Preparing Teens for Healthy Intimate Relationships

Conversations with Dr. Jennifer

The ability to self-author is a crucial developmental milestone—one that many adults struggle to achieve. To self-author is to develop an inner moral compass. It is to develop the self-trust that can guide us in making principled, honest choices in the face of life’s challenges without dependency on others to tell us who to be or what is true.
The ability to self-author is important in being able to create solid, close relationships. And because it matters for our happiness, it is especially important for parents to foster this ability in their teenagers.

In this NEW episode, Dr. Finlayson-Fife joins Christi Davis [host of the “Liking the People You Love” podcast] to explore how parents can support teens through their turbulent transition into adulthood. They discuss how parents can create thoughtful, value-based guidelines around sexuality—particularly on topics like modesty and masturbation—that prioritize the child’s well-being. And how parents can foster their teen’s ability to make self-directed decisions driven by their highest values rather than fear, shame, or conformity.