Hi Parents!

Today we’re diving into an important and often uncomfortable topic, but one that matters deeply for the way our kids grow up to understand relationships, respect, and accountability.

I’m joined by Liz Ortenburger, the CEO of SafeNest, Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit addressing domestic and sexual violence. Liz has spent more than two decades working to protect women and children and to challenge the way communities respond to abuse. Through her leadership at SafeNest, she oversees programs that provide emergency support, prevention education, housing, legal advocacy, and intervention services designed to disrupt cycles of violence before they continue into the next generation.

In this episode, we talk about the powerful role parents play in shaping how boys understand respect, responsibility, and relationships with others. Liz shares why prevention starts long before adulthood and how the messages kids absorb at home, both spoken and unspoken, can shape how they treat others later in life.

We also discuss how witnessing unhealthy relationship dynamics can impact children emotionally and behaviourally, even when those patterns are subtle. Liz explains why raising boys who hold themselves and others accountable is such an important part of preventing violence and creating safer communities.

Throughout our conversation, Liz offers practical insights for parents who want to model empathy, accountability, and respect in their own homes while also having honest conversations with their teens about boundaries, consent, and healthy relationships.

This episode is a powerful reminder that the way we talk about respect, conflict, and accountability at home plays a major role in the relationships our children will build in the future.

Additional Resources Mentioned in Episode

👉🏻 Futures Without Violence - Coaching Boys into Men Program

📚 Hope Rising

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

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Hi Moms!

Motherhood brings so much love and for many moms, it also brings a level of worry and pressure they never expected. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Terri Bacow, a New York-based therapist with over 15 years of experience supporting people through major life transitions, especially moms navigating stress and anxiety.

Terri and I talk honestly about why motherhood can heighten anxiety, even when everything looks “fine” on the outside. We explore the mental load moms carry, the guilt that creeps in when expectations feel impossibly high, and how constant worry can slowly take away joy and presence. Terri shares how anxiety often shows up as second-guessing, irritability, sleepless nights, and feeling like you’re never doing enough - no matter how hard you try.

We also dive into how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help moms understand and interrupt anxious thought patterns instead of getting stuck in them. Terri explains CBT in a very practical, approachable way and offers insight into how small mindset shifts can make a big difference in how moms feel day to day.

If you’re a mom who feels overwhelmed, on edge, or quietly struggling with anxiety, this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone. Support is possible, and change doesn’t have to feel so heavy.

📚 Goodbye Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry (for Teens)

P.S. First person to email Terri will get a FREE copy of the journal sent to you!

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

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Hi Parents!

If you’ve ever wondered why traditional discipline seems to make things worse for your anxious teen, this episode will help you see their behaviour through a completely different lens.

In today’s conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Ross Greene, a clinical psychologist and the creator of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model. Ross has spent decades working with children who struggle with anxiety, explosive behaviour, school refusal, and emotional regulation, and his work challenges the idea that kids misbehave because they don’t want to do better. Instead, he reminds us that kids do well if they can.

We talk about the growing mental health crisis among kids and teens and why so many young people are overwhelmed right now. Ross explains how adults are often taught to focus on behaviours rather than the problems underneath them, and why this approach unintentionally escalates anxiety and power struggles. We also explore why punishment, rewards, and consequences don’t create lasting change for anxious kids and what accountability looks like when collaboration is at the centre.

This episode is especially helpful for parents who feel exhausted, confused, or discouraged and are looking for a more compassionate, effective way to support their teen. Ross offers practical insight into how small mindset shifts can change how we respond in hard moments and how working with our kids instead of against them builds trust, safety, and long-term skills.

📚 Ross's New Book: The Kids Who Aren't Okay

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

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Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program

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Hi Parents!

In this episode, I’m joined by Carrie Bonnett, a veteran teacher and Executive Function coach who works with students and families around the country using a brain-first, no-shame approach. Carrie brings decades of experience supporting kids, parents, and educators, and she’s passionate about helping teens thrive by understanding how their brains actually work.

During our conversation, we dig into what executive function really means and why it plays such a significant role in anxiety and procrastination for teens. We talk about why so many anxious teens struggle to get started even when they care deeply about school and responsibilities, and how anxiety can interfere with planning, organization, and task initiation.

