Julie Baron and Associates

03/10/2026

This month’s ‘What Works with Teens’ newsletter discusses tracking teens through smartphones and other devices. Topics covered include safety-based monitoring versus anxiety-based tracking, transparency, and the possible impact on relationships.

Read more here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Do-You-Know-Where-Your-Teen-Is-.html?soid=1114009452175&aid=UB4eHuoG5gI

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03/06/2026

Welcome to this weeks 'Ask Julie,' where we unpack the question:

We have been concerned about our almost 17-year-old, a junior in high school, for quite some time. They have always struggled emotionally. As a child, they often had outbursts and difficulty managing their feelings. As they’ve gotten older, they seem somewhat less reactive, but as parents we have often felt like we needed to tiptoe around them to avoid setting them off.

With the added stress of junior year, they seem particularly on edge and irritable. When we try to offer support, they often lash out.

Recently, we received a call from the school counselor letting us know that our child has been self-harming. When we spoke with them about it, they shared that they started a few months ago and that they feel overwhelmed and don’t know what else to do.

We have made contact with a therapist who suggested she may benefit from DBT? What does this intervention entail and how can we best support or struggling teen?

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Julie Baron, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and speaker specializing in supporting teens, young adults, and families.

💬Do you have a question? Drop your questions in the comments or send us a message — they might be featured in a future post!

⚠️Disclaimer: The information shared in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute mental health care or a therapeutic relationship. For individualized support, please consult with a licensed mental health professional.

📢CTA: Need more tools to de-escalate arguments while keeping connection? Explore related tips on the Julie Baron & Associates website
https://lnkd.in/dRBckHQp and in Julie’s Psychology Today blog https://lnkd.in/eBXjiVuT




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03/03/2026

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured therapy allowing people to develop healthy coping skills through individual therapy, group skills training, and family involvement. Skills learned through DBT allow teens to manage emotions, reducing harmful behaviors and help to improve relationships.

Read more to learn about the practice of DBT and how families heal through this evidence based comprehensive approach: https://www.juliebaronandassociates.com/how-dialectical-behavior-therapy-dbt-helps-struggling-teens-and-young-adults-an-effective-treatment-for-transforming-chronic-crisis-behaviors-into-skillful-coping/

Julie Baron & Associates uses comprehensive DBT for teens, young adults, & families to help build coping skills & strengthen relationships through evidence-based therapy.

02/24/2026

When children are young there are dozens of resources which offer parenting advice, yet as children grow up the resources diminish. This might leave parents with anxiety, wondering if they’re doing the right things while raising their teens. Check out the article below, based on content from the the Anxiety Matters Podcast episode, Non-Reactive Parenting with Julie Baron. In this episode, Julie shares practical tips for managing the inevitable anxiety of parenting adolescents, helping caregivers skillfully support their teens through this important developmental shift.

Read more here: https://whatworkswithteens.com/2025/07/11/raising-teens-can-be-nerve-wracking/

I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the Anxiety Matters Podcast, hosted by two incredibly thoughtful psychologists—yes, both named Dr. Bonnie Zucker. One Bonnie practices on the East Coast (our own DC-based Bonnie), and the other is based in Los Angeles (my new West Coast Bonnie friend...

02/19/2026

Welcome to this weeks 'Ask Julie,' where we unpack the question:

My daughter just turned 18 and suddenly acts like she doesn’t have to listen to us anymore. She’s more irritable and reactive, almost baiting us into arguments, and often seems angry at us. If we engage, it escalates into conflict. If we back off, we worry we’re teaching her she can push us away with her sharp emotions. What’s going on, and how do we break this exhausting cycle?

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There may be several things going on here. First, teens are often inarticulate when it comes to expressing anger and other vulnerable emotions. What comes out as irritation or hostility is frequently something more complicated underneath.

You’re wise to notice that it’s not healthy for your relationship to let her intense emotions run the show. At the same time, if she’s preparing to leave for college in the fall, this is often the season when high school seniors become more combative. As independence approaches, anxiety can surface, and anger is much easier to feel than fear or sadness. It’s often easier to push away than to acknowledge vulnerability.

Fortunately, there are thoughtful ways to respond that both honor her growing independence and protect your relationship.
Recognize That Anger Serves a Purpose

Anger is an important emotion and serves valuable purposes. The action urges associated with anger include mobilizing, righting wrongs, and asserting autonomy, though it can also fuel lashing out or destructive behavior. When expressed skillfully, anger is a powerful tool for getting important needs met.

