she calls “Life of AND”—where family, career, and self-care coexist in harmony. Tiffany now equips women to own the ordinary so they can unlock extraordinary lives, showing them how to be intentional, present, and ambitious without losing themselves.

1. Balance is alignment, not perfection — True balance happens when your time and money reflect your priorities and values, not when you split time evenly.

2. Get clear and intentional — Ask your kids what matters most to them, set boundaries, and let go of unnecessary guilt.

3. Outsource the ordinary — Don’t waste precious energy on tasks that can be delegated; save your time for connection, growth, and joy.

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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 avoidance strengthens anxiety), the power of gradual exposure and tiny “wins,” and how to get granular: identify the real barrier (safety fears, social stress, learning struggles, sleep/screens), co-create a stepwise plan, and partner with the school. They offer concrete scripts, role-plays, and motivation-finding questions so your teen feels both validated and capable—and you’re not stuck at 7 a.m. stalemates.

Dr. Ariana Hoet is Executive Clinical Director at the Kids Mental Health Foundation and a pediatric psychologist serving primarily immigrant families in primary care. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Pediatric Psychology/Neuropsychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University, training the next generation of behavioral health professionals. A trusted national voice, Dr. Hoit has been featured by USA Today, CNN, Good Morning America, and Newsweek. Her passion is translating research into practical, family-ready tools.

Three takeaways:

• Validate, then move forward: Empathize with the real feeling (“This is hard and scary”) and avoid the “just get over it” trap. Then use graduated exposure—tiny steps toward school—to shrink anxiety’s power.

• Get specific to solve: Pinpoint the blocker (safety fears, bullying, skill gaps, not knowing where to sit at lunch, sleep debt, screens, or possible learning differences). Specific problem → specific plan (role-play scripts, identify “safe people/places,” consider tutoring/evaluation, adjust sleep and tech).

• Build the village & motivation: Coordinate with teachers/counselors, connect your teen to belonging (clubs, teams, arts), and discover their reasons to go (friends, activities)—not just adult reasons like grades.

  Learn more at: https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/about/our-team/clinical-director

  Follow on Instagram at:

  https://www.instagram.com/kidsmentalhealthfoundation/?hl=en

  https://www.instagram.com/arianahoetphd/?hl=en

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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 how to make “not yet” part of your family vocabulary. We dig into the Pygmalion effect (kids rise to expectations), the line between Growth Mindset and toxic positivity, and why frustration is often the signal that learning is happening. You’ll leave with concrete scripts, dinner-table routines that normalize mistakes, and simple ways to turn goals into daily practice steps your teen can control.

Guest bio:
Annie Brock is a former high-school English teacher and library director turned learning-experience designer. A long-time advocate of Growth Mindset, she co-authored The Growth Mindset Coach (over 200k copies sold) and continues to write and speak on practical ways educators and parents can cultivate perseverance and love of learning. Annie lives in Kansas with her husband, Jared, and their two kids.

Three takeaways:

• Praise the process, not the person: Swap “You’re so smart” for “I can see the strategies you used and how hard you worked.”

• Make “not yet” a house word: Reframe “I can’t do this” to “I can’t do this yet,” then choose one next step.

• Normalize mistakes: Share your own flubs and fixes; make home the safest place to struggle, analyze what didn’t work, and try differently.

  Find out more at: anniemaebrock.com

  Follow Annie on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-brock-690889132/

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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 hands-on art—helps teens regulate emotions, focus, and reconnect with purpose. You’ll hear how peer mentorship supercharges buy-in, why phones naturally disappear when real-life creativity is compelling, and how gratitude “G-flips,” intention setting, and compassion turn chaos into clarity—at home, in school, and even for foster youth.

About the guest
Rafael McMaster is a creative director, photographer, and founder/CEO of Indivisible Arts, a nonprofit in LA County dedicated to cultivating one million conscious youth through art, mentorship, and practical mindfulness. His forthcoming book, Fundamental Life Tools, distills seven everyday practices—awareness (“mind-watching”), acceptance, intention, gratitude (“G-flip”), compassion, forgiveness/resentment work, and connection—developed with teens and used in after-school labs and high-school classrooms (including Da Vinci Rise). He also pilots Stream of Consciousness • Life, a teen-taught micro-lesson platform.

1. Teach the tool, then do the art. A short, concrete practice (“mind-watching”) before creative time helps kids notice thoughts instead of obeying them—lowering anxiety and boosting self-control.

2. Make IRL more interesting than the phone. When spaces are playful, social, and soulful (music studio, fashion lab, spray-paint alley), teens forget their screens—no rules required.

3. Prioritize the soul over performance. Reframe art as “the language of the soul.” When kids reconnect with joy, presence, and gratitude, grades, sports, and auditions become more tolerable—and often improve—without fear-based pressure.

Learn more at: https://www.indivisiblearts.org/

Follow Rafael at https://www.instagram.com/mcmaster.peace/

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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, about the growing trend of teens turning to social media and AI for medical advice. Dr. Bayo shares the most common myths circulating online—from misinformation about birth control and fertility, to supplements that can damage the liver, to dangerous over-the-counter products like kratom energy shots marketed as “natural.” She explains why teens are especially vulnerable to believing influencers who “look and sound like them,” and how parents can begin to disrupt these patterns. We also explore practical ways to equip our teens with critical thinking skills and strategies to advocate for their health—while giving moms tangible steps to reduce anxiety and stay informed.

