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Teenage Kicks Podcast

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Teenage Kicks Podcast

Welcome to the Teenage Kicks podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting - or becoming - a teenager. The internet is full of parenting advice, from when you feel those first baby kicks, until they reach secondary school. And then it stops. No one is talking about teen parenting problems; so we’re going to.


Essential listening for teenagers and their parents, as well as those who work with young adults; Teenage Kicks has teen mental health at its core, and each episode will empower young people to tackle their own problems, and give parents the guidance to know how to help them.


Each week Helen speaks to real individuals who've experienced the issues that young people are dealing with now, and they don't sugar-coat it. From exam nerves and career worries to issues around sexuality and consent, we get tips and advice from expert guests who understand what it’s like to be a teenager today.


Helen will also be chatting about tough teenage problems like cyberbullying and self-harm, drugs, alcohol and teenage pregnancy, all with a heavy dose of reality from someone who's been there and made it through to the other side.


Teenage Kicks for Parents:

As parents, we understand some of our kids’ struggles, but let’s face it, it’s been a while, and things have moved on since we last panicked over a detention! Teenage choices today can seem alien to their parents because teenage life has changed so dramatically since we were young. Teenage Kicks helps you unravel topics like social media, sexting and teen self-esteem so that you can figure out what your child needs support with, and what’s just normal teenage behaviour.

Teenage Kicks for Teens:

Teenagers and parents come at things from different angles, we know. But teenage life can be challenging, and the support of your parents can make navigating tricky dilemmas easier. Teenage Kicks guests aren’t adults who’ve read a textbook; nor are they heavily invested in your day-to-day safety, like your mum and dad. They are real people who’ve been through what you’re dealing with, and they have the inspiration and advice you need to handle it yourself.

Join Helen each week as she chats to a different guest about topics affecting teenagers in 2020, and helps parents and teens to open up a dialogue that will make life easier to navigate on all sides.

You'll also find me chatting about teen parenting here:

Useful websites:

  • The Mix - good information for under 25's
  • Shout - for anyone struggling with anxiety or depression

This series of the Teenage Kicks Podcast is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the fabulous Yeticaster mic for all my recordings. It's really straightforward to use, and gives me great sound quality without too much editing.

Modern Slavery - the red flags to look out for in our teenagers

What is modern slavery, why should we care, and what do we need to know to keep our teenagers safe?

*This episode deals briefly with suicidal thoughts. If this is likely to be triggering for you, please skip this episode.

Modern slavery is something we hear about on the news, but don't imagine it could happen to someone we love. I was struck by a conversation on another podcast - Two Women Chatting - about an incident that had happened to one of their adult daughters that felt like a narrow escape, so I wanted to cover the topic on Teenage Kicks. Hopefully being aware of the risks will help young adults and teenagers to avoid them, as well as knowing how to help other people who might be victims.

Sujo John is an international motivational speaker and humanitarian who was launched into public speaking following his survival experience of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on New York's World Trade Centers. He's since set up YouCanFreeUs, an international human rights organisation fighting modern slavery worldwide, through advocacy, rescue and rehabilitation.

In this podcast I ask Sujo why modern slavery is on the rise, why we should care, and what our children need to be aware of as they start out on their own journeys into adulthood.

At one point in the podcast Sujo does some working out on a calculator as he's speaking. He's explaining how many men a trafficked sex worker will have to service in 15 years of doing the work (the average time they work). For audio only listeners, I want to share that that number was 160,000...

Sujo is no stranger to trauma in his teenage years either, having had to come to terms with the death of his sister to leukaemia when he was just 9. He battled depression and thoughts of hopelessness, but describes his healing as he began to help others – something which he says he learned through having the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa.

Who is Sujo John?

Find out more about Sujo and his work here:

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:39:52 +0000
Coping with teenage acne

"Severe acne affects your mental health far more than some medication ever will." Sarah Wood, mum of two young men and a teenage girl.

Sarah Wood joins me on this episode to talk about her experience of teenage acne, how she coped, how she eventually treated it, and how she's supported all of her own teenagers through the same thing.

Sarah first got acne when she was 12 and she still has it at 49. But nowadays she manages it with medication, and talks about how important it is to get the right treatment for acne if it's starting to affect your teenager's mental health.

Sarah says that her own self-esteem took a double hit because she was already the 'clever' girl in school, with short hair - when the spots arrived, she gained the nickname "Zit-Slap".

She talks about things getting better when other friends started to get spots, and she was streamed into top sets at school, so the 'clever' label didn't matter any more. However, when other kids' spots started to clear up and hers didn't, she knew she wanted to do something about it.

Medication for teenage acne

Sarah told me about oxytetracycline, a type of antibiotic that is usually the starting point for medication for teenage acne, once you've exhausted lotions and creams.

Eventually, at the age of 40, she started taking Roaccutane, which all of her children have also taken at various times. Her son's acne developed from normal spots to huge lumps all over his face. Knowing how this could be dealt with, she took him straight to her dermatologist consultant and asked for Roaccutane.

Sarah thinks there's too much scaremongering around the side-effects of Roaccutane. They range from birth defects if you take it during pregnancy (women and girls are advised to have a monthly pregnancy test whilst on the medication) to dry skin, dry eyes and muscular aches and pains. It can also (rarely) cause elevated cholesterol, so tests are done to monitor this.

Sarah explains Roaccutane side-effects and how it works, and says that as parents the best thing we can do if our kids are struggling with self-esteem due to severe acne is push for a referral to a dermatologist, as this is the only way to have it prescribed, due to the monitoring required.

Where to find Sarah

Sarah is happy to talk about her experiences with severe acne. You can find her on:

Sarah has recently sent her middle child to university so we talk a little bit about the empty nest. You can get some hope on this stage from my episode on empty nesting.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 02:00:21 +0000
Why a "woo-woo" approach might help with your teen's anxiety

Today's guest suffered huge anxiety as a teenager. After trying all the traditional medical remedies for stress, Devorah Goldblatt discovered something she never thought would work - EFT.

EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and involves tapping on acupressure points to reduce emotional distress. It's an evidence-based treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD and phobias that's backed up with solid research.

Helen is a complete skeptic where alternative therapies are concerned, so when Devorah invited her into a live experiment of tapping, she was out of her comfort zone! Find out what happened when you listen to the podcast.

Devorah explains how she was hospitalised with severe anxiety and PTSD as a teenager, following an assault. She says she had all the support possible, but still couldn't get past her depression and trauma. It took a "woo-woo" friend, who convinced her to give EFT a try, to open her eyes to her own ticket back to recovery.

Devorah describes how "cringe" she found the class (speaking my language!) But she went along with it and to her amazement, her stress reduced noticeably - immediately.

EFT can be practiced anywhere - Devorah explains how her teenage clients tap in the toilets at school before an exam, and in the car before a driving lesson.

Listen to the podcast to hear how the process works, and what Helen's experience of tapping was.

Who is Devorah Goldblatt?

Devorah is a holistic counselor helping teens and early 20's overcome depression and anxiety with holistic modalities.

Devorah's depression and anxiety resolved permanently after 3 months of holistic treatment -- and has never recurred in nearly 20 years. That's why she does the work she does.

She believes passionately that when we tell people that the only way to heal anxiety and depression is with medication and mainstream therapy, we are doing them a huge disservice.

She also believes that with the skyrocketing rates of anxiety and depression in our teens, it is unconscionable that we are not equipping every one of these kids with holistic tools that are now evidence-based treatments for depression and anxiety.

Find out more about how to do EFT tapping:

You'll find more teen anxiety tips in these episodes:

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:17:12 +0000
Dating red flags when your teen starts dating

Is your teen dating? As a parent that's been one of my most confusing stages as a parent - how do you give your teenager privacy when they start dating, but still keep them safe? If you've ever wondered if your child's choice of partner might be unhealthy, this episode is for you.

Liz Merrill is a relationship and mediation expert who specialises in helping people who are in narcissistic and abusive relationships. Liz recently set up a campaign to highlight to young people the red flags they should be aware of if something doesn't feel quite right in their relationship, something which I think we would rather our teens learn sooner rather than later.

In this podcast episode Helen finds out from Liz what dating red flags we should be looking for as parents, and how to discuss these with our children.

You can find more from Liz on Instagram, and on her website Openspace Mediation.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

He gives some tips on what to look for, when not to worry, and when to get some professional support for your child's sleep problems. He also talks through some sleep tips that might help, and strategies to help your teenager feel better about their sleep and mental health.

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:00:20 +0000
Sleep tips for teenagers

'Sleep Whisperer' Dr. Chris Winter talks to Helen about how to recognise sleep problems in our teenage children, and what they need us to do to help them.

Dr. Chris says that he's seeing more and more incidences of sleep disturbance in his clinic, especially in teens and young adults.

Who is Dr Chris Winter?

Chris Winter is a sleep expert and specialist in sleep problems.

His book The Rested Child* helps parents understand when children might need their help, and why it's not always helpful to focus on sleep hours. It's a comprehensive guide to the varied sleep disorders that affect children from infancy to adolescence, many of which are commonly misdiagnosed, offering new wisdom to parents about how to ease their child’s troubles.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

He gives some tips on what to look for, when not to worry, and when to get some professional support for your child's sleep problems. He also talks through some sleep tips that might help, and strategies to help your teenager feel better about their sleep and mental health.

*Affiliate link

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 02:00:12 +0000
How one teenager overcame her diagnosis of deafness

Kellina Powell became deaf at the age of 4 due to an ear infection. Before that she had been a normally hearing child, so it was a massive shock to Kellina and her family.

Kellina describes how hard day to day life was as a teenager. She says that it took her Grandma to step in and tell her to get on with life for her to change her mindset to her disability and gain the motivational attitude that's served her in her professional career.

Who is Kellina Powell

Kellina recently graduated with a psychology degree and is now starting her own online coaching business specialising in depression, anxiety, and self esteem for young people with disabilities. Her Instagram account @DeafQueenBoss advocates for people with disabilities and she's recently finished her first book Every Day I Am Just Deaf. She has proven that no matter what obstacles are in her way, she can overcome them.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 02:00:22 +0000
Being a single mother of teenagers

The world is set up for dual parent families, says today's podcast guest author Sarah Thompson, who discovered all sorts of hurdles were placed in her way when she became a single mother.

However, there is a silver lining, and Sarah has written a compelling book about everything she thinks her children have benefited from since their parents' separation.

Listen to the podcast to find out why solo parenting can work out well even when you have teenagers.

Here are some of the ways Sarah says her kids have benefitted from being raised by a single mother:

  • Resilience
  • Emotional maturity
  • Organisation
  • Independence

Listen to the podcast to find out how Sarah's teenagers have benefitted from their parents' separation.

Sarah and I compare notes on the things that go wrong in our houses (think lost keys, crisps for dinner, and security issues) and agree that they're the same in all busy families - single parent or otherwise!

We talk about allowing our kids to fail sometimes, and how they learn life lessons from that.

Advice for single parents of teenagers

Sarah's gives her best advice on how to cope when you become a single parent, including getting in touch with the charity Gingerbread.

She says single motherhood is also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your female friends on a different level, as well as gaining new friendships.

Who is Sarah Thompson?

Sarah Thompson is a Sunday Times bestselling author and journalist. Sarah's features, on subjects ranging from parenting and divorce to sex, mental health and female friendship, have appeared in numerous publications including the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian and the Daily Mail. She's also written books about the perils of modern motherhood (You're So Mummy, published by Michael Joseph). Sarah is the (single) mother of two children and lives in Bridport, Dorset.

Happy Single Mother is available in most bookstores and on Amazon (Affiliate link).

