Show Notes
Dr. Abbie Marono, author of Work in Progress, joins us to explore the science of true empowerment and resilience. We discuss how parents can help teens handle shame healthily, build resilience, and develop a realistic sense of self-worth. Full Show Notes Empowerment is a term we often throw around, imagining it means feeling good about ourselves no matter what, or disregarding others’ opinions entirely. But the truth about empowerment is much deeper–and sometimes even a little messy. For teens facing pressures from all sides, understanding and practicing true empowerment is essential for long-term resilience and self-growth. In this episode, we’re exploring how parents can really foster genuine empowerment in their teenagers. It’s not about ensuring teens never feel bad but about teaching them to build resilience by properly processing difficult emotions such as shame. Our guest, Dr. Abbie Marono, a renowned psychologist and speaker, delves into these concepts in her book, Work in Progress. Recognizing and Embracing Shame Shame often gets a bad rap–it’s something we’re inclined to avoid or suppress. However, as Abbie explains, shame is not inherently bad. It’s a signal from our brain indicating that something about our actions or behaviors isn’t aligning with our values or self-image. By understanding and addressing this emotion, we can actually move closer to empowerment, rather than hiding from ourselves. In our conversation, Abbie debunks the myth that empowerment is the absence of negative emotions or the armor that deflects all criticism. Instead, true empowerment comes from accepting our flaws and using our emotions as a guide for self-improvement. We explore how parents can observe their teens for signs of emotion suppression or escapism and gently guide them towards healthier coping strategies. Resilience Through Emotional Awareness Helping teens navigate their feelings and emotions is crucial, but understanding how to do this effectively can be challenging. Abbie introduces us to the concept of interoception–being in tune with our bodily sensations–and how this awareness can actually support better emotional regulation. For teens, learning to acknowledge their emotions without being overwhelmed by them is a key step towards building resilience and maintaining mental health. We also discuss the pressing issue of helping teens handle the emotional toll of striving for success. Abbie highlights the importance of setting goals without tying our self-worth to them and provides insights on how to coach teens through this nuanced process. Teaching teens to focus on personal growth, rather than chasing an unattainable ideal of perfection, can cultivate a healthier, more sustainable mindset. Creating A Supportive Environment One of the most critical aspects of fostering genuine empowerment in teens is creating an open, supportive home environment where emotions are discussed openly and honestly. Abbie encourages parents to model emotional awareness by talking about their own feelings and handling life's stresses transparently. This, in turn, offers teens a blueprint for their own emotional expression and resilience. We also touch on the role of teachers, mentors, and other important figures in a teen’s life. If a teen lacks a supportive home environment, these other adults can step in to provide a sense of security and guidance. Abbie shares her own experiences of relying on a supportive teacher during her tumultuous teenage years and how that shaped her path to psychological resilience and her eventual career. In the Episode... In addition to the topics discussed above, Abbie and I cover: The real definition of empowerment How perfectionism sabotages true resilience Why escapist behaviors can signal deeper issues Techniques to help teens process and accept their emotions If you want to learn more about fostering genuine empowerment and resilience in your teen, you won’t want to miss this episode. For more from Dr. Abbie Maro
More from Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers
Kenneth Ginsburg, author of Lighthouse Parenting, explains how parents can build lasting bonds with teens by balancing structure, trust, and unconditional love, and shares practical communication strategies. Full Show Notes
Robert Finlay, author of Hey Dad, shares essential strategies on how parents can equip teens with crucial adulting skills, covering money management, networking, handling emergencies, and building independence. Full Show Notes
Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, teaches us how transformational listening can deepen connections with teenagers by hearing what's unsaid, asking the right questions, and creating life-changing conversations. Full Show Notes
