Parenting Teenagers: Dr Jari Evertsz on Parenting and Personalities Podcast
Is your teenager’s behaviour leaving you feeling stressed, confused, or at your wits’ end? You’re not alone. Parenting teenagers is one of the most challenging stages of family life—and also one of the most misunderstood.
Dr Jari Evertsz, clinical psychologist and author of The Well-Behaved Teenager (and Other Myths), joined Kate Mason on the Parenting and Personalities podcast to share insights on the teenage brain and the challenges of raising teens today. Together, they explored how parents can replace conflict with calm communication, build resilience, and restore connection at home.
Why This Episode Matters for Parents of Teenagers
Raising teens is nothing like raising toddlers or primary-schoolers. Many mums and dads feel blindsided by slammed doors, grunts from behind bedroom walls, and constant battles over chores, screens, and independence.
In this conversation, Dr Evertsz shares practical insights from over 20 years of working with families. She explains why common knee-jerk punishments rarely work, how parents can create boundaries without fuelling conflict, and why chores are vital for building empathy and resilience.
This episode is a lifeline for any parent wondering whether family life with teenagers really has to feel this hard.
Listen For
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3:16 – What Jails Taught Her About Childhood
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10:25 – Security Matters: Why Teens Still Want Boundaries
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13:33 – Brain Under Construction: The Science Behind Teen Behaviour
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20:54 – Think Before You Punish: Creative Consequences That Work
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25:20 – Chores, Entitlement, and the Empathy Equation
Parenting Teenagers Without Constant Conflict
One of the most important takeaways from Dr Evertsz’s work is that parenting teenagers doesn’t have to be a constant battle. In her book, The Well-Behaved Teenager (and Other Myths), she introduces four golden rules to help parents:
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Respond with calm instead of reacting in anger.
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Create boundaries that feel safe, not restrictive.
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Recognise that challenging behaviours are normal—but not permanent.
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Rebuild connection and trust, even after conflict.
For parents searching for tips for raising teenagers, or looking for books on how to deal with teenagers, this conversation offers both immediate strategies and longer-term hope.
Where to Listen
Listen to the Full Episode Above. Discover More About Parenting and Personalities here:
👉 https://katemasonauthor.com/podcast/
About Dr Jari Evertsz
Dr Jari Evertsz is a Melbourne-based clinical psychologist who has worked with violent offenders, at-risk children, and hundreds of everyday families. She is also the author of The Well-Behaved Teenager (and Other Myths): New Ways to Cope with Your Teen’s Challenging Behaviours, a practical guide that helps parents move from conflict to connection.
If you’re looking for parenting books for teenagers that are both compassionate and realistic, Jari’s book is available now in paperback and ebook from Inspiring Bookshop: https://inspiringbookshop.com, Amazon, and all good retailers.