Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment – Details, episodes & analysis

Healthy communication is the foundation of strong relationships. But when emotions run high, it’s easy to fall into unhelpful patterns. In this episode, trauma therapist Sarah Allen joins me to explore how communication styles shape family dynamics and what it takes to shift toward healthier, more assertive communication with your struggling teen.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between being too passive or too controlling in conversations with your teen, you’re not alone. Many parents default to passive communication, avoiding conflict and hoping their teen picks up on their needs. Others swing toward aggressive communication, trying to maintain control and authority. But neither approach helps you build the trust and connection we want with your teen.

What we should strive for? Assertive communication, which allows you to set clear, healthy boundaries, express your needs, and create a structure that helps your teen feel safe, without resorting to power struggles. 

In this conversation, Sarah and I break down what healthy communication looks like, how your communication style impacts your parenting, and how small shifts can make a big difference in your relationship with your teen.

In this episode on healthy communication with your teen and family, we discuss:

• What makes communication healthy or unhealthy;
• The difference between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication;
• How your communication style influences your parenting approach;
• Why structure helps teens feel safer, even when they resist it;
• Practical strategies to shift toward more balanced, effective communication with your teen and family;
• And more!

Looking for support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

Have a question or need support? You can email me at beth@bethhillmancoaching.com

You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

When life feels like too much, it’s easy to get caught in the spiral of overwhelm. And let’s face it, whether it’s your teen or yourself as a parent, overwhelm is something we all face from time to time. In this episode, we dive into how to support your teen through these challenging moments while also learning to manage your own as a parent.

Overwhelm can show up in many ways, emotional shutdowns, conflict, exhaustion, or frustration, all stemming from the pressure of unmet expectations. Whether it’s you as a parent or it’s your teen who’s feeling overwhelmed, the same strategies can help: setting clear boundaries, validating emotions, and releasing the pressure to meet everyone’s expectations.

Overwhelm doesn’t have to define your family dynamics. In this episode, Seth and I share our personal experiences with managing overwhelm and expectations and how these moments impact our relationships. We also explore the strategies that can help both you and your teen find balance and connection when overwhelm starts to creep in.

In this episode on parenting an overwhelmed teen, we discuss:

• What overwhelm can look like in your teen’s behavior;
• How to help your teen navigate the pressure of expectations;
• The role of emotional congruence in strengthening your connection;
• Why validation is key to supporting an overwhelmed teen;
• The importance of setting boundaries before overwhelm takes over;
• How vulnerability can foster understanding and growth in your relationship;
• And more!

Looking for support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

Have a question or need support? You can email me at beth@bethhillmancoaching.com

You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

What happens after your teen completes treatment? It’s a question many parents grapple with. In today’s episode, Beth talks to Michael, a former struggling teen who went to wilderness himself, about his journey through treatment and the challenges of returning home.

Michael reflects on his time in wilderness treatment as the ‘worst best time’ of his life. It wasn’t just the woods or the strict routines that made it tough - it was the emotional accountability he had never faced before. As he shares, “At home, I got away with everything and anything.”

But wilderness was only the beginning. Michael opens up about the highs and lows that followed, from the "honeymoon period" in which everything seemed to be going great, to the real work of sustaining change. 

He also speaks about his parents’ role during this time: their support, their boundaries, and their commitment to not only doing their own work alongside him but supporting him in his work as well.

If you’ve ever wondered how to support your teen after treatment, or how to hold steady through the ups and downs, Michael’s story is one for you.

In this episode on messing up after treatment, we cover:

• How Michael abused the privileges he was given during wilderness;
• The importance of holding boundaries after treatment;
• How parents can support their teen’s ongoing growth;
• Michael’s experiences after treatment, from a 3-month ‘honeymoon’ period to a new ’storm’;
• The support his parents gave him after treatment and the boundaries they held up;
• The importance of doing your own work and also finding out what your kid is working on and supporting them in that work;
• Why having a mentor can be incredibly beneficial for your teen after treatment;
• And more!

Looking for support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

More about Michael Wangsgard
Michael is a former struggling teen who went to wilderness turned mentor for struggling teens. You can connect with Michael via email at wangsgardm@gmail.com or give him a call at 8014308455.

