Raising a teenager is the hardest job in the world, and there is no playbook for it.

In this episode of The Shield, Executive Director Nichole sits down with Dannette Bivins, a licensed mental health therapist and the owner of Intentional Healing. Dannette specializes in family therapy and working with adolescents in the juvenile court system, particularly those dealing with problematic sexual behaviors like sexting.

We dive deep into the reality of parenting teenagers today. Dannette breaks down why traditional discipline (like grounding) can sometimes backfire, how to separate typical teen angst from actual mental health red flags, and why you need to let go of your parenting guilt.

In this episode, we cover:

• Family Therapy: Why treating the individual isn't enough if you don't treat the whole family system.
• Juvenile Court & Sexting: How education and early intervention change behavior better than punitive measures.
• Parenting Guilt: Why your teenager's mistakes are not a reflection of your failure as a caregiver.
• The LIFT Program: Everything you need to know about the Learning and Interventions for Families with Teens program (Sponsored by the Children's Trust Fund).

Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor: The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Connect with Dannette Bivins at Intentional Healing.

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