By: Pamela Garfield, LCSW,  
On-Campus Counseling Site Director
at Gunn High School

Last year I had a great opportunity to lead a discussion of parents in the Sophomore Parent Network. Many parents in the group were worried about substance abuse and were wondering how to ask their children about drugs. 'How do we communicate when they are growing so independent?' 'How do we remain in the know?'

Ahhh the joys of raising a teenager...

Therapists call this adolescent stage "Separation Individuation." This is the phenomenon of your kid growing more independent and needing to learn life lessons on his/her own, yet still needing you as a base when he/she gets in over her head.