In this deeply personal episode, I share the long and winding journey that led me to finally sell out my middle school wilderness backpacking rite of passage trip, a dream that has taken years, setbacks, heartbreak, resilience, and unwavering belief to bring to life.

I open up about the science of grit, self-belief, growth mindset, and perseverance, while also sharing my own transformational experiences with wilderness rites of passage, solo time in nature, mentorship, and the challenges of building a purpose-driven business that supports teenagers and families.

This episode is for parents, teens, educators, mentors, and anyone who has ever felt called toward something meaningful but difficult. If you’ve ever questioned yourself, doubted your path, or wondered whether your dreams are worth pursuing, this conversation is for you.

In This Episode, I Share:

• Why grit and perseverance matter more than talent
• The science behind resilience, growth mindset, and self-belief
• My life-changing wilderness rite of passage experiences
• How nature and challenge build confidence in teenagers
• The struggles of building a purpose-driven business
• What repeated failure taught me about persistence
• Why do parents and teens both go through rites of passage

If you feel like your teenage daughter is craving more confidence, connection, resilience, and time away from the pressure of screens and social media, I would love to invite her to join my High School Girls Wilderness Backpacking Rite of Passage Trip this July in the Marble Mountain Wilderness of Northern California.

So if this is calling to you and your teen, now is the time to register.

🔗https://youth.guided-passages.com/high-school-girls-wilderness-trip-2026

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with another parent or teenager who may need this message right now. I’d love to connect with you and your family.

Resources & Mentioned Research

• Dr. Angela Duckworth’s research on grit
• Dr. Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset
• Dr. Albert Bandura’s research on self-efficacy
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)

Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast to help more families discover the power of rites of passage, resilience, and nature-based transformation.

In today's episode, I'm sharing about the seven foundational pillars that make up the ecosystem your teenager needs to grow, thrive, and stay connected to you through one of the most complex seasons of their development. This isn't just a parenting strategy episode. It's also about you, your nervous system, your emotional patterns, and the environment you're creating every single day in your home, often without even realizing it.

Here's what we cover:

Point 1: You're the Soil, Not the Sculptor

Point 2: Your Nervous System is the Weather in Your Home

Point 3: Breaking Generational Patterns

Point 4: Connection Before Correction

Point 5: Learning to Tolerate Uncertainty

Point 6: The Sweet Spot Between Friend and Parent

Point 7: The Permission to Be an Imperfect Parent

Resources and ways to connect:

If you want more support on this journey, you can:

• Join the Parents of Teens Rising Coaching Circle in the School app: https://www.skool.com/rooted-in-connection-1711/about
• Book a one-on-one parent coaching call or explore teen coaching and upcoming wilderness trip opportunities.
• Send me a DM to connect: @jasmyne.guidedpassages

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a parent who needs to hear it and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or drop five stars on Spotify. It helps so many more families find this community.

In this short but sweet episode, I’m sharing a simple (but often overlooked) parenting “hack” that has been making a big difference in my own relationship with my teens.

Like many of you, my days are full. By the time evening rolls around, it’s so tempting to check out on my phone, catch up on emails, or zone out. And my teens? They’re usually doing the same.

But I’ve realized that these everyday moments are actually some of the biggest opportunities for connection if we choose to use them intentionally.

So today, I’m inviting you into a small shift that doesn’t require more time or energy, just more presence.

What I Share in This Episode:

• Why being in the same room isn’t the same as real connection
• How simple shared moments (like watching a movie together) can deepen your bond
• The impact of screens on our ability to truly connect
• Easy, realistic ways to create connections in everyday life
• Why presence matters more than doing things “perfectly”

✨ Ways to Connect & Get Support

If something in this episode resonated with you and you’re looking for deeper support for your teen, I’d love to invite you into a few opportunities:

📌 Wilderness Rites of Passage Trip

(High School Girls | July 8–15)
A powerful 7-day backpacking experience designed to help your teen disconnect from distractions, reconnect with themselves, and build meaningful connections with others and mentors during this important stage of life.

🔗Sign up Here

📌12-Week Coaching Programs

• Ignite (ages 12–14)
• Rise Up (ages 15–24)

These high-touch coaching programs support teens with confidence, emotional regulation, mindset, motivation, and discovering their purpose, skills they’re not taught in school, but deeply need.

Learn More: guided-passages.com

Let's stay connected:
Instagram: @jasmyne.guidedpassages
Email: jasmyne@guided-passages.com
Website: www.guided-passages.com

Ever feel like your teen’s behavior makes no sense? What if I told you it’s not defiance, it’s brain development? In this episode, I'm breaking down what’s actually happening inside your teenager’s brain and how understanding it can completely change the way you parent.

💡 What I Talk About:

• Why your teen struggles with impulse control (developing prefrontal cortex)
• How brain “pruning” shapes your teen’s habits and behaviors
• Why your teen’s brain is highly changeable (neuroplasticity)
• How dopamine drives risk-taking, motivation, and screen habits
• The ESSENCE framework:

🔥 Emotional Spark (big feelings)
🔥 Social Engagement (peer focus)
🔥 Novelty Seeking (risk & exploration)
🔥 Creative Exploration (questioning everything)

Your teen isn’t a problem to fix. They’re in a critical stage of brain development.

