Pivot Parenting: Expert Tips for Navigating Teen and Tween Challenges

Welcome to Pivot Parenting, the podcast designed to help you thrive in the ever-changing landscape of raising teens, tweens and young adults. Hosted by Heather Frazier, a triple-certified life coach and mother of four, this show is your go-to resource for expert advice, practical strategies, and compassionate support. Each episode dives deep into the complex world of adolescent development, tackling everything from effective communication and setting boundaries to managing emotional turbulence and fostering independence. Heather draws from her extensive experience to offer insights into the latest parenting trends, research-backed methods, and real-life stories that resonate with parents everywhere. Whether you're struggling with your teen's mood swings, navigating the complexities of social media, or simply looking to strengthen your family bonds, Pivot Parenting provides the tools you need to pivot from frustration and uncertainty to confidence and connection. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to not only survive but thrive during these pivotal years. Join us as we explore topics like building trust with your teens, dealing with peer pressure, helping them with mental illness challenges, understanding the teenage brain, and much more. With a focus on empathy and resilience, Heather guides you through the highs and lows of parenting, helping you find peace of mind and joy in the journey. Subscribe now and become part of our community of parents who are dedicated to raising happy, healthy, and well-adjusted young adults. Don't miss out on essential parenting wisdom that will empower you to create a nurturing and supportive home environment. Pivot Parenting—because every moment is an opportunity to grow and connect with your kids when you're confident in your parental abilities.

300. The Over-Loving Parent Trap (and How to Step Out Gracefully) 12/30/2025

299. Healing Apathy in Your Teen, with Alma Galvan 12/23/2025

299. Healing Apathy in Your Teen, with Alma Galvan Your motivated kid turned into a teenager who doesn't care about anything. Now what? It's heartbreaking watching your once-enthusiastic child become indifferent to grades, goals, relationships - everything that used to matter to them. You're probably wondering if you did something wrong, if it's just a phase, or if there's any way back to the kid you remember. In this eye-opening interview, we dig into the real story behind teenage apathy and what parents can actually do about it. What We Cover: The fear driving both you and your teen (and why it paralyzes everyone) How the way you see yourself as a parent shapes everything Why how you view your apathetic teen matters more than you think Where your actual power lies as a parent (hint: it's not where you've been focusing) Practical ways to support your teen without enabling or pushing them away The difference between giving up and letting go Perfect for Parents Who: Have a teen who seems to care about nothing Feel powerless watching their child drift through life Wonder if their once-driven kid will ever find motivation again Are tired of nagging, bribing, and consequences that don't work Want to support their teen without losing their minds This isn't about quick fixes or forcing motivation. It's about understanding what's really happening and finding your role in the healing process. Because sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of your own way. Ready to see your apathetic teen - and yourself - differently? About my guest: In 1996, Alma Galván's world changed when both of her children were diagnosed with severe autism, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder. When doctors told her to institutionalize her son and move on with her life, she chose a different path—and began a journey that would transform thousands of lives. After seven years of research, Alma discovered powerful, science-backed techniques that dramatically improved her children’s brain development. Within months, they made more progress than they had in years. Other parents noticed and began asking for help—leading Alma to create BrainWorx, a program that has now helped thousands of families overcome anxiety, overwhelm, distractibility, foggy thinking, and more. Her core discovery: movement changes the brain, and more brain function creates more ease in life. Alma is especially passionate about helping individuals who are looking for a solution that addresses the foundation and feel they have internal roadblocks. Her approach integrates brain development and emotional healing, creating a synergistic effect that accelerates growth and transformation. In December 2024, Alma survived a life-threatening aneurysm. Even while unconscious, her body continued to do small movements that she had practiced for years—evidence of how deeply they were woven into her. This is a part of why she and her doctors think she has recovers in a miraculous way. That experience deepened her devotion to this work, which she now continues through BrainWorx and Alma Integration, with even greater clarity, compassion, and purpose. Website: Instagram: Facebook: Youtube: /episode/index/show/aux-1200/id/38331070

298. Worrying About Your Teen 12/16/2025

297. 5 Steps to Stop Nagging and Get Buy-in from Your Teen, with Marielle Melling 12/09/2025

296. Protecting Harm with Connecting Conversations, with Jason Reid 12/02/2025

296. Protecting Harm with Connecting Conversations, with Jason Reid Today I’m talking with Jason Reid about one of the hardest parts of parenting: having real, honest conversations with our kids about the things nobody wants to bring up. The messy things. The scary things. The things we hope aren’t happening—but often are. Jason shares his family’s story of losing his 14-year-old son to suicide, and the gained wisdom he's sharing with all of us. He reveals the number one mistake we simply cannot afford to make as parents, and how small shifts in our conversations can genuinely protect our kids. This isn’t an episode about fear—it’s about clarity, courage, and the kind of connection that makes all the difference. We talk about how to support our kids through their struggles without pretending we have it all together, and how to keep it real with our own emotions in the process. If you’re wanting practical, compassionate guidance for navigating hard conversations, strengthening trust, and being a safe place for your teen when life gets heavy, this episode will meet you right where you are. About my guest: Jason Reid is a partner at CEO International, where he coaches CEOs on how to be successful. He co-founded National Services Group, which employs 2500 people across three brands nationwide. He is a leader, entrepreneur, and family man. Following the loss of his 14-year-old son to suicide in 2018, Jason started the foundation , a nonprofit organization built to educate and empower parents by sharing the best and latest resources they need to identify and understand how to support their children’s mental health struggles. Through its sister organization, Mental Wellness Media, it helps generate awareness through powerful media projects that compels parents and kids to better communicate and share their stories. Jason has shared his experience in two TEDx talks, the documentary films Tell My Story, What I Wish My Parents Knew and Tell My Story’s other educational programs. /episode/index/show/aux-1200/id/39084025

