Life as an off the rails teenager - how Nina put her life back together - a podcast by Helen Wills

In this episode of the Teenage Kicks Podcast Helen Wills talks to Nina de Sausmarez about how she went off the rails as a teenager, using sex to seek validation from men, after being abandoned by her father. Helen says:

As the mother of teenagers, this conversation with Nina felt like therapy for me. Here's what Nina had to say about her life as a teen, and what it's taught her about motherhood:

"Having been through a hugely turbulent childhood and teenage years myself where my emotional needs were not met, I take a bold stand for 'no topics are off limits' in my approach to parenting. I actively encourage conversations about sex, drugs, and everything in between.

I let go of my need to 'fix their problems' and have no attachment to the choices they make and the direction they want to go in their lives. I actively step back and allow them to learn from all their mistakes.

My girls do not come first. I make sure I do. I'm sure many find that controversial!. By doing so, they are strong feminists, hugely confident, resilient and unafraid to try, no matter the outcome. Our bond is incredible and I am proud of how i've been able to let go of my past experiences and use it in such a powerful way to empower and support them.

Nina has some advice for parents on what to do when your teenager goes off the rails, and tips for teens who might be experiencing difficult emotions like she did.

As the mother of two girls aged 20 and 15 she also has some incredible insights into parenting. I had so many lightbulb moments during this episode. I know you will too!

Where to find Nina

Nina de Sausmarez is a confidence coach for women and those identifying as. You can find her on Instagram, where she is happy to be contacted via DM.

More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills:

There are lots more episodes of the Teenage Kicks podcast. You can email me on teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. I’ve also got some posts on the blog that might help parents with other teenage parenting dilemmas, so do pop over to Actually Mummy if you fancy a read.

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear all my new episodes. I'll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can also find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

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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 a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

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