Today's Teenager

By Roy Petitfils, LPC

Religion & Spirituality Kids & Family Christianity

What's Today's Teenager about?

For more than 20 years Roy Petitfils, LPC has worked with teenagers as an educator, youth minister and today as a counselor in private practice specializing in adolescent and family therapy. He offers insight to help you understand today's teens with practical tips, tools and strategies to help you communicate with, discipline and positively influence the teens in your life.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Today's Teenager episodes:

03.25.2020
115: Managing Cooped Up Teens
In this episode, Roy offers insight and strategies into caring for and managing teens during the COVID19 epidemic. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to covering the expenses of therapy sessions and other mental health services...
03.11.2020
114: Teens And Trauma, Part 3
In the final installment of a three-part series on teens and trauma, Roy offers practical and effective strategies adults can use to help teens who have been traumatized. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to covering...
03.09.2020
113: Teens And Trauma, Part 2
In the second installment of a three-part series on teens and trauma, Roy focuses on the variety of ways that trauma affects the adolescent brain. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to covering the expenses of...
03.06.2020
112: Teens And Trauma, Part 1
In this first of a three-part series on teens and trauma, Roy defines and explains trauma, how it effects teens, and how adults can identify and help traumatized teens. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to...
02.18.2020
111: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 3
In this third of a three - part series of micro episodes, Roy offers strategies and insights that will help you to discuss the importance of setting and respecting boundaries with teens. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit...
02.12.2020
109: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 1
In this first of a three - part series of micro episodes, Roy defines and explores what the term "boundaries" means for relationships and its importance to adolescent growth. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to...
02.11.2020
108: Talking Concussions with Dr. Josh Couvillon
In this episode, Roy discusses the dangers teen athletes faced when suffering a concussion and the best practices for treatment. Dr. Joshua Couvillon is a licensed Chiropractor in Texas and Louisiana. He currently practices in Lafayette, Louisiana at Clark Integrated...
02.11.2020
110: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 2
In the second part of Roy's three-part look at the importance of helping teens set and respect boundaries, he explores the reasons helping teens with boundaries is so often a difficult process. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit...
12.20.2019
107: Helping Teens To Emotionally Forecast
In this episode, Roy explains the phenomenon of emotional forecasting, its importance in emotional and psychological development, and how adults can help teens learn how to employ emotional forecasting in their lives. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit...
11.22.2019
106: Teens And Romantic Relationships
In this episode, Roy explores the psychological and emotional dynamics of teen romantic relationships and offers strategies for discussing them with young people. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to covering the expenses of therapy sessions...
11.04.2019
105: Helping Teens Problem Solve
In this episode, Roy offers insight into the difficulty teens face when solving problems due to age and inexperience. Roy provides tips useful in helping teenagers re-frame what they consider to be threats not as dangers to be survived but...
10.01.2019
104: Interview with Stacey Sumereau
Roy welcomes former professional Broadway actress, Stacey Sumerau. Stacey shares her experiences as a teen struggling to be the smartest, prettiest, and most talented performer she could be, how that struggle led to an eating disorder and ultimately, a spiritual...
08.07.2019
103: Dr. Michael Reichert Talks Raising Healthy Boys
In this episode, Roy welcomes Dr. Michael Reichert, a psychologist and author whose new book, "How To Raise A Boy: The Power of Connection To Build Good Men" is receiving widespread acclaim. Dr. Reichert drew on his decades of experience...
07.31.2019
102: Placeholder Conversations
In this episode, Roy explains how to employ the skill of placeholder conversations, brief exchanges with teens that help prime them for more in-depth discussions on important topics at a future date. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a...
07.29.2019
101: The Power Of Reminiscing
In this episode, Roy discusses how looking back with teens on their progress in healing and personal achievement can encourage their continued growth and success. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated to covering the expenses...
07.05.2019
100: Good Vs. Bad Stress
In the 100th episode of Today's Teenager, Roy again addresses the importance of recognizing how impacting stress is for young people today. Roy illustrates the differences between positive and negative sources of stress and offers insight into helping teens to...
04.24.2019
099: Should I Drug Test My Teen?
In this micro episode, Roy offers his thoughts on a questions he's often asked by parents of teens: 'should I drug test my teen?' Roy discusses the positive and negative aspects of the issue and provides insight into making the...
04.01.2019
098: Teens And Stress Avoidance
In this episode, Roy examines a growing trend among today's youth to avoid the stress that results from awkwardness. As Roy explains, this phenomenon is not exclusive to teens who suffer from social anxiety. Roy offers details and examples from...
02.26.2019
097: Getting Teens To Do What They Don't Want To Do
In this episode, Roy responds to a question from a parent: "How do I get my teen to do what they don't want to do?" Roy explores the various factors involved in both the parent(s)' asking of the question and...
02.22.2019
096: Dealing With Teen Drama
Even those who don't work with teens are familiar with the term "teen drama." Despite the stereotypes and caricatures associated with the term, teens experience emotional and mental stressors that are more intense given their age and state in life....
02.12.2019
094: Dr. Lisa Damour And Anxiety In Teen Girls
In this special episode of Today's Teenager, Roy discusses the effects of the rising anxiety epidemic on teen girls with Dr. Lisa Damour, PhD. Dr. Damour is a clinical psychologist, regular writer for The New York Times and contributor to CBS...
02.08.2019
095: Talking Tech Addiction with Marissa Verson Harrison
Roy welcomes Marissa Verson Harrison to discuss the realities of tech addiction, especially prevalent among today's young people. Marissa has developed ScreenAge Bootcamp, a program designed to help parents guide children in learning to use technology as a means of...
01.21.2019
093: How To Stop Being A Perfect Parent
In this episode, Roy addresses how anxiety and fear manifest themselves in a parent's desire to be 'the perfect parent.' Roy illustrates how damaging this can be to both parents and young people alike and offers strategies to cope with...
01.04.2019
092: How To Stop Nagging Your Teen
In this micro episode, Roy offers strategies for approaching the young people in your life about responsibilities and expectations in ways that will not feel like nagging to them. Roy has established Today's Teenager as a non-profit organization dedicated...
01.02.2019
091: Raising Adult Children with Jan Risher
