Parent/Guardian Workshops at the Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center

The Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center - Palo Alto invites you to join our free workshops designed to help parents, guardians, and caregivers better understand the stress and mental health challenges teens face, and how to support them.

Facilitated by a licensed LMFT and/ or a certified trainer, sessions will cover a number of important topics. The group also provides a supportive space for caregivers to connect, share experiences, and receive guidance and encouragement from peers and the facilitator if they wish.

Please join us!

Details and registrations links below:

Addressing Anxiety in Your Teen: There's a difference between a nervous kid and a kid who is quietly drowning. Let's talk about it.

Parenting a teenager is hard enough, but watching your child struggle with anxiety can leave you feeling isolated and unsure how to help. Join us for a supportive workshop where parents can connect, share, and walk away with real strategies.

What you'll learn:

• How to recognize the key signs and symptoms of anxiety in teens
• What's driving teen anxiety today, including common root causes
• The impact of social media on teen mental health
• Practical ways to support your teen's daily routines and know when it's time to seek professional help

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September 8, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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Addressing Anxiety in Your Teen: There's a difference between a nervous kid and a kid who is quietly drowning. Let's talk about it.

Parenting a teenager is hard enough, but watching your child struggle with anxiety can leave you feeling isolated and unsure how to help. Join us for a supportive workshop where parents can connect, share, and walk away with real strategies.

What you'll learn:

• How to recognize the key signs and symptoms of anxiety in teens
• What's driving teen anxiety today, including common root causes
• The impact of social media on teen mental health
• Practical ways to support your teen's daily routines and know when it's time to seek professional help

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September 15, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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What Negative Thinking Actually Looks and Sounds Like: The most important things you should know.

While overthinking can sometimes protect us from risk, persistent negative thought patterns in teens can chip away at confidence and self-esteem. This workshop helps parents recognize these patterns early and know when it's time to seek support.

What you'll learn:

• The different types of negative thinking and how they show up in everyday life
• How negative thinking differs in teens vs. adults, and what's happening in the teen brain
• Key causes and early warning signs to watch for
• How negative thought patterns can look different in neurodiverse teens
• Practical ways parents can help at home
• When to seek outside help, and which interventions tend to work best

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September 22, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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What Negative Thinking Actually Looks and Sounds Like: The most important things you should know.

While overthinking can sometimes protect us from risk, persistent negative thought patterns in teens can chip away at confidence and self-esteem. This workshop helps parents recognize these patterns early and know when it's time to seek support.

What you'll learn:

• The different types of negative thinking and how they show up in everyday life
• How negative thinking differs in teens vs. adults, and what's happening in the teen brain
• Key causes and early warning signs to watch for
• How negative thought patterns can look different in neurodiverse teens
• Practical ways parents can help at home
• When to seek outside help, and which interventions tend to work best

September 29, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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Understanding Gender Identity and Affirming Language: Your teen doesn't need you to have all the answers. They need to know you're willing to learn.

Your teen doesn't need you to have all the answers. They need to know you're willing to learn.

What you'll learn:

• What gender identity and the gender binary mean, and how to talk about them
• How the gender binary shows up in everyday life, with real-world examples
• Barriers and protective factors that shape the wellness of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth
• Why affirming language, including pronouns, matters and how to use it in real-life interactions

October 6, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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Understanding Gender Identity and Affirming Language: Your teen doesn't need you to have all the answers. They need to know you're willing to learn.

Your teen doesn't need you to have all the answers. They need to know you're willing to learn.

What you'll learn:

• What gender identity and the gender binary mean, and how to talk about them
• How the gender binary shows up in everyday life, with real-world examples
• Barriers and protective factors that shape the wellness of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth
• Why affirming language, including pronouns, matters and how to use it in real-life interactions

October 13, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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Academic Stress, Perfectionism, and How Parents Can Help: Discover practical ways parents and guardians can foster resilience, balance, and self-compassion at home.

