PODCAST · kids
Your Zen Friend
by Lauren Wolfe MS, LPC
Ever wish you had a zen friend? Someone who could help you ease your tween or tween’s anxiety, while also supporting you, so parenting was more peaceful? Well good news, host Lauren Wolfe, a therapist and mom who’s made it through those anxious teen years is here to offer parents some zen! A full-length episode comes out every Tuesday. And "A Drop of Zen," a short guided meditation or a "Zen Bonus Boost," a mini episode, come out every Friday.
Episodes
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5 Ways to Create More Connection and Calm This Summer
Send Lauren a text! Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations about our summer ahead. I just had a family vacation with some real highs and lows. I'm talking about temps in the 60's with rain on a beach vacation and a stomach bug or food poisoning kind of lows. Not fun! In this episode, I'll…
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Fear of Being Awkward: Understanding Today's Anxious Teen
Send Lauren a text! Does it feel like your teen is more afraid of being "awkward," than you ever were at their age? As a therapist working with kids and teens, I've noticed today's generation seems particularly afraid of social missteps. What we used to call being "embarrassed" has evolved into...
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Chaos to Calm: Managing Your End of School Year Stress
Send Lauren a text! Is this time of year feeling absolutely insane for you as a parent? Between field trips, graduations, concerts, and athletic awards, these final weeks of school can push even the most organized families to their breaking point. In this episode, I'll share three essential tips…
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Why Anxiety Treatment Seems To Fail: What Parents Need to Know
Send Lauren a text! Are you and your tween or teen struggling with anxiety treatment and wondering why it doesn't seem to be "working" right away? In this episode, I'll share the #1 misconception about anxiety recovery and help you understand what real healing actually looks like. ✨ What's…
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Anxiety Red Flags: When to Seek Help for Your Anxious Tween or Teen
Send Lauren a text! Are you starting to notice signs of anxiety in your tween or teen and wondering if it might be time to get seek support? In this episode, I’ll share how to know when your child could benefit from working with a qualified therapist and help you feel more confident about what to...
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Drop of Zen ~ A Joyful Moment
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is challenging! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer you support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do anytime you would like to connect with joy. Perfect for a mid day break or a morning exercise to...
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The Parent's Roadmap to OCD Treatment: Choosing a Therapist, ERP, and Home Support
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I focus on how parents can find qualified therapists who treat OCD in children and teens, understand ERP therapy (the gold standard in OCD treatment) and support their child's recovery journey. ✨ What's Bringing Me More Zen Tune in till the end of the episode…
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Anxiety or Something More? A Parent's Guide to Recognizing OCD
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I explore the key differences between OCD and anxiety in tweens and teens. Learn how to recognize the signs and identify when your child might need specialized support. ✨ What's Bringing Me More Zen Tune in till the end of the episode to discover my favorite...
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Smartphones & Anxiety: Setting Healthy Boundaries for Tweens & Teens
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I explore the link between smartphone use and anxiety in tweens and teens. I'll introduce the term "problematic smartphone use," explain what it looks like, how to recognize if your child is struggling with it, and share practical (as well as creative)...
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To Reassure or Not to Reassure: What to Do When Your Tween or Teen is Worried
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I tackle a common dilemma parents face: should you reassure your anxious tween or teen when they're worried, or could that actually make their anxiety worse? I'll share practical strategies to help you know when it's ok to offer a little reassurance. And I'll...
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Parenting is Ridiculous, Keeping it Real as a Therapist Mom
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I'm taking off my therapist hat and getting real about the challenges of parenting - especially when it comes to raising tweens and teens. Join me for some honest conversation about the ups and downs of this parenting journey! 👨👩👧👦 ✨ I'll share with…
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Easing Sunday Scaries for Tweens and Teens
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I'm tackling the Sunday Scaries - those end-of-weekend worries that so many tweens and teens experience. If your child's weekend joy turns to anxiety as Monday approaches, this episode is for you! 😰 ✨ I'll share with you: How to recognize Sunday Scaries in…
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How to Stop Walking on Eggshells with Your Anxious Tween or Teen
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I'm diving into something SO many parents tell me about - that feeling of walking on eggshells around their anxious tween or teen. That sense that you're literally tiptoeing through your own house, scared that saying or doing the wrong thing might trigger a...
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Social Anxiety in Tweens and Teens and How to Help as a Parent
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I’m talking about a struggle that’s super common for tweens and teens: social anxiety. I’ll cover what it is, how to spot it, and, most importantly, how you can help your child to take healthy risks in social situations. Social anxiety can show up in many…
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Supporting Your Anxious Teen While Managing Your Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! In today’s episode, I’m answering our first listener question from Anna, a fellow Zen Friend, who’s struggling with her own anxiety triggered by her daughter’s anxiety. ✨ Here’s what we’ll cover in this episode: Why your anxiety makes sense – Understanding the emotional...
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ The Importance of Validating Feelings: Yours and Your Children's
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why it is important and helpful to validate your own feelings as well as your...
