What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Empower My Teen

Home
United States
Sumner, WA
Empower My Teen

Your teen is struggling and you don’t know what to do next. Let’s get your good kid back.

I’ve spent 20 years walking parents through behavioral and mental health challenges: therapeutic placement, case management, after-care, and advocacy. Since 2002, Mary Warren has empowered parents of struggling teens across Washington State and nationwide. A therapeutic and educational consultant and life and parenting coach, her personal journey with two of three of her children spiraling led her

to this rewarding work. With over two decades of experience, Mary's specialty is guiding families of at-risk teens to find a path to healing by finding the right mental health programs for each child's unique needs including wilderness therapy, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment and more. Learn more about Mary's inspiring story on the Empower My Teen website (founded in 2008).

08/25/2026

When your teen or young adult is struggling, it can be hard to see progress when you're living right in the middle of it.

We often look for the big changes and miss the smaller ones happening along the way.

Sometimes progress shows up in ways we don't expect or even recognize at first.

The small changes matter, too.💛

08/20/2026

I Love My Child... But, Sometimes I Don't Like Them

🎙️ Episode 10 of Empower My Teen is available now!

Have you ever looked at your child and thought, “I love you... but I don’t like you very much right now”?

And then felt terrible for even thinking it?

There are some things parents rarely say out loud. This is one of them.

When your teen is struggling, life can become incredibly heavy.

And somewhere in the middle of carrying so much for so long, you may find yourself thinking:

“I love you... but I just don’t like you very much right now.”

And almost immediately, the guilt sets in.

But what if having that thought doesn’t mean you love your child any less?

What if two things really can be true at the same time?

In this week’s episode of Empower My Teen, I’m talking about something parents often feel but have a really hard time saying out loud, the guilt and shame that can come with admitting that sometimes you just don't like your child very much.

You can love your child with your whole heart and still have those feelings.

And those feelings don't erase the love that's always been there.

Take a breath. Give yourself a little grace. And come listen.

NEW EPISODE - AVAILABLE NOW

🎧 EmpowerMyTeen.com

08/19/2026

💛 A Parent Pause with Mary Warren

Have you ever looked at your child and thought...

“I love you... but I don’t like you very much right now”?

If you've ever had that thought...

I understand where it comes from.

Thoughts like that don’t usually come from a lack of love.

They come from carrying so much...

For so long.

From waking up every day hoping today will be different...

And wondering if you’re doing enough.

From trying to hold your family, your child, and yourself together at the same time.

You’ve probably been carrying more than most people realize.

Loving a struggling child can be incredibly heavy.

And sometimes...
the hardest seasons bring the hardest thoughts. 💛

08/18/2026

Have you ever wondered... how you can love your child with your whole heart, but sometimes not like them very much?

It’s one of those thoughts parents rarely say out loud.

When your teen is struggling, life can become incredibly heavy. And somewhere in the middle of carrying so much for so long, you may find yourself thinking:

“I love you... but I just don’t like you very much right now.”

And almost immediately, the guilt sets in.

But what if having that thought doesn’t mean you love your child any less?

What if two things really can be true at the same time?

In this week’s episode of Empower My Teen, I’m talking about something parents often feel but have a really hard time saying out loud, the guilt and shame that can come with admitting that sometimes you just don't like your child very much.

You can love your child with your whole heart and still have those feelings.

And those feelings don't erase the love that's always been there.

Episode 10: I Love My Child... But Sometimes I Don’t Like Them

🎧 Sneak peek today. Full episode coming Thursday.

08/11/2026

A small shift that can strengthen connection...

Before jumping in with advice, ask your teen or young adult:

"Do you want my thoughts, or do you just want me to listen?"

Sometimes they want our thoughts.

Sometimes they just want us to listen.

Asking lets them tell us what they need in that moment.

💛

08/06/2026

School Refusal vs. School Avoidance: What's Really Going On?

🎙️ Episode 9 of Empower My Teen is available now!

When a teen stops going to school, it's easy to focus on getting them back into the classroom as quickly as possible.

But what if school avoidance isn't the problem?

What if it's telling us that something deeper is going on?

In this episode, I talk about why I encourage parents to look beyond the behavior and ask a different question:

"Why does school no longer feel possible?"

There can be so much happening underneath school avoidance—anxiety, bullying, depression, learning differences, trauma, or something else that may not be obvious from the outside.

Understanding what's underneath the behavior can change the way we support our teens and help us figure out what they really need.

If your family is walking this road, I hope this episode gives you a different way to look at what may be happening and a little hope as you figure out what comes next.

🎧 Listen now at EmpowerMyTeen.com

08/05/2026

When our teens are struggling, it's easy to feel like we have to solve everything right away.

But what if the first step isn't finding the perfect answer...

What if it's simply taking a breath and asking a different question?

Sometimes our child's behavior isn't just something to fix, it's something to understand.

This week's Parent Pause is a gentle reminder that slowing down doesn't mean giving up. It means creating space for connection, curiosity, and hope.

Take a moment for yourself today. 💛

What is one small way you're choosing connection over control this week?

Remember, you don't have to do this alone.

08/04/2026

If you've ever wondered...

"Why won't my child go to school?"

What if we asked a different question?

What if school no longer feels possible?

When your teen stops going to school, it's easy to focus on attendance, grades, and getting them back into the classroom.

But sometimes, school avoidance is telling us that something deeper is going on.

In this week's episode of Empower My Teen, I talk about the difference between school refusal and school avoidance, and why understanding what's underneath the behavior matters.

If your family has experienced this, I hope this episode helps you look at what's happening a little differently.

🎧 Here's a short clip from this week's episode.

07/28/2026

A small shift that can strengthen connections...

When your teen says,

"You're not listening to me."

Listening is hearing the words.

Hearing is understanding what's behind them.

Before you respond, pause and ask yourself:

"What are they really trying to tell me?"

💛

07/25/2026

My heart skipped a beat when I saw that the Empower My Teen Podcast had reached 100 downloads.

For six years, this podcast was a dream on my heart. There were plenty of moments when I wondered if I would ever actually do it, but I'm so thankful I didn't give up on it.

There were so many people over the years who asked me, "When is your podcast coming out?" Thank you for believing in me, cheering me on, listening, sharing an episode, and encouraging me along the way. Your support has meant more than you know.

This milestone isn't really about the number. It's a reminder that dreams are worth pursuing, even when they take a little longer than we hoped.

If there's something that's been on your heart for a long time, don't give up.

I am incredibly grateful, humbled, and excited to see where this journey leads. 💛

Address

3021 146th Avenue East
Sumner, WA
98390

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(877) 859-8336

Website

https://empowermyteen.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Empower My Teen posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Empower My Teen:

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Sumner?