Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment
Your guide to parenting a struggling teen or young-adult, whether they’re home, transitioning home, or presently in treatment.
Parents, say goodbye to exhausting confusion, overwhelm, panic and the unhelpful patterns that keep you and your family stuck. Learn how to develop healthy responses and set healthy boundaries with your teen instead of acting out of fear and anxiety.
Experience the relationship-changing power of focusing on your own behavior instead of futile attempts to control your teen.
Your guides to Parenting Post-wilderness are Beth Hillman, a life coach for parents of struggling teens and mom to a post-wilderness teen, and part-time co-host Seth Gottlieb, a wilderness therapy guide turned teen and young-adult recovery coach. Their unique combination of experience and training yields candid conversations chock full of practical, actionable tips and tools to smooth the challenges both parents and teens experience surrounding treatment.
Every week, you can expect conversations around:
- Parenting a struggling teen or young-adult;
- Setting healthy boundaries with your teen;
- Treatment options for your struggling teen or young adult;
- Bringing your kid home from treatment;
- Parenting skills to support your struggling child;
- Teen substance abuse, drug addiction, gaming addiction, suicidal ideation, or other teen mental health concerns;
- How to end power struggles and instead foster healthy communication with your teen or young-adult;
- And much more.
Listen in to discover how parents like you have learned to influence equanimity in the home and rebuild connections with the teens they love.
Connect with Beth on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or find more information about working with Beth at www.bethhillmancoaching.com.
Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment
196. Understanding ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation in Teens & Young Adults With Debbie Murad
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Simple tasks that seem easy to you become overwhelming battles for your teen or young adult with ADHD. One small request turns into a massive blow-up. And when we don’t understand the ADHD brain, it can feel like they’re being disrespectful, lazy or even manipulative.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by therapist and ADHD expert Debbie Murad to unpack what’s really happening underneath ADHD and emotional dysregulation in teens and young adults. Debbie explains why so many ADHD behaviors are misunderstood as intentional defiance when they’re actually rooted in brain development, executive functioning challenges, dopamine regulation, and overwhelm.
We also talk about the emotional toll ADHD takes on teens themselves. Because behind the missed assignments, emotional explosions, forgotten responsibilities, and impulsive behaviors, many teens are silently carrying shame, self-loathing, anxiety, and the exhausting feeling that they can never quite keep up with everyone else.
This conversation is especially important for parents who feel burned out, triggered, confused, or stuck in constant conflict with their teen. Because understanding what’s happening neurologically can completely change the way you respond, and ultimately strengthen the relationship with your child.
In this episode on ADHD and emotional dysregulation in teens, we discuss:
- Why ADHD behaviors are often mistaken for disrespect or defiance
- What emotional dysregulation actually looks like in teens or young adults with ADHD
- The difference between supporting your child and over-accommodating them
- Why teens with ADHD can become overwhelmed by seemingly “simple” tasks
- How ADHD impacts self-esteem, shame, and relationships
- Why parents often take ADHD behaviors personally
- The connection between ADHD, impulsivity, dopamine, and addiction risk
- How hyperfocus can become both a strength and a challenge
- The link between ADHD, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and burnout
- How parents can become better advocates for their neurodivergent child
- Why mindfulness and emotional regulation work for parents matters too
- The importance of helping teens build executive functioning skills instead of doing everything for them
- How understanding your child’s brain can transform your relationship with them
More about Debbie Murad
Debbie Murad brings over 30 years of expertise as a Clinical Social Worker, having worked with a wide spectrum of clients, including adolescents struggling with executive functioning, mental health and addiction issues.
As the founder and CEO of Beach Cities Gateway, a transitional program for emerging adults, Debbie specializes in guiding young people through the challenges of mental health, addiction, and executive functioning.
Looking for support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!
🧘Learn how to respond in hard moments, without losing your cool, the relationship, or yourself, inside my 6-week Boundaries Masterclass.
🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.
Have a question or need support? You can email me at beth@bethhillmancoaching.com
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And remember parents, the change begins with us.
