How to Connect With Your Teen: Communicating with Curiosity and Compassion

Parenting a teen can be challenging, especially in a pandemic. Our teens are struggling right now for many reasons, and parents are grappling with how to support them in a meaningful way. How can you be a sounding board for your teen and really connect with them without trying to fix the problem or seem dismissive?

In this Voices of Compassion podcast, Jennifer Leydecker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Clinical Manager at CHC, shares her experience and expertise from years of working with teens. Sometimes we forget (when they give us the silent treatment or shut themselves in their room) that what our teens really want is to be heard. To feel validated and seen for who they really are as they formulate their identities independent from their parents. But connecting with teenagers in a meaningful way can be hard, especially in this time of competing demands where we are juggling multiple roles and the lines between home, school and work are blurred.

We sat down with teen expert and CHC Clinical Program Manager, Jennifer Leydecker, LMFT, to get her advice on using curiosity and compassion to truly connect with your teen. You’ll hear mindfulness skills like “observe and describe,” as well as tips on how to make space to start tough conversations. Parents with kids of any age will appreciate Jennifer’s wise insights, both as a licensed therapist and mom of three.

All Voices of Compassion podcast episodes are available on-demand to stream or download. Listen to How to Connect With Your Teen: Communicating with Curiosity and Compassion online at podcasts.chconline.org. You can also subscribe to Voices of Compassion on Apple podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps.

Do you need someone to talk to? CHC can help. We invite you to call or email our Care Managers at 650.688.3625 or careteam@testing.chconline.org to set up a free 30-minute consultation. CHC teletherapy services are available now.