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Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

Rachel Richards
Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more
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227 episodes

  • Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

    Empty Nest: How to Cope When Your Teen Goes off to College or University. Vintage

    12/08/2026 | 55 mins.
    Ask Rachel anything
    In this episode of Teenagers Untangled, we’re talking about what happens when the children we’ve poured our hearts, time, and energy into finally leave home. If you’re facing the prospect of a child heading off to university or moving out—and feeling anything from pride and excitement to grief, anxiety, or a loss of identity—this episode is for you.
    First, I revisit a powerful conversation with mindfulness coach Susie Asli, where we unpack empty nest syndrome:
    why feelings of grief, loneliness, or even physical symptoms like sleeplessness and nausea are a normal response,
    how your identity as a parent can feel shaken when your child leaves,
    and practical ways to prepare yourself emotionally, rebuild routines, and reconnect—with yourself, with your partner, and with your wider life.
    Then I speak with Hannah Bankier, a coach specialising in personal and professional transitions and founder of Birdie Launcher. Hannah invites us to rethink the very idea of an “empty nest” and instead see this stage as a launchpad—for our children and for ourselves. She shares:
    how to start preparing years before your child leaves,
    how to evolve your parenting from “controller” to “mentor,”
    how to co-create a new kind of relationship with your emerging adult,
    and how to rediscover your own purpose, joy, and identity beyond being “Mum.”
    You're not broken if you're feeling grief. You're ready to start a new chapter.
    Hannah Bankier
    All the tips from this episode
    Support the show
    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 
    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 
    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.
    Find all the tips from the episdoe on Substack: 
    My email
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me
    Instagram
    Facebook
    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk
  • Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

    Exam Results: What if my teen doesn't get the A level grades they want? Vintage

    11/08/2026 | 35 mins.
    Ask Rachel anything
    A listener parenting a teen son wrote to say both of them felt pretty stunned when he was rejected from the university he'd set his heart on. She asked for the best way to help our teenagers cope with this sort of disappointment. 
    I thought it was a great question and a good opportunity to also look at how we parents can best navigate when our teen has worked for years toward a dream - a top university place, exam results, a team, a part - and it doesn’t happen. The disappointment can feel earth‑shattering for them and gut‑wrenching for you.
    In this episode I talk with Dr Dominique Thompson, award‑winning GP and young people’s mental health expert, about how to support teenagers through big disappointments such as university rejection, exam failure, and missed opportunities – without rescuing them or minimising their feelings.
    We explore:
    What teens are actually grieving when things go wrong – including the loss of an imagined future
    How to validate their emotions while gently stopping catastrophic thinking
    The difference between building resilience and teaching kids to suppress their feelings
    Why today’s culture of perfectionism and “being the best” is driving anxiety, burnout and fear of failure
    How to help teens separate self‑worth from grades, offers and achievements
    Practical ways to prepare teens for university life, academic stress and independence
    When dropping out isn’t the only option – how to press pause, get help and return stronger
    What to do if your teen feels “left behind” while friends move on to university or big opportunities
    How parents can be a “safe harbour”: supportive, boundaried, and not adding their own disappointment to their teen’s load
    If you’re a parent wondering how to respond when your child says, “I’ve failed you,” or “There’s no point trying,” this conversation will give you concrete language, mindset shifts and step‑by‑step strategies to help them cope, reframe, and find a new path forward.
    Dr Dominique Thompson: is a multi-award winning former GP, young people's mental health expert, TEDx speaker, author and educator, with over two decades of NHS clinical experience.
    She is author of The Student Wellbeing Series for young people, and co-author of How to Grow a Grown Up (PenguinRandomHouse) for parents.
    dominique.thompson@me.com
    www.buzzconsulting.co.uk 
    https://www.instagram.com/drdomthompson/
    https://www.facebook.com/drdomthompson/
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-thompson/
    Support the show
    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 
    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 
    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.
    Find all the tips from the episdoe on Substack: 
    My email
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me
    Instagram
    Facebook
    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk
  • Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

    How to Prepare Your Child for College & University: The Teen view on Friends, Safety, Study, Money and Freshers Week.

    05/08/2026 | 54 mins.
    Ask Rachel anything
    Sending your teen off to university can feel both exciting and terrifying. In this episode of Parenting Teenagers Untangled, I talk with my 19-year-old daughter Phoebe, home after her first year at Oxford University, about what parents really need to know to prepare their teens for university life. 
    We cover the big worries parents Google most: how teens make friends in Freshers’ Week, coping with the academic workload, dealing with drinking, drugs and peer pressure, managing money and budgeting, handling homesickness and mental health, and how to balance independence with safety.
    If you’re wondering how to support your child’s transition to university without being overbearing—and how to trust them while still keeping them safe—this honest, practical conversation will give you clear guidance, real examples, and reassuring perspective from both a parent and a student.
    Support the show
    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 
    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 
    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.
    Find all the tips from the episdoe on Substack: 
    My email
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me
    Instagram
    Facebook
    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk
  • Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

