Medicine for our Teen’s Spirits - The 9 Fundamental Principles

Last weekend’s Parenting Workshops and Teen Meet-Ups I held at the Medicine Festival reminded me how much I am forever in awe of each young adult’s bold, bright and brilliant potential. Each and every one so different and, without exception, quietly remarkable in their own ways although they often don’t realise it.

I can’t help it, I always want to tap right into that potential, right there and then, no time like the present!

Hence the name of my coaching company - ‘Young Fire’ - so filled with beauty and potency and yet also, if not tended and nurtured carefully, potentially wild and dangerous too.

One of my clients referred to my work as, ‘shining a light on everything that is good in a person’.

I burn with that desire, for every young adult to be exposed to a positive and entirely accepting influence that enables them to see their own goodness, potential and brilliance for themselves and harness it too, for a much better world for all.

And it never ceases to amaze me what an outrageously precious resource young people are too, THE most significant resource on the planet if I’m not mistaken…?

And yet, collectively, how little we really know - in my opinion - about how to reliably bring the best out of our children, especially once they get to this age and stage?

Where are the safe places in our society that teenagers can be?
Where is the community they can feel that deep belonging with?
Where are the trusted adults - beyond mum and dad - who can really listen to them, guide them effectively and help them find their own way in the world?

I met quite a few other professionals and practitioners involved in working with young people at the Medicine Festival - psychotherapists, NLP teachers and mental health charity founders - and again and again the same basic priorities came out of all our work:

1. Give them a safe space to share

2. Listen openly to them, without agenda

3. Believe in them, deeply and fundamentally

4. Draw out what THEY think, stimulating their self-leadership

5. Be there as this much-needed outside, independent influence from their family

6. Help normalise their challenges through adult-led vulnerability and openness

7. Have fun with them, building trust and relationship this way

8. Give them the tools we ourselves authentically use and have discovered

9. Show up consistently for them, with resolute commitment and heart-felt care

Ultimately, all of us need people who are able to really listen to us, people who can provide a sanctuary of sorts for us where we can authentically be ourselves and people who are just there all the way, through the many different phases, to share the unfolding, inner details of our life’s journey with us.

I would argue that none need this so much as our teens.

Our teenagers naturally turn away from us as parents, striking out for independence and looking to the wider world for direction, validation and guidance.

We may not be done forever, as parents, as chosen counsel and support for them but, for a period, it is inevitable, natural and perhaps even essential, that we take a back seat.

So who then is in that space for our children?
Who are they listening to and turning to, online and offline?
Where are they drawing their timely steer, empathetic reassurance and core community from?

We all start with family (if we’re fortunate enough to have one).

That’s the power base, no question.

But from adolescence onwards, we desperately need to expand this love, belonging and sense of self into a broader community of friends, partners, colleagues, mentors and trusted adults.

Too many young people currently exist in a kind of emotional isolation between nuclear family, school, friends and whatever clubs they belong to, without any adults or older peers really being in close enough to offer them what they so sorely need at this jumping off point.

This fact continues to fan the flames of my drive to provide better for our youth through Young Fire Academy (now ‘Young Fire Teen Coaching’), because I know we have found such a powerful way to help fill this void for young adults, for their parents and for the world.

Relationship-based academic mentorship, life coaching and specialist subject tuition, all rolled into one easy friendship between coach and teen is the ‘magic dust’ many parents dream of.

This is what we have proven time and again can help teenagers step into deep-rooted self-confidence, self-leadership and purpose, in school and in life.

And FOR life too, never looking back!

Excitingly, for me, more and more people are approaching me saying they want to join us and learn how to do this work too. It’s like they are encouraging us gently to do what we’ve just realised we need to do…

For now it is just me doing the coaching, but this year Sam and I will be - very carefully - selecting and training up some new coaches, to broaden our impact and expand our capacity to serve young people, their parents and the planet.

You might even be one of those people?! If you think you might be please do respond to this email and let me know.

And if you know someone, particularly in their 20s or 30s, who is naturally brilliant with people, authentically fun and engaging, deeply caring, emotionally intelligent and driven to do this work with young adults, then please do introduce us.

Thanks for being here, for supporting us and, in doing so, for investing in bright, new futures for our young people.

Here’s wishing you all great last few days of the summer,

Henry

P.S. And if you have a teen you’re worried about and you want to speak with me about what this work could do for you and your family, you can book a short chat with me here:

https://calendly.com/henrydingle/15-min-parent-consultation

Last few after school slots are still currently available but not for long so don’t delay…

If you’re not already a member of our awesome Young Fire Academy Parent Community Group on Facebook, come join us! Get support from me and other like-minded parents who are on this journey too.
Click here to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/youngfireparents/

And to find out more about our programmes and offerings, please visit our website at www.youngfireacademy.com

Henry Dingle

Henry Dingle is the founder of Young Fire Academy and an expert teen and parent coach, as well as a specialist tutor. He helps exasperated parents and their demotivated teens reconnect and thrive by fostering authentic relationships, trust, and accountability. With over 25 years of experience working with teens, Henry’s approach ignites motivation, leading to greater self-confidence and real-life satisfaction.

He empowers students to take charge of their learning through mindset coaching, effective essay-writing techniques and Maths helping them build confidence and enjoy their academic journey. As a parent coach, Henry supports families in restoring trust, improving communication, and creating a more harmonious home environment.