"I just remember thinking, I have no context of what to say to my friend." That's Priya Patel at 13, watching multiple friends come to school with bandages on their wrists, completely paralyzed because no one had taught her what to do. Here's what this 20-year-old Wharton double major knows that most parents don't: your kid's mental health reflects their mental diet just like their body reflects what they eat. And the feed they're scrolling? It's either building them up or breaking them down, one algorithm at a time. Priya created Peer Responders, a mental health organization that teaches young people psychological first aid, was recognized by Prince Harry, and built 50 chapters across America. You'll walk away knowing exactly how to help your teen curate a mental diet that builds confidence instead of comparison, and why the most dangerous thought in Gen Z isn't nihilism but "I'll put relationships in my back pocket because I have time."

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/priya

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Why Gen Z has more agency than any generation before - but also - the most dangerous comparison trap (and it's not what you think)
• The FBI hostage negotiator technique that convinced suicidal teens to get help when they refused to talk to adults
• What happened when schools tried to sweep mental health under the rug and why one friend's "13 reasons why" list changed everything
• The neuroscience behind your teen's doom scrolling habit and why their mental health literally reflects what they consume
• How a 20-year-old fills in boxes on her wall each week and why it's the most powerful tool against wasting your life on things that don't matter
• The Harvard study that proves the #1 factor for happiness isn't achievement (and why every award speech actually reveals this secret)
• Why "I have time" is the most dangerous lie your teen is telling themselves about relationships right now

📌 Connect with Priya

• Priya’s LinkedIn
• Peer Responders

RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS:

👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting.

📌 Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation

• The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram
• Vivian on Instagram
• The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook
• The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube
• The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok
  
  

The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation.

Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future.