The challenge with teens is that the emotional center of their brains is highly sensitive, while the regulation center is still developing. This can result in unregulated, inartful, and off-putting expressions of anger that easily elicit emotionally charged reactions from adults. In these moments, it is not the anger itself that is the problem, it is the unskillful expression of it.

Model Appropriate Expression of Anger

Adults have a powerful opportunity to teach young people how anger can be resolved within relationships rather than rupture them. To model respectful expression, pause. Catch your breath. Notice your own emotions and allow them to settle enough for strategic thinking to return.

It is easy to take these attacks personally. Responding purely from emotion will almost certainly escalate the conflict or push teens to shut down and withhold authentic feelings. More importantly, reacting impulsively robs parents of the chance to model healthy anger and to understand what need or feeling their teen is trying to communicate.

And remember, teens are always watching. They learn not only from how we respond to them, but from how we handle tension in all of our relationships. When we steady ourselves before speaking or acting, we show them what emotional strength and maturity truly look like.

Look Beneath Anger

The “tip of the iceberg” metaphor is especially relevant here. Anger is often considered a secondary emotion, one that feels safer or more protective to express. What can be harder to reveal are more vulnerable emotions such as sadness, loss, fear, or worry.

When adults can tolerate a teen’s anger and, once emotions have settled, be curious about what may be underneath, it creates a powerful opportunity. Your teen feels better understood, and you become a safer and more trusted source of guidance and comfort.

Honor Anger Without Letting It Be in Charge

Anger has an important role to play. However, when its expression becomes disrespectful, destructive, or disruptive to relationships, those behaviors must be addressed. Clearly communicate that anger itself is acceptable, harmful behavior is not.

Express your willingness to listen once emotions have settled enough for a respectful conversation. Invite your teen to share what is on their mind, what they need, or how they may have felt wronged. When their feelings and perspectives are heard and validated, it opens the door to problem-solving and forward movement.

When teens come to trust that strong emotions can strengthen relationships rather than damage them, they build self-efficacy and learn they can meet their needs without sacrificing connection.

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Julie Baron, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and speaker specializing in supporting teens, young adults, and families.

💬Do you have a question? Drop your questions in the comments or send us a message — they might be featured in a future post!

⚠️Disclaimer: The information shared in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute mental health care or a therapeutic relationship. For individualized support, please consult with a licensed mental health professional.

📢CTA: Need more tools to de-escalate arguments while keeping connection? Explore related tips on the Julie Baron & Associates website
https://lnkd.in/dRBckHQp
and in Julie’s Psychology Today blog https://lnkd.in/eBXjiVuT




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02/17/2026

Anger is a real emotion that youth sometimes feel that they must suppress in order to ‘keep the peace’ or for fear of being disrespectful. Find out how you, as an adult, are able to both encourage and guide teens to help them openly express hard emotions and build healthy relationships.

Read more below: https://www.juliebaronandassociates.com/mental-health-and-wellness-requires-honest-expression-let-teens-be-angry/

Anger is complicated. It is especially complicated when it comes to teens. It is even further complicated if gender and or race are part of the discussion, which is beyond the scope of this post. The over-activation of the emotional center in the teen brain plus the urges commonly connected to anger...

02/11/2026

Many children will receive their first smartphone when they are in middle school. Dozens of apps and constant communication with the outside world leads parents to worry if their children are safe online. Cyber bullying has become a rising issue in the last several years and it is often hard for parents to detect until it’s an overwhelming issue for their children. There are many ways that parents can try to prevent these problems including monitoring/blocking accounts, reading about the sites that their children are visiting and, most importantly, having open communication with their child.

Read more here: https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2017/12/12/talking-to-your-kids-about-cyberbullying-part-1

Often kids and teens don’t share their online interactions with their parents, until these interactions become unbearable and even then they may say nothing.

02/06/2026

Welcome to this weeks 'Ask Julie,' where we unpack the question:

My son is a junior in college. He has struggled academically, though he seems committed to earning his degree. In recent conversations, he has mentioned using AI for papers and online quizzes. We are concerned that, in some instances, he may be using AI in ways that constitute cheating. Aside from this behavior conflicting with our values and what we believe we have taught him, we are worried about the risk of him getting caught and facing serious consequences. Is there anything we, as parents, can do to get him to stop cheating with AI?

