By Jen Willey, Annie Wright Schools
Dr. Laura Kastner, a clinical psychologist and nationally renowned expert on teen behavior and development, will speak about Tweens + Teens: New Strategies for Wise-Minded Parents, on Tuesday, May 21, at Annie Wright Schools Kemper Theatre. This event is part of ParentMap’s lecture series in which national thought-leaders share insights, advice and inspiration on current parenting topics.
Kastner describes the adolescent brain as a giant construction project, often accompanied by irrational behavior and chaos impacting all of the family. While acknowledging that raising a happy and successful teenager is a challenge for any parent, involving many skills that most people don’t naturally possess, she demonstrates how to tap your “wise mind” to calmly navigate the stormiest parenting moments and preserve a loving relationship. She also outlines the essential factors for happy, healthy teens.
Clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, Kastner is also co-author of Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens and Teens. Her new book, Wise-Minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for Raising Successful Tweens + Teens, was released in February, 2013.
Tickets are available to the public for $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information and to order tickets, please visit www.aw.org/speaker_series.