Teen Stories: When Life Feels Too Heavy

Teen Stories: When Life Feels Too Heavy

Author: Mark Gregston May 26, 2026 Duration: 23:11

Sometimes, the pain teens carry becomes so overwhelming that they feel there’s no way out. In today’s show, we share Mark's interviews with two young women at Heartlight who both faced those darkest moments and attempted to take their own lives. One shares about the weight of bullying, rocky family relationships and feeling invisible, while the other opens up about grief, rejection and years of feeling misunderstood at home. Both of them reflect with honesty on what brought them to that crossroads — and how they're beginning to move forward. 

Could Heartlight be the answer for your struggling teen? Go to heartlightministries.org to learn more.

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.


Raising a teenager can feel like navigating uncharted territory every single day. Parenting Today's Teens is here to walk that path with you, offering a steady voice amid the chaos. Mark Gregston brings more than four decades of direct experience working with families to each conversation, translating complex adolescent behaviors into understandable insights. You’ll hear honest discussions about defiance, screen time, emotional withdrawal, and the search for identity, all framed with a perspective that is both pragmatic and hopeful. This isn’t about quick fixes or perfect formulas; it’s about building a lasting, authentic connection with your teen even when it’s difficult. Mark’s approach is grounded in real-world application, offering strategies you can consider and adapt the very same day. The podcast draws from a well of wisdom that respects the spiritual and personal growth of the entire family, recognizing that parenting a teen often means revisiting your own beliefs and reactions. Tune in for a resource that feels like a thoughtful conversation with a trusted guide, one that acknowledges the struggles while consistently pointing toward practical solutions and renewed understanding for the modern parent.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Parenting Today's Teens
Podcast Episodes
Why Teens Stop Talking to Parents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:05
Why do some teens shut down? And what can parents do to help them open up again? In this episode, Mark, Wayne and Heartlight Counselor Courtney LaFleur explore why many teens stay silent out of fear, shame, anxiety or fe…
Raising Teens in a World Working Against Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:15
Why does parenting teens today feel harder than ever before? In this episode, Mark shares a devotional about raising teens in a culture that often pulls them away from truth, connection and stability. From anxiety and so…
Teen Stories: Longing to Belong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
Every teen craves a sense of belonging — sometimes even more than they realize. In this episode, Mark sits down with two Heartlight residents who share how they faced isolation, family struggles, depression and choices t…
Does Your Teen Need Counseling? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:06
What if counseling could become one of the greatest gifts you give your teen? In this episode, Mark, Wayne and Heartlight Counselor Courtney LaFleur discuss why counseling isn’t just for teens in crisis. Sometimes, a tru…
Raising Financially Responsible Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:54
Are you preparing your teen to handle money — or unintentionally making them dependent on you? In this episode, Mark and Wayne tackle one of the most overlooked life skills: financial responsibility. From entitlement and…
The Damage of Perfectionistic Parenting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
Could your teen feel like they have to be perfect to earn your approval? In this episode, Mark shares a devotional on how well-meaning parents can unintentionally communicate pressure, criticism and impossible expectatio…
Teen Stories: Getting a Fresh Start [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:39
Sometimes, the hardest battles teens face happen silently — loneliness, insecurity and the pressure to escape pain. On this episode, Mark sits down with two Heartlight residents who share how changing their environments…
Teen Runaways: What Parents Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:52
Few things shake a parent more than realizing their teen has run away. In this episode, Mark and Wayne explore the deeper reasons teens leave home. Often, they’re running from pain, conflict, shame or consequences — or r…