Teens, screens, and drugs: what to know and how to start the conversation. This is the subject matter we explored with Beth Hockman, M.S. and Kriya Lendzion, LCMHC, LCAS, CPS. We discussed child and teen screen health, the realities of today’s drug scene, and how to have impactful conversations with your child about these issues. This event occurred on December 7, 2022, at Wrong Way’s River Lodge.
Beth Hockman, M.S. is a parent coach, educator, facilitator, TEDx speaker, and homeschool mom. Beth has been in the experiential education field for over 28 years. She uses her experience and philosophical understanding of the experiential education field to write curriculum and consult for various organizations. She has a B.S. in Social Psychology and an M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University. Beth has worked for various adventure education programs—including 18 years with Outward Bound in both the U.S. and Africa. She is one of the founders of Asheville TAASC, a youth based non-profit that combines the power of wilderness leadership and service learning into value forming experiences for young people. Beth has worked as both a High School teacher and as an Academic Director. She believes in educating the whole person.
Kriya Lendzion, LCMHC, LCAS, CPS has journeyed from her own years as a “hot mess” teen in high conflict with her parents to becoming one of the nation’s leading youth addiction and prevention specialists. She has been a school counselor, adolescent therapist, and drug and alcohol educator for over two decades. As a parent coach, speaker, and author, Kriya empowers adults to be “teen whisperers” with the youth in their lives, in order to help “addiction-proof” them for an increasingly risky and addictive world. Humorously known as “The Drug Lady” in our community, she regularly conducts drug and addiction education at several schools across Buncombe County and provides parent and family coaching, consulting, and training across the country. Kriya is currently the Middle School Counselor at Rainbow Community School and French Broad River Academy for Girls.
Ariana Figueroa, NBC-HWC is the Health Coach for Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville.