What to Do If Your Teen Is In Crisis (Advice from a Sandy Hook Mom)

What would you do if your teen told you a classmate was making threats? Most parents freeze — unsure whether to panic, dismiss it, or act. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with Nicole Hockley, co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise and mother who lost her six-year-old son Dylan in the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy, to talk about one of the most important skills a parent can develop: knowing when something is wrong with your teen before it becomes a crisis. Nicole has spent over a decade studying the warning signs that precede school violence and teen crisis — and what she shares might surprise you. The signs are rarely dramatic. They're quiet. Easy to explain away. And most parents miss them. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between subtle and overt warning signs — and why the subtle ones are more dangerous Why dismissing your teen's feelings ("you're overreacting") actually makes things worse The single most powerful protective factor against teen crisis (hint: it's not monitoring) What to do when a peer reports something concerning about your child How to secure lethal means at home — and why this one step saves lives The tiered response framework that helps you stay calm and act appropriately at every level of concern A word from Nicole that every parent needs to hear: "I would much rather be embarrassed by being wrong than be horrified by being right." Connect with Nicole Hockley & Sandy Hook Promise: 🌐 sandyhookpromise.org 📘 facebook.com/SandyHookPromise 📸 instagram.com/sandyhookpromise 🐦 twitter.com/sandyhook 🎵 tiktok.com/@sandyhookpromise ▶️ youtube.com/channel/UCl5MxshIyRwoFNsFut6UZdA Resources mentioned: Sandy Hook Promise's UnTargeting initiative & latest report with Children and Screens: sandyhookpromise.org If you or your teen is in crisis: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741 Emergency: 911 Your instinct to reach out for help is never an overreaction. This episode could change how you see your teen — and how they see you.