THE TWEEN/TEEN YEARS

Laura Kastner, Ph.D

Laura Kastner is a practicing psychologist and an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. She lectures widely on adolescent development and family relationships. She is also the co author of three best-selling books: Getting to Calm: 14 Cool- Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens and Teens; The Launching Years: Strategies for Parenting from Senior Year to College Life and The Seven- Year Stretch: How Families Work Together to Grow Through Adolescence.

Common Ground is pleased to have Dr. Kastner present two important topics:

Navigating the Emotions of Tweens and Teens

Has your adolescent ever been rude or sarcastic? Done something really dumb, thoughtless, or irresponsible? Even the most capable parents may experience difficulties with their tweens and teens. The challenge is to learn how to stay calm when that sweet child threatens to morph into a sassy teen. With a deep understanding of adolescent development, Laura Kastner gives parents advice for staying cool, even when all your buttons are being pushed. She provides invaluable tips on how to manage emotions, set effective limits and maintain a close, loving relationship with those wonderful tweens and teens.

Parenting Teens for College and Beyond

Guiding a son or daughter through high school and into college is rarely easy. Yet, these “launching years” remain one of the most unexamined transitions of family life. Laura Kastner offers much needed advice to parents for simultaneously letting go and holding on as our teens march toward independence. She explains how to effectively parent these emerging adults without hovering and addresses what to do if alcohol, sexual experimentation or academic performance become issues. Even parents of younger high school students will benefit from her perspective and insights.