Inside the Teen Mind - Season 1 Recap
By Alive™ Center | Inside the Teen Mind Podcast
What’s happening inside the teen mind, and how can we better support the young people in our lives?
Season 1 of Inside the Teen Mind explored that question through conversations about growing up, mental health, identity, and connection. Co-hosts Amanda McMillen, LCSW, Executive Director of Alive™ Center, and Dr. Lisa Konick helped parents, educators, and caregivers better understand the experiences behind teen behavior.
As the hosts reflect in their season recap video, here’s a look at the conversations you can catch up on before Season 2.
Meet the Hosts
Amanda McMillen, LCSW, brings more than two decades of experience serving children, youth, and families. At Alive™ Center, she leads an organization where teens are encouraged to build relationships, explore their interests, and develop leadership skills.
Dr. Lisa Konick is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Konick & Associates, a group behavioral health practice offering research-based therapy and assessment services for individuals and families.
Together, they bring clinical expertise and a shared commitment to supporting teens to every conversation.
What Season 1 Explored
From everyday challenges to conversations that can feel difficult to start, the season covered:
The stages of adolescence: Understanding the changes from early adolescence through young adulthood.
Stress and mental health: Exploring burnout, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and pressures that may go unnoticed.
Identity and belonging: Supporting LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent teens as they navigate their development and relationships.
Social media: Looking beyond screen time to how online experiences affect confidence, connection, and emotional well-being.
Executive functioning: Understanding challenges with organization, time management, getting started, and following through.
Whether you’re navigating homework struggles, worried about social media, or hoping to understand your teen more deeply, there’s a conversation to start with.
Continuing the Conversation at Alive
At Alive™ Center, our teen-led, teen-driven programs give young people space to connect, discover interests, and feel accepted for who they are. Inside the Teen Mind extends that work to the adults who care about them, offering a place to learn and reflect on how we support teens.
Watch the Recap and Get Ready for Season 2
Watch Amanda McMillen and Dr. Lisa Konick look back on Season 1 below!
Again, thank you to everyone who listened or shared an episode with someone in their life. Stay tuned for the launch of Season 2!
Listen to Season 1
Missed an episode? Click here. Choose a topic that speaks to you, revisit a favorite conversation, or share the podcast with someone who cares about teens.