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 02:00:14 +0000
Why the Empty Nest isn't as scary as you think

This episode is a little dose of comfort for anyone who has older teenagers and is staring in the face of a prospective empty nest. Liz and Michelle both have adult children, and have so many good things to say about their life since their kids left home for university.

We discuss the fact that being over 50 isn't the end, and how learning new things is just part of the new normal for us as our kids move on.

Liz and Michelle have reassuring words for anyone who fears that the eyerolls teenagers throw their parents' way are here to stay. They say their relationships with their adult children have really surprised them with how rewarding they are.

They say that rather than feeling completely bereft when their children moved on, they were pleased to see them fly the nest and become their own adult selves. They stay in touch more than they did before via text and social media, and can be really supportive of their mums.

We talk about competitive cooking when our kids get boyfriends and girlfriends and start to spend more time with a family other than your own - something which reassured me that I'm not the only one who turns into Gordon Ramsay when my kids are dating.

Liz and Michelle also tell me about the importance of starting to reconnect with your partner before your kids leave so that it's less of a shock to the system when you find yourselves alone together after so long as a family.

Who are Liz and Michelle?

Their podcast Two Women Chatting was born when two neighbours got chatting and realised how much they had in common - and their kids told them they should put their conversations online. They talk about everything midlife and parenting teens, and have tackled issues like menopause, meningitis and self-care.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 02:00:16 +0000
Growing up with a narcissistic mother

Do you have a narcissistic parent? Or has your child experienced narcissism in the family? Listen to this episode of Teenage Kicks to learn how to identify narcissistic parenting, and how to help your child heal from it.

Marie Ellis Cook says that growing up with a narcissistic parent left her unable to accept love as an adult, and confused about her value.

What it's like being a daughter with a narcissistic mother

Marie says that when you're a child it can be difficult to see how a narcissistic mother destroys you. She assumed her mother's rage and lack of comfort was normal until she visited friends and realised how other parents behave towards their children. She thought love was a myth.

Things narcissistic mothers say

Here are some of the things a narcissistic parent might say:

  • That never happened
  • You're overreacting
  • You're gaining weight, you might want to watch what you eat
  • You owe me for everything I do for you
  • Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about
  • You don't care about me
  • I can't understand where I went wrong with you
  • You're useless
  • Don't talk rubbish

Marie's mother went one step further by blaming her daughter for her own feelings. This is called parentification, where a parent offloads adult problems and feelings on their child, expecting them to take responsibility for their parent's emotions. Marie's mother regularly complained to her daughter about her own problems, and expected her to give comfort.

Confronting a narcissistic mother

Marie describes the process of standing up to her narcissistic mother as counter-productive. She was met with denial and defensiveness, and says that it's usually a hopeless endeavour.

Healing from narcissistic parenting

When Marie left to go to university she struggled to know where she fit in. She was used to conforming, to getting things wrong, to knowing that she was unacceptable. She eventually realised that she suffered from codependency, and sought help in the form of therapy.

Who is Marie Ellis Cook?

Marie was born and raised in Singapore and currently lives in the United States. She is the daughter of a narcissistic mother. After discovering her mother's narcissism, she learnt to break free from narcissistic control and overcame the bonds of family enmeshment. She left the corporate world to help people from toxic families get unstuck & find their authentic selves. She is now a narcissist recovery and marriage counsellor helping others to deal with a narcissistic parent.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 02:00:06 +0000
Talking to teenagers about bias

What do you know about bias?

The chances are, if you're a white British parent who doesn't have to use a food bank, you know much less than your teenager. And I'd wager that if you have teens, they will understand much more about bias than you do. In fact, my own teenagers have been instrumental in my own learning curve as I've discovered unconscious bias not just in myself and my family, but all around me in the world.

So what do you need to know about bias as the parent of a teenager?

If this resonates, you will love this episode with Caryn Franklin, MBE, and Professor Keon West about their new audiobook SKEWED, where they shed light on the millions of messages in the media that we absorb every day, without even noticing.

They hope that by listening to the book we'll all be able to notice these biases and know them for what they are. Which, quite aside from being a good thing to do, will help us understand and converse with our teenagers more easily.

But how does understanding bias help make us better parents? In a series of interviews, the book tackles the issues parents are already beginning to challenge, like:

  • Dads Don’t Cry? – exploring male vulnerability and bringing up sons who don’t fear tears.
  • Bringing up girls to understand and reject the hormonal payload
  • Are there harmful messages hidden in children’s entertainment?
  • Why don’t white parents want to talk about race?

This is not a book or a podcast that aims to chastise anyone for the way they think or operate. Instead, it attempts to open our eyes to aims to help open our eyes to how bombarded we are with biases, stereotypes and agendas that we unconsciously absorb every day, and to challenge cultural messaging around identity and objectification, including race, gender, gender non-conformity, sexual orientation, age, and attractiveness. You won't be left with a sense that you're not good enough; instead you'll be equipped to question more, notice more, and be able to rethink the things you've always taken for granted (for example fairy stories that normalise a world where it's okay to kiss an unconscious girl in the woods).

Caryn Franklin MBE, fashion editor and later former presenter of BBC TV’s iconic Clothes Show says "Keon and I wanted to challenge human propensity to absorb bias and the stereotypes our omnipresent and evermore powerful media presents. And just as importantly we wanted to explore our own biases, investigate the origins and unpick the comforting falsehoods we all sometimes tell ourselves”.

Professor Keon West is a Social Psychologist at Goldsmiths, University of London and an expert on identity, prejudice, and representation. Keon opened my eyes to a completely different way of recognising bias in myself and others, and what it can teach me about my own relationships.

Find out more about SKEWED: Decoding media bias on Caryn's website. You will also find the book on Audible via Amazon (affiliate links).

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 02:00:10 +0000
Sexting and Suicidal - How to support your teen

*Please be aware that this post contains references to self-harm and suicide.

When Brenda realised her 11 year old daughter Faith was sexting with an older boy she was shocked. Over the next few years Faith continued to send nudes on her phone and became suicidal, despite her parents' best efforts to support and guide their daughter. Brenda says she eventually realised this: you can't control your child's behaviour, or their pain. Letting go of your own goals as a parent, and acknowledging your child's pain is the best you can do to support your child to find their own way through the trama they're struggling with.

It's easy for all of us to assume we've done enough; that the horror stories in the media belong to other families, not those of us who've worked really hard on our parenting and consider ourselves well informed. But they did a great job, and Faith still embarked on a relationship with her mental health that saw her sexting, self-harming, and even attempting suicide.

Here's a wake up call for parents (like me) who think they've done everything right, and this won't happen to their children - Brenda and her husband did everything right. Faith says her parents were very sex positive and had discussed porn, self-esteem and coercive control openly. But she started sexting in 6th grade when she got her first mobile phone, around the age most UK children are starting secondary school, and she refused to stop.

Faith says it's not just great parenting that makes a happy life for a child. Our children are born with their own inherent problems. She first had suicidal thoughts at the age of 9, and it's still the knee-jerk thought process she goes to during times of stress.

Ultimately Brenda wasn't able to change Faith's behaviour, so she and her husband focused on supporting Faith's mental health through counselling and acceptance of how she was feeling. The turning point was when Brenda acknowledged how unhappy her daughter was and openly talked about her suicidal feelings with her. Find out how that conversation went by listening to the podcast.

Who are Faith and Brenda?

Brenda Ferber is crisis counselor and an award-winning children’s book author based in Florida. When she’s not writing, reading, or talking to kids about books, she’s likely playing tennis or golf, seeing live theater, spending time with her husband and their three fabulous children, or counseling people through Crisis Text Line.

Her daughter, Faith Ferber, is a Licensed Master Social Worker working as a therapist in Washington DC. She is also an anti-sexual violence activist, writer, and speaker, and she's a proud member of the LGBTQIA community.

You can watch the video of Brenda's decision to send Faith to Wilderness Therapy in the accompanying blog post, where you will also find the story I mention in the podcast about the pivotal talk she had with her daughter about suicide.

Crisis Text Line

  • UK 85258
  • US 741741

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 02:00:20 +0000
Season 6 Trailer!

Welcome to a brand new series

Parenting teens isn't always roses, and sometimes it can feel like the hardest thing in the world. But there's always a positive behind the tough times, even if it's difficult to see.

In this series Helen hears more tough stories about the teenage years, and how families have navigated their way through them. You'll hear from Brenda and her daughter Faith, who began sexting at the age of 11 and went on a very difficult journey with her mental health. Marie describes her recovery from growing up with a narcissistic parent, and Kellina who lives with a disability.

There are also fascinating episode on bias and discrimination, from Caryn Franklin MBE and Prof. Keon West, a deep dive into relationship red flags parents should know when their teens start dating, and tips from a sleep expert on how to get your teenager to sleep better.

The first guest airs tomorrow. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss it!

Who is Helen Wills?

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I love to hear from listeners, and I'm always looking for new stories to tell about challenges in the teenage years.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 02:00:20 +0000
Bullying, Body Image, Social Media and Stigma as a Teenager

In this episode Helen Wills talks to social media guru Nickie O'Hara about her experiences of bullying as a teenager. Shockingly, Nickie was first picked on by a teacher, and the social stigma went from there.

Nickie is now also a running mentor, and told me about how being athletic as a teenager led to her having some body image issues, and how she dealt with them at the time.

We discuss how different parents handle bullying and friendship issues when their kids are teenagers, and the pros and cons of teens using social media.

It's a heartwarming and reassuring conversation about how friendships change over the years. If this is you now, Nickie says you will get through it.

Where to find Nickie

We also talk about other accounts @pinkoddy and @stephstwogirls.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 13:28:03 +0000
Coping With the Death of Your Mum as a Teenager

This episode of the the Teenage Kicks podcast deals with a very sensitive issue. Helen Wills talks to Jill Hawkins about the death of Jill's mother when she was just 15 and in her GCSE year at school.

Jill's mum was diagnosed with a brain tumour just before Christmas, and died in January. She was just 57. Jill went into school the next day, because she couldn't think of anything else to do.

Jill says that in hindsight she knows she was suffering from depression, but didn't want to face up to her loss. Instead she distracted herself by staying out with friends or working. Home didn't feel like home after her mum died.

Things we discuss:

  • Talking about the person who has died is really important for recovery.
  • Whether it's harder or easier when someone dies suddenly, or if there's time for long goodbyes.
  • Missing out on an adult relationship with your parent.
  • How difficult it is to face up to your feelings following a bereavement.
  • How the death of a parent forms your own parenting when you become a mother.
  • Anything is recoverable in your life. Write your life one line at a time, and don't worry when plans need to change, because it's all part of your story.

Who is Jill Hawkins?

Jill Hawkins has 20 years’ experience handling PR and content creation for companies within the event industry.

Jill was formerly a founding partner and director of Friday’s Media Group – founded in 1999. Clients current and past include CHS Group, The Meetings Show, RefTech, International Confex, The Queen Elizabeth II Centre, De Vere Group plc, Eventia, BI, Sledge, and Warwick Conferences.

You can connect with Jill via her website, on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also join her networking group.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 00:02:28 +0000
How to Stand up to Sexism

In this episode of the podcast Helen Wills talks to author Toni Hargis, a mum of a teenage girl who still experiences the same sexism she did as a teenager.

Toni - along with Susanna Scott and Jennifer Howze of Britmums - has written How to Stand Up to Sexism, Words for When Enough is Enough.

We discuss the microaggressions that lead to bigger acts of sexism, both in the workplace, and in girls' personal lives, and what women and girls can do to stop them in their tracks.

Toni, Jen and Susanna offer practical advice to be used in a multitude of situations, as well as outlining what the law says in each case.

Who is Toni Hargis?

Toni Summers Hargis is an author and columnist. With a law degree and a Masters in Organisation Development under her belt, she spent years working in corporate HR, Training and Organisation Consulting.

