Parenting Anxious Teens

A podcast created to support parents navigating teen anxiety with clarity, compassion, and confidence - helping you feel less alone and more grounded as you support your teen.

Here’s what you’ll discover:

  • A deeper understanding of what’s happening beneath your teen’s anxiety and behaviour

  • Practical, real-life strategies to support emotional regulation and confidence at home

  • Insights and guidance from expert guests

  • Small but powerful shifts in language and approach to reduce anxiety and build independence

  • Ways to create a more connected, supportive home environment

79 | Supporting Your Teen and Yourself After the Loss of a Parent with Grief Expert Krista St-Germain

Hi Parents!

Today I sit down with Krista St-Germain to explore the tender, complex reality of supporting a teen through the loss of a parent while also navigating your own grief. Krista is a Master Certified Life Coach, widow, and host of The Widowed Mom Podcast, and her work has helped thousands of women rebuild their lives with compassion, self-trust, and hope after profound loss.

Krista and I dig into where the familiar “five stages of grief” came from and why they were never intended to describe how real people move through loss. We talk about what grief often looks like behind closed doors, how widowhood can reshape your identity, and why learning to trust your emotional process is such an essential part of healing. Listen Now

78 | Parenting Strong-Willed Kids with More Connection and Less Conflict with Mary Van Geffen

Hi Parents!

In today’s episode, I sit down with international parenting coach Mary Van Geffen to talk honestly about what it means to raise a strong-willed child or as Mary playfully calls it, Parenting A Spicy One. If you have a child who feels everything deeply, pushes back hard, or seems immune to traditional strategies, this conversation will feel like a breath of relief.

Mary and I explore what truly defines a Spicy One and why their behaviour can look so different from their peers. We get into why classic discipline often backfires and what actually helps them feel safe, seen, and cooperative. Mary also explains what’s happening beneath the surface during intense moments and how parents can stay calm, kind, and firm even when emotions escalate. Listen Now

77 | Is Grad School Worth It? Helping Your Teen Navigate Life After University

Hi Parents!

In this episode, I’m unpacking a question so many teens, young adults, and parents are quietly wrestling with: Is grad school actually worth it, or is it just the next step everyone feels pressured to take?

We talk about why this stage can feel so overwhelming, especially for young adults who have been in school their entire lives and suddenly feel the same pressure they experienced when choosing universities in high school, only now the stakes feel bigger. I explore the emotional and financial cost of making decisions from confusion, why teens often default to grad school out of fear or familiarity, and how to help your young adult slow down long enough to get clear about what they actually want.

I also open up about my own journey - why even at 29 I’m still figuring out my path, and why not having everything mapped out in your early twenties is completely normal. Listen Now

76 | Talking to Your Teen About Sex Without the Stress with Amy Lang

Hi Parents!

Conversations about sex can be one of the most anxiety-triggering moments in parenting, and that goes for both parents and teens. Many parents worry about how to start, what to say, or how to make sure their teen feels comfortable and heard.

In this episode, I’m joined by Amy Lang, founder of Birds & Bees & Kids and a certified sex educator with nearly two decades of experience helping parents navigate these conversations with confidence. Together, we explore why starting conversations about sex early helps build trust and open communication that lasts a lifetime. Amy shares simple, honest ways to approach “the talk” with calm and humor, how to respond when your teen feels anxious or shuts down, and ways to teach boys about respect and consent.  Listen Now

75 | How Mindful Affirmations and Small Habits Create Big Change with Author Michelle Maros

Hi Parents!

If you’ve ever felt like your days are packed with responsibilities but your mind never truly rests, this episode will help you discover small, grounding rituals that bring calm back into your life and your home.

I’m joined by Michelle Maros, cofounder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life and co-host of the Life Happens podcast. Michelle’s work centers around helping people find happiness and peace through mindfulness, compassion, and meaningful daily practices. She’s also the author of Dear Friend, a heartfelt collection of reflections and affirmations to help readers reconnect with themselves in the midst of life’s noise. Listen Now

74 | When Money Stress Becomes Your Teen’s Silent Anxiety

Hi Parents!

Money can be one of the biggest hidden triggers of anxiety - not just for adults, but for teens too. Whether it’s overhearing financial stress at home or realizing how expensive life can be, today’s teens are feeling that pressure more than ever.

In this episode, I explore how money-related stress can quietly shape your teen’s emotional well-being, self-worth, and sense of security and what you can do to bring calm and reassurance back into these conversations. You’ll learn how to recognize when your teen’s anxiety might actually be rooted in financial worries, how to talk about money without adding more fear, and how to teach simple money habits that build confidence instead of stress. Listen Now

73 | 4 Signs Your Teen Is Getting Better at Managing Anxiety

Hi Parents!

