Teenage Kicks Podcast

About Teenage Kicks Podcast

Welcome to the Teenage Kicks podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting - or becoming - a teenager. The internet is full of parenting advice, from when you feel those first baby kicks, until they reach secondary school. And then it stops. No one is talking about teen parenting problems; so we’re going to. Essential listening for teenagers and their parents, as well as those who work with young adults; Teenage Kicks has teen mental health at its core, and each episode will empower young people to tackle their own problems, and give parents the guidance to know how to help them. Each week Helen speaks to real individuals who've experienced the issues that young people are dealing with now, and they don't sugar-coat it. From exam nerves and career worries to issues around sexuality and consent, we get tips and advice from expert guests who understand what it’s like to be a teenager today. Helen will also be chatting about tough teenage problems like cyberbullying and self-harm, drugs, alcohol and teenage pregnancy, all with a heavy dose of reality from someone who's been there and made it through to the other side. Teenage Kicks for Parents: As parents, we understand some of our kids’ struggles, but let’s face it, it’s been a while, and things have moved on since we last panicked over a detention! Teenage choices today can seem alien to their parents because teenage life has changed so dramatically since we were young. Teenage Kicks helps you unravel topics like social media, sexting and teen self-esteem so that you can figure out what your child needs support with, and what’s just normal teenage behaviour. Teenage Kicks for Teens: Teenagers and parents come at things from different angles, we know. But teenage life can be challenging, and the support of your parents can make navigating tricky dilemmas easier. Teenage Kicks guests aren’t adults who’ve read a textbook; nor are they heavily invested in your day-to-day safety, like your mum and dad. They are real people who’ve been through what you’re dealing with, and they have the inspiration and advice you need to handle it yourself. Join Helen each week as she chats to a different guest about topics affecting teenagers in 2020, and helps parents and teens to open up a dialogue that will make life easier to navigate on all sides. You'll also find me chatting about teen parenting here: Actually Mummy (https://actuallymummy.co.uk/) - my personal blog Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/iamhelenwills) Useful websites: The Mix (https://www.themix.org.uk/)- good information for under 25's Shout (https://www.giveusashout.org/) - for anyone struggling with anxiety or depression This series of the Teenage Kicks Podcast is sponsored by Blue Microphones (https://www.blue-designs.co.uk/), who gave me the fabulous Yeticaster mic for all my recordings. It's really straightforward to use, and gives me great sound quality without too much editing.

Publisher

Helen Wills

Category

kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

3 Mar 2020

Latest episode

11 Mar 2025

Latest episodes

106 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Mar 2025

   Ep. 106: It is possible to grow out of teenaae anxiety

   Owen Wood suffered from anxiety as a young teenager. He tells me how he coped, what his parents did to support him, and what helped him at school during those years. We talk about how travelling on a budget during Race Across The World taught him to have faith in himself, and how he copes with the nerves of travelling alone now. Owen says that, just because you're an anxious teenager, it doesn't mean you're going to be an anxious adult. The trick, he says, is to try new things anyway, and to have faith in your own ability to take care of yourself. The more you experiment and realise that you can survive difficult things, the more confident you become. Who is Owen Wood? 22 year old Owen Wood lives in Hertfordshire and is currently training to be a commercial airline pilot. However, you might know his name from season 4 of Race Across The World, which he won along with his friend Alfie Watts. After winning on the show last year, he went straight back out to Southeast Asia to do it all over again! He's now planning on doing the same in Australia later this year. We talk about how it felt to be on the TV programme, and stress and excitement of the race. You might be forgiven for thinking that Owen owes his travel confidence to a carefree attitude to life, but he talks openly about his struggles with anxiety as a teenager. He's now an ambassador for teenage mental health charity The Mix, a website for teenagers and young adults where you can find information and support for most issues you might face as a teenager. Useful links: * Free counselling at The Mix [https://www.themix.org.uk/get-support/speak-to-our-team/the-mix-counselling-service] * Owen on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/owen.wood02/]

2. 