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Your concerns are valid. Artificial intelligence has rapidly entered academic spaces, and many people—students and adults alike—are still figuring out how to use it ethically and productively. There is both good news and bad news when it comes to your role as parents.

The difficult reality is that you cannot control whether your son chooses to cheat, nor can you protect him from the natural consequences if he is caught. The good news is that, with effective communication and a connected relationship, you can approach this situation in much the same way you would any concern related to his well being.

Have Compassion

College can be challenging, particularly for students who have struggled academically in the past or who are not naturally inclined toward traditional academic learning. It is meaningful that your son wants to persist in earning his degree and continue exploring his interests in a way that may eventually lead to a career.

Introduce the Conversation

Whether your initial reaction was judgment or alarm (“What are you doing? If you get caught, you could fail the class, or worse!”) or whether you avoided addressing it altogether, having a thoughtful follow-up conversation is important.

As teens transition into adulthood, parenting shifts from managing to consulting. You still have valuable perspective and influence, even though you no longer have the same leverage over his behavior.

If he is receptive, even somewhat dismissive, ask him to hear you out. If he refuses to talk, consider sharing your thoughts in a brief text or email framed as a “for what it’s worth” message. If he is willing to engage in a reciprocal conversation, that in itself reflects maturity.

See Both Sides

Begin by acknowledging the accessibility of AI, the temptation to use it, and what he may tell you: “Everyone does it.” That may, in fact, be true.

Then invite him to consider potential consequences. What could happen if he is caught? Is he genuinely learning and absorbing the material, especially with midterms or finals that may have stronger protections against cheating? Would he be prepared to handle failing a class or being reported to the Dean? Is the risk worth it?

Helping him weigh his own pros and cons—and allowing the internal conflict to sit with him rather than between the two of you—has the greatest chance of influencing his thinking.

Discuss Alternative Supports

If the conversation reveals that he is struggling with the material, feeling unsupported by the professor, or learning in ways that don’t align with how the course is taught, there may be other options worth exploring. Tutors, peer study groups, or meeting with the professor to discuss challenges can all be helpful. Learning how to problem-solve and accept support are important adult skills.

Let Go and Stay Connected

Once you have shared your perspective and engaged him in reflection, the final step is to let go and accept that his choices are ultimately his own. Stepping back communicates trust in his ability to make decisions.

If he does make a choice that leads to difficult consequences, resist the urge to say “I told you so.” Instead, express empathy that he is facing something hard, support him as he copes with difficult emotions, and allow him to re-route his path. Staying connected, especially in moments of struggle, will always be your most powerful influence.

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Julie Baron, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and speaker specializing in supporting teens, young adults, and families.

💬Do you have a question? Drop your questions in the comments or send us a message — they might be featured in a future post!

⚠️Disclaimer: The information shared in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute mental health care or a therapeutic relationship. For individualized support, please consult with a licensed mental health professional.

📢CTA: Need more tools to de-escalate arguments while keeping connection? Explore related tips on the Julie Baron & Associates website
https://lnkd.in/dRBckHQp
and in Julie’s Psychology Today blog https://lnkd.in/eBXjiVuT




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02/03/2026

Welcome to February's newsletter of What works with teens, resources, and evidence-based skills that will help strengthen your relationships with the teens you parent and/or serve.

In this month's newsletter, Britt Rathbone's article, "Teens and AI - A New Component to Adolescent Connection" discusses how Chat GPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot are platforms that teens can choose to interact with. However, it seems that teens, especially those who are overwhelmed or misunderstood, might turn towards AI conversations instead of human interactions, therefore replacing relationship learning. Adults and professionals need to decide how to integrate AI appropriately, making sure that teens are using it as a resource and a tool alongside their human relationships.

Read more and subscribe below: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/AI-and-Teens--A-New-Component-to-Adolescent-Connection.html?soid=1114009452175&aid=YhwVJ1Pumtg

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01/30/2026

Welcome to this weeks 'Ask Julie,' where we unpack the question:

My 18-year-old is now officially a second-semester senior in high school. She is already constantly on her phone and seems addicted to scrolling on social media. Until recently, she had been a serious student, motivated by getting into her college of choice and committed to her studies and extracurricular responsibilities.

Now that many of those pressures have eased, I worry she has much more time on her hands and that, instead of making the most of these final months with friends and family before college, she’ll spend even more time “brain rotting” on her phone. I feel like she’s too old for us to impose restrictions. What else can we do?

