

Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens
Casey O'Roarty
Welcome to the Joyful Courage Podcast - a place where parents of tweens and teens come to find inspiration, information and encouragement in the messy terrain of adolescenceThis season of parenting is no joke - and while the details of what we are all moving through might be slightly different, we are having a collective experience.This is a space where we center building relationship, nurturing life skills, and leaning into our own personal growth.My name is Casey O’Roarty, I am a parent coach, Positive Discipline LEad Trainer, and captain of the adolescent ship over at Sproutable. I am also a speaker and published author. I have been working with parents and families for over 20 years and continue to navigate being a mom with my own two young adult kids.I am honored that you are here… Please give back to the pod by sharing it with friends, or on social media, and rate and review on Apple or Spotify - work of mouth is how we grow!Thanks - enjoy the show!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 22, 2024 • 30min
Summer throwback - Eps 434: Navigating challenges while also having faith in our teens
This summer throwback revisits how parenting teens keeps coming back to owning our own sh@t. This is the juicy spot. This is where the real transformational space of parenting exists. This is where we get to nurture AN ENVIRONMENT that is safe for our kids to step into. This is where we can start to dismantle the walls that have been built over time and make room for connection.Find more show notes and info about our sponsors at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-434-navigating-challenges-while-having-faith-in-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19, 2024 • 40min
Eps 509: How to discuss fake news with teens with Alex Edmans
My guest today is Alex Edmans, and we’re hitting a super important topic this week: how to discuss fake news and social media with our teens. Alex starts by explaining the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 of Fake News, and I ask what to do (and why) our teens bring up conspiracy theories. I ask Alex how we can nurture adolescents to fine tune their questioning, look for expertise, and teach them to look for peoples’ incentives while they’re consuming social media without making them feel defensive. Later we talk about sextortion. How can we keep our teens from falling for scams, when their teenage brains are certain they’d never fall for one? Alex ends on a happy, hopeful note and shares an easy strategy to challenge your own confirmation biases. Takeaways from the show
Level 1 fake news (provably false statements) versus Level 2 fake news (factually correct but misleading)
What to say when our teens bring up conspiracy theories
Why do people share fake news?
Teaching teens to be discerning & leverage their own knowledge
Asking yourself: What is the incentive this person has to post this? Are they an expert?
Sextortion - anyone can be scammed online
Teens absolutely must believe they can come to you in an “oh shit” moment
How discerning are you on your social media?
For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15, 2024 • 57min
Summer Throwback - Eps 424: When it feels like your teen is holding you hostage
A powerful relisten!!! You have a great relationship with your teen and they are STILL getting into ALL the mischief? You aren't alone. In this episode, I tease this apart and remind you what the most important thing to consider is.See all the show notes and info about our sponsors at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-424-when-it-feels-like-your-teen-is-holding-you-hostage/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 12, 2024 • 55min
Eps 508: Raising neurodivergent teens with Dr. Matt Zakreski
My guest today is Dr. Matt Zakreski, an expert on neurodivergency with an eclectic approach. Dr. Matt tells me about growing up as a twice-exceptional kid himself and what he’s seeing with the teens he works with now. I ask Dr. Matt what parents can do about the emotional intensity that comes with raising teens, especially neurodivergent teens. He reminds us that “emotions can’t be wrong,” and you know I loved it when Dr. Matt reminds us to get curious about our teen’s feelings. Dr. Matt brings up perfectionism and why we might see more rigidity & anxiety spike during stressful times. We dig into trapdoor perfectionism, how we can invite kids to accept coaching, help, & practice when they’re resistant, and handing over energetic responsibility. Takeaways from the show
The Performance Cliff
Asynchronous development & high emotional intensity
Raising neurodivergent kids with neurotypical siblings
Neurodivergent behavior versus typical teen behavior
“Emotions can’t be wrong”
You don’t have to understand to show up well
3 directions of perfectionism
Should = could + shame
Trapdoor perfectionism
Validating our teens gives them permission to show up authentically as themselves
Kids do as well as they can with the tools they have in that moment
For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 8, 2024 • 36min
Summer throwback - Eps 386: Limiting beliefs and our two selves
Today's summer throwback is another intimate exploration of what it means to be human WHILE raising teenagers. We are deep diving (yet again) into our own stuff. This week focusing on the limiting beliefs we may be holding that keeps our kids small, and the war between our two selves. Join me for some personal growth and discovery!Find all the shownotes and info about our sponsors at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-386-limiting-beliefs-our-two-selves/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5, 2024 • 42min
Eps 507: Understanding “failure to launch” with Dr. Bianca Busch
My guest today is Dr. Bianca Busch, and we’re getting into the “failure to launch” or the stalling we see from some young adults. Dr. Busch shares what drew her to working with college students, and we talk about getting “cut off” from your child’s medical, mental health, and grade information once they turn 18. Dr. Busch shares the benefits of psychiatrists working with adolescents and parents in conjunction. I ask Dr. Busch what she sees when young adults and their parents feel stuck - anxiety, depression, mismatched expectations - there’s a lot playing in here, and it’s messy. Dr. Busch shares some tools, boundaries, & motivators, and I play with the idea of mismatched timelines. I ask what parents can do when they feel scared and what we can do when we recognize that our behaviors and beliefs are the problem and for signs that our adolescent might need more substantial help & support. We end on a happy note - celebrating our hard work in parenting, even when it doesn’t look exactly how we expected it to turn out. Takeaways from the show
Getting cut off from medical & mental health information once your child turns 18
The acceleration & benefits of when psychiatrists are able to work with adolescents and their parents
Is “failure to launch” a fair expression? Why are young adults stalled out?