Guest Bio:
Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, is a board-certified family physician, Medical Director of Urgent Care Clinics at St. Mary’s Health Network in Reno, Nevada, and a passionate patient advocate. Known as “Dr. BCW” on social media, she reaches millions through Instagram, TikTok, and her podcast Beyond Clinical Walls, where she helps families navigate healthcare and misinformation. A frequent guest on CNN and NBC, she also serves on the CDC’s National Community and Public Engagement Work Group and Nevada’s Patient Protection Commission. Drawing from her own journey of misdiagnosis, as well as her near-death experience during childbirth, Dr. Bayo brings both expertise and empathy as she empowers patients to take charge of their health.

Three Takeaways:

1. Not all information is credible—even if it sounds relatable. Teach your teen the difference between “accessible” and “trustworthy,” and remind them that not every influencer is a safe source of medical advice.

2. Ask questions instead of lecturing. When your teen believes something online, try asking, “What’s your plan if that doesn’t work?” to encourage critical thinking without sparking defensiveness.

3. Be proactive as a parent. Search what’s trending on TikTok or Google to get a glimpse of what your teen may be exposed to, and equip them with three essentials before leaving home: how to get medical help, what insurance they have, and what medications or allergies they must know.

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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 responses (driven by oxytocin) shape our children’s behaviors—and our reactions to them. Drawing from his own story as an adoptee, Bryan introduces the concept of “stress-sensitive children,” emphasizing that behaviors we label as “bad” often stem from unhealed trauma and unconscious grief. Through vivid stories and science-backed insights, Bryan offers simple, powerful shifts moms can make—starting with breathing—to transform stress into connection.

Bryan Post is one of the nation’s leading experts on child behavior, trauma, and adoption. An adoptee and former foster child himself, Bryan founded Fear to Love LLC and developed the Fear to Love Method, a neuroscience-based, love-focused approach to parenting children with challenging behaviors. He’s a therapist, speaker, and bestselling author of From Fear to Love and co-author of Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control. He is also the creator of Bondify the first AI-powered trauma-informed parenting support app.

1. All behavior arises from a state of stress. Underneath every meltdown or defiance is a nervous system overwhelmed by fear, often from unexpressed trauma or grief—sometimes passed down for generations.

2. Oxytocin is the antidote to cortisol. Just as stress creates fear-driven behaviors, connection creates calm. Nurturing relationships, not consequences, help regulate the brain.

3. Breathe first. Respond second. When parents slow down and breathe, they can shift their vibration from fear to love. That energy change alone can stop a four-year tantrum cycle in its tracks.

   Learn more at https://www.bryanpost.com/

   Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bryanpostofficial/?hl=en

   Check out https://bondify.ai/

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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 we speak to our children, especially during the teen and young adult years. Amy shares how common phrases like “hurry up” or “don’t be sad” can trigger stress responses in kids and how language rooted in fear or control can erode connection. Drawing from her own imperfect journey and deep experience as a mother, Amy introduces the “4 Rs” framework—Rethink, Replace, Reframe, and Repair—offering parents a path to more intentional and healing communication. The episode is a compassionate reminder that it’s never too late to choose grace-filled words that build trust and nurture faith.

Amy Hughes is a writer, speaker, and parenting coach based on California’s Central Coast. A mother of nine children ranging from toddler to 30 years old, Amy’s warmth, humor, and real-life parenting wisdom have made her a sought-after conference speaker. She’s a featured contributor to Wild + Free and has been published in Scary Mommy, Encourage, Christian Unschooling, and more. Her upcoming book, Words Like Honey: How to Avoid Unintentional Harm, Model Kindness, and Nurture Your Child’s Faith Through What You Say, is available wherever books are sold. Find her at simplelittleamy.com or on Instagram @simplelittleamy.

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Our words shape our children’s inner world. Phrases we say often—like “be careful” or “what’s wrong with you?”—can unintentionally trigger anxiety, shame, or self-doubt. Awareness is the first step to change.

2. Repair is always possible. Even if we’ve said the wrong thing in the past, taking ownership and apologizing can restore connection and model humility and growth.

3. Life-giving language builds trust. Instead of threats, comparisons, or venting, Amy encourages us to use specific encouragement, curiosity, and kindness to create lasting bonds with our teens and young adults.

   Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/simplelittleamy/?hl=en

   Learn More at https://simplelittleamy.com/

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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 parenting teens and maintaining connection with adult children. Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, Catherine shares hard-won wisdom about managing fear, adjusting expectations, and nurturing lifelong bonds. The conversation dives deep into the emotional complexities of this phase—highlighting why parents must do their own work, how fear can unintentionally drive adult children away, and what it truly means to support rather than control. With honest storytelling and practical insight, this episode is a must-listen for any mom navigating the “what now?” of the emptying nest.

Catherine Hickem is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, executive coach, and founder of the DASH Group. With over 40 years of experience helping families, leaders, and organizations navigate emotional complexity and transformational change, Catherine brings profound insight into relationships and leadership. A mother herself, Catherine is passionate about helping parents build strong, authentic connections with their adult children.

3 Key Takeaways:

1. It’s Never Too Late to Be a Great Parent – Repair and growth are possible at any stage, but it takes humility, emotional regulation, and a willingness to do your own work.

2. Let Go of Fear-Based Parenting – Adult children need confidence, not control. When we lead with fear, we risk damaging trust and closeness.

3. Support Looks Different Now – Ask your adult children, “How can I support you right now?”—and be willing to listen without fixing. That simple question builds safety and connection.

   Learn more at https://www.parentingadultchildrentoday.com/

   Follow at https://www.tiktok.com/@parentingadultchildren2d

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