Got a teen? As you enter the world of parenting a teenager, there are a whole range of new parenting challenges to face. No longer are you worrying about bed wetting, tantrums or fussy eating… you now might need to support your child through more serious issues like self harm, eating disorders or school refusal. If you’ve got a teenager, it’s quite likely that you could be struggling to cope with some of the many new issues that are going on in their lives. Fortunately for us, help is out there. EPIC (Empowering Parents in Crisis) is a local service that provides peer support for parents and carers of teens facing challenges such as self harm, eating disorders, substance use, school refusal, ADHD and mental health concerns and criminal activity. To get an insight into these challenging teenage years, Rachel and Sarah sat down with Madeleine Steel, CEO of EPIC to learn about the issues that can come up, and how EPIC provides a safe space to support parents who are struggling to deal with situations. About Madeleine Steel Madeleine is CEO and cofounder of EPIC, a peer support organisation for parents and carers of young people. Madeleine is passionate about helping parents and carers navigate the challenges of raising teenagers, and provide them with the support they need to thrive.  Madeleine’s lived experience has led her to understand the importance of community connection in helping parents cope with the challenges they face. It is her belief that through peer support and sharing experiences and resources, parents/carers can learn from each other and build the resilience they need to best support themselves and their families. Madeleine is also a keen horticulturist, landscaper, designer, travel consultant, but her most treasured hat is mother to two wonderful teenagers. About EPIC (Empowering Parents in Crisis) Stressed? Isolated? Confused? Parents are first responders to their young people, and EPIC has been created to provide a supportive community that is safe, anonymous and nonjudgmental. Through EPIC, you’ll discover  ideas, strategies and resources to help you parent your teenager. Click here to join the EPIC Community to learn about upcoming events and to receive the newsletter. Click here to join the members-only private Facebook group. Essential Details: EPIC Phone: 0426 425 164Email: [email protected] | Facebook | Instagram