Always ardent and vocal about women’s rights and equality, Toni was termed “difficult” in many a meeting and strives to continue in that vein, calling out sexist BS at every turn.

She has written about women’s rights issues for the past several years at Huffington Post, Medium and the BritMums website. She also blogged as Expat Mum during her years living in the USA.

You can find Toni here:

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:22 +0000
How to Help Your Teen Develop a Mindfulness and Gratitude Habit

In this Expert Guest episode of the Teenage Kicks podcast Helen Wills talks to Wendy Lund about how mindfulness and gratitude can help to change a teen's mindset and their outcomes.

Most importantly, Wendy gives parents easy tips on helping teenagers to develop a gratitude habit that doesn't involve meditating, journalling or spending time talking about their feelings!

Helen says "This episode was like therapy to record. Honestly, even if you take none of the advice to recreate with your teen, it's worth a listen for your own wellbeing!"

Teenagers don't have time to listen to adults insisting that they need to spend time on their mental health. But as parents we can encourage them into daily practices that help them see what's good about their lives.

What are the benefits of gratitude?

Wendy says "practicing any positive emotion... builds neuronal pathways in the brain... and if you're busy doing those you cannot be busy with thoughts of anxiety and depression... Thoughts produce our emotions, which drive our behaviour." So it's incremental.

  • It improves your mental health
  • Promotes proactive and prosocial behaviour
  • Decreases materialism
  • Decreases narcissism
  • Decreases depression and anxiety
  • Improves academic scores
  • Improves life satisfaction scores
  • Improves compassion

Mindfulness resources from Wendy:

Who is Wendy Lund?

Wendy is the founder of Wellth Management, an organisation committed to helping people redefine wealth through wellness.

With an MSc in Mindfulness Studies, and following a career as a Professor of Health Sciences, Wendy helps individuals and organisations using evidence-based theory and strategies to create wellness and build stress tolerance.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 11:10:32 +0000
How Journalling Supports Good Teen Mental Health - with Stacie Swift

If you're on Instagram, you'll probably know today's guest for colourful illustrations and mindful musings on supporting our own wellbeing. In episode 44 Helen Wills talks to Stacie Swift about how to convince teenagers to start journaling to develop positive mental health practices.

Stacie is a mum of three, and an illustrator who creates the prettiest posts, with the most gorgeous words on wellbeing and self-care. She’s now published a book - The Positively Awesome Journal (affiliate link) – to inspire people to start journaling, and it’s characteristically both GORGEOUS to look at, and thought provoking and inspiring to work through.

As Stacie says, the journal is "A reminder that you matter too.” And THAT is something that I think we’re all in need of remembering, every day.

How journaling supports teen mental health

Stacie says she turned to her drawings and musings when she was a teenager herself, and found it gave her space for her own feelings, to process difficult things in her life, and feel better equipped to tackle daily problems.

All of us feel pressure to focus on "doing better," on what we did wrong, and teenagers have more pressure on them than ever before. Stacie's journal encourages time spent looking at our achievements, and the things that are good in our lives, as well as giving space to acknowledging when life is difficult. She describes journaling as an anchor in life.

Designed to promote and encourage mental well-being, it is the perfect pick-me-up to help keep you uplifted, motivated and understood. You can finally write that ‘not-to-do’ list, prioritise your tasks, learn how to set social media boundaries, make your own luck, complete a feeling forecast, create a dream log, fill out a meal plan, give thanks, celebrate your progress and find plenty of room for self-reflection - all in one safe place.

Stacie is very down to earth, and describes herself as a work in progress where wellbeing is concerned, so she's very easy to listen to. Have a listen to the episode for all her wisdom.

You can find more from Stacie Swift here:

More teenage parenting inspiration from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 08:43:20 +0000
Raising a Child with Schizophrenia

In the first episode of the Meet the Parents series Helen Wills Talks to Gill Mann about the death of her son Sam from Schizophrenia.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition related to psychosis. People with a diagnosis of schizophrenia have episodes of psychosis, where they experience a different reality to others around them. They may have hallucinations, delusion, or hear voices.

Who is Gill Mann?

Gill Mann is a psychotherapist and author. She started her working life as a lawyer but finally was brave enough to follow her heart and re-train as a therapist. She has worked within the NHS, a university counselling service and in private practice.

Writing has always been Gill’s other passion but in 2014 it became a lifeline, when she learned that her son, Sam had died while travelling overseas.

For two years she kept a journal, writing about him and her grieving. She found herself addressing Sam too -there was so much still to say. When another bereaved mother read Gill’s journal,she urged her to publish it, saying it had made her feel much less alone.

Gill’s memoir, A Song Inside, was published by Retreat West Books in July 2020.

We talk about:

  • So many people live with schizophrenia very bravely, as the medications to manage it can have debilitating side effects
  • Around half of people with schizophrenia don't have an awareness that there's anything wrong, which can make treatment even more distressing, for themselves and for the people who love them.
  • Managing grief after a diagnosis is important. Gill says you need to allow yourself to feel the pain, but also acknowledge the good things that still are
  • Conditions don't define a person. We need to look beyond a person's illness to see the person they are alongside it.

Find out more about the book

Where to get support for schizophrenia and psychosis

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 10:44:44 +0000
The Teenager Fighting Domestic Violence With the Met Police in London

This is the second episode of the Teenage Kicks mini-series with The Girl's Network, a UK mentoring charity set up to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a mentor and and a network of professional female role models.

Helen Wills talks to 17 year old Farheen Khan, from Tower Hamlets, about her work with the Met Police to change the futures of people in her community suffering the effects of domestic violence.

Farheen is mentoring a senior commissioner in the police force to share her own experiences of life amongst her local community, to influence campaigns that will help more people feel empowered to leave abusive homes.

About the Met Police scheme with the Girl's Network

The Met Police got involved with the Girl's Network in 2018, providing female mentors for teenage girls in the least advantaged communities, but the process has now been reversed with the launch of a girl-led mentoring scheme for the police.

The objective is for these young women to have their voices heard, gain a platform, develop their confidence, and represent their communities.

Farheen says that she used to be shy and underconfident, but being part of The Girl's Network has inspired her to be more certain of her own potential. She now feels capable of influencing at a senior level to effect real change on the ground.

If the scheme is a success, it will be rolled out across other London boroughs.

Where to get support with domestic violence

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:38:07 +0000
Reducing Knife Crime in London - How one teenager is mentoring the Met Police

Today is the first in a mini-series with The Girl's Network, a UK mentoring charity set up to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a mentor and and a network of professional female role models.

Helen Wills speaks to Ishrat Hussain about how being mentored through the Girl's Network has led to her becoming a mentor herself at the age of 18 - and to a senior member of the Met Police in London!

We talk about gang culture and knife crime in one the most disadvantaged areas of London, Newham, where Ishrat grew up. Ishrat knew two teenagers who have died in the last year as a result of knife crime.

Ishrat's family immigrated to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1970s. Her mum got her involved in local politics from a young age, taking her to polling stations. Now Ishrat has a place at University to study politics, and is hoping to engage in community lobbying and activism to influence outcomes for young people in communities like hers.

Listen to the podcast to hear her remarkable insights into why there is such distrust between young people and the police in her community, and what she thinks needs to be done about it.

About the Met Police scheme with the Girl's Network

The Met Police got involved with the Girl's Network in 2018, providing female mentors for teenage girls in the least advantaged communities, but the process has now been reversed with the launch of a girl-led mentoring scheme for the police.

The objective is for these young women to have their voices heard, gain a platform, develop their confidence, and represent their communities.

Ishrat says "Two years ago I was shy and lacked confidence. Now I am mentoring senior officers at the Met Police as part of a pilot campaign."

If the scheme is a success, it will be rolled out across other London boroughs.

More on London's knife crime problems

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 13:01:44 +0000
Getting an Adult Diagnosis of ADHD

Helen Wills talks to Louise Williams about her life with undiagnosed ADHD, and getting a diagnosis as an adult during the pandemic.

We started this conversation with a discussion about the pros and cons of social media, and how there have been more diagnoses of ADHD during the pandemic. Louise thinks this is partly because more people have spotted the signs in themselves as they've seen others sharing, and partly because the boredom of lockdown has been particularly hard on those with the symptoms of the condition.

Louise explains that ADHD is a condition where not enough dopamine is produced in the brain. People with ADHD often seek dopamine 'hits' in the form of social engagements or unhealthy habits like binge-eating or drinking.

ADHD may present differently in women

At first Louise didn't equate her symptoms with those of ADHD, because she had the stereotype in her mind of a small boy bouncing off the classroom walls. But she explains how differently it can manifest in girls and women, which is often why it goes undiagnosed.

In addition, ADHD symptoms are exacerbated by fluctuating hormones, so teenage years and menopause are classic times for a diagnosis in women.

Louise also told me that people often have their concerns of ADHD dismissed by the medical profession because they're high achievers. She says people with ADHD absolutely can do well at school or in their career, they've just had to work harder than most to get there.

Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria

We also talked about Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria, an aspect of ADHD which sees people struggle to deal with the slightest indication of criticism or negativity from those in their lives.

Who is Louise Williams?

Louise is a 37 year old writer and mum of two children, a daughter aged 10 and a son aged 8. She loves to travel, take the kids on adventures and review festivals and holiday destinations. She also has a company teaching blogging to others, Top Blog Coaching.

In her spare time she loves photography and walking, mostly found with her dog Hendrix.

Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, Louise has been sharing her life changing story in an effort to raise awareness and reach others in a similar situation to her.

Where to find Louise

If you need more support with ADHD

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 07:56:49 +0000
Tips for Parents on Helping Teens with ADHD

In the third episode of this mini-series on ADHD in teens Helen Wills speaks to Julia Langensiepen about how parents can support their teenager with an ADHD diagnosis.

Julia's sound was a bit glitchy, but it's worth persevering with the episode, as Julia has so many positive things to say about people with ADHD - it's a truly inspiring account of the positives of living with ADHD, as well as the difficulties that need to be managed.

Who is Julia Langensiepen?

After a 12 year career as a French and German teacher in the secondary sector Julia retrained to work with the human condition and set up her own coaching practice Nurturinglife.co.uk in 2008.

Julia says she works intuitively with whoever and whatever presents; mental break down, work/life balance, anxiety, stress, addictive behaviour, depression and trauma.

She has recently seen a growing number of individual clients showing characteristics of an ADHD brain. During lockdown she set up webinars for parents of teens with an ADHD diagnosis.

Resources on ADHD

Julia mentioned a few resources that might help families understand their family member with ADHD (affiliate links):

You can also find out more about Julia's course, and supporting your child with ADHD on her website Nurturing Life, and by connecting with her on Facebook.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 00:00:19 +0000
How it Feels to go Through University With ADHD

Episode 2 of the Teenage Kicks ADHD mini-series sees Helen Wills talk to Lacey Small about how it feels to be a University student with ADHD.

Lacey says she finds it difficult to talk to people about how she's feeling, because nobody really understands what she's dealing with.

Growing up, Lacey - like lots of children with ADHD - thought she was "stupid." She spelled words phonetically, and couldn't grasp times tables at junior school.

Lacey says “Discovering I had ADHD was like an epiphany, it’s like my own little super power that helps me see the world in a unique perspective.”

ADHD at University

Lacey struggled to move away from the comfort zone of home, as she finds it emotionally exhausting to engage with her peers.

Lacey also finds external stimuli distressing, so going to the pub, or being on a busy street has caused her to cry and melt down in social situations.

Regarding her studies, Lacey says that her ADHD tendency to think outside the box makes academic study difficult, even though it's great for creativity and problem solving.

ADHD during the pandemic

Lacey says that having to work remotely during Covid-19 has made her ADHD even more difficult to manage. Without the regular input of lectures and engagement with tutors, she has struggled to maintain focus, and her mental health has suffered.

