Understanding the Pain Beneath the Choices

Understanding the Pain Beneath the Choices

Author: Mark Gregston February 25, 2026 Duration: 17:12

Today, Mark Gregston shares how, years into his marriage, his wife Jan revealed deep pain from childhood sexual abuse — pain that eventually led them both into an 18-month counseling journey that changed their relationship. Mark realized how unresolved loss creates emotional voids that often drive behavior, both in adults and in teens. He explains that many destructive or perfection-driven choices come from attempts to fill those empty places left by trauma, rejection or unmet needs. Ultimately, he emphasizes that true healing and freedom come when God fills those voids and replaces lies with truth.

If your teen is struggling and you need help, we encourage you to attend one of our Families in Crisis Conferences. Visit familycrisisretreat.com 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
Types of Parenting That Will Push Teens Away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:47
Parents often unintentionally push their teens away by demanding perfection, forcing authority or coming across as judgmental. In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd explain that while parents still hold autho…
When a Once-Close Relationship Feels Distant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:06
Today, Mark Gregston shares a personal devotional from Romans 16:17. Listen as he discusses what to do when a once-close relationship with your child becomes distant during the teen years. Mark encourages parents not to…
Teen Stories: Learning to Cope Without Drugs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:16
What happens when teens turn to drugs to cope with struggles that feel too heavy to bear? Many young people use substances as a way to escape feelings of hurt, isolation or confusion. In today’s episode, Mark Gregston ta…
Dating and Your Teen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:52
Today, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd encourage parents to view teen dating as a training ground, not just something to restrict or fear. Mark emphasizes that healthy, age-appropriate dating — guided by clear expectati…
I Mustache Mark a Question: Bullying, Beliefs and Battling Teen Angst [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:34
Today, Mark tackles real questions from parents who are in the trenches with their teens. From navigating the challenges of adoption with children who have struggled for years, to conversations around sexuality, substanc…
Fostering Respect at Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:38
Today, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd discuss how respect is foundational to a peaceful, healthy home, and it must be intentionally taught and modeled by parents. Mark explains that many teens struggle with respect bec…
Don’t Give Up: Hope Grows Through the Struggle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:01
Listen today as Mark Gregston reflects on a generation that pursued “peace at all costs” and avoided conflict, often weakening relationships instead of deepening them. Drawing on Galatians 6:9, he reminds parents that tr…
Teen Stories: Searching for Validation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:44
For many teens, the drive to fit in or feel worthy can shape almost every decision they make. Beneath the surface, those struggles often trace back to deep questions of value, trust and belonging. Today, Mark sits down w…
Making the Most of One-on-One Time with Your Teen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:25
Join Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd today as they discuss the powerful opportunity parents have to shape their teens’ hearts and direction through intentional one-on-one time. Mark reminds parents that the teen years a…