Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

• # 325 Risky Behavior and the Teen Brain

  Are you worried your teen will experiment with alcohol, vaping, or other risky behaviors?Do you wonder how to have those crucial conversations without getting shut down—or tuned out? In this powerful episode, Dr. Crystal Collier joins Colleen to unpack the science behind teen decision-making, impulsivity, and risk. With compelling insights from her own story and decades of research, Dr. Collier explains how dopamine, brain development, and social pressure collide in the adolescent years. She shares how high-risk behaviors like vaping, binge drinking, and overusing tech can alter executive functioning—and what parents can do to help. From early prevention strategies to family code building, refusal skills, and brain-based praise, this episode offers actionable steps to help your teen thrive. Crystal Collier, PhD, LPC-S, is a therapist, prevention researcher, educator, and author of The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide and Know Your Neuro: Adventures of a Growing Brain children's book series. The Know Your Neuro prevention model was selected for the Prevention and Education Commendation from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Key Takeaways: You can prevent risky behavior—but it takes consistency, brain-based conversations, and setting a clear family code. Starting early (even in 3rd grade) is ideal, but it’s never too late to begin. Risky behavior alters brain development. Dopamine surges from vaping, drinking, or pornography can delay or damage the frontal lobe’s growth—impacting impulse control, empathy, and decision-making. Refusal skills matter. Teens are more likely to say yes when they haven’t rehearsed saying no. Helping your teen develop assertive or even humorous ways to resist peer and social media pressure is critical to their safety and confidence. Let your parenting be grounded in neuroscience—and empower your teen to protect their most valuable asset: their brain. Learn more at https://www.drcrystalcollier.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• # 324 Teens, ADHD, and Big Emotions

  Are you parenting a teen with ADHD and wondering why they seem so emotionally intense? Have you ever felt helpless watching your child spiral from rejection or frustration, unsure how to support them? In this deeply compassionate and eye-opening episode, Colleen interviews Jheri South—a mom of seven neurodivergent children, ADHD coach, and parent mentor—about the often overlooked emotional side of ADHD, especially Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). Jheri shares her raw and inspiring journey from being a single mom in survival mode to becoming an empowered advocate and guide for parents of neurodivergent teens. Together, they discuss why ADHD isn’t just about distractibility—it’s about difficulty regulating attention and emotion. Jheri explains how understanding the neurological wiring of ADHD can radically shift a child’s self-worth and a parent’s approach. She also unpacks how a simple coaching tool helped her son break through emotional paralysis—and why parents must do their own work to create a stable foundation for healing and growth. Jheri’s insights are grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise. She explains why many parents misinterpret emotional dysregulation as defiance, how girls often mask their symptoms, and why RSD episodes are not moments for discipline but for space and understanding. If you’ve ever wondered whether medication, coaching, or mindset work is the right path, Jheri provides a balanced, informed perspective—along with hope that your teen can thrive. 💡 Takeaways for Moms ADHD is not just about focus—it’s deeply emotional. Many kids (and adults) with ADHD struggle with rejection sensitivity and emotional swings that can look like laziness, disrespect, or defiance. Recognizing this rewires your approach from frustration to empathy. Connection matters more than perfection. Sherri emphasizes that building a relationship based on fun, love, and trust—not just academic success or behavior management—is what truly sustains teens, especially those with ADHD. Support starts with you. Parents who ask, “How can I do this better?” create a healing path forward. Your mindset, consistency, and willingness to understand your child’s brain can make the difference between chaos and clarity. Find out more at: https://jherisouth.com/ Follow Jheri at https://www.instagram.com/msjherisouth/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• # 323 Are Parental Controls and Screen Time Limits Working