She says we need to give more thought to supporting students who've felt isolated by remote learning.

Types of ADHD

Lacey described the 3 typical presentations of ADHD as she understands them:

  • Attentive - these are the people who are good at masking and people-pleasing, and who try to fit in with others. This is more common in girls.
  • Inattentive - people with inattentive ADHD are less aware of social boundaries and might be labelled 'naughty' at school.
  • Combined - where sufferers know they don't react like others, but are confused as to why.

Why it's important to get an ADHD Diagnosis

Getting her diagnosis recently has helped Lacey's tutors and coursemates to understand where she's coming from, so it's been a huge relief.

She says that an earlier diagnosis of ADHD might have saved her a lot of stress, especially around friendships and exams.

Recommended support for students with ADHD

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:31:52 +0000
Normalising ADHD Through Talking About the Signs with Ella Tabb from @PurpleElla

This episode starts a new mini-series on ADHD. Helen Wills talks to Ella Tabb from Purple Ella about her family's diagnoses of autism and ADHD, including her own diagnosis at the age of 36.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a neurological condition that affects mood and behaviour. It's often diagnosed in childhood, but can persist into adulthood, with adult diagnoses becoming more common.

Symptoms of ADHD

Symptoms can vary, and are often different in women and men. Boys are sometimes diagnosed during school years due to restlessness and impulsive behaviour (hyperactive ADHD), while girls often mask their symptoms, trying to live up to school expectations. As a result they are more likely to find it hard to focus, pay attention , and remember details.

Ella talks about how it was only when getting a diagnosis of ADHD for her daughter that she recognised the symptoms in herself.

Here's what we discussed:

  • She was labelled difficult, naughty and weird during her school years.
  • She was bullied at secondary school and suffered low self-esteem.
  • Her strong moral code meant she would say things out loud that other teenagers might ridicule.
  • Ella describes herself as having no filter between her brain and her mouth. She talked AT people rather than with them.
  • This would make her panic after a conversation that she may have offended people.
  • Aspects of the ADOS test used to diagnose autism and ADHD - Ella was asked do you struggle with queues, can you watch a sunset, do you have intense interests?

What should parents do if they think their child might have ADHD?

Ella details a great set of resources to arm yourself with the knowledge you need to decide whether to pursue a diagnosis. She says it's important to write down the categories that fit ADHD with as much evidence as you can before visiting your GP.

Parents do need to intervene. Ella says as a teenager with ADHD she couldn't see what her own problems were. She just felt really bad about herself and didn't understand that there was more to it.

Scroll down for organisations that can help.

Who is Purple Ella?

Purple Ella is a disabled content creator with a focus on autism and ADHD. She draws on her experience of her own life as an autistic adult with ADHD and as the mother to three children who are all neurodivergent.

She says "all behaviour is communication" and wants all neurodivergent people to know that they are perfect just the way they are. Ella also lives with her husband, her assistance dog Coco and her cat Katsu.

Where to find support and advice on getting an ADHD diagnosis

Listen to the podcast for more information and advice from Ella on everything from getting a diagnosis to techniques to help with concentration at school when you have ADHD.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 25 May 2021 00:00:17 +0000
Life's Too Short For Heavy Periods When You're a Teenager!

Today’s episode is going to be relevant to you if you (or your daughter) suffers from very heavy periods.

Helen Wills talks to Fi Star Stone, who suffered with extreme heavy periods from the age of 15 when her periods began, to the point where it was affecting her quality of life, and her ability to be at school. She was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovaries, but she says that not all heavy bleeding like hers will have the same causes.

Fi talks about how much is too much, what the symptoms of endometriosis are, and what help is available to young girls who have heavy periods with no clinical cause.

It’s a really honest chat, and Fi gives a lot of hope to teenage girls who might be feeling like they have to suffer in silence.

What medications help with heavy periods?

Your GP might first of all prescribe Tranexamic Acid, which helps to slow down bleeding, and Naproxen, a strong anti-inflammatory to help with the pain.

If these don't help sufficiently, girls might be put on the pill to either reduce the severity of periods, or stop them altogether.

Why it's important to go to the doctor if your periods are unmanageable

Very heavy, painful periods might be a sign of an underlying condition like endometriosis, which can damage your fertility if left untreated. A simple ultrasound scan can see whether this, or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) might be an issue.

Who is Fi Star Stone?

Fi Star-Stone is a bestselling author, qualified parenting advisor, child sleep consultant, and regular contributor to parenting media.

She’s also a mum of two little ones born less than a year apart. Fi is a specialist speaker on childcare and parenting issues on the BBC, and a regular face on Mother&Baby IGTV lives.

Fi also co-hosts a podcast ‘Self(ish)’ which takes a look at the importance of finding ‘me time’ when there is no time!You can find more from Fi below:

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 18 May 2021 00:00:13 +0000
Acting Out as a Teen - What Might be Going on Underneath a Teenagers's Bad Behaviour

Today's guest on the Teenage Kicks podcast is Hazel Davis, a journalist from West Yorkshire in the UK.

Hazel opens up to Helen Wills about how she 'acted out' in her teenage years as a response to being bullied at school.

She describes herself as "that child" who everyone avoided. Her way of coping with being unwanted was to become non-conformist. She says she was promiscuous, aggressive and a terrible liar.

She says "If people weren't going to like me, fancy me... I was going to make sure that at least they noticed me."

Hazel now describes herself as one of the most laid-back and well-balanced people she knows. She tells how she made that change.

We talk about:

  • How we are never perceived by others the way we think we are - listen to Hazel's story of befriending one of her bullies on Facebook to find out more.
  • That what people put out into the world isn't always who they really are, and how there's always something else going on beneath the surface.
  • That no one has their shit together - even the adults! So teenagers need to cut themselves some slack if they're comparing themselves to others.
  • Education isn't over when you leave school. Sometimes the most valuable lessons are learned later in life - have a listen to Hazel's incredible tale of what happened after she left school (I actually think she should write a novel based on it!)
  • Sometimes being a bit different is the best thing you can be. It might be the reason you eventually land that amazing job, figure out your purpose, or meet the love of your life.
  • Why we shouldn't mistake sex for love/respect/validation. Think about how it's making you feel, and only do it if it's making you feel good.

Hazel also has a lovely message at the end of the episode for teenagers who might be feeling like they don't fit in (yet). Listen to the end to hear her inspiring advice.

Books that might help a teen figure out who they are (affiliate links)

Who is Hazel Davis?

Hazel Davis writes for a range of publications, including the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Times and FT, on a variety of subjects from small business to music.

She also works as a media consultant and trainer and runs Muse Flash, a media training and copywriting agency.

She has two children, plays trumpet, violin and sings. She recently passed her grade 8 singing and she's very proud of herself 🥰

You can connect with Hazel below:


More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 04 May 2021 10:24:13 +0000
Stop seeking validation from others! How to help your teen tackle low-self esteem.

My guest in this episode knows a thing or two about low self-esteem! Raised in a strict Irish Catholic family, Amanda Ryall never felt like she fitted in at home or at school.

Helen Wills talks to Amanda about how he struggled with academic work and thought of herself as 'stupid,' eventually seeking validation in the views of others for her self-worth.

Amanda eventually realised that the needy behaviour she used to get attention as as child didn't work in the adult world, and set about changing her outlook on life and her own happiness.

We talk about:

  • How we unknowingly take on our family narrative, and how it impacts our thought processes.
  • Labelling, and the self-perpetuating nature of our own perceptions.
  • The conflict between academic pressure and being an individual that makes school expectations so difficult to navigate whilst holding onto who you are.
  • Showing up in the world and making your actions count in other ways than through academic merit.
  • How for some jobs the best person isn't necessarily the one with the most academic qualifications. Resilience, strength and perseverance count for just as much.
  • How freeing it is to know that there isn't just one path to success.
  • How spending time on yourself isn't selfish, and how freeing ourselves from the pressure of the "to-do" list helps us control stress and improve self-esteem.
  • The value of unconnected timea alone, and how to listen to your inner (real) voice instead of your ego's expectations of you.
  • How to fill your own void rather than waiting for someone/something else to do it for you.

Who is Amanda Ryall?

Amanda is the best-selling author of I Choose Me, and creator of the Mood Munchers book series for children. She was nominated for Global Woman of the Year 2020, and is now the host of her own podcast You Choose You Now, where she talks about letting go of negative self-talk, instead choosing who you are really meant to be.

You can connect with Amanda below:

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 00:00:20 +0000
How to revise and cope with exam stress

Tips for managing exam stress

If you're heading into exam season it's likely that things are getting quite tense in your home. Parents are probably treading on eggshells, and teenagers are panicking that they haven't done/read/learned enough to cope with GCSE's or A-Levels. If that sounds like you, you definitely need to listen to this episode of the Teenage Kicks podcast.

Helen Wills interviewed families and parenting coach Sharon Lawton for her best tips on how to cope with exam stress. She gave me so many brilliant tips, as well as some great revision techniques I hadn't heard about before. Above all, my take away point from Sharon was this:

"Focus on what you can control, not what you can't..."

I think it applies to pretty much every stressful situation, don't you?

You can find Sharon's brilliant daily tips on managing stress in families on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as on her coaching site Natural Flair Coaching.


More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:45:42 +0000
Life as an off the rails teenager - how Nina put her life back together

In this episode of the Teenage Kicks Podcast Helen Wills talks to Nina de Sausmarez about how she went off the rails as a teenager, using sex to seek validation from men, after being abandoned by her father. Helen says:

As the mother of teenagers, this conversation with Nina felt like therapy for me. Here's what Nina had to say about her life as a teen, and what it's taught her about motherhood:

"Having been through a hugely turbulent childhood and teenage years myself where my emotional needs were not met, I take a bold stand for 'no topics are off limits' in my approach to parenting. I actively encourage conversations about sex, drugs, and everything in between.

I let go of my need to 'fix their problems' and have no attachment to the choices they make and the direction they want to go in their lives. I actively step back and allow them to learn from all their mistakes.

My girls do not come first. I make sure I do. I'm sure many find that controversial!. By doing so, they are strong feminists, hugely confident, resilient and unafraid to try, no matter the outcome. Our bond is incredible and I am proud of how i've been able to let go of my past experiences and use it in such a powerful way to empower and support them.

Nina has some advice for parents on what to do when your teenager goes off the rails, and tips for teens who might be experiencing difficult emotions like she did.

As the mother of two girls aged 20 and 15 she also has some incredible insights into parenting. I had so many lightbulb moments during this episode. I know you will too!

Where to find Nina

Nina de Sausmarez is a confidence coach for women and those identifying as. You can find her on Instagram, where she is happy to be contacted via DM.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:01:53 +0000
How it feels as a teenager with dyslexia. Plus dyslexia tips from an expert

Today Helen Wills talks to teacher and tuition coach Jemma about her experiences of undiagnosed dyslexia through her teenage years.

Also on the podcast is Karen Hautz, a learning coach who provides counselling and skills-based coaching for adults and teenagers with dyslexia. She gives some wonderful tips about how to understand and support someone with dyslexia,

Jemma was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 19, but spent her school years struggling to understand why everything felt so much harder for her to achieve than it did for her friends.

We talk about the strategies she taught herself to get through school – and they worked! She got 9A*s and 2As at GCSE.

But she found the less structured learning at university difficult to cope with until she got her diagnosis, and finally learned techniques to manage her dyslexia.

Karen's message

Dyslexic people are often particularly good at being able to see the 'big picture' in any situation. They may demonstrate lateral thinking and problem solving. They may make creative leaps of thought which gives them an innovative approach to a subject. Some demonstrate strong visualisation skills. Others are imaginative and inventive in their approach to their work. Others again show entrepreneurial flair.

