Samantha and Kyla are back for the final episode in our series following their college application and admissions journey! The results are in (for the most part) and they each made a decision where they’ll start college this fall. We get into the rollercoaster of emotions, how they made the decision, and of course, we share instantly applicable inf…

Parents with teens heading off to college in the fall: this episode is for you. Host Mya Dunlop chats with Joline, a student athlete who's finishing up her freshman year. She reflects on the stress and excitement of starting college, from the challenge of making friends to balancing school and training. Of course, they dive into how parents and tee…

This longer-than usual conversation with parenthood guide and mom of four Barb Buckner Suárez is a must-listen for both new parents and those of us raising teens! Host Mya and Barb get into matrescence, co-regulation and dis-regulation, and how navigating adolescence doesn't get easier with each kid. Visit Barb's site here: https://bbsuarez.com/ an…

Samantha and Kyla have submitted their college applications! Listen to the third in our series as we talk with the two high schoolers about their college application journey, the pressure to apply to Ivy League schools, anticipation, relief, and much more. Listen to Part 1 "Starting the College Application Process" here on your preferred platform: …

Dr. Dana Dorfman returns to talk about her new book, When Worry Works: How to Harness Your Parenting Stress And Guide Your Teen to Success, and how in this age of achievement culture and rising teen anxiety, parents can take their own unique parenting anxiety patterns and use them to their advantage—and their teen’s advantage. Listeners, as promise…

This episode's longer than usual because there's so much good stuff in it! Host and Teen Brain Trust co-founder Mya Dunlop talks with Jeffrey Davis, author, Tracking Wonder founder, and "Chief Wonder Maker" about the science of wonder. Listen as they unpack how important hope, optimism, and emotional resilience are to our teens' long-term success a…

"You're being so lazy." How many times have parents said that to their teenagers? Countless! But "lazy" behavior is often a symptom of underlying issues. Host Mya Dunlop gets to the heart of how parents can look beyond the "laziness" myth and make a positive difference in their kids’ behavior. As Mya says in the episode, here's the download for Tee…

It's nearly Early Decision deadline time, and Samantha and Kyla are back with an update on how they're faring with their college applications, how they're coping with the pressures, and what they really think about the whole process. Stay tuned, because we're following them on their application journey in upcoming episodes. Sign up for our new free…

If you're struggling to get your teen to listen, this episode is for you. Host Mya Dunlop shares 5 ways to foster healthier and more open communication with them. Access a hard copy of these tips (and much more info) in Teen Brain Trust's free guide, 5 Things You Can Start Doing Right Now That Will Encourage Your Teen to Confide in You, which you c…

Yes, there are teens in America who aren't attached to a smartphone. Host Mya Dunlop interviews high school senior and Luddite Club founder Logan, who explains why she's distanced herself from technology, why she’s an advocate for other teens trying a break from smartphones, why she thinks parents are a driving force behind the increase in teen scr…

Teens Samantha and Kyla are back to share everything they want parents and younger teens to know about starting the college application process, from the dreaded personal essay to Admissions anxiety. Stay tuned because we'll be following them on their college application journey in upcoming episodes! Listen to their previous episode, Two Teens on A…

Host Mya Dunlop dives into the concerning research about modern media and teens' mental health, and shares five tangible things parents can do to help their kids cope with media-related anxiety. All podcast listeners get free access to Teen Brain Trust's online parenting science courses plus access to our private community of parents. Visit our sit…

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The advice shared in this episode is not a substitute for treatment. In Teen Brain Trust's 4-part series on teen mental health, expert Dr. Dana Dorfman and CEO/Founder Mya Dunlop unpack the current teen mental health crisis. In the fi…

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The advice shared in this episode is not a substitute for treatment. In Teen Brain Trust's 4-part series on teen mental health, therapist Dr. Dana Dorfman and CEO/Founder Mya Dunlop unpack the current teen mental health crisis. In epi…

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The advice shared in this episode is not a substitute for treatment. In Teen Brain Trust's 4-part series on teen mental health, therapist Dr. Dana Dorfman and mom of three Mya Dunlop unpack the current teen mental health crisis. In ep…

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The advice shared in this episode is not a substitute for treatment. In Teen Brain Trust's 4-part series on teen mental health, therapist Dr. Dana Dorfman and mom of three Mya Dunlop unpack the current teen mental health crisis. In th…

Last fall, Teen Brain Trust published our "What's Your Parenting Style?" quiz. And over 15,000 Americans have taken it so far! Co-founder Robin Friend and digital strategist Annie dive into where Americans fall among the four main parenting styles: Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, and Uninvolved. Plus, Annie defends her choice to use Al Bu…

Host and mom of three adolescent boys Mya Dunlop has a message for all parents: we have to rethink failure, for our kids and ourselves. BONUS! Right now, all podcast listeners get free access to Teen Brain Trust's convenient online parenting science courses plus access to our private community of parents. Visit our site to learn more, then use the …

In this longer-than-usual episode, host Mya Dunlop has a no-holds barred conversation with two incredible teenagers, Samantha and Kyla, about the modern teen experience, anxiety, social isolation as punishment, academic pressure, and more. Don't miss the two announcements below... Follow Kyla's Instagram @takefliight about handling anxiety (she men…

Studies show parenting with traditional methods of punishment just doesn't work. So what are parents to do when their teen displays unacceptable behavior, like lying? Episode host Robin Friend, Teen Brain Trust Co-Creator and Lead Course Designer, dives into what parents can do instead that really works.…

Host Mya Dunlop, the CEO and Founder of Teen Brain Trust, shares the story of how a conversation with her oldest son who was struggling during his first year in college went totally off the rails. But thanks to a friend's insight into microinvalidation, she course-corrected and learned a parenting lesson in the process.…

Teens are obsessed with thriving socially—so how are they so clumsy and awkward in social situations? Episode host Robin Friend, Teen Brain Trust Co-Creator and Lead Course Designer, dives into the four main factors that neuroscience can explain. He breaks down the frequently cringey process of development that the writer Quentin Crisp—not a neuros…

Research incontrovertibly shows that across the globe, teens are gonna party... And probably drink alcohol, too. In this episode, host Mya Dunlop, Teen Brain Trust CEO/Founder and mom of three adolescent boys, explores why teens' developing brains seek out partying in particular. Plus, she dives into a few ways parents can actually help their kid h…

When you tell someone you have a teen, they never say, "Oh, that's a fun age." We're here to change the pervasively cynical attitude about adolescence for parents, educators, and anyone else who spends time with a teen. "We" is the team behind Teen Brain Trust, made up of parenting-science experts (including parents!) dedicated to the empowerment o…