You can support the show by:
Leaving a review
Subscribing to the show

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

Expectations can be tricky, and so also when it comes to wilderness. To avoid going in with the wrong expectations as much as possible, we’re going to share with you today what wilderness is and what it is not so you can have realistic expectations before deciding whether or not it is the best option for your family.

Wilderness is not for everyone but it can be the reset your teen and family needs in life. Tune in to today’s episode to hear all our thoughts about what wilderness is and is not so you can make sure you step into it with the right expectations.

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

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Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

There’s so much to say about transport, so let’s continue our conversation with Gabriela Deambrosio! We talk about everything you need to know about transportation to wilderness and what things to consider. You might be surprised by my own story about my son’s transport to wilderness.

In the second part of the episode, we talk about the power of language and how the language many people use around transportation and the therapeutic field affects people’s view on it.

In this episode on transportation to wilderness and the language we use around it, we discuss:

• What you need to know about transport to wilderness;
• What to consider when it comes to transportation;
• Misconceptions about transport to wilderness;
• Beth’s story of their transportation choices to get their son to wilderness;
• Do your research before choosing a transportation company;
• Encouraging parents to know what language to use with their teens;
• Including siblings in the conversation to enhance understanding;
• And more!

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

If last week’s episode on how to get your teen to wilderness left you with a few more questions on the topic, you’re in luck! The next two episodes, I’m joined by Education Consultant Gabriela Deambrosio to talk about everything transport and the role of Education Consultants.

In this episode on transport options and education consultants, we discuss:

• The role of an Education Consultant & what they can help with;
• When would a family hire an Education Consultant?;
• What does working with an Education Consultant look like?;
• Including your teen in the decision of going to wilderness;
• Beth’s story on getting her son to wilderness;
• And more!

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

So, you’ve made the decision you want to send your teen to wilderness. Now what?

In this 4th episode in our wilderness series, we’ll walk you through your options for actually getting your teen to wilderness. Because even though you might not feel like you have a choice right now, there really are options. Generally speaking, your two options are to (1) force your child to go, or (2) give them a choice to go. We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each of them and in what situations one option might be better than the other. 

In this episode on how to get your teen to wilderness, we discuss:

• The options you have in getting your teen to wilderness;
• The pros and cons of each choice;
• Taking ownership of your decision to send your teen to wilderness;
• Your teen’s feelings about wilderness and transport are valid;
• How to guide the conversation with your teen about going to wilderness;
• And more!

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

When you’re considering wilderness for your teen, undoubtedly a lot of fears and concerns will come up. 

What if wilderness will only make things worse?
What if my child will never forgive me?
What will people think?
And so on…

It is so normal to think these thoughts and feel these fears! Today, we will walk you through these and other common concerns and what you can actually do with them.

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

Listen up, parents! Today we’re hearing from a teen who’s been through it all and she’s sharing such amazing insights!

Evan shares her story leading up to wilderness and how wilderness helped her change her life and gain self-worth. We also discuss her relapse and how the support systems and everything she learned helped her out again. Curious to hear her advice to parents? Or how’s she’s doing now? Let’s jump into the episode!

In this teen interview, we discuss:

• Amazing pieces of advice given by her as a teen to parents; 
• The life-changing things she’s learned in therapy that she would never have learned otherwise;
• When did the shift happen to wanting to change and wanting help?;
• How wilderness helped her work on her sense of self-worth;
• Her perspective on her parents’ growth; 
• And so much more!

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!

Welcome back to the Wilderness Series! In this second episode, we’re discussing the factors that might indicate that it’s time to send your teen to wilderness. How do you know it’s the right time? Making the decision to send your teen to wilderness can be a very difficult one and even though we can’t tell you exactly when is the best time, in this episode we aim to help you make the best decision for you and your teen.

In this second episode of the wilderness series, we discuss:

• The decision to send your teen to wilderness;
• Red flags & maladaptive behaviors to look out for in your teen;
• Parent red flags in behavior and feelings;
• And more!

If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or go to my website www.bethhillmancoaching.com. And if you’re interested in working with me, you can learn more about my private coaching here or my group coaching here.

And remember parents, the change begins with us.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!

🔆 Small GROUP COACHING program starting September 3rd, 2025 🔆
Sign up or learn more over at www.bethhillmancoaching.com/groups 
I hope to see you there!