Understanding dyslexia

Helen Wills says:

I absolutely loved discovering more about how dyslexic people think and work, and there are so many tips in the conversation for families who might be worrying about a child with dyslexia, or indeed an adult in the process of diagnosis.

More support with dyslexia

Useful books on dyslexia

Websites that help with dyslexia

Where to find Jemma and Karen

Jemma Zoe Smith graduated from Oriel College at Oxford University in 2013, having studied her BSc and Master’s degree in Biochemistry. She returned to Oxford University in 2017 to gain her teacher training qualification.She now runs tuition agency The Education Hotel. Instagram.

Karen Hautz provides counselling support and skills-based coaching for adults and teenagers with dyslexia, autism and AD(H)D online and at her London office and works closely with parents and liaises with schools also.

Find out more about Karen’s work at www.dyslexia-achievement.com or call her for a free, informal 20 minute telephone chat on 07391698517

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 10:46:02 +0000
Teenage anxiety so bad it can kill, and how to avoid it, with Lorena Salazar

In this episode Helen Wills and Lorena Salazar talk about how stress can affect teenagers, the long-term implications of unmanaged worry, and how to support a teenager with anxiety.

When Lorena was 14 she was diagnosed with gastritis, caused by stress. Eventually she was told she had a gastric ulcer, and by the time she was in college her anxiety was so bad it had affected her immune system, and infection had taken hold. Lorena almost died.

I'm Helen Wills, and each week I talk to someone who went through a difficult time in their teenage years, but came through it in a good place. My guests offer insight and tips for parents of teens who might be going through similar, and hope for young people who need a light shining at the end of the tunnel.

How anxiety begins in children:

Worry is normal, but when it becomes long-term it can start to wear down a child's defences. Lorena talks about how her parents' separation and a move to a new school started with small worries, and progressed to physical symptoms of anxiety.

Lots of teens suffer heightened anxiety around friendship issues, especially when they try to fit in with a popular group of peers. Lorena gives great self-confidence tips for teens on living according to your own needs rather than living up to the expectations of others.

How to support a teenager with depression or anxiety:

Lorena talks about

  • how parents might struggle to help teens who don't think their parents really get it
  • how keeping consistent with offers of support pays off eventually
  • how teens need to feel ready to seek help before it will work for them.

Eventually Lorena was able to see that there was a positive way out of her anxiety, and used therapy to recover and manage her feelings.

There's also good advice for adults on how to avoid the competitive culture we live in that values productivity over wellness.

Who is Lorena Salazar?

Lorena Salazar is a wellness coach from Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is on a mission to help 1 million women with anxiety reclaim their power, feel confident and live joyful lives.

In April 2021 Lorena is relaunching her free wellness accountability group for moms/mums. She says it's perfect for those who want to stay on track with their wellness goals and benefit from checking in with a group of like minded people.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 22:34:13 +0000
What grooming looks like, and how to cope afterwards, with Emma Cantrell

*Trigger warning - episode contains references to sexual abuse.

Has your teenager been groomed? Or are you a young person experiencing grooming? In this episode Emma Cantrell talks about her experience of grooming at the age of 12 over a number of years.

What does grooming mean?

The NSPCC defines grooming as follows:

  • Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked. Anybody can be a groomer, no matter their age, gender or race.

What is grooming?

  • Emma explains how grooming happened to her, and how it progressed to sexual abuse. Listen to the episode to hear how easily it can happen.

What is online grooming and should parents be worried?

Online grooming can be of great concern to parents, because it's often easier for a groomer's behaviour to go unnoticed. However it's important to remember that grooming happens in all kinds of situations, not just in an online arena.

If you're worried about screen time or social media apps, this episode with digital parenting coach Elizabeth is reassuring.

What are the signs of grooming?

As a parent it's natural to worry when your child begins a relationship that could lead to sexual activity, but sometimes it's the less obvious connections that need to be examined.

So how can parents spot the warning signs of grooming? Here are some of the signs of grooming behaviour you might like to keep in mind:

  • being secretive about how they're spending their time, both online and offline
  • having an older boyfriend or girlfriend
  • suddenly having more money than usual, or new things like clothes and mobile phones that they can't or won't explain
  • drinking or taking drugs
  • spending more or less time online or on their devices.

What are the long term effects of grooming?

Emma explains in the episode how the long term effects of grooming affected her through her adult life. Listen to hear how it impacted her at university and beyond, including her development of an eating disorder, as well as issues with self-esteem.

Where to find help if you have experienced grooming

  • The NSPCC has a really good page on grooming
  • There's also a great page on Childline UK for questions children might have about what

Who is Emma Cantrell?

Emma Cantrell is a charity founder and CEO, accidental runner and passionate Do Gooder. She has raised over £3m for small charities and can be found talking passionately about poverty, politics and her steadfast belief in the fundamental good in people to whoever will listen. She lives in Berkshire with her two children, Joni and Wilbur.

You can find out more about Emma here:

More teenage parenting tips:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 16:33:19 +0000
How to deal with loneliness when you have a disability

Nathan Todd was born with cerebral palsy. He describes so charmingly how this affected him growing up.

As he got older, he began to experience loneliness as a result of the labels others placed on him, including the adults around him.

Nathan is now a connection coach, helping his clients to find meaningful connections with other people and combat loneliness in their lives.

Nathan also campaigns against the labelling that happens to people with disabilities under the hashtag #nolabeldefinesme.

Where to find Nathan

Listen to the podcast for tips if you're feeling judged, on the outside, or alone - whether you have a disability or not!

More teenage parenting tips:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 00:00:18 +0000
Practical tips for GCSE Revision - ideas to help parents help their teens

How do you get the best GCSE results you can during Covid-19?

If your child was expecting to be sitting GCSEs in 2021 the chances are they and you have been been feeling quite stressed since the announcement that GCSEs will not go ahead "as normal" in 2021.

Teachers Emily and Paul Hughes answer the question of how to pass your GCSEs in straightforward terms:

6 Tips to do well in GCSEs

  • Impress your teachers.
  • Be proactive. This means doing more than you need to.
  • Use past papers. Testing yourself is one of the most effective ways of cementing your knowledge.
  • Approach every test as if it's a final exam.
  • Make a revision plan and stick to it.
  • Make your revision effective. Work smarter, not harder.
  • Where to find Emily and Paul

    You can find more from Emily and Paul on their website Parent Guide to GCSE, where you can download their free revision planner, or subscribe for their full service and receive weekly tips on supporting your child through their GCSEs. Or you can access the same information in Emily's book GCSE Survival Guide for Parents.

    You can also join the Parent Guide to GCSEs community on Facebook.

    Emily and Paul also mentioned James Shone, who is a schools speaker.

    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

    Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:06:33 +0000
    On Becoming a Parent to Your Own Sister - with Taylor James

    What happens when the unthinkable happens, and you suddenly have to become the 'parent' to your own sibling?

    This is what happened to Taylor James, who was just 25 when his mum suffered terrible brain injury following a routine operation. On the day his sister started her GCSEs Taylor was faced with needing to tell her their mum might not live, and subsequently making the decision to turn off her life-support machine.

    Miraculously, she survived, and Taylor tells the emotional story of how he went from child to parent overnight, not just to his sister, but to his mum, who know needs full-time neurological care.

    This is a young guy who had to navigate not only the world of care homes, but also the drama of his sister's prom - he says he's now dreading her wedding day!

    But through all this, Taylor's strength and wisdom shines through, and he describes how facing the unimaginable has made him realise that there's nothing to be scared of in life; that whatever is going to happen will happen, in spite of our efforts to control it, but that we have what it takes to navigate it, whatever it is.

    Have a listen to his words of advice to anyone facing a difficult period in their lives, and then go and connect with him; because - as he says - having a good waffle is the biggest coping mechanism there is. And it's free!

    Where to find Taylor

    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

    Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:43:11 +0000
    5 Things I Wish Adults Knew About Teenagers - with Kk from Insider Scoop

    This week on the Teenage Kicks podcast I have a rather exciting guest - and actual, real, live teenager!

    Kk is a teen podcaster, and she reached out to me because she wanted parents to "understand what teens really think and feel" about things like bullying, friendships, and school. She talked to me about growing up with social media, and the impact it has on teenagers' mental health.


    What teenagers wish parents knew about their kids

  • Not everything needs to be academic
  • We are going to experiment
  • We need your support
  • Being a teen is hard
  • Lessons teens need to learn from their parents.
  • Listen to the episode to find out what Kk has to say about these points.


    Ask a teenager

    I also asked Kk the questions parents been burning to know the answers to:

    • What's really going on in our teens' minds when they look unhappy to us, and why they sometimes shrug off our concerns
    • How common is it to view porn, and does it put pressure on girls to have sex before they're ready?
    • What impact does peer pressure really have on teens' drug and alcohol use?
    • Are parents worrying too much about screen time?

    Kk has some brilliant things to say to teenagers themselves about how to navigate a life that can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. Have a listen to her episode on insecurities here.


    More from Kk

    Kk is a teen podcaster and host of the Insider Scoop podcast. She is also an aspiring talk show host, who shares her passion of entertaining and motivating others through her compelling stories and discussions on different topics. During Kk's free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, along with staying active. You can find more from Kk on Instagram.


    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

    Tue, 01 Dec 2020 00:00:16 +0000
    Dealing With Infidelity in Your Parents' Marriage - a Teenage Perspective From Olivia

    I had a fascinating chat with Olivia (not her real name) about how she felt as a child and teenager witnessing the difficulties in her parents' marriage after her father was unfaithful to her mother over the course of several years.

    Olivia's parents are still together, but throughout her teenage years she was affected by the impact her father's affairs had on her own life, and on her mother's emotional health. From financial losses and the need to change schools, to difficulties in seeing her extended family, the practical problems of a messy marriage weren't the only challenges Olivia faced.

    She says that any parents navigating the potential breakdown of their marriage need to bear in mind that having to monitor and worry about the state of your parents' relationship is really tough on a child, especially when they're just discovering who they are themselves, with all the stresses that brings.

    Her biggest piece of advice? Understand that your kids are teenagers. They have their own problems, and will find the addition of yours overwhelming at times. As such, Olivia says that whilst it's important to be honest with teens, you also need to make sure you don't burden them with more information than they can handle at that moment. There will come a time for whole truths, but perhaps that time isn't always in the moment.

    Further Support

    • Charity Relate has a good page on how to talk to children about divorce and separation
    • Voices in the Middle is an organisation created for young people by young people, and can offer tips to parents about how to start the conversation on relationship difficulties.

    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills. I'm delighted to say that I've recently been added to this list of top teen parenting podcasters, which - after only two series I'm super proud of.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

    Tue, 24 Nov 2020 08:28:24 +0000
    Creating Resilience in Teens with Becky Goddard Hill

    Do you think your teenager is moody and negative?

    Becky Goddard Hill is co-author of Be Happy, Be You - a teenage guide to happiness. Her book - and this podcast episode - is packed with small tips that teens can easily fit into their lives to help improve how they're feeling.

    Our teens are happier than we think they are

    However, beneath the sometimes surly demeanor, Becky says our teenagers are coping really well with the stress in their lives. During lockdown children's charity Childline had a 40% increase in calls from under 11's, but calls from teenagers reduced. The assumption is that the reduced burden of schoolwork and real-time relationship pressures meant that teens actually felt calmer than usual during lockdown.

    In contrast, re-entering the new normal of Covid life has found teenagers more worried than they were before, so Becky's tips on helping them to cope are super relevant right now.

    Accepting that teens have a different reality

    What I loved most about my chat with Becky though was how she puts into perspective the frustrations I might have with my own teenagers, and helps me to understand that they're coming at life from a totally different place to me! She says we're all born with negativity bias, and that giving into that as parents could be a modelling behaviour we need to address in ourselves. Becky made me think about role modelling positivity and optimism with my kids, because it will be contagious - especially during the pandemic!

