Parenting a teenager can feel like walking on eggshells, especially when anxiety enters the picture. In this episode Ekaterina Konovalova spoke with Sophia Vale Galano, a licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and author of Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Teen Cope with Worry.Sophia shared practical, compassionate strategies to help parents recognize anxiety, open up meaningful conversations, and model calm and emotional regulation without controlling or enabling their teens.You’ll learn:- How to tell normal stress from clinical anxiety- Why teens mirror their parents’ emotional energy- What to say (and what not to say) when your teen shuts down- How to navigate social media, body image, and comparison traps- Why self-care for parents is the foundation of calmer teensIf you’ve ever wondered how to truly connect with your anxious teen — this conversation will give you hope, insight, and practical tools to start today.To learn more about Sophia, check her website www.sophiagalano.com00:26 Introduction: Meet Sophia Vale Galano, author of “Calming Teenage Anxiety”01:19 Sophia’s journey: From career change to working with teens02:38 Why teen years are a pivotal moment for mental health03:06 How to recognize teenage anxiety vs. normal stress04:58 When to take a closer look at your teen’s behavior05:08 First steps for parents: Talking about anxiety early06:11 Conversation tips: How to ask open-ended questions07:54 When teens say “I don’t want to talk about it”08:52 Changing the setting: Why casual conversations work better10:18 Rebuilding trust when there’s a control history11:00 How parents can model emotional regulation13:09 Why teens notice parental behavior more than words14:35 Energy and emotional connection between parents and teens15:00 How parents’ stress affects their children17:33 When and how to seek therapy or outside support20:07 Different types of support beyond traditional therapy21:18 Overcoming control and trusting the process23:06 Teens in today’s world: Why social media changes everything24:02 Healthy social media habits for teens26:39 Dealing with comparison and body image28:20 Highlights from Sophia’s book: Self-examination for parents29:53 Leading by example: Modeling healthy emotional habits30:56 Parents’ invisible impact and long-term influence31:23 Finding joy and balance as a parent33:40 The line between helping and enabling35:23 Teaching resilience: Let teens “scrape their knees”36:31 Final advice: Be open, flexible, and patient36:56 Where to find Sophia’s book and connect with her#TeenAnxiety #ParentingTeens #MentalHealth #TrustMeMom #SophiaValeGalano #ParentingTips #AnxietyHelp #TeenTherapy #ParentingPodcast #CalmingTeenageAnxiety #MentalHealthAwareness #MindfulParenting #RaisingTeens