If this episode resonated, send me a DM and share your biggest takeaway 💛

Know another parent who needs this?
Share this episode with them.

Let's stay connected:
Instagram: @jasmyne.guidedpassages
Email: jasmyne@guided-passages.com
Website: www.guided-passages.com

Struggling to connect with your teenager?

You’re not alone, and it may not be your teen that needs to change.

In this episode, I explore what might really be getting in the way of connection with my teenager, not their behavior, but how I’m showing up as a parent. I share five key patterns that can create disconnection and how small, intentional shifts can rebuild trust and closeness.

💡 What I Talk About:

• Why your teenager is not a problem to fix (shifting from control-based parenting to connection-based parenting)
• How parental burnout affects connection with your teen and leads to reactivity, stress, and disconnection
• The impact of generational parenting patterns and how inherited behaviors shape your parenting style
• Why taking accountability as a parent builds trust and strengthens your relationship with your teenager
• How to reconnect with the joy of parenting and create more meaningful, positive moments with your teen

If this episode resonated and you want support for your teen, I’d love to help.

Send me a message on Instagram @jasmyne.guidedpassages or email me at Jasmyne@guided-passages.com

So we can talk about what your teen needs and how I can support them.

Today, I’m opening up and sharing the heart behind my business, Guided Passages, and the journey that led me here. From leaving a stable teaching career to following a deeper calling, this has been a path of trust, courage, and listening to that quiet inner voice guiding me forward.

What I share in this episode:

• The moment I realized teaching was no longer aligned with my purpose
• What I call “the roaring of the river” and how it led me to this work
• How mentorship and rites of passage shaped my life (and why they matter so much for teens today)
• The journey of building Guided Passages from the ground up
• Why modern teens are struggling and what they actually need more of
• The importance of connection, community, and being truly seen
• How small, intentional spaces can create a life-changing transformation

This is a reminder that even when your path feels uncertain, following your purpose starts with one brave step, and that step is what begins to reveal everything else.

If this episode spoke to you, share it with another parent who needs to hear this, or DM on Instagram, let me know what resonated most with you

And if you’re ready to support your teen in a more meaningful way, explore the programs and take that first step today.

EXPLORE GUIDED PASSAGES:

If you feel called to support your teen more deeply, or you’re looking for mentorship, community, or transformational experiences…

Visit: https://guided-passages.com

In this episode, I’m diving into five foundational areas that have a powerful impact on your teen’s mental health and overall well-being.

These aren’t complicated or groundbreaking ideas, but they’re the things that often get overlooked in the busyness of everyday life or avoided because they can feel like a constant battle.

And just to be clear, this isn’t about perfection. I don’t know any teen (or adult) who has all of these dialed in perfectly. What we’re aiming for is high standards with high support, helping our teens move in the right direction one small step at a time.

✨ What I Cover in This Episode:

1. Food & Water – How nutrition impacts mood, focus, and energy
2. Screen Time Balance – Managing screens without constant conflict
3. Sleep – Why it’s essential for emotional wellbeing
4. Movement – How exercise boosts mood and confidence
5. Self-Talk – Shifting your teen’s inner dialogue

If this episode resonated and you want support for your teen, I’d love to help.

Send me a message on Instagram @jasmine.guidedpassages or email me at jasmine@guided-passages.com
So we can talk about what your teen needs and how I can support them.

Today, I'm sitting down with Sonia Suthar, a 19-year-old entrepreneur and the Founder of Cloud 9, who is helping parents understand why teenagers shut down when we're just trying to help, and what we can do instead to build strong, connected relationships with them. She also shares how we can help our teens build confidence from the inside out, so this conversation is one you won't want to miss!

In this episode, we explore what’s really happening beneath teen behavior and why well-meaning parental responses can sometimes create distance instead of connection. Sonia offers powerful insights into how teens interpret boundaries, advice, and even simple questions and how these moments can either strengthen or erode trust.

Whether you’re parenting a teen now or just want to understand them better, this conversation offers real, actionable insights that can help you strengthen connections, trust, and resilience in your family.

We Talk About:

• Why teens shut down and how to respond as a parent
• How to improve parent-teen communication
• The difference between fixing vs. supporting your teen
• How to build teen confidence and emotional resilience
• What teens actually need when they open up
• The “3 H’s” method: Heard, Helped, or Hugged
• How to create a safe space for your teen to share
• Balancing high expectations with emotional support
• How to stop power struggles and build connection
• Practical tools to strengthen your relationship with your teen

If this resonates with you, share this episode with another parent who could use the support, and don’t forget to follow/subscribe for more conversations that help you build deeper, more connected relationships with your teen.

Connect with Sonia & Cloud9:
Website: cloud9go.com
Instagram: @cloud9go
Watch Sonia's Ted talk on YouTube

Come join us for a Free Info Session to learn more about our two wilderness rites of passage trips for teens this summer. Go to youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness to save your seat!