Teen Stories: Finding Yourself Again

This episode of Parenting Today's Teens features powerful, raw stories from two teens at Heartlight, a residential counseling center founded by Mark Gregston and his wife Jan. Tiller, a teen from Colorado, shares how years of trauma—including sexual assault and a rapid loss of identity—led to daily substance use and dropping out of school. After arriving at Heartlight, he describes feeling 'broken' but now 'healing,' with renewed hope for college and a rekindled relationship with his mother. Aiden, from Knoxville, Tennessee, recounts how the suicide of his brother, combined with long-standing family estrangement and depression, led to drug use and suicidal thoughts. At Heartlight, he’s found emotional clarity, a renewed sense of purpose, and a desire to support his parents through their divorce. Both teens emphasize the importance of parental presence, nonjudgmental love, and the transformative power of a safe, relational environment. Mark Gregston closes with a heartfelt call to action for 21+ adults to join Heartlight’s residential staff, highlighting the profound impact such roles have on healing teens and families.