Dr. John Duffy on Helping Our Struggling Teen Boys

A few months ago, I had my friend and colleague Cathy Adams on the show to talk about her book Restoring Our Girls and raising daughters to be emotionally healthy in a complicated world. I knew then that I wanted to have a similar conversation for a future episode, but this time, focusing on boys, specifically about why many teen boys are struggling right now and what we, as parents, can do to support them. I also knew exactly who I wanted to bring on the show to talk about this — Dr. John Duffy, a clinical psychologist who has spent the last 25 years working with adolescents, young adults, and families. John’s been on the show before to talk about his Parenting teens in an age of anxiety, but this time we’re going to get into the concepts he explores in his book Rescuing Our Sons: 8 Solutions to Our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys. 

In this conversation, we talk about the unique mental health challenges boys are facing today, from increased isolation and anxiety to the messages they are getting from society that are leading to self-doubt and emotional struggles. We also discussed how the pandemic intensified these issues and why paying attention to the media they are consuming is key to connecting with them. John also shared how neurodivergent boys may experience these challenges differently and shared practical strategies for fostering emotional resilience and self-worth. If you’re raising a boy and you are worried about their emotional well-being or feel unsure about how to support them in a rapidly changing world, this is a powerful listen.