Laurie and Nate Page are the therapists behind Northfield Dynamic Therapy. They met with us to talk through parenting over the transition to adulthood. In their practice, they specialize in working with young adults in college, particularly neurodiverse students. In our conversation, we talked more broadly about graduating, parenting young adults and creating some space for our newly minted grads to figure things out on their own. We hope you enjoy the conversation as ...

Dr. Jen Doty shares tips for parents based on the research on how to promote healthy technology use using the T.E.C.H. Parenting framework. She encourages parents to take a developmental appoach, restricting younger children, but taking a more conversational and active approach as children get older so they can learn to handle technology on their own as they become adults.

In this episode, Jen interviews Jess as a therapist to get her tips for strengthening relationships with teens. She suggests a dose of self-care and some practical advice for finding balance in parent-child interactions. As always, listening to Jess has a calming effect on the frayed nerves of a busy parent!

So many young people are walking away from faith in recent years. We invited Jonathan and Kara Sherman to talk with us about how to handle it when a child goes through a faith transition and how to keep parent-child relationships strong despite differing points of view. Jonathan is a marriage and family therapist and Kara has been a stay-at-home mom and a child advocate. They bring a wealth of personal and professional insight on this tender yet important topic.

Do you ever feel like you can't get your teen to talk with you? Dr. Jen Doty and clinical therapist Jess Peterson share seven tips based in research and therapy practices to get better at asking questions, affirming, and listening to your teens. These communication practices apply to any relationships. They remind us that even if we know all the rules, putting good communication into place takes mindfulness, intention, and a little bit of grace.

In this episode, Dr. Jen Doty and clinical therapist Jessica Peterson talk about toxic perfectionism. In a world that constantly holds up high expectations, it can be hard to be compassionate with ourselves when we slip up. When we practice letting go of perfectionism and learning from our mistakes, though, our kids see that and learn to do the same. Join us for a conversation about giving ourselves a bit of grace.

Meghan Decker joins us this week to share ways to support LGBTQ youth. She dives into some of the research and statistics but also shares her own life experiences and wisdom. To read Meghan's blogs and learn about her book Tender Leaves of Hope, visit her website at https://meghandecker.com/.

At the start of our second season, we talked with Tammy Hill, a relationship expert, about encouraging relationship skills in teens. She talks about changes in what teens face today, including dealing with ghosting and comparisons on the internet. She shares her compelling personal stories and tips for parenting teens and modeling relationship skills. Learn from more about her workshops and podcast, Live Your Why, at www.tammyhill.com.

We all look forward to summer, but do you ever find yourself pulling your hair out half way through? In this episode, Jen and Jess invited two special guests to talk through some tips on how to be intentional about enjoying bonding time with your family at home or on the road. Join them with their husbands, Matthew Doty and Lance Peterson, in a lively discussion on how to not just survive summer but savor it! Click in the link above for the new podcast episode!

In honor of father's day, this month we talk about fathers. Erin Holmes and Kevin Shafer, professors at Brigham Young University share their research on fathers. We had a great time talking about how fathers contribute to healthy development, stereotypes of fathers, and ways fathers can help build resilience. Erin and Kevin each shared some personal tips of what they have learned in their personal parenting journeys as well.

Julie Hillyard is the mother of three children ages 17 to pre-teen. Her middle child has intense special needs, and she shares her story of balancing it all. Her mission statement from her blog is one word—Inspire. She says, “Not that I think I'm inspiring. Rather, the word inspire, as coined by my dear friend and mentor, the late Stephen Covey, means "to breathe into" ....the goal is to look for the small victories as we will always find what we seek. And a series of small victor...

How can we increase teen's motivation internally rather than externally? While parents have a responsibility to set rules, limits, use rewards strategically and employ reasonable consequences, by the time teens leave the house, the hope is that they will be guided by an internal compass. So what can we do as parents to encourage that? Join us for a conversation about four evidence-based motivational interviewing principles.

Mark and Dianna Williams were the mission leaders of the Peru, Chiclayo Mission from 2014-2017. They sat down to talk with us about their experiences working with missionaries and gave some tips for preparing for a mission. We love that they were willing to share their challenges and adversities while serving as well. It was such a pleasure to talk with them and hear their perspectives on grace, love, and parenting. Enjoy!

In this month's podcast episode, Navigating Live Transitions, we visit with Dr. Michelle Marchant-Wood, an expert in behavior plans for children, a former BYU professor, and a mom navigating the ups and downs of living in a blended family. She is an amazing woman with an amazing story.

In this episode, we talk with Marsha Mark-Baird. As a social worker who has 20 years experience, she shares her perceptions of the main thing that has changed over that time period--namely technology. Jen & Jess follow up with a discussion on promoting healthy media use.

In this short episode, Jen and Jess discuss how to approach the holidays with flexibility and create new traditions as families with teens outgrow past traditions. They touch on how to focus on the purpose of the season and step back from the self-pressure we put on ourselves.

Meet Sarah Coyne, Professor at BYU's School of Family Life. Even though she's an academic, she's so fun to talk to! She studies the effects of media on families and parents from all sorts of fun angles. She's looked at the effects of princess culture (not so bad, it turns out). Currently, she's trying to understand body image in the LDS culture (which is influenced by media). She's not afraid to get real and talk about her own faith journey and parenting teens.

In this bonus episode, Jen and Jess discuss gratitude and the stress of the holidays from a clinical, research, and personal perspective.

Meet Sam and his mom, Katie. Sam recently gave an inspiring speech at his high school graduation and shared the experiences he’s had overcoming challenges due to having Tourette Syndrome. He is a Youth Ambassador for the Tourette Association of America and recently became a Rising Leader to train other Youth Ambassadors. He is also a Tourette Camp USA Counselor. In this episode, Sam and Katie talk candidely about their journey, from diagnosis through struggles early in high school, to a...

Our teens our facing a tidal wave of pressures, and as parents we often feel overwhelmed helping them navigate it all! We started this journey over five years ago, and for a long time we thought that meeting each week and talking about our research and clinical experiences around parenting was more of a therapuetic process just for ourselves. We're glad we get to share our discussions about parenting teens - it's a tough gig sometimes, and we could all use support!