Today, I'm sitting down with Sonia Suthar, a 19-year-old entrepreneur and the Founder of Cloud 9, who is helping parents understand why teenagers shut down when we're just trying to help, and what we can do instead to build strong, connected relationships with them. She also shares how we can help our teens build confidence from the inside out, so this conversation is one you won't want to miss!

In this episode, we explore what’s really happening beneath teen behavior and why well-meaning parental responses can sometimes create distance instead of connection. Sonia offers powerful insights into how teens interpret boundaries, advice, and even simple questions and how these moments can either strengthen or erode trust.

Whether you’re parenting a teen now or just want to understand them better, this conversation offers real, actionable insights that can help you strengthen connections, trust, and resilience in your family.

We Talk About:

• Why teens shut down and how to respond as a parent
• How to improve parent-teen communication
• The difference between fixing vs. supporting your teen
• How to build teen confidence and emotional resilience
• What teens actually need when they open up
• The “3 H’s” method: Heard, Helped, or Hugged
• How to create a safe space for your teen to share
• Balancing high expectations with emotional support
• How to stop power struggles and build connection
• Practical tools to strengthen your relationship with your teen

If this resonates with you, share this episode with another parent who could use the support, and don’t forget to follow/subscribe for more conversations that help you build deeper, more connected relationships with your teen.

Connect with Sonia & Cloud9:
Website: cloud9go.com
Instagram: @cloud9go
Watch Sonia's Ted talk on YouTube

Come join us for a Free Info Session to learn more about our two wilderness rites of passage trips for teens this summer. Go to youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness to save your seat!

Are you helping your teen athlete grow, or are you accidentally adding more pressure?

In this episode, I talk about how sports can be one of the most powerful developmental experiences in a young person’s life, and it's one way teens can learn perseverance, teamwork, leadership, and how to bounce back after mistakes.

But there’s something we don’t talk about enough... The role parents play in shaping that experience. What we say from the sidelines, in the car ride home, and during the hard moments can either build confidence or add stress.

Here are some of the powerful reminders for supporting teen athletes that we'll dive into:

• Listen before problem-solving - Sometimes, they need to vent.
• Ask before giving advice. - “Do you want help with this, or do you just want me to listen?”
• Help them reset after mistakes. - Feel it → Flip it → Find the next play.
• Remember the bigger picture. - Sports aren’t just about the scoreboard; they’re about the kind of person your teen is becoming.
• It's a great opportunity for Connection.

These moments with our teens, on the sidelines, in the car rides, during practices, are powerful opportunities for connection and growth.

It’s in these ordinary moments that extraordinary bonds are formed.

I would also love to invite you to join our Free Wilderness Info Session on March 18th at 6 PM PST where you can learn all about our two Backpacking Rites of Passage trips for teens this Summer.

Rites of Passage Trips Info Session
📅 Wednesday, March 18th at 6pm Pacific
🔗 youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness

And if this episode resonated with you, don't forget to subscribe, share it with a friend, and send me a quick note about the insight that stood out most for you.

Come join us for a Free Info Session to learn more about our two wilderness rites of passage trips for teens this summer. Go to youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness to save your seat!

Every summer, I watch teens step into the wilderness and come home transformed.

Out there, they learn they can do hard things, discover strength they didn’t know they had, connect with people outside their usual circles, and feel the freedom of being fully themselves.

Here are seven powerful lessons they carry back from our Rites of Passage journeys:

1. Resilience – “I can do hard things and survive.”
2. Inner Strength & Confidence – uncovering courage they didn’t know they had.
3. Unexpected Friendships – connecting with peers outside their usual circles.
4. Authenticity – embracing their uniqueness and being fully themselves.
5. Gratitude – appreciating comforts after going without.
6. Connection to Nature – feeling at home in the wild.
7. Transformation Through Challenge – growing in ways that shape their future.

💫 If you’d like to learn more, join me for our free Wilderness Info Session on March 18th at 6 PM PT.

Rites of Passage Trips Info Session
📅 Wednesday, March 18th at 6pm Pacific
🔗 youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness

I would love to see you there and answer all your questions.

And if this episode resonated with you, I’d love for you to subscribe, share it with a friend, and send me a quick note about the insight that stood out most for you.

Come join us for a Free Info Session to learn more about our two wilderness rites of passage trips for teens this summer. Go to youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness to save your seat!