Ana has devised a very successful parenting programme that walks parents through how to help and support their teen through depression and mental health issues. Ana is a trained psychologist who struggled with her own mental health and health issues and in this episode, we talked about her desire to help parents and teenagers, her methodology and her philosophy on life. Ana teaches parents what she calls, The Game of Life. Her belief is that if we, as parents, work through her guided steps...

In my second interview with Richard, we wanted to look at how the pandemic had affected young people in regards to their drug and alcohol use, and how that has impacted the rise in mental health illnesses we are witnessing across the globe. We also talked about the differences in the ways that girls and boys misuse substances and how we as parents and adults should start a conversation with them about the dangers and long-term effects of drug use on the developing brain. --- Send in a...

I was honoured and delighted when Harshil reached out to me and asked if we could do a follow up podcast interview on his journey with self-harm and depression. It’s a year ago since we recorded our first conversation and now, at 16, Harshil has matured into a lovely, well-rounded and intelligent young man grappling with the complexities of like just like all of us.  Harshil's story gives us hope because he openly discusses his relapses into self-harm and how he can still get triggered, but...

The earlier parents can start a conversation with their child about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and it's effects on the developing brain, the better. That's why I was so pleased to interview Richard Capriola, an addiction counsellor, who has just written a book called "The Addicted Child". In this episode we discuss how to spot signs of addiction, how to have a conversation with our teen about substance misuse and how to get help for them and also where, as a parent, you can look for...

In this episode, we conclude my conversation with Aaliyah. The journey picks up with Aaliyah, aged 19, having left home and now living in a large room with her girlfriend and her girlfriend's boyfriend and baby. Aaliyah leaves and ends up in an abusive and violent relationship managing to escape with her life. From there she becomes pregnant with a guy she went out on one date with. Its quite a rollercoaster of a story which brings us to the present day where Aaliyah is now living in the UK...

In this episode, it's a two-conversation that I had with Aaliyah, a young woman who talks very openly and candidly about what life was like growing up in the States. Aaliyah was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 2 and, in her own words, her life starting spiralling downwards from that point on. She moved from school to school, across different parts of the country, experienced bullying everywhere she went, got herself into situations that made her already difficult life even more...

In this episode, I talk with Gladys about her work as a coach helping working moms in the corporate world master the complexities of being a parent and the demands of a job.  Getting the balance right isn't easy and we referred to it as a 'blend' where the one role merges with the other and becomes inseparable. So sometimes we find ourselves doing more parenting and at other times our executive role demands more of our attention. In the mix was, of course, how we need to remain mindful of...

In this episode I talk to Carolyne about her years of going through depression and alcohol addiction. We talked about the impact of growing up with emotionally unavailable parents and how that affected her life from a very young age. Carolyne spoke about the importance of having an accountability buddy to check in with and to call whenever she's struggling. An important message to all of us about the damage we could be doing to our children, unintentionally, because we don't know how to love...

In this episode, I talk to Fern about parenting and how to built a better relationship with your teenager by setting firm boundaries and communicating effectively.

In this episode, I talk with Cecilia who gives a grandmother’s perspective on self-harm and how we can reconnect with our families in a positive way. Cecilia also talks about ways in which grandparents can offer their support.

In this episode, I talk with Claire about her Parenting Apart Programme and how she helps parents, who are divorcing, to work out the best solution for their children once they are no longer sharing a home together. This can be such a traumatic time for the children and it’s Claire’s job to get the parents to agree on a plan that suits their children’s need first and foremost.

In this episode, we learn about Nathalie’s story and how she overcame her struggles as a 13 year old self-harming. It’s a story of hope and shows us that, as dark as those times might seem, there is a way out of the darkness.

In this episode, I talk to Jonathan about dealing with mental health and teenagers within the school environment and how much teachers are able to help and provide support to the children in their care.

In this episode, I talk with Beth a social worker and probation officer who devoted her life to working with troubled teenagers and young people. Beth was also my life coach and she helped me put my life back together and became a good friend.

A weekly series for parents with teenagers who self-harm and are looking for help and support.