    How to Be a Calm Parent to Teens using Boundaries with Diane Sorensen

    29/07/2026 | 31 mins.
    Ask Rachel anything
    Are you tired of yelling at your teen – and hating yourself afterwards?
    In this episode of Teenagers Untangled, I talked with parenting and relationship coach Diane Sorensen about how to stay calm with teens, stop power struggles, and set healthy boundaries without becoming a pushover.
    If you’re dealing with eye-rolling, “disrespectful” attitudes, shouting matches, and constant tension at home, this conversation will help you:
    Understand why you get so triggered by your teen’s behavior
    Shift from controlling behavior to nurturing real connection
    Use simple emotional regulation tools to pause before you explode
    Tell the difference between calm parenting and permissive parenting
    Create healthy boundaries that reduce resentment and build trust
    Repair after you’ve shouted and show your teen that change is possible
    We talk about creating boundaries, unpack practical strategies like the PARR method (Pause, Acknowledge, Respond, Reflect), how to reframe “disrespect” as information, and why owning your triggers is the fastest way to transform your relationship with your teen. If you’ve ever thought, “I promised I wouldn’t parent like this, but I don’t know how to stop,” this episode is for you.
    Diane Sorensen
    Support the show
    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 
    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 
    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.
    Find all the tips from the episdoe on Substack: 
    My email
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me
    Instagram
    Facebook
    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk
  • Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more

    Blended Families: How to Connect With a Child Who Doesn't Accept You

    22/07/2026 | 42 mins.
    Ask Rachel anything
    If you’ve ever fallen in love with someone who already has children, or tried to blend two families and thought, “Why is this so hard? What’s wrong with me?” – this episode is for you. You are not broken, and you are definitely not alone.
    I was joined by Masha Rusanov, coach, writer, and author of Repatterned.
    Together we unpack:
    Why step‑parenting can feel so emotionally different from parenting your biological children
    How to prioritise connection before correction with bonus kids
    The idea of “natural parenting” – why step‑parents shouldn’t be the main disciplinarians
    What healthy co‑parenting and emotional regulation look like when there are exes, new partners, and multiple households in the mix
    Practical, everyday strategies to reduce conflict and build trust over time
    Click here for all of the tips from the episode
    Whether you’re a step‑parent, a biological parent in a blended family, or you co‑parent across different homes, this conversation will help you feel seen, supported, and better equipped for the long game.
    Masha Rusanov

    Support the show
    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 
    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 
    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.
    Find all the tips from the episdoe on Substack: 
    My email
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me
    Instagram
    Facebook
    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk
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About Parenting Teenagers Untangled for Fearless Parents: I help you fear less and wonder more
Parenting teenagers often throws up questions we never thought we’d need to ask.Why is my teenager suddenly so angry? How much screen time is too much? Should I take their phone away at night? Why have they lost all motivation? What do I do about vaping, friendship problems, anxiety, parties, dating, exams… or a teenager who simply won’t talk to me?There’s a very good chance we’ve already talked about it on this podcast.Teenagers Untangled has a huge and growing library of episodes covering the questions, worries and challenges that come with raising tweens and teenagers. Rather than scrolling through hundreds of episodes trying to find the right one, use the search bar to search for what’s happening in your family right now.How to search:Simply type a keyword or short phrase into the search box.Try things like:anger • anxiety • phones • motivation • sleep • ADHD • vaping • alcohol • friendship • school • exams • lying • boundaries • consequences • social media • first love • university • leaving homeYou can also try different words if your first search doesn’t bring up exactly what you need. For example, if you’re worried about your teenager being rude, you might also search respect, anger, conflict or communication.The search will bring up relevant Teenagers Untangled episodes so you can go straight to the conversations that are most useful to you.Think of it as a parenting database, So don't feel you need to start with our newest episode — start with your question.And if I haven't covered your question yet, tell me. Some of my best episodes begin with a question from a parent just like you.Whatever stage you're at, you don't have to figure it all out from scratch. Chances are, we've already started untangling it.FEARLESS PARENTING:Most parenting advice tells you what to do. I help you see things differently. Fear tells us our teenager is lazy, rude, addicted or deliberately difficult. Wonder asks, What's really going on? What need, skill or fear might I be missing?When we replace fear with curiosity, we make better decisions, drop our judgement and start connecting, and raise young people who are more resilient, independent and emotionally healthy.Join thousands of parents each week as we learn to Fear Less. Wonder More.If this resonates with you, join me on SUBSTACK:For those of you who want to read my thoughts beyond the podcast, or who just want to help me feel like the pebbles I have dropped in the ocean of life are making a difference, why not join my paid community? You’ll get one-to-one support and printable PDF’s that give you the top tips from each podcast episode so you have your own little, bespoke manual.COMMUNITY: I’ll be offering regular extras, including tips and thoughts, that help you tune into what matters.NOTES: So many listeners say they have rewound the episodes to write down notes, well now there’s no need. Paid subscribers will have a weekly, downloadable, summary of the top tips from each episode, so you don’t have to take notes.Please let me know if there are any old episodes for which you’d like the notes. I’m very happy to supply them.
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