As parents, we all want the best for our children, but today's world often demands a definition of perfection that's simply unattainable. This workshop invites you to explore the goals you hold for your teen, and for yourself as a parent. Is the aim a perfect transcript, or an adult who can navigate the world confidently and on their own terms?

What you'll learn:

• Why your child's worth isn't measured by GPA or college name, but by resilience, character, and integrity
• How to recognize the comparison trap, where a parent's own identity and status get tangled up in their child's achievements
• Ways to reframe what it means to be a good parent by focusing on helping your teen grow into who they're meant to become

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October 20, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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Academic Stress, Perfectionism, and How Parents Can Help: Discover practical ways parents and guardians can foster resilience, balance, and self-compassion at home.

As parents, we all want the best for our children, but today's world often demands a definition of perfection that's simply unattainable. This workshop invites you to explore the goals you hold for your teen, and for yourself as a parent. Is the aim a perfect transcript, or an adult who can navigate the world confidently and on their own terms?

What you'll learn:

• Why your child's worth isn't measured by GPA or college name, but by resilience, character, and integrity
• How to recognize the comparison trap, where a parent's own identity and status get tangled up in their child's achievements
• Ways to reframe what it means to be a good parent by focusing on helping your teen grow into who they're meant to become

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October 27, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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Depression versus Moodiness: How to Tell the Difference: Because "they're just being a teenager" is sometimes true, and sometimes it isn't. The difference matters.

Because "they're just being a teenager" is sometimes true, and sometimes it isn't, and the difference matters enormously. This workshop helps parents distinguish everyday teenage moodiness from something more serious.

What you'll learn:

• Why typical mood swings are common in teenagers, and what's driving them
• How to tell the difference between normal moodiness and signs of depression
• Why teen angst still deserves support, and how to be there for the smaller struggles
• Key warning signs to watch for, including signs of suicide risk, and when to seek help
• Where to turn for crisis resources and support

November 9, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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Depression versus Moodiness: How to Tell the Difference: Because "they're just being a teenager" is sometimes true, and sometimes it isn't. The difference matters.

Because "they're just being a teenager" is sometimes true, and sometimes it isn't, and the difference matters enormously. This workshop helps parents distinguish everyday teenage moodiness from something more serious.

What you'll learn:

• Why typical mood swings are common in teenagers, and what's driving them
• How to tell the difference between normal moodiness and signs of depression
• Why teen angst still deserves support, and how to be there for the smaller struggles
• Key warning signs to watch for, including signs of suicide risk, and when to seek help
• Where to turn for crisis resources and support

November 16, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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How to Navigate the Holidays: Strategies to support your teen’s emotional well-being, managing expectations, and creating meaningful connections during the holidays.

The holidays are often depicted as a magical time, but they come with a specific set of challenges for families, especially when teens are balancing family time with their growing need for autonomy.

What you'll learn:

• How to identify and navigate common holiday-season challenges with teens
• Ways to keep expectations realistic instead of chasing a "perfect" holiday
• How to include your teen in family traditions while respecting their independence
• How to stay relevant to your family as it is now, rather than holding onto how things "used to be," including honoring all traditions in blended families
• How to prioritize gratitude and connection during the season

December 1, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | 375 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto
Register now!

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How to Navigate the Holidays: Strategies to support your teen’s emotional well-being, managing expectations, and creating meaningful connections during the holidays.

The holidays are often depicted as a magical time, but they come with a specific set of challenges for families, especially when teens are balancing family time with their growing need for autonomy.

What you'll learn:

• How to identify and navigate common holiday-season challenges with teens
• Ways to keep expectations realistic instead of chasing a "perfect" holiday
• How to include your teen in family traditions while respecting their independence
• How to stay relevant to your family as it is now, rather than holding onto how things "used to be," including honoring all traditions in blended families
• How to prioritize gratitude and connection during the season

December 8, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Virtual
Register now!

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