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Have Less Anxiety and More Balance in 2025
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, we’re diving into 3 ways to bring more balance to you and your tween/teen in 2025! 🎉 ✨ Here’s what we’ll cover in this episode: 1️⃣ Reducing the pressure (on yourself and your kids) 2️⃣ Tackling overscheduling to create more room for connection 3️⃣ Valuing...
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Anxiety, Routines and Holiday Traditions
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I’m diving into routines and predictability—how they can help (and sometimes hinder) your anxious tween or teen—and exploring the joy and connection that holiday traditions bring. I’ll also share a peek into my family’s Christmas traditions, both past and...
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Setting Boundaries During the Holiday Season with Vicki Smith
Send Lauren a text! Feeling overwhelmed with all the holiday to do's? Guest and friend of the pod, Vicki Smith will help us to clear our schedules of the stuff that doesn't serve us so that we have more time to do the things we enjoy. Self care isn't just about lighting candles and wearing cozy...
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Have More Zen and Less Stress for the Holidays
Send Lauren a text! In this festive episode, I’m sharing how I’ve shifted my holiday traditions to create more peace and joy during this busy season. Whether you're juggling the magic-making or supporting an anxious tween or teen, it can feel like a lot (especially for us moms 🫠 🎧 Tune in for:...
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Helping Anxious Tweens and Teens Navigate Holiday Stress
Send Lauren a text! Welcome, Zen Friend! ✨ In this episode, we’re exploring why the holiday season can be particularly tricky for tweens and teens with anxiety. From high expectations to social stress and academic pressures, we’ll dive into what makes this time of year challenging and how you can...
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Anxiety and Perfectionism and What Parents Should Know
Send Lauren a text! Welcome, Zen Friend! ✨ In this episode, we’re diving into perfectionism—how it ties to anxiety, how to spot it in your tween or teen, and what you can do to help. Perfectionism isn’t just about wanting to do things well; it’s often driven by fear and worry. We’ll explore how...
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Anxiety in Kids and Teens and 3 Common Mistakes Parents Make
Send Lauren a text! When your child struggles with anxiety, it’s natural to want to make the anxiety go away. But sometimes our efforts result in making anxiety bigger. In this episode, I'm talking about three common mistakes parents (and sometimes even therapists) make when trying to support...
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Is it Anxiety or Bad Behavior? What Parents Need to Understand
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I’m talking about how anxiety often looks confusing in tweens and teens—sometimes appearing as irrational fears or even "bad behavior." Many parents question whether their child’s reactions are actually anxiety or just acting out. Using real stories and...
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Understanding Anxiety Recovery and How It’s a Journey, Not a Destination
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, we’re getting real about healing. Whether you or your tween or teen are dealing with anxiety, chronic pain, or just about anything else, I’ve got you covered. I’ll talk about some common misconceptions I see in my work with counseling clients, and share my...
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My Story with Chronic Pain and Mind-Body Symptoms
Send Lauren a text! In this final part of our series on Anxiety, Physical Symptoms, and Chronic Pain, I’m sharing my own journey with chronic pain—what I’ve learned, how I’m doing now, and what I’m still working on. Stay tuned for "What’s Bringing Me More Zen" this week—believe it or not, it’s...
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Understanding Chronic Pain, the Mind-Body Connection and How to Heal
Send Lauren a text! In today's episode, we're talking all about chronic pain, what it is, why it happens, and, most importantly, how you can find hope and healing! I'll start this episode by telling you how anxiety and pain act like alarm bells, signaling danger even though it is sometimes a…
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Drop of Zen ~ Somatic Tracking Mediation for Pain or Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is challenging! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do anytime you (or your tween or teen) are experiencing pain, anxiety or…
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The Mind-Body Connection: Understanding Anxiety, Pain and Physical Symptoms in Tweens, Teens, and Adults
Send Lauren a text! In this episode, I tell you what anxiety and has in common with pain and physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches and back pain —not just in kids, but adults too. I’ll break down the concept of neuroplastic pain, which happens when the brain misinterprets safe signals as...
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ What I Wish More Parents Would Do to Help Their Tweens and Teens Decrease Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you what I wish more parents would for their tween or teen to help them decrease…
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The Language You Use with Your Tween or Teen Could Be Increasing Their Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! On this episode I'll tell you how the language you use with your tweens and teens and the things you say to them everyday could be increasing their anxiety. And have no fear because I'll tell you what you can say instead! Parenting an anxious tween or teen is challenging! This...
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ How Being Less Positive Can Help Your Tween or Teen
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why being less positive with your tween or teen can actually help them when they...
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Understanding Autism and Anxiety with Mary Kate Robb
Send Lauren a text! On this episode, licensed clinical social worker, Mary Kate Robb is here to talk about the connection between autism and anxiety. She will tell us what recent research says that could explain why it is common for individuals with autism to also have anxiety. Mary Kate will…
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Drop of Zen - Surrender and Let Go
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is challenging! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do anytime you are feeling overwhelmed with all the efforting of life. Enjoy! This...