    Why teens make us despair!

    There's also a reason why our teenagers indulge in risky behaviours. Apparently dopamine levels are reduced in the teenage years, meaning that young people start to up their risk factors in order to get the happiness hit they're looking for. Who knew!

    Have a listen to the episode for more brilliant nuggets of information and advice from Becky.

    Useful links to things we spoke about:

    Where to find more from Becky:

    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills. I'm delighted to say that I've recently been added to this list of top teen parenting podcasters, which - after only two series I'm super proud of.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:10 +0000
    How Victoria Coped with Anxiety and Panic Attacks as a Teenager

    Victoria Metal is a music teacher from North Carolina. At 25, she’s one of the youngest guests on Teenage Kicks, and much closer in age to my teenagers than she is to me. She talks about something I think is common to lots of teenagers, and adults, Depression.

    Teenage depression and anxiety facts

    Depression and anxiety among teens is common, with nearly a third presenting with symptoms of an anxiety disorder by the age of 18, with anxiety in teenage girls more than twice as common as it is in boys. Teenage years are some of the most stressful times of our lives, with the burden of needing to succeed academically, and social pressures adding to the intense experience of physical development and puberty.


    What causes anxiety in teens?

    Victoria describes what kickstarted her anxiety – school pressures, friendship issues and overwhelm. Just normal stuff, that so many families will relate to. As a young girl she spent hours on the floor of her bedroom listening to music, just to escape from her emotions. She also tells me about how she tried to ask for help, but didn’t manage to get the support she needed in time to prevent what happened later.


    Why teenage mental health needs to be taken seriously

    I was struck by how well Victoria coped as a teenager. Talking to her reminded me that being 18 doesn’t make you an adult, and that young people still need emotional support as they begin adult life.


    Panic attacks and anxiety

    Victoria did eventually get the support she needed, but not before suffering panic attacks at work, and eventually going back to the beginning, and working out the roots of her anxiety with her mother.

    Whilst panic attacks in teens aren’t usual, Victoria’s story serves as a warning that teen mental health is as important to take care of as physical health to ensure symptoms don’t worsen further down the line.

    Once you’ve finished listening, I’d urge you to go and download this episode of Victoria’s own podcast, The Intention Seekers. In it she reads through her graduation speech, which gave me goosebumps. “You are going to be missed” she told her class, and this is the sentiment she’d offer to those going through the anxiety and self-doubt that many teenagers experience:

    You matter.

    You are loved.

    Keep going.


    What can parents do?

    For parents, this conversation with Victoria made me realise how difficult it is to identify and express your feelings at this age, and that actually, asking for help might cost them a LOT! Have a listen to how she first expressed her panic at the state of her emotional health at the age of 12 – it’s a little bit heartbreaking.


    Find Victoria here


    Further reading and support


    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills. I'm delighted to say that I've recently been added to this list of top teen parenting podcasters, which - after only two series I'm super proud of.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:24:55 +0000
    Coping With the Sudden Death of a Sibling at 17 - Gina Lee Lyons

    Gina Lee Lyons had a perfectly normal childhood until her Dad left her Mum when she was 12. That started a chain of events including the family losing their home, and her brother spending time in a category A prison. When she was 17, Gina's older brother was killed suddenly in a car accident.

    We talk about how Gina's mum gradually became an alcoholic, and how Gina herself "got through" those years, without really dealing with her own despair, or processing any of the ordeals she'd suffered at such a young age.

    I was struck by how strong Gina was as a teenager, and actually, how strong all of us are capable of being when faced with terrible situations that just need to be dealt with. But it was clear, as Gina details in this episode, that pushing problems aside doesn't stop them hurting us - it just means we end up addressing them later in life.

    Gina is now a mum of two young children, but when I talked to her she was in the middle of penning a comedy screenplay about her life, as part of her job in TV production and comedy scriptwriting. We talked about how a dark sense of humour helped all her family to get through some very difficult moments, but that all of them had to deal with their emotions on a deeper level eventually.


    Useful Links


    Where to find Gina


    More teen mental health resources

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 27 Oct 2020 08:17:55 +0000
    How do you cope with the loss of a parent when you're a teenager - Ryan Gallagher

    Ryan Gallagher is a firefighter from Burlington in Canada. When he was just 16, Ryan’s father died as Ryan himself was performing CPR.

    Ryan talks about how he never really 'coped' with what happened, just getting on with his teenage life, doing his usual things.

    It was only when he was a little older, and started drinking, that he realised alcohol made him feel 'better,' and he started using it to avoid dealing with difficult feelings around his father's death.

    Having used alcohol and food to prop himself up through several years, Ryan now has a wonderful attitude to his mental health, which he describes as getting out of his head and creating his own story.

    He has the most wonderful, down-to-earth tips for anyone trying to cope with unhealthy habits. In his podcast Mental Edge Lifestyle he aims to show anyone struggling that "they're not as different as they think." That whatever you're going through, there's always someone going through the same, and that there is a way through it to a brighter part of your story.

    I loved Ryan's honesty, his ownership of his problems, and his acceptance that he is the only person who can change the things he doesn’t like about his life. It takes work, and it takes time, but you have what it takes to do it.

    I hope this episode helps even just one family to start to understand how to approach the emotional challenges that come with the death of a parent. I’d love to hear from you if it has, or if you have any suggestions for future topics on the Teenage Kicks podcast. Just email me on teenagekicks@gmail.com, or you can find me on Instagram and Twitter at @iamhelenwills. I appreciate every message, and love to hear from my listeners.

    Where to get support with teen mental health concerns


    Where to connect with Ryan


    What next for the Teenage Kicks podcast?

    We started this conversation with a great insight into what it takes to become a firefighter. I'm now thinking it would be fun to have some careers-based episodes on the podcast! What do you think? Let me know if that's something you'd like to see.


    More teen mental health resources

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:54:51 +0000
    Trusting the Timing: Living With a Stammer in Your Teens, with Callum Schofield

    Callum Schofield said his own name for the first time at the age of 18 without stuttering. He spent his childhood and teenage years without a voice, which he says had a massive impact on his mental health.

    Callum is now a podcast host, motivational speaker and stammering activist raising awareness of the needs of children (and adults) with a stammer. He also advocates for male mental health on his blog and YouTube channel.


    Where to get help with a stammer

    In our chat, Callum talked about the two organisations that helped him gain control of his speech. He says that every stammerer is different, but these are the organisations he found help from:


    Where to connect with Callum


    Advice for parents on stammering

    This is honestly one of the loveliest pieces of advice I've had on the podcast. Callum says "Trust the timing." When his mother tried to help him as a younger child, it just didn't work. It would have been easy to despair, but she persisted in supporting her son, and when the time felt right for Callum, he got the help he needed.

    I know this advice to work well for smaller parenting dilemmas too, especially with teenagers.


    More teen mental health resources

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 13 Oct 2020 00:00:26 +0000
    Understanding what's happening online and trusting your teen anyway - with digital parenting expert Elizabeth Milovidov

    As our kids move towards the teenage years it can be difficult for parents to adjust . Starting secondary school is a huge deal for parents as well as kids, and in addition to the physical independence they’re going to need from you, it’s also likely that they’re going to start accessing areas of the online world that you might feel more than a bit twitchy about.

    Elizabeth Milovidov is the founder of DigitalParentingCoach.com, a site dedicated to empowering parents to understand what their kids are doing online, so we can trust them to start doing it without constant supervision from us.

    Elizabeth also provides support to governments, companies, schools, and parenting associations on digital parenting, and children and the internet. She’s a Board Trustee for the Diana Award, and an Advisor to e-Enfance, (the French Child Online Protection Association).

    She’s also a mum - her boys are aged 10 and 13 so she GETS IT!

    Talking points:

    Listen to the podcast to find out

    • Why you don't have to be a parental control guru to keep your kids safe online
    • How (and why) to let them have some privacy with their online conversations (I was a snooper 🙈
    • Why Snapchat really don't want kids under 13 using their app (it might surprise you)
    • How to trust your teenager to know when something isn't right, and come to you with it
    • What are some of the signs that they're in over their heads
    • How to prompt conversations about their online interactions without interrogation
    • What a gaming addiction looks like, and why your child probably isn't addicted - although if you need it, here's 75 ideas to get teenagers off their screens for a while!
    • How to understand what is happening online, (Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram: pornography, drugs, sexting) and realising that your teen will be okay anyway

    Great resources for parenting teens online:

    You can also find Elizabeth on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

    The risk assessment site Elizabeth mentions is https://www.wirelessriskassessment.org/

    More teenage parenting tips:

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:23 +0000
    Boys Get Eating Disorders Too - Talking Bulimia with Sam Thomas

    Sam Thomas is an award winning mental health campaigner, writer and public speaker. He lives in Brighton and is in recovery from bulimia and alcohol addiction.

    I first found Sam in Happiful Magazine, where he's a contributor on mental health issues.

    What is bulimia?

    Sam is very open in this podcast episode about how his experiences of eating disorders began. Listen to the podcast to hear his very straightforward explanation of how he first began bingeing and purging.

    Boys and bulimia

    What's really interesting is Sam's point about how eating disorders were always seen as a 'girl' thing. It meant that getting help was even more difficult because of the stigma of being a boy with bulimia. After his recovery, Sam started a social media campaign #mengeteatingdisorderstoo to raise awareness of the lack of community support for boys and men dealing with bulimia or anorexia.

    Why do eating disorders happen?

    I also had a lightbulb moment when Sam explained that eating disorders are really not about weight. Listen to the podcast to hear his perspective explained so parents can understand what their child is going through, and how best to help.

    Where to find help with bulimia

    More teen mental health resources

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Thu, 01 Oct 2020 12:25:55 +0000
    Overcoming the Stigma of Being an Overweight Teen, with Margaret Steffie

    Is your teenager struggling with their weight or body image?

    My guest today knows all about feeling uncomfortable in her body, and the negativity from friends and peers at school that can come with that.

    Margaret Steffie says she was never the fit kid – she openly admits that as a teen, she was more likely to be found curled up with a book than playing sports, but she also suffered with food intolerances that made her bloated and demotivated around her health.

    We talk about how Margaret had her weight medicalised at a very young age, and the impact this had on her perception of herself.

    We also talk about bullying due to weight issues, comfort eating, and how even well-intended comments about what she was eating, or how much she was exercising, contributed to her struggle to be healthy.

    Margaret has since revolutionised her approach to her weight and health. She is now a health coach, personal trainer, and group fitness instructor with her own podcast – Margaret’s Healthy Hour. She says her goal is to help women skyrocket their energy and find their purpose in life.


    Advice for parents with teens who are struggling with their weight

    The big take home for me as a mum was Margaret’s advice to parents to take a step back from their children’s problems, and to have faith in the process they’re going through.

    This is something that’s really been on my mind recently. As parents we start our journeys with our children trying to maintain control – necessarily, and sometimes for their safety! But that makes it difficult for us to stand by and watch when our kids are struggling with something, or to allow them to make mistakes.

    And yet, we do eventually have to hand over full control to our children – and that’s ultimately what we want too, however difficult it is to accept.

    Margaret’s other super piece of wisdom is that no one can be led into a lifestyle change without being ready for it, and that by pushing our children into certain courses of action, we might actually be doing more harm than good.

    Have a listen to what she says about her conversations with her parents now, and how it’s helping them to understand what she and her siblings need.


