A Recap of Our Recent 2025-2026 Speaker Events & What’s Next!


At PNW Parent Education, our mission is to help families find clarity, tools, and confidence in the midst of life's most challenging parenting moments. We’ve had an incredible lineup of speakers this past school year, tackling everything from tough biological conversations to adolescent neuroscience and substance use prevention.


Whether you were able to join us live or missed the sessions, here is a recap of the valuable insights shared by our guest experts—along with links to recordings and resources so you can dive back in.

1. Navigating the "Birds & Bees" with Confidence

Speaker: Amy Lang, MA (Birds & Bees & Kids)

Talking to middle and high schoolers about changing bodies and relationships can feel incredibly daunting. Amy Lang joined us for a fabulous, actionable talk that took the pressure off parents and replaced it with a practical framework.

She introduced the “5 Ps” to consider when navigating these conversations:

  • Personally/Emotionally Ready: Assessing self-knowledge, emotional readiness, and helping kids understand how intimacy changes dynamics.

  • Pressure: Pinpointing and addressing outside influences from peer groups and media messages.

  • Practical: Navigating the realities of anatomy, birth control, fertility, and STIs.

  • Pleasure: Understanding that healthy intimacy focuses on mutual pleasure and masturbation.

  • Porn: Addressing the reality of pervasive digital exposure and how to talk about it openly.

Missed it? You can access the full Birds & Bees for Parents Event Recording and download the comprehensive Middle & High Schoolers Resource Handout.

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2. Taming the Inner Critic & Mind Drama

Speaker: Donna Jackson Nakazawa (*Award-winning science journalist & author*)

In March, we were honored to host Donna Jackson Nakazawa for a transformative discussion centered around her groundbreaking neuroscience research and upcoming book, “Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist”.

Donna helped us unpack the midnight "thought spirals"—replaying difficult interactions or second-guessing our parenting choices. She explained that these loops aren't just bad habits; they are biological responses and "signal fires from our past.

Key takeaways for bringing emotional resilience into our homes included:

  • Cracking your rumination code: Naming the specific images and physical sensations that trigger a downward spiral.

  • Using "Ballistic Interruptions": Utilizing emotionally powerful words to exit negative thoughts and actively rewire the brain.

  • Transforming brooding into creativity: Redirecting trapped mental energy into empowering, productive actions.

By learning to quiet our own inner critics, we model lasting emotional strength for our youth. Read more about the session, watch the recording, and see the resources shared by visiting this post-event page.

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3. Connect Instead of Lecture: Talking Alcohol & Vaping

Speaker: Ray Lozano (*Prevention Specialist & Founder of Prevention Plus*)

Rounding out our recent programming, prevention specialist (and former stand-up comedian) Ray Lozano brought humor, heart, and scientific accuracy to a topic parents often dread: adolescent substance use.

With discreet vaping devices and social media adding new layers of peer pressure, Ray emphasized that our greatest protective power as parents isn't fear or strict lectures—it's genuine connection. He provided a roadmap to help parents speak directly to a teen's "unique potential" rather than just focusing on restrictions:

* Bypassing defensive pushback: Using storytelling and humor to disarm the natural defenses of the adolescent brain.

* Deciphering the "Why": Explaining the actual science of how alcohol and nicotine impact developing brains in a way that resonates with youth.

* Empowering healthy choices: Moving beyond the "just say no" era to help kids see substance use as a barrier to their own amazing destinies.

If you couldn't tune in live to learn how to trade the lecture for real dialogue, check out the event details, the recording, and follow-up resources.

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