Marti Roveda

January arrives loud with promises to “do better,” “fix more,” and “try harder.” For parents of teens and young adults, especially when substance use, mental health, or behavioral challenges are present, that pressure is exhausting. Here’s the truth: Your child doesn’t need a new version of you. They need a regulated one. That’s where daily intentions and reflections come in. This is not about controlling outcomes. It’s about anchoring yourself, so your nervous system isn’t pulled under every...

Equanimity Parent Coaching and KatKits.org are partnering this December to share a unified message: Presence is Prevention. The holidays carry a symbolic weight that is both beautiful and emotionally complex. For many families navigating a teen or young adult’s substance use, mental health struggle, or unpredictable recovery journey, this season can bring an added layer of stress, fear, and emotional intensity. The very time of year when we’re “supposed” to feel joy and connection can...

Somewhere between curfews, consequences, and crisis, many parents forget how to laugh. The heaviness of your child’s struggle, whether it’s substance use, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation, can weigh down even the strongest parent. Your days start to revolve around monitoring moods, tracking progress, or bracing for setbacks. You stop noticing small, beautiful things—the warmth of sunlight, the smell of coffee, your child’s fleeting smile. But neuroscience and lived experience agree: joy is...