Dr. Cam sits down with Leslie Cohen-Rubery, a clinical social worker, to tackle one of the toughest challenges parents face—handling teens with intense emotions. If you’ve ever felt like your child’s outbursts are out of control or completely illogical, this episode is for you. Leslie shares insights on emotional regulation, validation, and how to de-escalate heated moments. They also discuss why parents shouldn't try to "fix" their teen’s feelings and how reflection and repair after conflicts can strengthen your relationship.
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EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 Understanding the 'Monster' in Our Teens 04:06 The Roots of Intense Emotions 09:45 Navigating Emotional Turbulence 14:00 Effective Strategies for De-escalation 20:01 Post-Conflict Reflection and Repair 30:09 Building a Strong Parent-Child Connection
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Leslie Cohen-Rubery
Dr. Cam (00:01.902)
Hey parents, if your teen is prone to outbursts or dramatic reactions, this episode is for you. Joining us today is the insightful Leslie Cohen-Ruberry, a licensed clinical social worker with 39 years of experience supporting families. Leslie is the creator of the podcast, Is My Child a Monster? Where she helps parents navigate the often rocky waters of parenting.
In this episode, Leslie is going to share some effective strategies for addressing our teens' monstrous emotions. Welcome, Leslie.
Leslie Cohen-Rubury (00:35.759)
Well, hello, thank you Dr. Cam for having me today.
Dr. Cam (00:39.264)
Absolutely, let's start with, I always like to start with the backstory. How did you come up with the title and the idea of, is my child a monster?
Leslie Cohen-Rubury (00:48.987)
Well, it's very real. And that's actually a piece of advice I might talk about later when we talk about how to be with our kids. It's about being real. So parents would come to me and in that very first session, they'd sit down and they'd say, is my child a monster? Like they really were upset and it upset them to ask that question. They felt guilty, they felt shame. Sometimes it was even more extreme. Is my child sociopathic? And I'm like, my heart broke. And I said, no.
And that is what I say every time I have not met a monster, every time a parent comes into me and says, is my child a monster? So it was very real. I heard it over and over again. And then when I thought about doing a podcast, said, I can't do anything but that title because you know, it's so powerful. And what it is, it's no, your child is not a monster, but they may be misunderstood. And that's the whole premise behind the podcast. That's where it came from.
And that's what therapy is about. some parents don't feel like their child's a monster, but man
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