Hi Reader, What have you noticed when teens are moving from junior high to high school, or from high school toward graduation? Excitment. Intensity. Overwhelm. Mixed bag? Teens experience these moments not just academically, but emotionally, socially, and physiologically. Because: Belonging feels high stakes. Identity is in flux: “Who am I?” and “Who am I becoming?” Nervous systems gets activated by uncertainty. Even small decisions, choosing a class or a friend group, can feel enormous....
1 day ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, If you’re raising a teen girl today, here's one you already know:Her phone isn’t just a device. It’s a classroom, comfort object, diary, distraction, mirror, and a portal to every emotion she feels in a day. Parents often tell me things like:“She’s glued to her phone.”“We fight about screen time constantly.”“She melts down when I take it away.” And teen girls tell me:“It helps me escape.”“I know it's not good for me to scroll and compare, but I just keep doing it." “It makes me...
6 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, With the holiday season around us, I thought I’d highlight some of the really fun and cozy events happening at Social Grounds (Oakridge) these next few weeks, a great chance to get out, connect, create, and celebrate locally. Here are a few of my top picks: Christmas Wood Slice Ornaments Workshop: On December 7, head over to Social Grounds to sculpt and paint your own clay ornaments on natural wood slices. Perfect for gift-giving or creating something meaningful for your home....
8 days ago • 1 min read
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been spending time volunteering with Heel & Hoof Horse Rescue, and it has been the best experience in so many ways! Reader, these horses are big, powerful, and absolutely beautiful, but also surprisingly wise teachers. One horse in particular, Mia, has become my newest mentor. She’s curious, assertive, and has a deep love for food. If you walk into the paddock with treats, she has zero hesitation about boxing out the other horses and stepping right into your...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Saturday Reader, Have you ever felt that spark to start something new, a project, a new fitness routine, a dream, a conversation, only to find yourself… Scrolling? Cleaning? Suddenly feeling too tired? It’s easy to call that laziness or lack of motivation, but what if it wasn't those things at all? Avoidance isn’t a flaw. It’s a signal. Our body’s way of whispering, “Something here feels unfamiliar or uncertain” And that makes sense. Trying something new often brings up fears- of...
14 days ago • 1 min read
We’re still smiling after our latest THP Hangouts, where a group of amazing teen girls came together to make snowglobes. Reader, at first, the room was pretty quiet. That kind of uncertainty that happens when everyone’s still finding their footing. But before long, it transformed into a space filled with laughter, creativity, and confidence. There was glitter flying (literally), ideas being shared, and conversations that reminded us why we love creating these moments of connection. One...
17 days ago • 1 min read
HelloReader! This weekend, I did something a little out of my ordinary routine. I went to see Kim Mitchell live in concert. And wow… it was a blast. 🎶 There’s something so magnetic about watching people who have been doing what they love for nearly fifty years. Kim and his band lit up the stage like a summer night full of Patio Lanterns (I could not resist!). Their energy, humour, and pure joy for what they was electric. Somewhere between Go for a Soda and Rock ’n Roll Duty, I found myself...
19 days ago • 1 min read
So glad you had the courage to open this email Reader, What a video on Will Smith's skydiving experience taught me about fear. I distincly remember it. He said, “God placed the best things in life on the other side of fear.” That line stopped me in my tracks. Because I’ve seen it. In myself and in the teen girls I work with. A girl who had the courage to set a boundary in a friendship. A teen who tries out for a team even though her knees are shaking. A young person who decides to have a...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Part II on the subject of Fear. When I work with teen girls who feel stuck in fear, at some point I invite them to have a conversation with it. WHY? Because when we keep things in the shadows they feel bigger, more impossible to tackle. When we shine some light on it we see it differently, giving us the chance to interact with it differently. STORYTIME. My son and his girlfriend were taking a walk in the dark and came back to tell us there was a large dead animal down once of the...
24 days ago • 2 min read