Carrie helps reframe procrastination as a brain-based challenge rather than a character flaw and shares practical ways parents can reduce overwhelm, support motivation, and move away from constant reminders and power struggles. We also explore why traditional tools like to-do lists don’t always work for teens and how parents can shift their approach to better match their child’s brain.

This episode is especially helpful for parents who feel stuck in nightly homework battles or worry about their teen’s independence and confidence.

👉🏻 FREE Task Initiation Toolkit

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

Book a Free Discovery Call

Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program

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Hi Parents!

Anxiety in teens doesn’t always look like worry or fear. For many families, it shows up as avoidance, irritability, emotional shutdown, or behaviours that are often misread as defiance or lack of motivation. Today I'm joined by Dr. Tracey Marks, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in helping people build healthier responses to stress through neuroscience-based tools.

Dr. Marks explains why the teenage brain under stress often moves into protection mode, making it harder for teens to communicate, focus, or engage. Tracey also breaks down the overlap between anxiety, ADHD traits, and stress behaviours, helping parents understand why labels alone don’t tell the full story.

Together, we discuss common ways well-meaning parents accidentally escalate anxiety, how parents can respond differently in heated or withdrawn moments, and why a parent’s own emotional regulation plays a critical role in helping teens feel safe and supported.

Parents will leave this episode with a clearer lens for interpreting their teen’s behaviour, practical tools to use in real-life moments, and reassurance that supporting an anxious teen is not about fixing them, but about creating safety, understanding, and connection.

Additional Resources:

🎙️ Resilience Reset Podcast

👉🏻 Mental Wellness Store

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

Book a Free Discovery Call

Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program

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Hi Parents!

In this episode, I’m joined by Cathy Cassani Adams, LCSW - therapist, author, educator, and co-host of the Zen Pop podcast, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to help girls build a strong sense of self.

So often, we focus on confidence and achievement, but confidence alone doesn’t protect our girls from anxiety, self-doubt, or people-pleasing. Today, Cathy and I talk about the difference between confidence and a true sense of self, and why so many girls struggle when they learn to look outside themselves for approval instead of trusting their inner voice.

We explore the subtle, well-intentioned ways adults can unintentionally undermine a girl’s sense of self, how anxiety can show up when girls feel disconnected from who they are, and what it looks like to support girls without trying to fix or control their emotions. Cathy shares insights from her years of clinical work, teaching, and parenting, offering parents a compassionate and realistic lens for raising girls in today’s high-pressure world.

This conversation is especially for parents who want to raise girls who feel grounded, emotionally safe, and secure in who they are - not just confident on the outside, but deeply connected to themselves on the inside.

Resources Mentioned:

📚 A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the World

🧐 Enneagram Personality Test

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

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Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program

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Hi Parents!

In this episode, I’m joined by Registered Dietitian Lee Cotton, author and mindful eating expert, to discuss how parents can help their teens build a healthy relationship with food and foster positive body image. Lee shares practical strategies for creating a home environment where conversations about food, nutrition, and body image are approached with mindfulness, care, and positivity, helping teens feel supported rather than judged.

We explore how subtle messages at the dinner table - what you say and how we you it - can shape a teen’s thoughts and behaviours around food and their bodies. Lee helps parents recognize early signs that a teen may be struggling with anxious or disordered eating and offers guidance on how to respond in ways that promote trust, self-awareness, and a balanced approach to nutrition.

Whether your teen experiences anxiety around food or you simply want to create a mindful, supportive home environment, this episode is full of actionable advice and insights parents can start using today.

📚 A Nourishing Perspective

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

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Hi Parents!

Fear and stress are a natural part of life but for anxious teens, these feelings can feel overwhelming and limiting. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Heiss shares how parents can help their teens harness the power of stress, transform fear into growth, and build resilience.

Rebecca explains the science behind fear and stress, including the instinctual limitations that often hold us back, and offers the Fear[less] Stress formula for navigating uncertainty. Parents will learn practical ways to guide teens through school pressures, social challenges, and life transitions, all while modelling healthy stress management themselves.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help teens approach fear and anxiety with confidence, curiosity, and courage - turning what feels like setbacks into opportunities for growth.

👉🏻 Learn more about Rebecca's Fear[less] Masterclass.

Big hugs,

Monica Crnogorac

Next Steps

Book a Free Discovery Call

Visit My Website for More Information on My 8-Week Program

Connect With Me on Instagram