Eps 654: Don Campbell on Raising Sons

Eps 654: Don Campbell on Raising Sons

From Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens by Casey O'Roarty

May 12, 2026 · 1h 9m · Episode 654

About this episode

In this episode, Casey O'Roarty talks with Don Campbell about the challenges of raising teenage boys and the importance of vulnerability in parenting.

Raising a teenage boy today means navigating contradictory messages about who he's supposed to be — strong but soft, expressive but not too much. In this episode, I sit down with Don Campbell of Soul Fire Parenting to unpack what teen boys actually need from us: closeness, safe harbor, and parents who model vulnerability. We dig into the power-over parenting trap, the real cost of "tough love," and why repair matters more than getting every single moment right. Press play. Guest Bio: Don Campbell is the founder of Soul Fire Parenting and a master coach with over 26 years of experience in learning and development. He works with parents — many of them clinicians and high-achieving professionals — navigating the tension between demanding careers and the equally demanding work of showing up for their kids. His coaching centers on burnout, emotional regulation, resilience, and dismantling the "power-over" model of parenting that so many of us inherited without realizing it. Don is also a dad of three, including a teenage son and another moving into adolescence soon, so he's not just speaking from the coaching side — he's living it. For more show notes go to…

People in this episode

Host: Casey O'Roarty

Guest: Don Campbell

Topics covered

  • raising teenage boys
  • parenting
  • vulnerability
  • emotional regulation
  • power-over parenting

Keywords

  • teen boys
  • parenting advice
  • emotional support
  • tough love
  • parenting strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Soul Fire Parenting

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