Parenting Teens with Annie and Simona Annie Salsberg, MS and Simona Irwin

The transition to high school can often be an emotional rollercoaster for both parents and their children.
The question submitted from our community for this episode was:
Both of my kids have now entered high school, and it feels like a lot of change and a massive transition for all of us. It almost feels like a loss, and I keep thinking that it's all happening too fast. Do other people feel this way? 
In this episode, we were joined by Vania Sukola, a feminist psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and consultant, in discussing the challenges and transitions that parents face when their children enter high school. 
Vania also shared:
✅ The importance of taking care of oneself, re-parenting, and finding resources to navigate difficult situations 
✅ Rite of passage and their importance in navigating significant life transitions 
✅ How to embrace the cycle of grief and emotions associated with parenting transitions 
✅ How to navigate changes intentionally by aligning actions and decisions with your core values and rituals as a family 
✅ How Vania fosters connection with her kids
 

Vania Sukola is an award-winning Registered Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, and facilitator. For over 20 years, Vania has been providing support to people who have experienced trauma due to gender-based violence and abuse. 
In 2015, Vania started a private practice focusing primarily on reproductive mental health, especially birth trauma, the transition into parenthood, and the intersection of former trauma that impacts the journey into parenthood. 
As a Feminist Therapist, Vania believes you are the expert in your life, and she uses a trauma-informed anti-oppression framework. 
Vania works from a relational and integrative approach as a therapist, mainly pulling from somatic and emotion-focused styles of therapy. She is also a mother to 2 children and loves chocolate. There is always room for chocolate.
 

CONNECT WITH VANIA SUKOLA: 
📍 Website: https://vaniasukola.ca/ 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vania_sukola 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapywithvania 

CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 

Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
— — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!
Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration 
 

How do you support anxious children without reinforcing their anxiety? 
It's natural to want to alleviate your child's distress, but sometimes, the well-intentioned actions we take can inadvertently perpetuate their anxiety. 
In this episode,  a concerned mother shared her experience of her 13-year-old daughter's escalating anxiety. She asked:
"My 13-year-old has always been a bit anxious, but things have recently escalated, and we find ourselves turning our lives upside down to make sure she feels safe. For example, she texts me and calls me from school at least six to seven times to check in, and I want to be there for her, but I also need to get my own work done. What can I do? Help!"
We want our kids to thrive in their environments, and that's why we sat down with Dr. Zia Lakdawalla, Founder of Foundations for Emotional Wellness (FFEW), a clinical psychologist and mom of three young kids, to offer valuable insights to help parents break the cycle of accommodation and empower their children to manage their anxiety more independently.
In this interview, we will unpack:
✅ Understanding the nature of anxiety
✅ Identifying patterns of anxiety
✅ Managing kids anxiety
✅ Learning emotion regulation
✅ What is an accommodation, and how does it affect an anxious child
✅ The process of co-regulation and emotional coaching
✅ How to provide proper accommodations to anxious kids
✅ How Dr. Zia fosters connection in her own family and children



Dr. Zia Lakdawalla obtained her B.A. in Psychology from McGill University, followed by a Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Chicago.
She has worked across various mental health settings, including community mental health, private practice, day treatment programs and hospitals.
She is the director of Foundations for Emotional Wellness, where she maintains her own private practice. She conducts parenting groups and workshops, and delivers talks and training on various mental health issues.



CONNECT WITH DR. ZIA LAKDAWALLA:
📍 Website: https://ffew.ca/ 
📍 Instagram: @foundations4emotionalwellness
📍 Facebook: @foundationsforemotionalwellness
📍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zia-lakdawalla-75059b154/ 



CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 



Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
— — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!

Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration

Back-to-school season is a time of mixed emotions for many parents and teenagers.
In this episode, we're taking a break from interviewing experts and instead reflecting on our own experiences as parents during the back-to-school season. 
Tune in to hear our candid conversation and see if our experiences resonate with you as we cover topics like:
✅ Parental feelings and emotions and the challenges of back to school
✅ Missed developmental stages
✅ Balancing independence and guidance
✅ Teen mental health
✅ Accepting change and unique parenting journeys

CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 

Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
— — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!
Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration 