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Ask Julie Post 1/29/26 (Final)
Parent Question:
My 18-year-old is now officially a second-semester senior in high school. She is already constantly on her phone and seems addicted to scrolling on social media. Until recently, she had been a serious student, motivated by getting into her college of choice and committed to her studies and extracurricular responsibilities.
Now that many of those pressures have eased, I worry she has much more time on her hands and that, instead of making the most of these final months with friends and family before college, she’ll spend even more time “brain rotting” on her phone. I feel like she’s too old for us to impose restrictions. What else can we do?

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This question reflects a very real and widespread challenge for this generation of young people. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly all teens (95%) report having a smartphone, and 97% of 18–29-year-olds own one (2025). These young people have been conditioned for much of their lives by devices and increasingly engaging technology. There are vast and powerful online vortexes that capture vulnerable attention with an iron grip.

The good news is that many older adolescents are beginning to reflect on what they themselves call “brain rot,” the inevitable slide into endless doom scrolling. I routinely hear from my older teen and young adult clients that they recognize their smartphone use as excessive and even addictive.

At Loyola University Maryland, Dr. Shreya Hessler teaches a digital detox psychology class that helps college students understand the impact of smartphone overuse and develop strategies to reduce how often they pick up their phones each day. So, progress is being made in awareness and self-reflection. That said, it is still unlikely that older teens will respond positively to warnings or lectures from concerned parents.

The most effective way to decrease troublesome behaviors is to increase positive and healthy ones. For parents hoping to engage their teens and encourage more human-to-human connection, the goal is to entice, not enforce. Think in terms of self-interested, fun, and genuinely appealing activities and interactions.

Stop and Self-Reflect

If we want teens to put down their phones, we have to practice what we preach. Take an honest look at your own smartphone use. Ask yourself where and how you might put your phone down more and engage face-to-face with family and friends.

Make Interactions Engaging

Many parents, often unintentionally, condition their teens to tune out, avoid conversation, or respond defensively. Reflect on your interactions with your teen: how many are funny, positive, complimentary, or genuinely curious about their point of view?
Notice how often conversations revolve around what they need to do, what they failed to do, or what they’re doing “wrong.”

None of us are receptive to constant correction or judgment.
Of course, there will be times when conversations about responsibility and accountability are necessary. When possible, try offering advance notice:
“Hey, can we find time to talk about what happened the other night? When would be a good time to sit down together?”

On balance, aim for a wider range of conversations, ones grounded in compassion, curiosity, compliments, and shared interests or activities.

Respect Your Teen’s Pros and Cons

When addressing concerns like smartphone overuse, lead with compassion and curiosity. Start by simply describing what you’re observing, without judgment or evaluation. Then invite your teen’s perspective. Do they agree? Disagree? See some truth in what you’re noticing?

If they’re open to it, try a pros-and-cons conversation. Begin by validating the pros:
“It makes total sense how easy it is to sit and scroll and lose track of time.”

Acknowledge the very real challenge of self-control when our attention is being hijacked, something most of us struggle with.
From there, gently explore how they’re spending their time online and whether it’s working well for them or getting in the way.
When parents approach these conversations without the goal of changing their teen’s behavior (because only the teen can do that), teens are far more likely to stay engaged.

If the conversation is brief or goes nowhere, don’t worry. Habits take time to change, and there will be many more opportunities to revisit these reflections together.

Support Offline Fun

When opportunities arise for fun, offline experiences with family or friends, lean into them, even if it requires extra flexibility on your part. Encourage having friends over, and support appropriate risk-taking and independence-building experiences such as road trips, entrepreneurial projects, or attending music festivals.

Supporting screen-free fun often means offering more freedom, which can understandably make parents nervous. The upside is that teens are not only reducing screen time, they are also building essential self-sufficiency, confidence, and life skills along the way.

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Julie Baron, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and speaker specializing in supporting teens, young adults, and families.

💬Do you have a question? Drop your questions in the comments or send us a message — they might be featured in a future post!

⚠️Disclaimer: The information shared in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute mental health care or a therapeutic relationship. For individualized support, please consult with a licensed mental health professional.

📢CTA: Need more tools to de-escalate arguments while keeping connection? Explore related tips on the Julie Baron & Associates website
https://lnkd.in/dRBckHQp
and in Julie’s Psychology Today blog https://lnkd.in/eBXjiVuT




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