Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

Eps 378: Talking to Brenda Zane About How to Be with Teen Substance Use


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My guest today is Brenda Zane, and we are digging deep into teen substance abuse. 


Brenda shares about her son’s drug misuse & what got her started in this work. We talk about teens who are exploring risky behavior and teens who are using drugs regularly/daily. Brenda shares tips for having uncomfortable (and ongoing) conversations about drug use with your adolescent and how to come from a place of curiosity (not judgment). We talk about why the confrontational, punitive approach does not work & to consider drug use as a solution for a problem you don’t know about. Brenda and I also dig into how to share information about drugs with your kids & how to stay calm when you’re freaked out. Brenda finishes up teaching me about fentanyl & when overdoses don’t look like what you’d expect.  


Takeaways from the show

  • Novelty seeking as part of teenage brain development
  • Substance use & responding as a parent 
  • Alcohol & marijuana use 
  • Covid, anxiety, isolation, & devices affecting drug use 
  • Experimenting vs. problematic use 
  • Uncomfortable conversations & coming from a place of curiosity 
  • Drug use as a solution for a problem you don’t know about 
  • Confrontational, punitive approach does not work 
  • Information as harm reduction 
  • Information about fentanyl & overdoses

  • For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here.

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    Joyful Courage for Parenting TeensBy Casey O'Roarty

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