In this episode, Roy talks with Jan Risher about the challenges and joys of parenting adult children. Jan is an award - winning journalist, investigative reporter, and former managing editor of The Times of Acadiana. Roy and Jan also discuss Jan's...
12.28.2018
090: Small Talk For Teens with Debra Fine
In this episode, Roy discusses the importance of learning conversational skills with Debra Fine. A nationally recognized keynote speaker, bestselling author and conversation expert, and author of The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start A Conversation, Keep it Going,...
11.05.2018
089: Tips For Becoming More Approachable To Teens
In this episode, Roy talks about how adults can be more approachable to the teens and young people in their lives. Roy acknowledges that some people are naturally approachable in general but believes that approachability is a skill set that...
10.29.2018
088: Sexual Abuse And Assault Of Teens With Laurie Degatto-Whitten
Roy discusses sexual abuse and assault of teens with Laurie Delgatto-Whitten. For close to thirty years, Laurie has served in the field of youth ministry. She has been involved in various local, regional, and national youth ministry training programs and...
10.09.2018
087: A Conversation About Young People And Failure with Jessica Lahey
In this episode, Roy talks with New York Times best-selling author Jessica Lahey. Roy and Jessica discuss her groundbreaking and controversial book, The Gift of Failure: How The Best Parents Learn To Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. ...
09.24.2018
086: Getting Things Done For Teens with Mike Williams
In this episode, Roy talks with Mike Williams, co - writer of "Getting Things Done For Teens," based on the original book written by David Allen. The purpose of the book, from its back cover: "Very little time, focus,...
09.14.2018
085: Talking Challenges And Opportunities For Hispanic Youth with Dr. Hosffman Opino
In this episode, Roy discusses the challenges and opportunities experienced by Hispanic youth today with Dr. Hosffman Opino. Dr. Opino was born in Colombia where he pursued undergraduate studies in Philosophy. He taught philosophy and religion at various academic levels and...
08.29.2018
084: Interview iwth John Hodges Davis
In this episode, Roy interviews young adult, John Hodges Davis. John shares his journey as a child and a teen pursuing a golf scholarship and a professional golf career. In his Junior year, John and his family discovered that he...
08.03.2018
083: Advanced Communications Tips For Talking With Teens
It's common for teens to say things to us or about us that provoke strong emotions in us. In this episode, Roy offers strategies to avoid inflicting your emotional reaction on your teen while also acknowledging the incident instead of...
08.02.2018
Episode 082:Explaining Vs. Excusing Behavior
In this episode, Roy discusses the difference between letting teens know that we understand their reasons (or lack thereof) for explaining their behavior and giving them a pass for their behavior, thereby excusing it. Roy suggests that as caring adults,...
06.25.2018
081: How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?
In this episode, Roy addresses one the questions he's most frequently asked by parents: how do you know how much screen time is enough for kids and how do you know when they're spending too much time on their devices?...
06.02.2018
080: 13 Reasons Why Season 2
In this episode, Roy addresses the second season of the controversial Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why. Roy begins by detailing the plot of the first and second seasons and then explores the positive and negative elements of the series. Roy...
04.23.2018
079: Dealing With Teenage Apathy
It’s easy to see how one could assume that today's youth doesn’t care as much as teens once did. Over the years, Roy has discovered several, at times overlapping, reasons teens become apathetic. Many parents and other adults will...
03.30.2018
078: Helping Teens Regulate Emotions
As Roy explains in this episode, more and more teens are having difficulty regulating their emotions. Being “emotional” and having a roller coaster of feelings is a normal part of being a teenager. Yet many teens experience this intensity at...
03.09.2018
077: Helping Teens Define Success
In this episode, Roy addresses one of the greatest sources of anxiety for teens today: the pursuit of an unhealthy and often unconscious definition of success. Roy uses the example of teens who suffer panic attacks after failing tests to...
02.26.2018
076: Existential Depression In Teens
In this episode, Roy explores a form of depression that many adults are unaware young people are experiencing: existential depression. This type of depression is often a of psychological and spiritual experiences in which matters of life and death, freedom,...
02.06.2018
075: Helping Perfectionist Teens
In this episode, Roy explores the surprising way that anxiety manifests among many teens today: perfectionism. The teen who has to do most things absolutely perfectly, like homework with little point value or getting upset when not making a perfect...
12.26.2017
074: Teens And The Holiday Blues
For many, the holidays are “the most wonderful time of the years," but for others it can feel like the worst. Adults are often unaware that teens also feel "the holiday blues." In this episode, Roy explores the warnings signs...
12.15.2017
073: Responding Instead Of Reacting To Teens
In this episode, Roy discusses the struggle many adults have when working with teens: reacting instead of responding to their behavior. Roy builds on Dr. Steven Covey's observation that humans have a gap between a stimulus and response and that...
11.28.2017
072: Why Are Some Teens Delaying Getting Their Driver's License?
In this episode, Roy addresses the surprising phenomenon of teens putting off getting their driver's licenses. Roy shares from his own experience working with teens as a counselor and from his interaction with teens and adult through speaking. The prevailing...
11.14.2017
071: Helping Teens With Anxiety
In this episode, Roy further addresses how anxiety affects young people, especially their spiritual life. Roy offers tips for helping teens who struggle with anxiety, including less technology, more social interaction with friends and family, and avoiding transferring anxiety to...
11.07.2017
070: Social Media And Teen Mental Health
In this micro episode, Roy addresses how social media impacts the mental health of today's teenagers. Roy focuses on how social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram affect dopamine production and dependence in the brain. Roy also discusses how social...
11.03.2017
069: Teens And Unhealthy Relationships
In this episode, Roy explores traits of unhealthy relationships that today's teens find themselves in. These may include overprotective and obsessive behavior like one partner requiring the other to disclose social media passwords or more seriously, sexual and other types...
10.23.2017
068: Teens And Sexting, Part 2
In this second episode on teens and sexting, Roy offers practical strategies for helping young people who are texting and attempt to dissuade those who are not from the behavior. Roy's strategies include acknowledging the reality of sexting and...
10.17.2017
067: Teens And Sexting Part 1
In this first of a two - part episode, Roy addresses an alarming epidemic among today's teens: sexting. Roy defines sexting as the electronic transmission of sexually suggestive or explicit text or images, including nude photos of the self or...
09.29.2017
066: Tips For Disciplining Teens
In this first of a series of micro episodes designed to offer quickly - digestible insight on a range of topics, Roy offers tips for effectively and compassionately disciplining teens. Roy's strategies include asking teens what they feel are appropriate...

