What if one of the most powerful parenting tools wasn't another strategy, consequence, or conversation?
What if it was your breath?
In this eye-opening episode of Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World, Cheryl Pankhurst sits down with Spencer DeLisle, global meditation teacher, executive coach, neuroscientist, and President of the Art of Living Foundation Canada.
Together they explore why today's teens are struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, emotional dysregulation, distraction, and stress—and what parents can actually do to help.
Spencer explains the science behind nervous system regulation, how chronic stress impacts the brain, why many parents are unknowingly living in a constant state of fight-or-flight, and how simple breathing practices can create profound shifts in emotional resilience, focus, confidence, and connection.
This conversation goes far beyond meditation. It dives into parenting, neuroscience, emotional regulation, technology, social media, anxiety, ADHD-like symptoms, perfectionism, and what it really means to become the calm, steady presence your teen needs.
In this episode you'll learn:
• Why today's teens experience stress differently than previous generations
• How chronic stress affects the adolescent brain
• The connection between breathwork and emotional regulation
• What happens neurologically during anxiety and overwhelm
• Why parents must regulate themselves before helping their teens
• The difference between reacting and responding
• How meditation creates more time, focus, and clarity
• Practical strategies for helping teens manage difficult emotions
• The role of schools, parents, and educators in building resilience
• Why awareness, belonging, and commitment are critical for adolescent wellbeing
If you've ever wondered how to support an anxious teen—or if you're feeling overwhelmed yourself—this episode will leave you with hope, practical tools, and a completely new perspective.
Because as we say here:
"It's not them, it's you... and that's where the magic happens."
Connect with Spencer DeLisle:
Art of Living Foundation Canada
Sky Schools
Institute of Absolute Intelligence
President, Art of Living Foundation Canada | Executive Coach | Global Meditation Teacher | Former Cancer & Cardiology Researcher
Spencer Delisle is a global meditation teacher, executive coach, and the President of the Art of Living Foundation Canada — one of the world’s largest volunteer-run organizations dedicated to mental health, leadership, and human values. For over two decades, Spencer has helped thousands of people — from executives and first responders to elite athletes to students, parents and teachers — to self regulate, and access peak performance and inner peace through the science of breath and meditation.
Drawing on his background in both neuroscience and high-performance training, Spencer has coached amateur and professional athletes, including ITF Tour juniors, NCAA Division I, and professional tennis players, integrating cutting-edge mental conditioning, breathwork, and recovery strategies to unlock flow states and sustainable excellence.
Trained personally by five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and humanitarian leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Spencer has led programs in more than 25 countries, teaching advanced self-mastery and team-connectedness techniques to leaders from Deloitte, Swiss Re, Google, TD Bank, FIFA, Ford, GE, the European Parliament, the Government of Iraq, and the Federal Government of Canada.
Before dedicating his life to human development, Spencer worked in oncology and cardiology research at Mount Allison and McGill Universities, later joining Novartis Pharmaceuticals in marketing. His rare blend of scientific grounding, athletic coaching, and spiritual insight makes him a compelling voice bridging mindfulness, leadership, and neuroscience.
Spencer was the Master of Ceremonies for both the first UN International Day of Yoga at Lincoln Center in New York and the World Culture Festival, which gathered over 3.75 million people in India and 1.1 million in Washington D.C., celebrating unity, peace, and human potential.
He currently collaborates with the University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research on groundbreaking studies examining how meditation and breathwork can alleviate PTSD, depression, and anxiety among veterans, first responders, and at-risk youth.
Spencer’s mission is clear: to make mental resilience, joy, and purpose accessible to everyone — from boardrooms to locker rooms, from soldiers to CEOs.
When he’s not teaching or speaking, Spencer can be found snowboarding, surfing, or playing ultimate frisbee, living what he teaches — that happiness is not the goal, it’s our nature.
Connect with Cheryl Pankhurst:
Educational Strategist | Family Advocate | OCT Certified
Helping families navigate diagnoses, IEPs, assessments, high school transitions, and school advocacy.
Visit: CherylPankhurst.com
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