  Are screen time limits really protecting your teen—or just giving you a false sense of security? And why do so many moms say, “My kid finally came back to themselves” after time away from their phone? In this powerful conversation with Claire Morell, author of The Tech Exit, we explore the real impact of smartphones and social media on our kids and why conventional parenting tools like screen time limits and parental controls often fall short. Claire shares her journey from policymaker to parent advocate and breaks down why the tech industry’s promises to families aren’t adding up. Instead of surrendering to tech as inevitable, Claire offers a radically hopeful and doable alternative: the “tech exit”—a smartphone-free and social media-free childhood. Backed by research and stories from families who’ve successfully made this shift, she reframes tech resistance not as deprivation, but as a profound gift of presence, imagination, and resilience. Takeaways Many parents try to moderate tech with time limits and parental controls, but these tools are often ineffective and misleading. Claire explains that screens act on the brain like addictive drugs, meaning moderation isn’t enough. She introduces her FEAST framework—Find families, Educate, Adopt alternatives, Set rules, Trade screens for real life—as a roadmap for reclaiming childhood from digital overwhelm. The most hopeful message? It’s never too late. Even if your teen is already hooked, a 30-day digital detox can reset your child’s brain, mood, and creativity. With courage, community, and practical strategies, your family can exit the tech trap—and flourish. Find out more at claremorell.substack.com Follow on X at https://x.com/claremorelleppc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• # 322 When Teens Need a Psychiatrist

  Are you worried your teen's anxiety, depression, or mood swings are more than just “normal teen behavior”? Have you ever wondered if psychiatric medication could actually help—but felt scared or unsure where to start? In this eye-opening episode, I speak with Dr. Paul Corona, a Southern California-based physician and author of The Corona Protocol. Dr. Corona shares why the traditional psychiatric model often falls short—and how his innovative approach combines mind and body medicine for faster, more effective healing. With over 30 years of experience, he explains how treating the root cause of mood disorders can change a teen’s life trajectory and even help prevent addiction, bullying, school shootings, homelessness, and suicide. We also dig into how to recognize when a teen needs psychiatric help, how medication really works, and why a diagnosis like ADHD doesn’t mean your child is “broken.” Here are three powerful takeaways from our conversation: Symptoms are signals. A drop in grades, irritability, or self-isolation may not just be stress—it could be an untreated mood disorder or anxiety that’s interfering with your teen’s functioning. Medication isn’t the enemy. When properly prescribed, medications don’t “mess up” your teen—they restore balance, relieve suffering, and often lead to rapid transformation. And no, it doesn’t always mean a lifetime prescription. You’re not a bad parent. Seeking help doesn’t mean you’ve failed. In fact, early intervention can change the course of your teen’s life—improving not just their mood, but their relationships, academics, and future well-being. Follow on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/drpaulcoronamd/ Learn more at: https://drpaulcoronamd.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• # 321 Is Your Teen College Ready

  Are you wondering if your teen is truly ready for college? Are you stressed about the admissions process, student debt, or helping your teen find their path? You're not alone—and this episode is here to help. In this inspiring and practical episode, Colleen interviews Shellee Howard, founder and CEO of College Ready. Shellee shares how her son’s big dream of going to Harvard launched her on a mission to help families get their teens into best-fit colleges—without going into debt. Drawing from both personal experience and years of expert consulting, Shellee explains what “college ready” really means (hint: it’s more about life skills than test scores). The conversation dives into passion projects, financial strategy, mindset shifts, and how to help your teen feel confident, not crushed, by the college admissions process. Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready and CR Future Now, a Certified Independent College Strategist, and a best-selling author. A member of HECA and SOFA, she helps students gain admission to their best-fit colleges—often debt-free. A sought-after speaker and consultant, Shellee has guided hundreds of students worldwide to top universities, ensuring they graduate debt-free and land jobs they love. One key takeaway? Help your teen articulate their own greatness. They often don’t know how to express what they’ve accomplished. Second, college readiness begins long before senior year—it’s about nurturing values, interests, and self-awareness. And third, parents can support without pushing by being strategic advocates who see the bigger picture. Whether your teen is a high-achiever or still figuring things out, this episode will give you tools to guide them forward. Learn more at: https://collegereadyplan.com/ Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/collegereadyplan/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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