168: Great Awakening Show with Joanne-Divine Life Yogini - Episode 168168: Great Awakening Show with Joanne-Divine Life Yogini - Episode 168
UK Health Radio Podcast
Joanne Lee and Tanith Carey talk about why many teenagers are under strain and share ideas on more authentic, calm and compassionate ways to parent them. The conversation touches on school pressure, neurodiversity, family patterns and the importance of seeing each child’s unique spark.
46:50•26 Jul 2026
Parenting Teens Without Breaking Their Spirit
Episode Overview
- Treat children as unique individuals with a natural "spark" rather than as grades or trophies.
- Stay present, calm and genuinely delighted in your child instead of slipping into constant coaching and criticism.
- Offer authentic, specific praise and clear, explained boundaries, avoiding messages of "you’re not good enough".
- Support neurodiverse teens by regulating your own nervous system and being a secure, non-judgmental base.
- Work on your own unresolved patterns so ancestral trauma and harsh inner voices are not passed on to your children.
“Somewhere along the way, we started to see our children as reflections of our success.”
Curious about how others manage the rollercoaster of raising teens today? This Great Awakening Show episode brings together minister and yogini Joanne Lee and parenting author and psychotherapeutic counsellor Tanith Carey for a frank, warm chat about why young people are struggling and what adults can realistically do about it. Tanith explains that today’s teens aren’t less resilient; they’re simply carrying far more pressure.
She points out that children in the UK are "the most tested in the entire world", often treated as "economic foot soldiers" rather than individuals with unique talents. Joanne adds her own experience of raising four children, calling out outdated curricula and the obsession with grades over character and passion. A big theme is authenticity.
Tanith talks about her core parenting value of spotting a child’s "spark" – the natural interest or talent they’re drawn to – and nurturing it without turning kids into trophies for parental success. As she puts it, "Somewhere along the way, we started to see our children as reflections of our success." Both agree that teens need parents who offer "primary parental delight" and honest presence, not constant criticism or life-coaching.
The conversation also touches on neurodiversity, school refusal, and the impact of social media. Tanith stresses the importance of parents calming their own nervous systems so they can be a safe base, especially for ADHD and other neurodiverse children. Joanne brings in yoga and spiritual ideas about mastering thoughts and emotions, breaking ancestral patterns, and allowing kids to feel and express the full range of their emotions without shame.
Grandparents, community, and more conscious schooling all get a mention, with both women arguing that kids need less measuring and more meaningful connection, nature, and purpose. If you're raising teens or supporting families and wondering how to keep everyone sane and connected, this conversation might spark some fresh questions and kinder choices for your home.
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