Eps 558: Neuroscience of adolescent behavior with Patrick Ney

Eps 558: Neuroscience of adolescent behavior with Patrick Ney

Author: Casey O'Roarty March 24, 2025 Duration: 53:17
My guest today is Patrick Ney, here to explain the neuroscience behind some adolescent behaviors. Patrick shares about self-determination theory and our 3 universal psychological needs. We dig into the personal growth and rewriting the narratives we’ve told ourselves about the way we were parented.  Lastly, Patrick shares actionable steps & advice for helpful communication with your unregulated teen.  Takeaways from the show Wanting to parent differently than you were parented  Self-determination theory  3 psychological needs: relatedness, competence, & autonomy  People feel better & work better with others when those needs are met; we see more negative behavior when those needs are not met   Parenting is an invitation for personal growth  “There’s no getting around teen brain development”  Neuroscience of the teen brain The more you understand the connection between teen behavior, their needs, and brain development, the easier it becomes to stay grounded & helpful - most parents don’t know a lot of neuroscience, but it helps!   Teens are hypersensitive to the opinions of other teens You are the world’s best expert on your child  Getting curious instead of cutting off behavior immediately  Having a narrative understanding of who you are and where you came from can help you know where you’re going as a caregiver  Reflecting on your own behavior & actions as a teenager  “A teenage brain has higher highs and lower lows “ Steps for staying helpful & communicative with unregulated adolescents  For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting adolescents often feels like navigating a landscape without a reliable map, where the old rules no longer apply and connection can feel just out of reach. Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens, hosted by Casey O'Roarty, meets you right in that uncertainty. This podcast operates from a simple, powerful belief: the challenges of raising tweens and teens, while deeply personal, are also a shared human experience. Instead of offering quick fixes, conversations here focus on the foundational work of building and repairing relationships, fostering essential life skills in our kids, and perhaps most importantly, doing the internal work required of us as parents. You’ll hear honest discussions that blend practical strategies with compassionate insight, all aimed at transforming this demanding season from a battle of wills into an opportunity for mutual growth. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining a thoughtful, experienced friend who reminds you that courage isn't about being fearless, but about finding joy and resilience within the beautiful mess of family life. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to move beyond reaction and toward a more intentional, connected approach with the young adults in their home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens
Podcast Episodes
Eps 601: Revisiting Validation, Mutual Respect and Back to School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:01
Back-to-school season stirs up ALL the emotions for our teens—and for us too. In this replay episode, I’m diving deep into how validation and mutual respect can shift everything at home. Your teen’s emotional world is re…
Eps 599: How to Talk to Your Teen About the New School Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:47
Back-to-school season with tweens and teens can stir up anxiety, avoidance, and tricky conversations. In this episode, I share Positive Discipline tools and mindset shifts to help you move from “manager” to “mentor” so y…
Eps 596: Being an "otrovert" with Dr. Rami Kaminski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:05
Ever feel like your teen doesn’t quite fit into the “introvert” or “extrovert” box? In this week’s episode, I talk with psychiatrist and author Dr. Rami Kaminski, who introduces the idea of the “otrovert”—someone who thr…
Eps 595: Revisiting Meeting and creating life as it unfolds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:07
This solo episode comes straight from my heart. Inspired by my morning routine, I pulled cards and reflected deeply on what it means to take full responsibility for generating the love, connection, and joy I want in my l…
Eps 593: Parenting, Growth and the Power to Choose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:51
In this episode, I’m inviting you to pull up a chair and exhale with me. We’re talking about the messy beauty of midlife, the realities of parenting teens, and what it means to trade the illusion of control for the groun…
Eps 592: Daily Habits That Build Connection with Tammy J. Cohen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:21
In this episode, I sit down with Tammy J. Cohen — author of A Text Message Away — to talk about the power of connection through simple, consistent gestures. Tammy shares her personal journey of learning to lead with hear…