Is your child pushing back, arguing over everything, ignoring rules, or seeming impossible to parent right now? It’s easy to wonder: Is this normal teen behavior… or something more serious like ODD?

When conflict becomes the norm at home, many parents start fearing they’re losing their child. You might even feel like you’re failing as a parent. But not all defiance is ODD. Sometimes, what looks like defiance is actually normal development, emotional dysregulation, stress, or a family dynamic that can be changed.

In this conversation, I’m joined by counselor, parenting coach, and school counselor, and mom herself, Brittney King, to unpack the difference between typical teen pushback and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. We talk about why many parents misunderstand defiance, how power struggles accidentally fuel the problem, and what helps teens far more than lectures, anger, or making consequences harsher.

If you’re parenting a struggling teen or young adult and feeling exhausted by constant conflict, tune in to learn a ton from Brittney.

In this episode on ODD in teens, we discuss:

• The difference between normal teen behavior and true ODD
• Why defiance can be a healthy part of adolescent development
• How ADHD and emotional dysregulation can look like Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Why lectures and punishments often make conflict worse
• The two biggest reasons teens stop opening up to parents
• Why connection must come before correction
• How clear boundaries and consistent consequences build trust
• What curiosity can reveal beneath your teen’s behavior
• How to become the safe place your teen turns to when it matters most

About our guest

Brittney King is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), ADHD-certified provider (ADHD-CCSP), and parenting coach who helps parents of struggling teens feel more confident and connected.

As a junior high school counselor, she sees firsthand how ADHD and executive functioning challenges impact teens, and the stress it creates for families. As a mom of 5, including one neurodivergent child (AuDHD), Brittney blends professional expertise with real-life experience. She’s passionate about helping parents raise resilient, emotionally healthy kids and feel supported every step of the way.

Check out her free webinar for parents of neurodivergent kids who are looking for answers on how to help their child at home & at school

Download her free worksheet for ways to support healthy mental and emotional development in your teen.

Looking for support?

🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!

🧘Learn how to respond in hard moments, without losing your cool, the relationship, or yourself, inside my 6-week Boundaries Masterclass.

🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

Have a question or need support? You can email me at beth@bethhillmancoaching.com

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And remember parents, the change begins with us.