   4 Mar 2025

   Ep. 105: Teens who panic: Managing panic attacks as a teenager

   Evan Transue started suffering with panic attacks at the age of 5. He had no family history of trauma, and due to his seemingly great life, his panic attacks went misdiagnosed for over 10 years. During this time, he developed other mental health conditions, and eventually turned to substances to numb the pain. Eventually he was diagnosed with panic disorder, and had an aha moment that changed his life. We talk about what panic attacks feel like, how they can lead to depression, and how parents can help support teenagers as they learn to deal with them. Evan now hasn't had a panic attack in 10 years. Who is Evan Transue? Evan is the host of The Health Detective Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-health-detective-podcast-by-functional-diagnostic/id1547734801] and owner of Bucks County Light Therapy [https://www.buckscountylighttherapy.com/] and Functional Medicine Center. He graduated from Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) in 2017. Prior to finding FDN he and his mother had suffered with a variety of health challenges for over a decade. The FDN system transformed his and his mom's lives so profoundly that all of his work is now centered around spreading its teachings. Evan speaks professionally to middle and high school students about mental health challenges and to date has spoken to 50,000 students. More teenage parenting from Helen Wills * Helen Wills Counselling and Parent Coaching [https://helenwills.com/] * Actually Mummy parenting teens blog [https://www.actuallymummy.co.uk/] * Helen on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email helen@actuallymummy.co.uk. For information on your data privacy please visit Zencastr's policy page [https://zencastr.com/privacy-policy] Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional. Episode produced by Michael J Cunningham [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-cunningham-245586266/]

3. 

   19 Feb 2025

   Ep. 104: Why a rebellious teenager might be a good thing

   Parents often worry about the teenage years. The term 'threenager' is frequently used to describe the toddler tantrums that leave parents tearing their hair out. I used it myself, with an eyeroll and a wry smile, but now that I've been through the teenage years I'm apologetic about that. I think it's patronising, and it doesn't help our relationships with our teens. Katia Vlachos has experienced this from the teen point of view, and it took her until adulthood to realise that her 'good girl' behaviour wasn't serving her. She talks to me about how easy it is to raise a people-pleasing teenager (even when we think we're on the receiving end of full-scale rebellion), and why it's not such a good thing to have a teenager who sticks to the rules. Who is Katia Vlachos? Katia Vlachos is a coach and author of a new book called Uncaged. [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncaged-Good-Girls-Journey-Reinvention/dp/B0D94Y7JRF/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QwzM-p6u89XLuqprT_3DtFkj3xIO866m4cD1u4-L04xo7yhiU0Y1oWIY4egD-7cE18xSgyxGHvFjnvgu26bKwlgaoIpZHBLPqVwnJzIGWP8.FOii9QOKAhDkp2TUIR7rnSglrV3sEAK6OIq1VU6sBA4&dib_tag=se&qid=1725351504&refinements=p_27%3AKatia+Vlachos&s=books&sr=1-3] Raised in a traditional Greek family, Katia's early years were spent trying to please others as the perfect daughter and student, but she often found ways to embrace her rebellious spirit - including sneaking out at night and driving off into the sunset on the back of her boyfriend's Harley Davidson. As she grew up, Katia became more weighed down by this 'good girl' persona she'd be trying to live up to until one day, when she was in her 40s, she faced the reality that the life she was living had been designed to make other people happy and not herself. After a series of life-altering events – including the death of her beloved father and the end of her 17-year marriage – Katia confronts how being obsessed with being seen as 'good' has affected her life decisions and sets out on a path of self-discovery and reinvention. Unpicking how she had been conditioned since childhood to chase societal approval and put the needs and desires of others above her own, Katia used her experiences to write a book about her story and inspire other women who are fed up of feeling guilty for wanting more. * Katia's book - Uncaged: A Good Girl's journey to reinvention [https://amzn.to/3X5rVBS] * Katia on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/katia.vlachos/] * Katia on LinkedIn * KatiaVlachos.com [https://www.katiavlachos.com/] * How to Fail podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-fail-with-elizabeth-day/id1407451189] More teenage parenting from Helen Wills * Helen Wills Counselling and Parent Coaching [https://helenwills.com/] * Actually Mummy parenting teens blog [https://www.actuallymummy.co.uk/] * Helen on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email helen@actuallymummy.co.uk. For information on your data privacy please visit Zencastr's policy page [https://zencastr.com/privacy-policy] Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional. Episode produced by Michael J Cunningham [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-cunningham-245586266/]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

13,554

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 75 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

70

Social presence

94

YouTube

72

Engagement

81

Contact Teenage Kicks Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.