Have you noticed your teen starting to handle challenges differently? Maybe they seem calmer in moments that once felt overwhelming, or they’re beginning to speak up for themselves more. If you’ve been wondering whether all the conversations, coping tools, and encouragement are making a difference, this episode will help you see the signs.

I’m breaking down four clear indicators that your teen is truly growing beyond anxiety. These are the shifts I consistently see in teens who are learning to regulate their emotions, build confidence, and trust themselves again. You’ll discover what healthy progress actually looks like, how to recognize it in your own teen, and how to keep supporting that growth without stepping in too much or reigniting anxiety.

We’ll talk about what emotional awareness looks like in real life, the powerful impact your own reactions have on your teen’s calm, and how to help them become their own advocate instead of their toughest critic. You’ll leave this episode with simple, practical ways to create a more peaceful home and strengthen your connection along the way. Listen Now

72 | Leaning into God for Faith Over Fear in Parenting with Heather O’Brien

Hi Parents!

Parenting through fear can feel overwhelming, especially when your teen is anxious and you’re trying to stay strong for everyone. But what if the real key to peace isn’t found in control, but in trust - trusting that God is guiding both you and your teen through every step?

In this episode, I’m joined by Heather O’Brien, prophetic healing coach, minister, author, and host of the globally ranked Heal with God podcast. Together, we talk about how to lean into faith when fear feels loud, and how parents can model courage, calm, and confidence by anchoring themselves in God’s truth.

Heather shares how to discern God’s voice in everyday moments, the role of gratitude and prayer in easing anxiety, and how self-awareness can help you respond to your teen with love instead of fear. We also explore what it looks like to break anxious patterns by listening, slowing down, and allowing God to lead both you and your family toward healing. Listen Now

Ratings & Reviews

  • Practical Help for Parenting Anxious Teens

    This show offers clear strategies and encouragement for parents navigating teen anxiety. It's supportive, hopeful, and full of wisdom for families in the thick of it."

    sep 26
    Heather O'Brien

  • A must listen!

    Monica delivers great insight into teen anxiety with actionable steps parents can take to help their teens, signs to look for and things they might not aware of. I highly recommend this podcast to any parent who has a teen struggling with anxiety!

    Jul 16
    BGC-

  • Loving this!

    I'm loving this show!!! I love Monica's style, supportive way of interviewing, and the direction she leads people. As a podcaster myself, I know the skill and effort that goes behind what appears effortless to us listeners. As a mom and a coach of moms with anxious kids, I'm super grateful to have anot

    Jan 31
    3 buoys

  • Gentle, yet proactive!

    I enjoy listening to Monica make sense of anxiety in teens! She explains it so gently, yet in a very proactive pproach! Not only does it help parents understand their teens, but it also helps parents understand their own selves a little bit more!

    0712112024
    MarinellaM

  • Informative and Educational for Parents

    Monica does a great job at explaining what anxiety is and also provides tools and resources to equip parents that help mitigate the daily stressors that teens experience. Love the content she's creating!

    0711712024
    ccuussttoornmeerr nnyy

  • Anxious teens

    I'm happy that I listened to this podcast today. I have a 12-year-old son that will be 13 in December. Listening to what Monica said she was experiencing in her own life as a teenager in ways that she was feeling and how it had affected her eating habits and just her life in general, me realize

    07/16/2024
    11th plague

  • Valuable Resource for Your Teen!

    Monica is wise beyond her years! What better way to help your teen suffering with anxiety than through someone who has been through it herself? I erjoyed listening to her wisdom & practical tips to help walk your teens through their anxious thoughts! Wish I had her when I was a teen!

    07/16/2024
    Jeannie

  • Monica is the real deal!

    I am so glad to know Monica! I work in the teenage anxiety space too and we bonded over our love of teens and how we both want to help. This podcast will help parents and teens who want to leam how to rnanage anxiety. Follow this podcast and start feeling better today!

    0711612024
    coutacyn

  • WOW! This is a MUST for parents with anxious teens!

    This is chock full of pratical tips and Monica really understands the challenges and how to tackle them!!! I highly recommend!!

    07/16/2024
    whcoach

Got a Question? Let’s Talk About It.

If you don’t see your concern covered yet, send it my way. I’ll help you unpack it, offer practical guidance, or bring in an expert guest who can support you and your teen.