Richard Orbé-Austin, author of Your Child's Greatness, discusses imposter syndrome, perfectionism, boundaries, and how parents can empower teens to build true resilience and self-confidence. Full Show Notes As parents, we want the best for our teenagers. We hope they'll be successful academically, thrive socially, and embrace the opportunities ahead. But lurking beneath the surface for many adolescents—and adults—is the pervasive doubt called imposter syndrome: the haunting fear of being revealed as a fraud, not belonging, or never being good enough. Surprisingly common, imposter syndrome can emerge quietly and lead our teens toward patterns of perfectionism, people-pleasing, anxiety, and even deeper stress. But how can parents recognize the signs of imposter feelings in their kids? And more importantly, how do we help teens develop the resilience, confidence, and realistic self-image that protect them against its harmful effects? To unravel these questions, we're joined by Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin, psychologist and co-author of Your Child's Greatness. An expert on imposter syndrome, Richard understands how these subtle feelings of doubt can sometimes quietly shape a person's identity, often beginning at a young age. He provides practical, down-to-earth strategies parents can use to nurture healthier mindsets in teens, helping them genuinely own their strengths while managing the anxieties involved in growth and change. Understanding Teen Imposter Syndrome
Ethan Kross, author of Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You, explains how teens and parents can become adept at emotional regulation, manage upsetting feelings effectively, and develop healthier responses to life's challenges. Full Show Notes Emotional regulation—the ability to manage and shift our feelings—has huge implications for everyone, especially teenagers. It's a life skill that might just make the difference between thriving or struggling in adulthood. Teens understandably grapple with heightened emotions and can sometimes feel controlled by them rather than the other way around. But what if we could teach them how to manage their emotions and build resilience early on? The effects of emotional dysregulation can be major: kids who struggle with this skill are more likely to face substance abuse, school dropout, and even criminal behavior as they grow older. Meanwhile, teens who are skilled at managing their emotional states tend to excel academically, professionally, and have healthier relationships overall. The good news is that emotion regulation is a learnable and teachable skill, with far-reaching positive effects if mastered during adolescence. In this episode, we're joined once again by Ethan Kross, award-winning professor, renowned researcher, and author of the new book Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You. Ethan has dedicated his career to unpacking the mystery of our emotional worlds, blending cutting-edge research with practical, actionable insights. As both a scientist and a parent of a teen himself, Ethan understands deeply how crucial it is to arm our kids (and ourselves!) with simple yet powerful emotional regulation strategies. In our conversation, Ethan shares eye-opening findings, common misconceptions, and accessible, effective tools for parents who want to raise emotionally intelligent and resilient teenagers. Why Emotional Regulation Matters for Teens Emotion impacts every aspect of a teen's daily life—friendships, schoolwork, athletics, and family relationships. Despite its importance, emotional skills are often overlooked, leaving kids unequipped to manage powerful feelings. Ethan reveals eye-opening research, from classic experiments to recent ground-breaking studies, that clearly connect teens' successes and setbacks later in life to how well they can manage their emotional states. Ethan emphasizes that there are no "bad" emotions—anger, sadness, anxiety all serve valuable evolutionary purposes. Rather than suppressing these feelings, Ethan offers strategies to help teens learn to tune into their emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them. He also tackles the "myth of universal approach," noting that always facing or always avoiding tough feelings isn't the right solution—teens must learn flexibility instead. Teaching Teens Practical Ways to Shift Their Emotions So how can parents and educators tangibly equip teens with emotional regulation skills? Ethan shares practical interventions from research that really work. For example, understanding how our surroundings influence our emotional states empowers teens to strategically modify their spaces to feel less anxious or stressed. Ethan discusses how teens can make small changes, like placing items or images in their environment that effectively boost their mood and sense of calm. He also explains broader methods, like the proven WOOP framework (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan). WOOP is essentially an easy-to-use reference for teens (and adults) when emotions inevitably flare up. Ethan breaks down how parents can talk teens through this process, helping them clearly define how they want to act during difficult times—rather than becoming reactive or impulsive. Subtle (and Powerful) Ways to Help Teens Sometimes offering too much direct help can backfire, causing teens to feel disempowered or defensive. Ethan reveals research that shows invisible support—the kind teens don't realize you're giving—can play a hu