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What to Do When You're Given a Hot Potato by Your Tween or Teen
Send Lauren a text! Have you ever been given a hot potato by your tween or teen? I bet you have! Especially if you have a tween or teen with anxiety. On this episode I'll tell you why kids give hot potatoes to their parents and what you should do if you if you get one. And stay tuned till the end...
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ Why it’s Actually Helpful to Lose it With Your Kids Sometimes
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why it can be helpful to lose it with your kids from time to time. And I'll give...
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Healthy Choices for Managing Anxiety with Leena Abdulrahman
Send Lauren a text! On this episode my daughter Leena joins me to talk about the benefits of making healthy choices for managing anxiety. We talk about how challenging it can be for tweens and teens to do things like limit phone use and get enough sleep. Leena shares how she has learned to care…
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Drop of Zen ~ Cultivating Strength and Support
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is challenging! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do anytime you would like to connect with your inner strength. Enjoy! This podcast is...
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What You MUST DO as a Parent of a Tween or Teen with Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen is challenging. Especially when your child has anxiety! So on this episode I will tell you what you MUST DO in order to have more enjoyment during these often difficult years. And stay tuned till the end of the episode when I tell you What's Bringing…
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Setting Healthy Boundaries with Your Anxious Tween or Teen
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why it's important to set healthy boundaries with your anxious tween or teen.…
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Anxiety Symptoms in Kids and Teens That Might Surprise You and How You Can Help
Send Lauren a text! *****REPLAY EPISODE Anxiety symptoms in children often look different from what we imagine. Parents are sometimes surprised at how some of their children’s behavior, especially their misbehavior, comes from their anxiety. On today's episode I will tell you about some symptoms…
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ It's Okay to Feel Uncomfortable!
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why it's ok for you to show emotions as a parent. And I'll talk about the...
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Good Enough-ish Parenting with Brooke Forry and the Good Enough-ish Podcast
Send Lauren a text! I am excited to share this episode of the Good Enough-ish podcast where I had the honor of being a guest co-host with Brooke Forry. Brooke and I dive into some good enough-ish parenting methods and talk about how we can feel amidst information overload as well as societal...
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Drop of Zen ~ Be Here Now, Even with Difficult Emotions
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is stressful! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do anytime that you would like to check in and connect with yourself. It's also a great...
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Managing Back to School Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! It's that time of year once again that kids are returning to school! This can be a challenging time for kids with anxiety. Tweens and teens have lots of worries when it comes to returning to school. Will they have friends in their classes, what if they get a mean teacher, will...
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Zen Bonus Boost ~ How You Can Stay Calm When Your Kid is Loosing It
Send Lauren a text! Welcome to your Zen Bonus Boost! This is a short (and hopefully sweet) episode designed to offer support, strategies and tips for parents of anxious tweens and teens. On this episode I'll tell you why your anxious tween or teen is even more emotionally dysregulated than other...
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Helping Teens to Regulate Their Emotions, Even the Big and Irrational Ones with Ann Coleman
Send Lauren a text! Teens often struggle with emotional regulation. They can have big reactions to small problems and sometimes act irrationally. This is hard on parents and they can feel disrespected when their teen is being reactive. On this episode Ann Coleman, parent educator and host of the...
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Drop of Zen ~ Getting in Touch with a Part of You (IFS/Parts Work Meditation)
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is stressful! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation can be done anytime you are able to get comfortable and close your eyes. It is designed to help you…
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Inside Out Two and Using Lightness and Humor to Decrease Your Child's Anxiety
Send Lauren a text! Have you seen the movie Inside Out or the sequel Inside out Two? In these movies feelings are shown as parts. When the feeling anxiety gets introduced to the main character, teenage Riley, chaos ensues! The way anxiety is portrayed is very relatable. And using the idea of...
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Drop of Zen ~ Rest Deeply or Prepare for Sleep
Send Lauren a text! Parenting a tween or teen with anxiety is stressful! This Drop of Zen, a short guided mediation, is designed to offer parents some needed support and self care. This mediation is perfect to do when you want to relax deeply, take a nap or prepare for bed and a restful night of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Ever wish you had a zen friend? Someone who could help you ease your tween or tween’s anxiety, while also supporting you, so parenting was more peaceful?
Well good news, host Lauren Wolfe, a therapist and mom who’s made it through those anxious teen years is here to offer parents some zen!
A full-length episode comes out every Tuesday. And "A Drop of Zen," a short guided meditation or a "Zen Bonus Boost," a mini episode, come out every Friday.
HOSTED BY
Lauren Wolfe MS, LPC
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Your Zen Friend have?
Your Zen Friend currently has 208 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Your Zen Friend about?
Ever wish you had a zen friend? Someone who could help you ease your tween or tween’s anxiety, while also supporting you, so parenting was more peaceful? Well good news, host Lauren Wolfe, a therapist and mom who’s made it through those anxious teen years is here to offer parents some zen! A...
How often does Your Zen Friend release new episodes?
Your Zen Friend publishes regularly with 208 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Your Zen Friend?
You can listen to Your Zen Friend on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Your Zen Friend?
Your Zen Friend is created and hosted by Lauren Wolfe MS, LPC.
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