Mismatched expectations & goals between young adults & parents
There’s no young adults who don’t want to launch; we have to discover what’s in their way
When you know your child needs support, but they’re resistant
The difference between “get your shit together” and a child whose safety is at risk
Motivational interviewing & coming from a place of compassion
Digging in and challenging our own beliefs and being open-minded to hearing our adolescents goals, ideas, & plans
Signs your young adult might need additional outside support
Give yourself grace! Celebrate the parenting work you have done!
For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 1, 2024 • 39min
Summer throwback - Eps 361: Finding the courage to parent our teens differently
This throwback solo show takes a closer look at how parenting with Positive Discipline does NOT equal avoiding the hard stuff, instead, it is about leaning into relationship WHEN the hard stuff shows up. Being brave is something we are invited into over and over again as we parent through the seasons of adolescence. Listen in as I explore what that looks like internally, as well as externally. Find more show notes and info about sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-361-finding-courage-parent-teens-differently/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29, 2024 • 42min
Eps 506: Navigating grief that can show up during the teen years with Sascha Demerjian
It’s a tough topic this week - parental grief. Sascha Demerjian is here from The Grief House and beautifully intertwines personal stories with information. We don’t only grieve for people that we’ve lost. Sascha explains that we also grieve for expectations, narratives, & ideas - sometimes beliefs we didn’t even realize we were holding. We talk about how meaningful it is to have somewhere safe for the messiness of grieving and how we can resist wanting to jump in and fix things when others are hurting. It comes back to trusting the process. Remember that when our adolescents “launch,” they aren’t done growing & learning - they keep growing all through adulthood, just like we do. Grief doesn’t end, but bringing it to light & sharing with a community makes a big difference.Takeaways from the show
We get to witness our teens’ stories & narratives, not create them
Letting go of some beliefs in favor of a better relationship
We grieve for ideas & expectations, not just people we lose
Holding deep faith & trust that our adolescent’s lives are going to unfold just the way they are supposed to
“Don’t make it worse”
Working through your grief & worries with a therapist
Enabling vs. empowering
Grief doesn’t end
Bringing things out to the light & the power of community
For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 2024 • 30min
Summer Throwback - Eps 357: Radical moves for parenting Gen Z
Today's Throwback episode highlights shifting our thinking about how we are showing up for Gen Z and why this is crucial as we move through the adolescent years with our kids. I share three essential tools for making this shift in a way that strengthens relationship and provides space for our kids to discover who they’re meant to be.Find all the show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-357-radical-moves-for-parenting-gen-z/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 22, 2024 • 46min
Eps 505: Parenting with Empathy vs Codependency with Susie Pettit
My guest today is Susie Pettit. Grab some popcorn for this one! Susie helps people with boundaries, codependency, emotional intelligence, and people-pleasing using a lifetime of experience, and today she’s here to talk about her awesome parenting tool. You know one of my favorite mantras is “Fiercely committed, lovingly detached.” We’re good at the fiercely committed part of parenting, but the detachment part is hard! It’s hard to be with our kids when tough things are happening to them, and the urge to rescue doesn’t go away, but we have to let them make mistakes & learn. I ask Susie when we cross the line from empathy to codependency, and we agree on how important it is to trust the process & believe that everything’s going to be alright. Takeaways from the show
“Fiercely committed, lovingly detached”
Responding with empathy instead of codependency
Mom guilt is a waste of brain power
Detached means we respond differently, not that we don’t respond at all
Doing things for our kids sends the message that we don’t think they can do it
Empathy versus codependency
“Popcorn parenting”
Trusting the process
Follow the “what if” all the way
For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


