Brad Swanson and Ida Fiore are Co-founders of SaLT: Service and Learning Together, a 100% volunteer-run, student-driven nonprofit based in Highland Park that creates service-learning experiences for young people through trips and local community initiatives. Since its founding in 2015, SaLT has facilitated 38 service trips, provided scholarships to about 60% of its travelers, and was recognized with the 2026 Serve Illinois Governor's Cup. With more than 30 years of experience in education, Brad and Ida have dedicated their careers to helping young people build leadership, empathy, confidence, and responsibility both inside and outside the classroom.

The experiences that shape the way teenagers see themselves and the world around them often go beyond grades, activities, and traditional measures of success. The relationships they build, the challenges they experience, and their contributions can play an important role in their growth. How can we create more opportunities for teens to connect with others and discover their impact on the community?

According to longtime educators Brad Swanson and Ida Fiore, meaningful growth happens when young people are given authentic opportunities to serve, lead, and learn through real-world experiences. Service becomes more impactful when paired with reflection, including journaling, group discussions, and conversations that help students explore empathy, gratitude, and personal growth. These experiences help teens recognize their ability to create change while developing relationships and leadership skills that last beyond the moment.

In this episode of The Coping Podcast, Dr. Leigh Weisz speaks with Brad Swanson and Ida Fiore, Co-founders of SaLT: Service and Learning Together, to discuss building empathy and community in teens. They explore service learning, youth leadership, and creating meaningful connections. Brad and Ida also share advice on unplugging and fostering empathy.

Dr. Leigh Weisz is the Founder of Coping Partners, a mental health clinic. As a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, she was on staff and affiliated with The Family Institute at Northwestern University for several years. She has experience working with children, adolescents, families, and individual adults in areas such as child and adolescent family therapy, grief and loss, and relationship issues.

Dr. Weisz earned her graduate degree in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology with a specialty in children and families. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and Spanish from the University of Michigan, having graduated with honors. Dr. Weisz has practiced in community mental health, hospitals, and outpatient family medicine practice settings.

Parenting through big emotions can feel overwhelming, especially when children and teens are coping with anxiety, grief, self-doubt, or social discomfort. While parents naturally want to remove distress as quickly as possible, children often benefit most from learning how to understand their feelings, regulate their bodies, and move through difficult experiences with support. What practical insights can families gain from experts who help young people build lifelong coping skills?

Five experts offer practical strategies for responding to physical concerns, emotional distress, anxiety, and negative thinking. Dr. Jordan Teitelbaum emphasizes being thorough when assessing children's physical discomforts. Dr. Debra Kissen recommends practicing square breathing to calm the fight-or-flight response. Dr. Leigh Weisz encourages parents to let children process sadness and grief instead of rushing to remove it. Dr. Danielle Doucette suggests helping anxious teens practice more open, friendly social signals. Leslie Randolph advises replacing negative thoughts with realistic, supportive self-talk. These strategies help young people build stronger coping skills and confidence.

In this episode of The Coping Podcast, Dr. Leigh Weisz brings together Dr. Jordan Teitelbaum, Dr. Debra Kissen, Dr. Danielle Doucette, and Leslie Randolph to share practical strategies for managing physical discomfort and anxiety, processing difficult emotions, and developing healthier self-talk. Their insights offer parents, caregivers, and educators actionable ways to help children and teens build emotional awareness, confidence, resilience, and effective coping skills.

Dr. Leigh Weisz is the Founder of Coping Partners, a mental health clinic. As a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice, she was on staff and affiliated with The Family Institute at Northwestern University for several years. She has experience working with children, adolescents, families, and individual adults in areas such as child and adolescent family therapy, grief and loss, and relationship issues.

Dr. Weisz earned her graduate degree in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology with a specialty in children and families. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and Spanish from the University of Michigan, having graduated with honors. Dr. Weisz has practiced in community mental health, hospitals, and outpatient family medicine practice settings.

It's easy for parenting to become a calendar-management job: practices, homework, carpools, reminders, meals, screens, and one more thing that needs to get done. Underneath all of that busyness is a quieter question many parents carry: how do we raise kids who are not just successful, but kind, grounded, and capable?

According to Dr. Leigh Weisz, a child psychologist and parent of two, the answer starts with aligning what parents say they value with what children experience day to day. She explains that kindness, resilience, and independence are built through ordinary moments: asking targeted questions at dinner, inviting kids to help with household work, letting them feel disappointment, and resisting the urge to rescue them too quickly. When parents model their values, let kids contribute, and step back enough for them to grow, children begin to see themselves as helpful, capable people who can handle life's ups and downs.

In this episode of The Coping Podcast, Dr. Leigh Weisz discusses how parents can raise kind, grounded, and capable kids. She explains why values need matching daily behaviors, how modeling kindness shapes what children absorb, and why chores and family contribution build confidence. Dr. Weisz also shares advice on stepping back so kids can face discomfort, practice independence, and grow.