When your teen starts pulling away, becoming more emotional, or acting differently, how do you know what’s normal adolescence and what could be a mental health warning sign?

In this episode of Turn the Lens Inward, Lisa Taylor sits down with mental health clinician and Mental Health First Aid trainer Michele Pilon to talk about what parents need to know about teen mental health, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, and crisis intervention.

Michele shares practical ways to recognize changes in your teen, start difficult conversations without blame or shame, and know when it’s time to seek professional help. Lisa and Michele also explore why helping a struggling teen often requires parents to turn the lens inward too, examining their own communication, boundaries, emotional regulation, and family patterns.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this normal teenage behaviour, or is my child actually struggling?” this conversation will help you know what to look for and what to do next.

_________________________________

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Look for changes, not just “bad” behaviour. Social withdrawal, loss of interest, intense emotions, and changes in everyday functioning can signal something deeper.

• Connection starts with curiosity, not correction. Instead of immediately trying to fix the problem, label the behaviour, or tell your teen what to do, start with what you’ve noticed.

• Supporting your child may require changing yourself, too. Therapy can give teens incredible tools, but lasting change is difficult when they return to the same family patterns.

  
  

_________________________________

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: teen mental health, parenting teens, youth mental health, mental health warning signs, teenage depression, teenage anxiety, adolescent mental health, Mental Health First Aid, parent teen communication, emotional regulation, family dynamics, parenting struggling teens, teen social withdrawal, teen behaviour changes, suicide prevention, parenting young adults, setting boundaries with teens, family therapy, parent self-awareness, generational parenting patterns, teen social media, emotional literacy, mental health crisis

_________________________________

⭐If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to subscribe and continue this journey with me. In future episodes, I’ll share personal reflections, practical tools, and conversations with other parents who are walking a similar path.

You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s turn the lens inward, together.

_________________________________

RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wawellnesswmichele/

Website | https://wawellnessmichele.wixsite.com/westernwashingtonwel

To learn more about MHFA in the US | mentalhealthfirstaid.org

To learn more about MHFA in Canada | openingminds.org

_________________________________

CONNECT WITH ME

Follow on Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/heyitslisataylor/

Follow on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/lisa.taylor.ellet/

Check out my Website | https://www.glowingconfidence.com/

_________________________________

CHAPTERS

00:00 – When You Know Something Isn’t Right

01:33 – Michele’s Mental Health Story

04:48 – Teen Mental Health Warning Signs

07:58 – How to Start the Conversation

11:45 – You Don’t Have to Be the Perfect Parent

14:18 – The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan

16:09 – Why Therapy Alone Isn’t Enough

22:37 – Breaking Generational Family Patterns

27:59 – Why Early Mental Health Support Matters

30:30 – Helping Kids Name Their Emotions

33:57 – Boundaries, Dysregulation & Crisis

44:02 – Why Teens Are Struggling More Today

48:55 – Social Media, Phones & AI

53:25 – What Is Mental Health First Aid?

1:02:09 – Final Thoughts & Resources