    Where to get help if you're being bullied about your weight

    As well as talking to the pastoral team at school, you might find useful advice on bullying from these websites aimed specifically at teenagers:

    Where to find Margaret


    More teen mental health resources

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Mon, 28 Sep 2020 22:34:55 +0000
    Finding Your People and Your Purpose, with Tracy Edwards MBE

    Has your teenager dropped out of education? And if so, are you worried about their future prospects? I’m hoping that this episode will give you some comfort, and maybe a little bit of inspiration to help your child move forwards.

    Tracy Edwards MBE is a sailor, author, motivational speaker, mature student and charity founder. Incredibly, all of these achievements came from a girl who was expelled from school when she was 15.

    Tracy won international fame in 1990 as the skipper of the first all-female crew to sail around the world when they raced Maiden in the Whitbread Round the World Race.


    In 2017 set up The Maiden Factor to promote and fundraise for the education of 130 million girls worldwide who don’t currently have education as a right.

    Tracy has since done a degree in psychology – proving that you don’t have to follow a typical educational path to get the qualifications you want. She’s also the mum of a young adult, so she’s well versed in parenting a teenager .

    We talked about how Tracy was the model child until her dad died when she was 10. Her mother’s remarriage to an alcoholic, abusive stepfather, and her subsequent move to a new home and school catapulted her into a lifestyle which ended with Tracy being expelled.

    At the age of 16 Tracy set out backpacking in Europe, where she ended up working on a yacht in Greece. From there a quick succession of jobs led her into navigation, and a lifelong love of sailing.

    Tracy thinks teenagers and young people are way more impressive than they think they are – watching herself on the Maiden film made her realise that she had been tenacious and strong at the time.

    Like so many of my podcast guests, the pivot point for Tracy was “finding her people.” As part of a yacht crew she fitted in, and the team around her believed in her. She says that was crucial to her motivation to change.

    Tracy’s messages:

    • Believe in yourself
    • Don’t be a bystander in your own life
    • Don’t listen to anyone who tells you you can’t do something. Just make the first change that will lead to the next change

    Tracy now talks openly about her nervous breakdown, and how difficult that was because she didn’t ask for help. Her message for young people everywhere is ASK FOR HELP!

    We also talked about how inspiring teenagers and young people are right now. Tracy mentions Greta Thunberg, Emma González and Vanessa Nakate, and we discussed how important it is that our young people debate with us and educate the older generation on the future of our world.

    Tracy says that ages 15-18 give you your life opportunities, and how important it is that girls in particular stay in education for those years. As well as the lack of access to education in developing countries, the UK and USA have big drop-out rates from schools in this age group.

    The Maiden Project is doing really exciting work - go follow, support and join.

    For context, this episode was recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, using Zoom, two dogs, and three visits from the postman, which you’ll hear on the recording. That’s normal pandemic working life for you!

    Where to find Tracy

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including overcoming a stammer, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    Find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Music: Red Stripes Hunter Park

    Tue, 22 Sep 2020 00:00:27 +0000
    Growing up in a White Community as a Biracial Teen - with Michelle Perry

    I got goosebumps listening back to the clips in the introduction for this podcast – Michelle has such a fantastic outlook on life – I promise this one is a must listen!

    Michelle Perry’s father was black, but he left the family home when she was 3, and she grew up in her mother’s white Jewish community. As a child she had no black influences in her life at all.

    Michelle talks about how until she was 12 years old she thought she was white – it took meeting her first black people at school for her to realise she was black. We talked about how shocking that felt to her, how she processed the realisation, and the troubled times she went through before coming to terms with her biracial identity.

    We touched on current conversations about anti-racism efforts, and how white people can help by getting past their lack of knowledge and understanding, and by speaking out without fear.

    We also talked about how much language matters when white people refer to black and biracial people – Michelle clarified a few things for me there too. She has a very robust attitude to conversations about race that I found really refreshing and useful.

    Having used her experiences to support other young people in social work, and then taking on advisory roles in her corporate career, Michelle is now a life coach and teacher at successfuldiligence.com. She also has an amazing podcast full of useful tips and interviews to empower listeners to live a more empowered life. I’ve absolutely loved this free resource so do give it a listen at The Successful Diligence Podcast.

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 15 Sep 2020 00:00:26 +0000
    Finding Hope and Living with Grief After Trauma in Your Teens. With Mark Lemon.

    If your child has experienced the loss of a parent, or someone very close to them, I hope this episode will help. My guest in this episode is Mark Lemon, an award-winning children’s author who talks openly about his own grief after the murder of his Dad.


    A bit about Mark Lemon

    Mark is the host of the brilliant podcast, Grief is My Superpower, where he chats with his guests about their losses, in the hope of helping children and families come to terms with their own bereavements, and find a way through sadness.

    He has also turned his own tragedy into a massive positive, by writing The Magical Wood, a book for bereaved children. The book has recently received recognition from Prince Harry, who was just 12 – the same age as Mark - when his mother Diana also died in shocking circumstances.


    We discussed:

    The article Mark wrote for The Guardian that was to be the beginning of his advocacy for bereaved children, and ultimately the drive towards his award winning book.

    How Mark has opened up his social channels to allow his followers a place to see his sadness, and to share their own.

    What happened to Mark’s father, and how the death of a parent can shatter a child’s world.

    How teenagers often box up their emotions, finding it difficult to open up, and how important it is to support them to do that, rather than grief being channelled in more troubled ways.

    How important it is for teachers and parents to support children through tricky behaviours while they're processing trauma.

    How Mark has coped with trauma and grief - finding purpose through passion, and a career in music. How doing things they love can help a reluctant teen to find purpose and to start to talk about their feelings.

    How important it was for Mark to step away from his father’s murderer, rather than dwelling on anger and revenge.

    Mark also told me that you never really get rid of grief - have a listen to his brilliant way of describing how his own grief differs day to day, and how he manages that.


    Where to connect with Mark

    You can also now buy The Magical Wood as an audiobook, with £2 from each sale going to palliative, neurological and bereavement support charity, Sue Ryder.


    Support for bereaved children


    More teen mental health resources

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including overcoming a stammer, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Wed, 09 Sep 2020 00:00:19 +0000
    Teenage Kicks Series 2 the Trailer

    Welcome to the Teenage Kicks Podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting – or becoming – a teenager. I’m Helen Wills, and together with my guests I explore the ups and downs of the teenage years – both as a parent, AND as the teens going through it!

    When I started the podcast in Series 1 I had NO idea how much it was going to resonate with listeners. As a mum I’ve always turned to other parents (AND the internet!) for advice when I’ve met parenting dilemmas I’ve found difficult to sort out.

    And the internet has always delivered for me. Until I got to the teenage years, when all the anecdotal stories – the omg that happens to me too! moments, and the feeling of knowing that whatever’s got you weeping into your cup of tea, someone else is raising a cup in solidarity – that all dries up!

    No one talks online about their teenager’s problems, because it’s all a bit too personal – plus, our kids are now at the age when they can read everything we write about them!

    But I still wanted parents to be able to search things like “My son’s acne is driving him crazy and he’s being picked on by his mates” and find people who’ve been there too.

    So I started searching for actual grown ups who had these problems themselves when they were teenagers, and could talk about them from both the child’s perspective, and see where their parents might be coming from.

    The result was a podcast that I’m proud to say has had the most wonderful reviews! One parent had this to say on Apple podcasts:

    “I absolutely love these frank conversations. So much wisdom and great advice. All packaged with wit and fun.”

    And Anita, a Clinical Psychologist described the podcast as a “Fantastic resource for parents, teenagers and professionals. Really important topics covered, in such an informed and empathetic manner.”

    And that’s my guests for you. I feel truly privileged that these incredible people have opened up to me about some of the hardest years of their lives, so that my listeners might find something of use to help your own families.

    So. It’s a new series! I am SO excited for you to hear this next set of conversations.

    Over the next few episodes you’ll hear Callum explain how it felt to go through his teenage years with a bad stammer. Hearing him tell me how he said his own name for the first time had me in total goosebumps

    And listening to Michelle talk about growing up in a totally white community, with an absent black father really made me stop and think about how it might feel to be a bi-racial teenager in a white person’s world.

    In the first episode Mark Lemon talks to me about the murder of his father when he was just 12 years old. It’s a distressing topic, but Mark talks so positively – and very honestly – about how he’s coped with his grief and well and truly turned it into his superpower. It’s available now so go and have a listen. I PROMISE you’ll come away feeling inspired.

    If these conversations sound helpful to you, hit subscribe and I’ll drop into your feed every week with new stories and insights into teenage life. And if you like what you hear, I’d love it if you leave a review or a rating – it all helps other families to find valuable conversations they might find useful too.

    If there’s something in particular you’d like to see covered, drop me an email at teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com, or message me on Instagram @iamhelenwills. You’ll also find more of my parenting teens musings on my blog Actually Mummy, and in the Teenage Kicks Facebook group. Do feel free to post in there too if you have things to share that might help other parents to open up a dialogue with their own teenagers.

    I can’t wait to chat about these – sometimes challenging – but wonderful parenting years!

    Wed, 09 Sep 2020 00:00:23 +0000
    Natasha Hirst on Surviving Domestic Abuse as a Teenager

    Trigger warning: In this episode Natasha tells me about some of the domestic violence she experienced as a child and teenager.

    In the final episode of this series, I have the privilege of talking to Natasha, who was physically and psychologically abused by her mother’s boyfriend from quite a young age, until she left home to go to university. Now a photographer and writer, Natasha has taken her experiences of domestic abuse into journalism, activism, and charity campaigning to improve the lives of others who’ve experienced similar.

    Natasha is also deaf, so we also talk a bit about how that contributed to a low self-esteem that led her to tolerate the violence at home.

    What is domestic abuse?

    One of the things we discuss is what actually constitutes domestic abuse. I was shocked when Natasha told me that she tolerated her treatment because she didn’t realise that it wasn’t normal, or because she was told it was her fault. I think Natasha’s explanation is a really good place to start if you’re wondering if something’s not right about your own situation.

    Disability and consent

    We also discuss consent in relation to how we approach a disabled person – it’s a fascinating insight from someone who’s often on the receiving end of well-intentioned, but unwelcome attention from strangers.

    Where to get help if you're at risk of violence at home

    • Government advice - a starting point if you're in a violent situation, or you're worried about a child
    • Childline - confidential advice and information if you're a child suffering from domestic abuse, or seeing it happen in your home
    • Women's Aid explains what constitutes domestic abuse, and what you can do about it
    • Refuge

    Domestic Abuse and Covid-19

    Some emergency measures available to victims of domestic violence during Coronavirus lockdown:

    If you'd like to connect with Natasha you can find her here:

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear about the new series when it begins. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, being hospitalised with mental health problems, and battling an eating disorder - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Wed, 06 May 2020 16:53:30 +0000
    Daniel on Being Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a Teenager

    Has your teenager had to deal with something life-changing? Life can be tough, and when something big happens to change your child’s landscape it can suddenly throw them right off the track they thought they were on, and into what can feel like quite a scary place for the whole family.

    Daniel Newman is HR Advisor at JDRF, the charity dedicated to Type 1 Diabetes awareness and research. He was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes - a life-threatening disability - when he was 10. Although he handled things well to begin with, things took a more difficult turn for him when he started secondary school, and didn’t want to stick out as being the one with the disability.

    Teenage years are often when children start to wobble with previously well-managed situations. Daniel ended up failing his GCSE’s because he simply couldn’t engage with school as well as dealing with the implications of his diabetes. But he says that wake up call gave him a can-do attitude that he thinks everyone can learn from scratch.

    My guests always tell me that they wished they’d been able to talk to their parents, but Daniel – who isn’t a parent – goes one step further and tells parents how he thinks they might be able to break through the wall that teenagers often put up when we try to get them to open up. Have a listen, it’s certainly made me rethink my strategy when I want to know what’s going on inside my teenagers heads!

