Why Your Teenager Pushes You Away (It's Not About You)

About this episode

This episode explores the reasons behind teenage behavior and offers strategies for parents to reconnect with their teens.

Parenting Teens Without Losing Your Mind — Or Your Relationship If parenting your teenager feels like survival mode, you’re not alone — but it doesn’t have to stay that way. In this episode of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, child psychologist Dr. Cam sits down with Aliyah Singh, Hannah Ticajo, and Caitlin Severin — the founders of Cultivate Teen Roots — to reframe what the teen years are really about. These credentialed educators and licensed therapist reveal why the science says the adolescent years (ages 12–18) are actually the foundation of your future adult relationship with your child — not the beginning of the end. They break down why teens push parents away (hint: it’s neuroscience, not personal), how to reconnect without pressure, and why shifting from a ”manager” to a ”consultant” role is the key to raising self-sufficient young adults. Parents will discover how to connect with a teen who seems to want nothing to do with them, why controlling behavior actually weakens trust, how social media distorts parenting expectations, and why the most powerful thing you can do as a parent is regulate your own nervous system first. Packed with practical, science-backed strategies —…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Cam

Guests: Aliyah Singh, Hannah Ticajo, Caitlin Severin

Topics covered

• teen relationships
• parenting strategies
• neuroscience of adolescence
• self-sufficiency in teens
• emotional regulation
• social media impact

Keywords

• parenting teens
• adolescent behavior
• relationship building
• neuroscience
• self-regulation
• communication strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cultivate Teen Roots

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• Why Your Teen Triggers You (and How to Break the Cycle) | Eli Harwood · August 3, 2026 · 45 min
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