What's Today's Teenager about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Today's Teenager episodes:

115: Managing Cooped Up Teens

114: Teens And Trauma, Part 3

113: Teens And Trauma, Part 2

112: Teens And Trauma, Part 1

111: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 3

109: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 1

108: Talking Concussions with Dr. Josh Couvillon

110: Helping Teens Set And Respect Boundaries, Part 2

107: Helping Teens To Emotionally Forecast

106: Teens And Romantic Relationships

105: Helping Teens Problem Solve

104: Interview with Stacey Sumereau

103: Dr. Michael Reichert Talks Raising Healthy Boys

102: Placeholder Conversations

101: The Power Of Reminiscing

100: Good Vs. Bad Stress

099: Should I Drug Test My Teen?

098: Teens And Stress Avoidance

097: Getting Teens To Do What They Don't Want To Do

096: Dealing With Teen Drama

094: Dr. Lisa Damour And Anxiety In Teen Girls

095: Talking Tech Addiction with Marissa Verson Harrison

093: How To Stop Being A Perfect Parent

092: How To Stop Nagging Your Teen

091: Raising Adult Children with Jan Risher

090: Small Talk For Teens with Debra Fine

089: Tips For Becoming More Approachable To Teens

088: Sexual Abuse And Assault Of Teens With Laurie Degatto-Whitten

087: A Conversation About Young People And Failure with Jessica Lahey

086: Getting Things Done For Teens with Mike Williams

085: Talking Challenges And Opportunities For Hispanic Youth with Dr. Hosffman Opino

084: Interview iwth John Hodges Davis

083: Advanced Communications Tips For Talking With Teens

Episode 082:Explaining Vs. Excusing Behavior

081: How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?

080: 13 Reasons Why Season 2

079: Dealing With Teenage Apathy

078: Helping Teens Regulate Emotions

077: Helping Teens Define Success

076: Existential Depression In Teens

075: Helping Perfectionist Teens

074: Teens And The Holiday Blues

073: Responding Instead Of Reacting To Teens

072: Why Are Some Teens Delaying Getting Their Driver's License?

071: Helping Teens With Anxiety

070: Social Media And Teen Mental Health

069: Teens And Unhealthy Relationships

068: Teens And Sexting, Part 2

067: Teens And Sexting Part 1

066: Tips For Disciplining Teens