295. Teenage Loneliness Epidemic 11/26/2025

295. Teenage Loneliness Epidemic Teenagers today are more “connected” than ever—and also more alone than ever. In this episode, I break down what researchers are calling a teenage loneliness epidemic and how it’s quietly shaping our kids’ emotional, social, and spiritual health. Large global studies show that about 1 in 9 adolescents worldwide report feeling lonely “most of the time” or “always.” Long-term data also shows that by 2018, high loneliness levels in adolescents had nearly doubled compared to 2012. In the U.S., young people hold some of the highest loneliness rates of any age group, with one national report showing 61% of young adults experiencing “serious loneliness.” We’ll also get into the conversation around a “male loneliness epidemic.” Some recent findings show men ages 15–34 report higher day-to-day loneliness than women the same age, even though overall, large-scale research suggests gender differences in loneliness are actually quite small. So what does that mean for your son—or your daughter? In this episode, I talk about: What’s really driving the rise in teen loneliness (and why it’s not as simple as “social media = bad”). How our parental habits—pace, expectations, emotional modeling—can unintentionally deepen the problem or help solve it. Practical, realistic ways to create connection with teens who seem withdrawn, prickly, or hard to reach. How boys and girls experience loneliness differently, and what each needs from the adults in their lives. How to offer yourself compassion as you learn new ways of showing up for your teen. This isn’t about guilt. It’s about naming what’s real, supporting families with compassion, and giving you tools that bring connection back into the relationship. I'd love to chat with you about how this is playing out in your home. Book a free call HERE References 1. World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Adolescent mental health: Global prevalence of loneliness in 13–17 year olds. 2. López Steinmetz, L. C., et al. (2021). Loneliness among adolescents across 37 countries: Trends from 2000–2018. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(6), 993–1002. 3. Harvard Graduate School of Education: Making Caring Common Project. (2021). Loneliness in America: How the pandemic has deepened an epidemic of loneliness and what we can do about it. 4. Cigna. (2020). U.S. Loneliness Index: Gen Z and young adults experience the highest loneliness levels. 5. Gallup. (2023). Men report higher rates of daily loneliness than women in many age groups. 6. Maes, M., Van den Noortgate, W., & Goossens, L. (2016). Gender differences in loneliness across the lifespan: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Personality, 30(1), 70–85. /episode/index/show/aux-1200/id/38332115

294. Purity Culture and Teens 11/18/2025

293. Stop Fixing Them, Start with You- with Chris Rich 11/11/2025

292. Help! My Teen Is Using and I Don’t Know What to Do, with Brenda Zane 11/04/2025

292. Help! My Teen Is Using and I Don’t Know What to Do, with Brenda Zane What do you do when you get that call in the middle of the night—the one that flips your world upside down? For Brenda, it was the night her son was picked up for wilderness therapy because his substance use had reached a breaking point. In this honest, gut-punch of an episode, Brenda and I talk about what actually helps when your teen is using—and spoiler alert, it’s not pretending everything’s fine or doubling down on shame. We get into: Why your kid’s using makes total sense (yes, really) Realizing your child is not your report card How to talk to siblings without scaring them or hiding the truth The #1 thing Brenda wishes every parent knew when their teen is using If you feel alone, scared, or like you’re doing it all wrong—you are not. This conversation will help you breathe again. And if you want to talk through what’s happening in your home, we’ve got you. You don’t have to do this alone. About my Guest: Brenda Zane is a highly recognized family advocate, TEDx Speaker, Mayo Clinic Certified Health Coach and podcast host whose career and personal transformation have shaped her unique impact on families and communities. After a 20+ year career in marketing and advertising, working with Fortune 500 brands like Nike, PepsiCo, Starbucks and Microsoft, Brenda made a life-changing decision at 50 to dedicate herself to supporting parents navigating the complexities of substance misuse and mental health issues in their children. In 2020, she co-founded Hopestream Community, a global 501c3 nonprofit organization. Brenda's personal journey includes nearly losing her oldest son to multiple fentanyl overdoses, which fuels her passion to help others. Today, Brenda combines her strategic expertise with hard-won wisdom to help parents of teens and young adults (ages 12-29) use evidence-based strategies to support their children through substance use and mental health challenges. Drawing from both research and the trenches of her own family's recovery journey, she compassionately guides parents toward approaches that strengthen connection, reduce harm, and motivate healthier lives for themselves and their kids. Brenda Zane Co-Founder, Listen to the Hear about our with families Hopestream is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization /episode/index/show/aux-1200/id/37535460