In this episode of the 4 Peaks Parents Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Lauren Muhlheim, a psychologist, fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders, certified eating disorder specialist, and director of Eating Disorder Therapy LA. She wrote When Your Teen Has an Eating Disorder and is certified in Family-Based Treatment, an approach that puts parents at the center of a teen's recovery rather than sidelining them. That's where we spend most of our time. So many parents carry enormous guilt here, convinced they caused this somehow, and Dr. Muhlheim takes that apart. We talk about what the early warning signs actually look like, including in kids who don't look sick at all, why waiting to see if it passes is the costliest decision a family can make, and what your job is at the dinner table when your kid is fighting you on every bite. She also gets into diet culture & how the way we talk about our own bodies lands on our kids. If you're scared & you don't know where to start, start here. Learn more about Dr. Muhlheim's work at EatingDisorderTherapyLA.com.

On this episode of the 4 Peaks Parents Podcast, I'm talking with Brenda Zane, a TEDx speaker, Mayo Clinic certified health coach, and co-founder of Hopestream Community. Brenda spent more than 20 years in marketing and advertising, working with brands like Nike, Starbucks, PepsiCo, and Microsoft, before her oldest son's substance use and multiple fentanyl overdoses changed the course of her life. In 2020 she walked away from that career and built Hopestream, a global 501c3 that now runs a top 1% ranked podcast, workshops, and a private community for moms and female caregivers whose kids are struggling.

We talk about what actually helps when your child refuses treatment, why "detach with love" so often backfires, how you can keep your influence even when you've lost control, and what to do with the panic that shows up every time the phone rings. Brenda is honest about the years she got it wrong and clear about what changed. If your kid is using and you feel like you've run out of moves, this conversation will show you the ones you still have.

To learn more about Brenda and Hopestream Community, visit https://hopestreamcommunity.org. You can listen to her podcast at https://hopestreamcommunity.org/hopestream-podcast/, follow along at https://www.instagram.com/hopestreamcommunity/, and start a free two-week trial of The Stream, her private community for moms, at https://members.hopestreamcommunity.org/plans/1972403?bundle_token=855d62131de07b02719320704eec3fd0&utm_source=manual

On this episode of 4 Peaks Parents, I'm talking with Ben Mushlin, LCSW about the moment every parent dreads: finding the vape, the bottle, or the pills. We dig into what to say and what not to say in that first conversation, so you can lead with clarity instead of panic and keep the door open with your teen or young adult. Ben is a LCSW and the founder of Searchlight Therapy a group therapy practice that specializes in providing outstanding care to teens, young adults, & their families. Ben is also the Author of Lighting the Way - a parents guide to walking parents and young adults through substance use and mental health challenges. You can reach out to Ben directly at searchlighttherapy.com.