In a world where social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok dominate the lives of teenagers, it's not surprising that skincare trends and quick fixes can spread like wildfire.
Teenagers are often bombarded with skincare advice, DIY remedies, and products promising miraculous results. 
However, the truth is that navigating the journey of teenage acne requires more than just the latest viral skincare hack.
A parent in particular raised some concerns and submitted this question: "Please help! Skin has become a major source of stress for my young teens. They're starting to break out and it's making them extremely self conscious. There are so many options on the market and I'm not sure where to start. Any tips on how to keep pimples at bay and decrease the intensity of breakouts after they occur?"
We aim to provide answers to this community, so we invited Dr. Salsberg to shed light on the critical aspects of managing teenage acne and effective skincare habits.
In this episode, we are discussing:
✅ Meet Dr. Jennifer Salsberg
✅ Parental vs. Teen Initiation: Who drives clinic visits?
✅ The impact of social media on skincare knowledge, misconceptions, and DIY approaches
✅ How to combat breakouts and deal with teen skin stress
✅ Empowering teens through education and professional guidance
✅ The importance of early intervention as puberty begins
✅ Debunking cleansing methods and practices
✅ The value of individualized skincare and emphasis on preventative measures
✅ Over-the-counter treatments: How to tell if the products are working
✅ How to minimize scarring and when to get rid of them
✅ Dr. Salsberg's approach to connecting with her teens
 
Dr. Jennifer Salsberg is a double board-certified dermatologist in Canada and the United States. 
Following her residency training, she completed a Fellowship in Dermatologic Laser Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and on staff at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, as well as her private practice AvenueMD.
 
CONNECT WITH DR. JENNIFER SALSBERG:
📍 Website: https://avenuemd.com/ 
📍 Instagram: @avenue.md
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvenueMDTO 

CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 

Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
— — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!
Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration 

In parenting teenagers, a conundrum that often arises is balancing fostering healthy habits and navigating the evolving preferences and influences that come with adolescence. 
This is especially true for one parent that asked, "Help! When my kids were younger, I was pretty mindful about buying good stuff. Now I feel like I've lost all control. How can I get my kids to use more non-toxic products?" 
This sentiment resonates with many parents who find themselves grappling with mindful, healthy practices while accommodating the increasing independence and choices of their growing children.
To shed light on this topic, we turn to Maia James, the founder of Gimme the Good Stuff. 
In this episode, Maia shared practical insights:
✅ The challenges of navigating the natural products market
✅ Starting Gimme the Good Stuff and simplifying the overwhelming choices of natural products
✅ Balancing control and relationship in parenting teens
✅ Making better and healthier food and product choices for teens
✅ How Maia James fosters connection with her kids
 
Maia James is the founder and president of Gimme the Good Stuff, Inc. at www.gimmethegoodstuff.org, a free online resource, and store that gives busy parents peace of mind by helping them easily navigate the confusing world of “natural” products. 
Maia grew up in Vermont in a household without a TV or microwave, where her family followed a vegetarian, organic diet and eschewed most Western medicine. 
Now a parent herself, Maia strives to find the balance between the convenience of a standard American childrearing style and a more natural—but often more difficult—approach. Maia lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Daylon, and her two tween/teen sons.  
Maia has written for or been mentioned in a variety of publications, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, and The Huffington Post, and has appeared numerous times as an expert on The Dr. Oz Show. 
 
CONNECT WITH MAIA JAMES:
📍 Website: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/ 
📍 Instagram: @gimmethegoodstuf
📍 Facebook: @gimmethegoodstuff
📍 Pinterest: @gimmetheGS
CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 

Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
— — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!
Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration 
 

Join us as we candidly share our parenting journey and discuss the joys and anxieties of seeing our children grow more independent and how it mirrors the growth of our business. 
Tune in for our juicy insights on: 
✅ Thrilling and nerve-wracking changes in our tweens and teens
✅ Balancing personal growth and desires while supporting our kids' transformative years
✅ Embracing self-care in motherhood unapologetically
✅ Rediscovering our independence as parents of tweens and teens
✅ Our Aha! Moments in launching RAMP! and embracing the waiting period
 
CONNECT WITH RAMP:
📍 Website: https://drinkramp.com/ 
📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkrampco 
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrampco/ 
📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drinkrampco 
 
Do you have teen-related questions? Drop them on SpeakPipe at www.speakpipe.com/parentingteens 
 — — — 
The content and opinions on this podcast are for informational or educational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.
Do you love RAMP! Functional Nutrition Products for tweens & teens? Our generous affiliate program allows you to earn cash and help families!

Sign up today:  https://drinkramp.refersion.com/affiliate/registration