    I think Daniel’s learning curve is a fascinating insight into just how possible it is to turn things around even when you’re at your lowest. I love the fact that he started with just tiny goals to make himself feel positive about his progress, and start turning the curve upwards. I also think his advice to parents about how to engage on their teen’s level is a genius way to get them to open up and start a more natural conversation about what’s worrying them.

    You can find Daniel on Twitter and Instagram. You also can listen to his podcast on living with Type 1 Diabetes - The Talking Type 1 Podcast.

    Further Resources

    • JDRF - information and support on living with Type 1 Diabetes
    • The Mix is a charity dedicated to supporting young people with mental health struggles
    • See if your diagnosis is a recognised disability, and find out what help you can get
    • Facebook groups offer a lot of support - try the Parents of Type 1 Teens in the UK group
    • If you're worried about diabetes complications, and you're on Twitter, have a look at tweets by The Grumpy Pumper, who talks openly about his experiences of foot ulcers.

    There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast – do have a browse and see if I’ve covered anything else you might find useful. And if you have a suggestion of something you’d like to see talked about on the podcast please do email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com I have loads more fabulous guests coming up to help families navigate some of the most complicated – but wonderful – teenage parenting years. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do. Pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Tue, 21 Apr 2020 14:26:12 +0000
    Jenny* on Coping After Rape

    *Trigger warning: Jenny (not her real name) tells me about her experience of being raped in her teens.

    This is an incredibly personal interview. Jenny talks about what happened, how she felt about herself after the incident, and how it felt to go through legal proceedings afterwards.

    She also tells me about how - with the support of her friends - she recovered from her experience, and believes it has helped make her who she is today - a business owner, a strong woman, and a better friend than she might otherwise have been.

    I hope you find inspiration from Jenny's story, and especially from her recovery.

    If you've been raped, or if your child is dealing with the trauma of a sexual assault, the NHS has lots of signposts to organisations that specialise in supporting you. Rape Crisis has a live chat helpline, and Victim Support helps you find ways to move beyond what has happened.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Mon, 06 Apr 2020 08:09:39 +0000
    Emma Bradley on Being Hospitalised as a Teen with Mental Health Problems

    Emma Bradley is a Parenting Expert and mum of three. She has a long career as a teacher behind her expertise, but what's really given her the title is her ability to empathise with young people. And that comes from her own personal experiences as much as from her work.

    Emma didn't get the GCSE grade she'd been predicted, and this started a course of events that saw her spiral into depression. Eventually she was hospitalised for mental health problems, and had to continue her studies from her hospital ward.

    Emma explains how she got through her exams and treatment to go on to university, but not before going through some quite scary moments.

    If you think your child or teenager has clinical depression, or is struggling with anxiety or other mental health issues, your first step should be to call your GP. They will signpost you to further support, or arrange an appointment for you with a specialist child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).

    Useful Links:

    You can find Emma here:

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Sun, 29 Mar 2020 23:45:13 +0000
    Sharon Lawton on Coping with Anxiety

    Okay, a lot of this episode is about managing exam stress, because that's where we were supposed to be at right now. I almost didn't publish this today, but as I was editing, I realised how much of what families coach Sharon Lawton said was helpful to me in coping with my anxieties over coronavirus.

    It's still an episode about exam stress, but if you have worries about your own mental health as we go further into self-isolation, there's a lot of coping strategies in here that you might find useful.

    I'll republish this as purely an exam stress episode once things are back to normal, and exams are able to resume!

    You can find Sharon's brilliant daily tips on managing stress in families on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as on her coaching site Natural Flair Coaching.

    Useful links from our chat

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Sun, 22 Mar 2020 22:13:13 +0000
    Danielle on Being a Young Carer for her Alcoholic Mum

    Danielle Jones is a freelance journalist and editor from Hampshire with bylines for Time Out, Metro and VisitEngland. A mum to two girls, she specialises in travel, culture and lifestyle writing.

    Danielle had a happy family life until her mum's relationship with alcohol started to affect her family. What started as a normal - if more colourful than some - upbringing, became a problem with alcohol, and by her mid-teens Danielle found herself looking after her mum as well as herself.

    Danielle tells me about her mum's frustration with motherhood, and how she struggled with the limitations placed on her as her young family grew up. She also describes how becoming her mum's carer impacted on her own life - on her studies, and on her own mental health.

    She also talks about how she got past her own struggles and began to focus on her own life and wellbeing, to become a successful journalist, and now a mother herself. She has some fabulous insight into how everyone is struggling with something - no one has the perfect life you imagine they do - and some fantastic advice for anyone who is struggling to get a foot in the door of their career ambition. I love her take on life!

    For anyone who is faced with a parent's relationship with alcohol, or in fact with having to become their parent's carer, there are some websites where you will find support and advice:

    • The NHS is always the first point of call, and has some good signposting for children who become carers for any reason
    • Al-Anon - the support organisation for families of alcoholics - has a section specifically for teenagers
    • Adfam provides information for the families of drug-users and alcoholics
    • Action for Children provides support for children who are young carers

    You can find Danielle on Instagram at @TinyTripping.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:00:19 +0000
    Becky Freeman on Having a Dad in Prison

    When Becky was 17, and just about to sit her A-Levels, her Dad was sent to prison. We chat about how that felt to a young girl at the most important stage of her life so far, and how it affected her studies at school and beyond.

    Becky talked about how, although it was difficult for her to visit her dad in prison, she mostly felt for the families with younger children who she saw there. If you're coping with having a loved on in prison, there are organisations who can help:

    You can find more about Becky on her blog The Spirited Puddle Jumper, or on Instagram.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:57:53 +0000
    Rosie Mullender on Self Harming as a Teenager

    *Trigger warning: this podcast episode features a discussion around Rosie's experience of self-harm as a teenager*

    Rosie Mullender had a long career as Content Editor at Cosmopolitan magazine before she went freelance as a journalist in 2018. You might think that nailing her dream job on a glossy mag would mean that she had a straightforward path to success, but nothing could be further from the truth.

    As a young girl, Rosie struggled to fit in at school, and she began to self-harm at the age of 14.

    I had an incredibly frank - and very moving chat - with Rosie. I found her stories of alienation at school heartbreaking, and her description of how she transformed her life to what it is today hugely inspiring.

    Now a successful journalist, with a fab fiancé, and the most fantastic flat (listen to our chat to find out more about the amazing space she's created!) Rosie couldn't be more of a role model for teenagers everywhere.

    If you are self-harming and want to get help, Rosie's key advice is to talk. Although that may feel scary, she said that once the first sentence is out, it gets much easier.

    You can also find advice to help you stop self-harming on the following websites:

    If you're considering self-harm or suicide, talk to someone as soon as possible. The Samaritans is a good place to start if you can't face telling someone you know.

    Parents - if you're worried about your child you can also talk to your GP, or use any of the resources on the OLLIE website.

    You can find Rosie's fun Tat Museum account on Instagram, and check out her journalism on her website.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Wed, 11 Mar 2020 08:54:27 +0000
    Sian Russell on Being Expelled From School

    In this episode of the Teenage Kicks podcast Siân, from the brilliant blog Helpful Mum, tells us her story of being expelled from private school. We talk about the reasons that led up to her being expelled, what she did next, and why she believes that being excluded from school doesn't have to be the end of the world.

    For any teenager who's been expelled from school, this episode is inspiring. Siân used her experience to fight for what she wanted to do with her life, carving out a route to her dream job, before going on to complete a university degree later in life. Just because one path didn't work out for you, it doesn't mean that you can't turn things around and find the path that does!

    Siân also gives helpful tips to worried parents on how to support children going through expulsion, and proves that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. You can find Siân on Twitter, and Instagram, if you want to connect with her.

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming disabled, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    This episode is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:34:08 +0000
    Teenage Kicks the Trailer

    About the Teenage Kicks podcast

    Welcome to the Teenage Kicks podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting - or becoming - a teenager. The internet is full of parenting advice, from when you feel those first baby kicks, until they reach secondary school. And then it stops. No one is talking about teen parenting problems; so we’re going to.

    Essential listening for teenagers and their parents, as well as those who work with young adults; Teenage Kicks has teen mental health at its core, and each episode will empower young people to tackle their own problems, and give parents the guidance to know how to help them.

    Each week Helen speaks to real individuals who've experienced the issues that young people are dealing with now, and they don't sugar-coat it. From exam nerves and career worries to issues around sexuality and consent, we get tips and advice from expert guests who understand what it’s like to be a teenager today.

    Helen will also be chatting about tough teenage problems like cyberbullying and self-harm, drugs, alcohol and teenage pregnancy, all with a heavy dose of reality from someone who's been there and made it through to the other side.

    Teenage Kicks for Parents:

    As parents, we understand some of our kids’ struggles, but let’s face it, it’s been a while, and things have moved on since we last panicked over a detention! Teenage choices today can seem alien to their parents because teenage life has changed so dramatically since we were young. Teenage Kicks helps you unravel topics like social media, sexting and teen self-esteem so that you can figure out what your child needs support with, and what’s just normal teenage behaviour.

    Teenage Kicks for Teens:

    Teenagers and parents come at things from different angles, we know. But teenage life can be challenging, and the support of your parents can make navigating tricky dilemmas easier. Teenage Kicks guests aren’t adults who’ve read a textbook; nor are they heavily invested in your day-to-day safety, like your mum and dad. They are real people who’ve been through what you’re dealing with, and they have the inspiration and advice you need to handle it yourself.

    Join Helen each week as she chats to a different guest about topics affecting teenagers in 2020, and helps parents and teens to open up a dialogue that will make life easier to navigate on all sides.

    You'll also find Helen chatting about parenting teens here:

    Useful Websites for teenagers:

    • The Mix - support for under 25's
    • Shout - for anyone feeling anxious or depressed

    This season of the Teenage Kicks podcast is sponsored by Blue Microphones, who gave me the brilliant Yeticaster for the recording of the podcast.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

    Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:51:33 +0000
    Bonus episode: Bitesize Hacks to Support Teenage Mental Health, with Dr Lee David GP

    In this bonus episode I talk to Lee David, a GP with a specialist interest in young people's mental health, and in using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help with anxiety and depression.

    I chatted to Lee about how distressing the Covid 19 pandemic is for teenagers and young adults; many have had the rug pulled out from under them, missing exams, proms, and important rituals of moving on from school. Lots more are missing education at an important stage of their lives, and worrying about what their next steps - university, 6th form, or job security - are going to look like.

    There's so much that's unknown for our teens right now, and to add insult to injury they've lost their social freedom, and control over their own lives. That's incredibly unsettling at an already quite stressful point in their lives.

    Lee talked me through her free online programme, and what parents and teens can do to conquer any difficult emotions they might be feeling due to the lockdown and coronavirus pandemic. Best of all, Lee's strategies can all be completed in 10 minutes or less - totally bitesize! I tried the programme myself and found it really easy to run through, and I've added some of Lee's tips in to my daily stress-management.

    Lee is a director of 10 Minute CBT, an educational organisation that provides training to help GPs and other health professionals use bite-sized skills from evidence-based psychological therapies in their routine consultations.

    Lee is also the author of a textbook for GPs and is co-writing a new book for teenagers on 10 Minute Steps to wellbeing, to be published later this year.

    You can find Lee's website at www.10minuteCBT.co.uk and the introductory video programme: 10 Minute Steps to Survive Lockdown for young people and parents to understand emotional wellbeing and ways to encourage positive mental health.

    What's coming next?

    Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear about the new series when it begins. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, dealing with dyslexia, and battling an eating disorder - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

    I'd love it if you'd rate and review the podcast on iTunes too - it would really help other people to find it. You can also find more from me on parenting teenagers on my blog Actually Mummy, and on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

    For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

    Wed, 27 May 2020 15:47:55 +0000
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