Relationships/CommunicationSkill BuildingWellbeing/Mental HealthCollege/Career

Cathy Adams with Dr. John Duffy

HYBRID EVENT - Restoring Youth: Foster Communication, Conversation and Connection

Noon CST 7 p.m. CST

When

Wed, Nov 12, 2025 @ Noon and 7pm CST

Where

HYBRID EVENT - On Zoom and in person in the Silverleaf Room at the Culinary and Hospitality Center at College of DuPage (COD) in Glen Ellyn, IL at noon and on Zoom at 7 p.m.

Program Takeaways:

Teens today carry an unprecedented level of emotional pressure, fueled by global awareness, academic expectations, and constant digital exposure.

Effective communication requires presence, openness, and emotional curiosity, not lectures, fear-based tactics, or predetermined outcomes.

Parents must shift from directors to collaborators, supporting identity development rather than shaping kids into their own preferred version of success.

Emotional validation—not fixing—is the foundation of trust, helping teens feel safe enough to talk without fear of judgment or overwhelming their parents.

Strong relationships require humility and flexibility, allowing children to become who they are while knowing caregivers believe in them and can handle their struggles.

For detailed summaries of our most recent Past Programs, subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

NOTE: Attendees in person will receive a free copy of Adams’ new book, “Rescuing our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters’ Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter.”

This compelling conversation will provide strategies for engaging in relevant conversations with compassion and a willingness to learn. Adams’ methods for meaningful listening and taking action will help parents and caregivers support teens in strengthening their mental and emotional skills to achieve the fulfilling lives they deserve.

Teenage mental health challenges can feel isolating for both parent and child. Teens may feel uncomfortable sharing serious struggles for fear of being misunderstood or feeling rejected. Adams and Duffy will share real world insights on being the role model kids need, and they will explain how being genuine can open doors to true happiness. Participants will learn how connection can ease challenges and ensure a healthy and trusting relationship as kids grow.

Adams is a parenting coach, author and teacher at Dominican University. She is well recognized for her work in empowering young women and parents. Adams’ debut book, “The Self-Aware Parent,” inspired her to start Zen Parenting Radio with her husband Todd. Adams’ other titles include “Living What You Want Your Kids to Learn” and her most recent book, “Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters’ Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter.”

Please share information about this event with friends and relatives. All are welcome to the free weekly GPS events, and no registration is required.

In conversation with…

Adams will be in conversation with psychologist and parenting and relationship expert, Dr. John Duffy. Along with his clinical work, he is the author of “The Available Parent” and the grounding breaking book “Rescuing our Sons: 8 Solutions to our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys.” Duffy is a regular on national and local media outlets and is cited frequently in print and online publications.