Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

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 a father, Dr. Sophy assures every parent: “No matter how complicated life gets or how off course your family dynamics become, it’s never too late to hit the reset button and move forward with confidence, love, and authenticity, with your family values leading the way.”  For more information on Dr. Charles Sophy: ⁠https://drsophy.com/⁠. Follow on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sophyonthestreet/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 that happens during adolescence. In this episode, Colleen talks with therapist Kevin Logie about what’s really happening in teens’ brains during these late-night spirals, why sleep deprivation intensifies anxiety, depression, and irritability, and how parents can respond with more curiosity and less control. You’ll learn why this isn’t “teen drama,” how phones and lack of downtime play a major role, and practical, compassionate strategies to help teens regulate, reset, and sleep better—without turning bedtime into a nightly battle. Kevin Logie is an associate therapist who brings creativity, warmth, and flexibility to his work with children, tweens, teens, and families. With a background in the arts and improv, Kevin blends narrative and person-centered therapy with evidence-based tools such as CBT, EMDR, ABA, and mindfulness practices. He specializes in helping clients rewrite unhealthy narratives, build emotional awareness, and develop resilience. Kevin is also a dad to a 12-year-old son, bringing both professional insight and lived experience into his work. 🌱 Three Key Takeaways for Moms 1. The 2 AM Spiral is biological, not behavioral. Teens’ brains are still under construction, and late-night exhaustion weakens emotional regulation—making worries feel catastrophic at night. 2. Phones intensify spirals, but connection matters. Instead of harsh phone rules, collaborative wind-down routines and advance warnings help teens disengage without feeling controlled. 3. Regulation beats resolution at 2 AM. Late night isn’t the time to solve problems. Gentle tools like breathing exercises, body scans, calming sounds, and mindfulness help teens settle their nervous systems and return to sleep. Follow The Mood Tools https://www.instagram.com/themoodtools/ Learn more at: https://moodtools.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are living." Our guest today Rachel Marie Martin is the founder of the social media community Finding Joy™, author of both Mom Enough and The Brave Art of Motherhood, and a founding partner in Audience Industries – a company designed to train and equip entrepreneurs in their ventures. Her articles have been translated into over 25 languages, her site reaches millions of visitors per month and she has a robust, engaged Facebook community. Her content has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Today Show, PopSugar, Motherly, and many more. She speaks worldwide encouraging moms and entrepreneurs to live each day with purpose and drive. Beyond that, she’s a mom to seven and calls Nashville, Tennessee, her home. Follow Rachel Marie on Facebook at ⁠https://www.facebook.com/findingjoyblog⁠ Find out more at: ⁠https://findingjoy.net/author/rachel-marie-martin/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Lawson, President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and author of Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children. Together, they explore how adolescent brain science—now understood to extend into the mid-20s—can transform the way parents guide, support, and relate to their teens. Lisa invites us to see teens through a lens of possibility rather than problems and introduces five essential “cables” that hold up the bridge of adolescence, from connection and education to financial stability and youth leadership. This episode is both deeply reassuring and incredibly practical for moms who want to widen the bridge for their teens and help them grow into resilient, confident adults. Lisa M. Lawson is the President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she leads national efforts to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. Since stepping into the role in 2019, she has championed bold initiatives such as Thrive by 25, focusing on the wellbeing of Generation Z ages 14–24. Prior to becoming CEO, Lisa served as Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer overseeing all grantmaking strategies, and as Vice President of External Affairs, where she led development of the KIDS COUNT Data Book. Before joining the foundation, she spent 14 years at UPS in senior leadership roles, including President of the UPS Foundation. She is also the author of Thrive, a hopeful and science-based guide to understanding adolescence. ⭐ Three Takeaways for Moms Teen behavior isn’t defiance—it’s development. Impulsivity, emotional intensity, and peer influence are signs of a brain under construction, not bad character. Parents often serve as their teen’s “borrowed prefrontal cortex”—and explaining why decisions matter helps teens learn how to think, not just what to do. Widen the bridge instead of turning it into a tightrope. College, careers, sports, and interests don’t have to be high-stakes, one-shot decisions. Teens thrive when they’re allowed to explore, pivot, and learn by doing—building confidence and resilience along the way. Connection is the strongest protective factor. Teens don’t need perfect parents—they need consistent, caring adults. One solid relationship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Parenting was never meant to be done alone; it truly takes a village. Learn more at: https://www.aecf.org/people/lisa-lawson Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/annieecaseyfdn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• 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 behavioral science, storytelling, and her own lived experience, Dr. Garcia reveals the five habits that help us navigate difficult emotions, interrupt cycles of overwhelm, and reconnect with a grounded sense of worth and possibility. She speaks directly to the silent struggles so many moms carry—the shame, pressure, worry, and emotional load that can eclipse hope—and offers a compassionate, practical roadmap for finding your way back to yourself. This episode will help you cultivate hope in your own life and model it for your teens, young adults, and entire family. Dr. Julia Garcia is a psychologist, author, and internationally recognized speaker dedicated to empowering people through the science of mental health and emotional wellbeing. For nearly twenty years, she has helped educators, students, business leaders, families, and individuals navigate fear, doubt, burnout, and hopelessness by building sustainable habits of healing. Her book, The Five Habits of Hope, blends neuroscience, emotional practice, and real-life stories from people around the world to show that hope is not merely a feeling—it’s a daily discipline. Whether through her TEDx talks, interactive workshops, or national presentations, Dr. Garcia’s mission is to make the tools of hope accessible for everyone. Three Takeaways for Moms of Teens and Young Adults 1. Hope is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait You don’t have to feel hopeful to begin cultivating hope. Each of the five habits—reflection, risk-taking, release, receiving, and repurposing—creates a pathway back to emotional regulation, self-worth, and grounded optimism. 2. Your Feelings Don’t Make You Weak—They Make You Real Emotions leads to overwhelm, burnout, and disconnection. Naming what you’re struggling with, taking emotional risks, and receiving support strengthens your resilience and helps your teen see that emotional honesty is part of wellbeing. 3. Your Kids Need to See Who You Are, Not Just What You Do When your teens witness you engaging in passion, joy, creativity, rest, advocacy, and purpose—not just managing logistics and meeting expectations. Repurposing your emotions into something meaningful teaches them that hard things can lead to beautiful outcomes. Learn More at: https://www.drjuliagarcia.com/habitsofhope/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjuliagarcia/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices