84 episodes

Parenting Post-wilderness is your guide to parenting a struggling teen, whether they’re home, transitioning home, or presently in treatment. Your guides to Parenting Post-wilderness are Beth Hillman, a life coach for parents of struggling teens and mom to a post-wilderness teen, and part-time co-host Seth Gottlieb, a wilderness therapy guide turned teen and young adult recovery coach. Their unique combination of experience and training yields candid conversations chock full of practical, actionable tips and tools to smooth the challenges both parents and teens experience surrounding treatment. Parents, say goodbye to exhausting confusion, overwhelm and panic and the unhelpful patterns that keep you stuck. Learn how to develop healthy responses and set healthy boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. Experience the relationship-changing power of focusing on your own behavior instead of futile attempts to control your teen. Listen in to discover how parents like you have learned to influence equanimity in the home and rebuild connections with the teens they love. Connect with Beth on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or find more information about working with Beth at www.bethhillmancoaching.com.

Parenting Post-Wilderness Beth Hillman | Parent Coach for Parents of Struggling Teens

    • Kids & Family
    • 5.0 • 8 Ratings

Parenting Post-wilderness is your guide to parenting a struggling teen, whether they’re home, transitioning home, or presently in treatment. Your guides to Parenting Post-wilderness are Beth Hillman, a life coach for parents of struggling teens and mom to a post-wilderness teen, and part-time co-host Seth Gottlieb, a wilderness therapy guide turned teen and young adult recovery coach. Their unique combination of experience and training yields candid conversations chock full of practical, actionable tips and tools to smooth the challenges both parents and teens experience surrounding treatment. Parents, say goodbye to exhausting confusion, overwhelm and panic and the unhelpful patterns that keep you stuck. Learn how to develop healthy responses and set healthy boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. Experience the relationship-changing power of focusing on your own behavior instead of futile attempts to control your teen. Listen in to discover how parents like you have learned to influence equanimity in the home and rebuild connections with the teens they love. Connect with Beth on Instagram (@bethhillmancoaching) or find more information about working with Beth at www.bethhillmancoaching.com.

    83. Choice, Consequence & Accountability: Helping Your Struggling Teen Understand

    83. Choice, Consequence & Accountability: Helping Your Struggling Teen Understand

    How can you help your struggling teen take more accountability? 
    What can you do to help your teen understand choice, consequence, and accountability? Those are the questions Seth and I will be exploring in today’s episode.


    [Struggling to set boundaries & consequences? Check out my free guide to help you create your own Parent Home Plan 🗺️]


    Our brain likes going into defense mode. It’s what it does automatically. With conscious work, we can catch ourselves there (and teach our struggling teens to do the same) and learn to recognize that we almost always have a choice in the matter. Even when we feel like we don’t.


    “It takes a lot of practice to realize what is a choice and what isn’t a choice” - Seth Gottlieb


    Pushing your teen to take accountability isn’t beneficial for you as a parent or your teen. Instead of trying to force accountability, we’ll discuss ways to grow the conscious awareness of choice and action, leading to an understanding of accountability.


    In this episode, we discuss:
    We all sometimes justify our own behaviors by telling ourselves we didn’t have a choice, even if we did;Probing questions to understand (and help your teen understand) their thought process regarding their choice;Helping your teen understand the relationship between choice, action, consequence, and accountability;The role of black-and-white thinking when it comes to choices, and consequences.Validating feelings;Taking accountability for facts versus story;How to bring the conversation and accountability back to facts when you’re used to being lied to by your teen;And more!Need support?
    🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.


    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!


    And remember parents, the change begins with us.

    • 23 min
    82. A Mom’s Lived Experience of Her Son’s Return Home After Treatment and Doing Her Own Work - Part 2 [Parent Interview]

    82. A Mom’s Lived Experience of Her Son’s Return Home After Treatment and Doing Her Own Work - Part 2 [Parent Interview]

    How can you prepare for your teen to come home after treatment?
    Last week’s guest mom of a teen struggling with his mental health, suicidal ideation, and self-harm is back and we dive deeper into the journey after treatment, and the lessons she learned (and is learning) in order to come to her own way of being so she can be the best parent she can be.


    “Letting him figure his life out has been imperative” - Today’s guest mom


    What challenges did her son’s return home after treatment bring with it? And what was the most important work this mom had to do for herself in order to make his return work? We also dive deeper into the trauma of being away from home for so long, and the impact of the whole situation on the siblings.


    “It’s been really helpful to know that if he’s flopping around, doing things I don’t approve of, not following my plans, that’s okay. It’s okay. It’s his life” - Today’s guest mom


    I’m immensely grateful for this mom to share her story. It’s truly inspiring to me, and I hope it will be the same for you. Let’s dive in!


    In this episode on a mom’s lived experience of her son’s return home after treatment & doing her own work, we discuss:
    The challenges that come with this mom’s son being back home after having been away in treatment for 1 year and 9 months;How can you manage your own emotions so that you’re not projecting them out onto your relationship with your teen?;What things did this mom specifically work on that helped prepare her home for her son to come home?The trauma of separation after being in treatment and away from home;Her son’s plans for the future;The impact this situation has had on the siblings;Keeping the family unit together when one member is away;What advice would this mom give her old self from 2 years ago?What was it like when her son came home? What’s something she wishes she had done but also something she’s glad she did?And more!Need support?
    🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.


    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!


    And remember parents, the change begins with us.

    • 44 min
    81. A Mom’s Lived Experience With Her Son’s Suicidal Ideation and Program Journey [Parent Interview]

    81. A Mom’s Lived Experience With Her Son’s Suicidal Ideation and Program Journey [Parent Interview]

    “We were mentally panicked. We didn’t want our kid to die and we didn’t know what to do.”


    Today's episode will hit close to home for many of you. We're diving into the raw and real journey of a mother facing her son's struggles with mental health, including suicidal ideation and self-harm.


    She reflects on her son growing up as an emotionally needy child, things getting rougher when he became a teenager, and eventually escalating after an event that happened at school during his sophomore year. It was like her son fell apart overnight. He started cutting himself, carving words in his skin, and threatening to kill himself.


    “We had nothing … in our repertoire of parenting tools about what to do when your kid is having feelings like that. And we really panicked.” - Guest


    What followed was a rocky road of homeschooling, therapy, mental hospitals, wilderness, and a residential treatment center (RTC). 


    “There’s no way to sugarcoat how hard it is. It’s unbearable but you have to walk through it” - Guest


    If you've ever felt lost or overwhelmed as a parent, if you're struggling to support a child with mental health challenges, or if you simply want to hear a story of resilience and hope, then this episode is for you. 


    Tune in and listen to this mom's incredible journey of how she lived through her son’s mental health crisis, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and program journey. You won't regret it.


    In this episode, we discuss:
    A mom’s lived experience with her teen who struggled with mental health, self-harm, and suicidal ideation;The rabbit hole of thinking back to the past, the ‘what if’s’ and blaming yourself for decisions you’ve made in your parenting;How this mom used to respond to her son’s behavior; The choices this mom made in times of crisis;Her son’s resistance when he was sent to wilderness;The hardest thing this mom had to do in her life;This mom’s lived experience of bringing her son home after wilderness to see if he had done enough work to keep the work going at home;This mom’s realization that the language she was using was invalidating her son’s feelings;What does it mean to do your own work as a parent?;And more!Need support?
    🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.


    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!


    And remember parents, the change begins with us.

    • 33 min
    80. What to Do When Your Teen Is Stuck in Unhealthy Behavior?

    80. What to Do When Your Teen Is Stuck in Unhealthy Behavior?

    80. What to Do When Your Teen Is Stuck in Unhealthy Behavior?
    Have you ever found yourself in that heart-wrenching place where you're watching your child or young adult spiral into unhealthy behaviors? Seth and I know that pain all too well, both from our professional experiences and personal journeys.


    Today, we delve deep into the complexities of this tough subject. We don’t just offer practical advice, but also share our own struggles: 
    Listen to Seth recounting his own experiences when he was stuck in unhealthy behavior and witness the raw emotions involved. And Beth’s story of how she worked through a situation as a parent in which she had to figure out whether her support had turned into enabling.Navigating unhealthy patterns is tough terrain. It requires patience, empathy, and sometimes the courage to set healthy boundaries. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution, there is hope in the journey of self-discovery and growth.


    In this episode on what to do when your teen is stuck in unhealthy behavior, we discuss:
    The challenging issue of dealing with unhealthy behaviors in teenagers and young adults;The importance of validation for parents experiencing these challenges;Seth’s personal journey of resistance to change despite recognizing the need for it, highlighting the complexities involved in seeking help and making changes;What did Seth experience as helpful from his loved ones when he was stuck in unhealthy behavior?How can you recognize when support turns into enabling?;The role of changing environments in addressing unhealthy behaviors;The importance of addressing underlying issues rather than simply changing environments or behaviors;Beth shares a personal example of making decisions from an emotional state versus a rational, objective mindset;The importance of processing emotions and thoughts before making decisions;The two feelings Beth looks for as a green flag to know she’s ready to make a big decision;Looking for the rainbow of options in between black-and-white thinking.The importance of open communication, setting boundaries, and considering what individuals are comfortable with regarding support and enabling behaviors;Communicating with your teen from a non-emotional, objective state;Approaching the situation with love and curiosity rather than judgment or control.Other episodes mentioned: 
    #71 How to Live with a Teen Who’s Using#75 Fear-Based Parenting (on supporting vs. enabling)
    Need support?
    🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.



    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future e

    • 44 min
    79. Negative Thought Patterns: Dealing with the Uncertainty of Crisis

    79. Negative Thought Patterns: Dealing with the Uncertainty of Crisis

    Ever noticed your brain filling with worst-case scenarios when you have limited information on what’s happening? We’ve all been there. It’s what our brains do. But why? And how can we make sure we’re not parenting out of fear?
    In this episode, Seth and I explore the concept of fear-based parenting and the tendency to jump to negative conclusions when faced with unknown situations. Both in times of crisis and in everyday parenting, we often have access to limited information, left to fill in the blanks by ourselves. If we want to ditch the negative thought patterns and stop parenting out of fear, we need to learn how to separate stories from facts. Let’s discuss how in today’s episode!


    In this episode on how our brain responds to uncertainty, we discuss:
    How our brains respond to uncertainty;The impact of fear on decision-making;Differentiating between facts and stories;Recognizing negative thought patterns;How to proactively gather information when faced with uncertainty;The importance of self-awareness in combatting fear-based parenting;And more!Other episodes on fear-based parenting: 
    #75 Fear-Based Parenting

    Need support?
    🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.



    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!


    And remember parents, the change begins with us.

    • 33 min
    78. A Collaborative Approach to Teen Technology Habits With Emily Jones From Family Tech University

    78. A Collaborative Approach to Teen Technology Habits With Emily Jones From Family Tech University

    Collaborating with your child on technology habits, can you imagine?


    Or your child making the decision to put down their game console and go for a run instead, not because ‘mom’s been nagging about it’ but because it’s what they want themselves?


    In this second part of my interview with Emily, we’re diving deeper into how you can collaborate with your teen about their own technology habits. 


    [Haven’t listened to part 1 of this interview yet? Have a listen to episode #77 first!]


    Listen as Emily shares the ‘Story of my life’ approach she used with the kids inside Family Tech University. Through thoughtful reflection and guided questions, this approach helps teens and kids explore their dreams, aspirations, and the impact of their technology habits on their future selves. 


    In this episode on collaborating with your teen on their technology habits, we discuss:
    Helping our kids make conscious choices about their technology habits by helping them reflect on the life they want for themselves;How to empower your teen to make wise decisions about technology use;Gradually introducing our kids to technology;Modeling healthy technology habits to our teens and kids;And more!

    🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program.


    🗺️Create your own Parent Home Plan with the help of my free guide.


    Ps. Are you getting great value out of this podcast? It would mean the world to me if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This way, you will help me reach and help more parents of struggling teens develop healthy responses and boundaries instead of acting out of fear and anxiety. You can leave a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!


    And if you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of my future episodes!


    And remember parents, the change begins with us.


    About today’s guest:
    Emily Madsen Jones is co-founder with husband Dave of Family Tech University; an organization with a paradigm-shifting perspective on powerful tech parenting. She is a writer, author, speaker, and teacher... but her best wisdom on the technology parenting was gleaned from motherhood, via 5 non-perfect, fiercely adored children.

    You can connect with Emily on Instagram or Facebook.

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
8 Ratings

8 Ratings

73MarinaO ,

Weekly Gold

Whether it’s a speaker or just a discussion, I find the podcasts incredibly valuable for 2 reasons.
1. New nuggets of wisdom, resources, tools, support
2. It is a weekly reminder to use my tool box and it helps me to stay on track in my own journey.

mom of nell ,

Honesty and a Mom’s Wisdom, Without Judgment

Beth’s vulnerability as she shares her personal experiences as a mom offers heartfelt wisdom and guidance to moms of struggling teens. She creates a community of support and candid conversations about topics that aren’t easy to discuss. Thank you, Beth.

BarbieDollHead ,

Incredibly helpful

I have a loved one in treatment and have found this podcast to be so so helpful in navigating the psychology between parents and their teens! This podcast is an absolute MUST listen.

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