Meredith Sjoberg, PhD

Thriving While Striving:
Protecting your teen’s mental health


I support parents and teens through high school, college, and beyond.

High school and college can be stressful for parents as they support their teen and young adult. And no one needs to navigate it alone. Sometimes you just aren’t sure what to do and want to be sure you’re doing the right thing – especially because the stakes feel high. And because you want your teen to thrive.

This is where I come in.

I am a licensed psychologist with over 25 years of therapy and coaching experience. I provide a compassionate, empathic, and open-minded approach that allows you to learn tools for communicating well, gain skills for navigating tough moments, and feel GOOD about the choices you’re family is making. Teens I work with feel heard and empowered to make choices for themselves. Parents I work with understand that their teen’s mental health is a priority and want to support that. Both parents and teens are eager to feel better and find a way to protect their mental health while still achieving goals. That’s what “thriving while striving” is all about.

You can learn more about my work on this site. And you can easily contact me using the info below:

Email: meredith@meredithsjobergphd.com
Text/Call: 404-482-3232

Thriving While Striving Workshops

I help parents in supporting their teen as they navigate high school, apply to college, and get ready to leave home. My workshops focus on strategies and tips for communicating and ensuring teen’s have the emotional skills they need.

One-on-One Therapy

I work with parents, teens, and young adults who are in some type of transition. This can include leaving home and going to college, but can also include relationship loss, family divorce, significant injuries/illness, and other big life events.

Speaking & Consultation

I speak to and consult with school counselors, college counselors, student support teams, and administrators, on supporting the mental health of their students, particular focused on the transition from high school to college. This can be done virtually or in-person.

Latest Instagram Posts:

Teens can be thoughtful, intentional, and wise. If you aren’t on the same page about something - whether it’s big or small - keep an open mind. They may change your mind. And that would demonstrate to them how well you can listen and how much you respect them. Even if you don’t change your mind, hearing them out can be really beneficial. 2026 means more workshops and trainings for parents of teens! First up will be focused on drilling down on the best ways to support your teen in high school so their well-being stays intact. Drop a “yes” in the comments or an idea for what to include. Info coming soon! We know we’re not supposed to take the bait but knowing and doing are two separate things. Follow me to learn how to stay calm and connected even when your teen is being prickly. Call it limits, call it boundaries, call it bumpers. Whatever you call it, teens benefit from knowing what is expected of them. The trick is to do it calmly and not set them off :-) Teens can have pretty big mood swings just like toddlers. Another name would be emotional shifts. Which makes you realize they need help with emotional regulation. It’s not that they can’t have the emotion they are having, they just need the skill to know the appropriate ways to navigate it. Realizing this can help you not take it personally if they say something hurtful during said mood swing. And to respond calmly instead of adding fuel to the fire. Comment below “me” if you’re seeing mood swings in your teen. It almost doesn’t matter what the rule is, just make it make sense. Teen brains benefit from clarity and like to understand any limits that have been set. If a teen thinks your rule is arbitrary, they are more likely to disregard it. But if they understand why you put the rule in place, they are more likely to follow it. Note this does not mean they need to agreewith your reasoning, though that always helps. It just means they need to understand your reasoning. Teens and toddlers have brains that are developing at a wild rate! This results in some things that are a bit confusing at times. Like how they can be wise and ridiculous AT THE SAME TIME. Listen above for my trick when teens are saying something that’s ridiculous or just not true. The dreaded eye roll. Try not to be too put off by it. Your team is really trying to communicate with you and, even though it may not seem like it, is letting you know that they want to be connected to you. So, while it’s not ideal to try for a deeper connection immediately following an eye roll lol lol lol, no deep down that they love you and want to have a good relationship with you, below how you handle the eye roll. #thrivingwhilestriving #parentingteens #parentingteenstips You can know all the techniques and skills for improving mental health, but if your teen isn't sleeping well, eating well, and moving their bodies regularly, it will be very hard to see progress. Talk with your tween or teen about how they can make small changes this month!