In this heart-opening conversation, youth mentor and wellbeing practitioner Marilou Coombe joins host Leonie Du Toit to explore how awareness and emotional intelligence can transform the lives of our children — and us as parents.

They dive into the realities of raising emotionally intelligent, highly sensitive, and tech-saturated children in a disconnected world — and how awareness, modeling, and communication can bridge the gap.

💫 About the Guest

Marilou Coombe is a Youth Mentor, Coach, and Wellbeing Practitioner with a background in social science and more than 15 years in the travel industry. Having lived in five countries and traveled the world, she brings a rich, global perspective to her work.

Marilou blends NLP, hypnotherapy, energy work, and mindfulness to help young people — and the adults who support them — build confidence, emotional resilience, and authentic self-expression.

She is the founder of the Empowered Youth Coaching Academy, where she mentors youth and trains other coaches to continue this vital work.

🧭 What You'll Hear

• Marilou's journey from war-torn Lebanon to Australia — and how that shaped her passion for youth empowerment

• Why cultural awareness matters when supporting young people

• The effects of technology and dopamine overload on emotional regulation and focus

• Awareness as the first step in emotional healing for children and adults

• The power of modeling: why our kids do what we do, not what we say

• Practical tools for parents to build awareness, balance technology, and restore connection

• Supporting sensitive and empathic children — how to help them see their sensitivity as a superpower

• How to hold space for teens without fixing or rescuing

• Inner adolescence work — why your teenager might be mirroring your own unhealed teenage years

• Awareness and intuition as everyday parenting tools

🕰 Time-Stamped Highlights

00:00 Welcome & introduction

01:00 Marilou's global journey and cultural influences

04:00 The power of mentoring and why she works with youth

08:00 War, resilience, and life lessons from Lebanon

10:00 How technology impacts focus, mood, and wellbeing

14:30 Awareness: 50% of the problem is solved when you see it

17:00 Modeling behavior — kids learn through energy, not words

20:00 Real parenting moments: meltdowns, awareness, and repair

24:00 When your teen shuts down — holding space vs. fixing

31:00 Reparenting through adolescence: healing your inner teen

35:00 Empathic and highly sensitive children — how to support them

40:00 From self-criticism to empowerment: modelling emotional truth

43:00 Words of wisdom for young people — "You are the most powerful person in your life."

🪞 Key Quotes

"50% of your problem is solved just by being aware." — Marilou Coombe

"Children don't need perfect parents — they need present ones." — Leonie Du Toit

"Our kids do what they see us doing, not what we tell them to do." — Marilou

"Awareness and intuition are the spirit senses that guide our next generation." — Leonie

"If you think you're dumb, and you believe it, then it becomes true. Your words create your world." — Marilou

💡 Practical Takeaways for Parents

Model awareness: show your child how you calm yourself, apologise, and take responsibility.

Hold space: listen without rushing to fix or advise.

Invite reflection: ask questions like "What do you need from me right now?" or "How does your heart feel about this?"

Balance technology: involve kids in decisions and explain what happens in their brain and body when they use screens.

Normalize emotions: let your children see you feel and express — calmly, consciously, and responsibly.

See sensitivity as strength: teach children how to clear their energy and see empathy as a gift, not a flaw.

🌱 For Young Listeners

"Stop listening to what the world tells you about who you are.

Go inwards — you are powerful, capable, and wise.

Whatever you believe about yourself becomes your truth." — Marilou Coombe

🔗 Connect with Marilou Coombe

Instagram / Facebook: Empowered Youth Coaching Academy

Programs: 1:1 Youth Coaching, Family Coaching, and Youth Mentor Training

Website: Coming soon — follow her socials for updates

📘 Connect with Leonie Du Toit

Book: Spiritual A.I. — The Authentic Intelligence: Awareness & Intuition, Your Inner Technology Available on Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/3jprfw9b

Podcast: The Spiritual A.I. Podcast — Awareness & Intuition Revolution

Website: www.leoniedutoit.com

Socials: @coachhealerleonie