Real Transformations: Defiance, Yelling, Explosive Anger, and More
Ceara Deno, MD • August 18, 2025
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6 Families’s Stories of Real Transformation
A defiant 6 year-old.
An explosive 11 year-old.
A mom who ‘always’ yelled.
Overwhelmed parents of preschoolers who frequently fought.
An argumentative, defensive teenager.
A withdrawn tween with low self-esteem.
What do these 6 families have in common?
These are 6 actual families who transformed their lives and their parenting from working together.
They went from chaos, tears, and explosions, to peace and harmony and joy.
Here are their transformational stories:
1.) A Defiant 6 year Old
Mary was struggling with her 6 year old son’s aggression and defiance. It felt like they
were stuck in constant power struggles, and she worried that he would start to internalize
that he was a “bad kid.”
After working together, Mary was able to understand and connect with her son better, even
when he experienced big emotions. She learned to calm herself, so that she was able to
help her son calm down. She learned to set peaceful boundaries, that did not create
power struggles, and created a feeling of her and her son being on the same team.
“My son is doing so much better even my parents noticed the difference. I am more aware
of his feelings and have more empathy for him. We avoid a lot of power struggles now. I
am able to choose which battles are important, which ones are truly worth fighting, and
which ones are not. I feel more confident. I have more patience and skills, and I’m better
able to manage challenging behavior.”
2.) An Explosive 11 Year Old:
Harrison was a sensitive 11 year old with explosive anger, and near constant power struggles with his parents, especially around screen time and school work.
After working together, Harrison’s mom said she saw a “night and day difference in his relationship with the world.” He was able to tolerate frustration better, talk about his feelings instead of exploding, try harder in school and activities without giving up in frustration. At home, they had a warmer, closer, more connected relationship. They were able to enjoy family time more, with fewer meltdowns or power struggles.
3.) A Mom Who “Always Yelled”
Sarah felt like her kids weren’t listening to her, which would then result in her yelling. She
worried the kids would remember their childhood as “mom always yelled.”
After working together, Sarah learned to calm herself, so she didn’t need to yell. She
connected better with her kids, so the relationship felt closer and more loving. The kids
became better listeners and more cooperative. Because of these changes, Sarah felt more
confident as a parent, which made her feel more confident and optimistic in the rest of her
life too.
“It’s truly a miracle how different our home feels…more warmth, love, calm, peace
and connection. I have never felt more connected with my kids. This was instrumental in
moving forward and living my best life as a mom.”
4.) Overwhelmed Parents of Preschoolers Who Frequently Fought
Tina and Dave were busy parents struggling with feeling overwhelmed, not knowing how to
stop their children from fighting, and blaming each other. Everything felt like a
struggle.
After working together, the parents learned to to de-escalate conflict without needing to yell.
The home felt more peaceful, and the children got along better. The parents felt like they
were finally “on the same page,” and didn’t blame each other anymore.
“Our whole family
feels calmer and less chaotic. I’m less triggered and more able to pause. My spouse and I
have a shared language and tools around parenting. I have more trust in my relationship
with my child. I’m able to let sh*t go! Our family dinners have become this fun place
where the kids share about their day, not a battleground like it was before.”
5.) An Argumentative, Defensive Teenager
Lindsey and Brett were struggling with their teenage son’s defensiveness. They felt like
they were always fighting and arguing with him, especially around school work and chores.
After working together, Lisa and Brett learned to connect with their son so they felt closer.
The house became more peaceful. Their son was able to listen better, without becoming defensive.
He became more cooperative and took more initiative.
“Everything feels lighter. I’m more
able to let stuff go. My son has really stepped up and taken ownership for getting his
homework done. I came to the realization that pushing more doesn’t work. My spouse
and I have a shared language and tools now. We have a whole tool box to use. Things are
less confrontational. I’m taking more time for myself now, too.”
6.) A Withdrawn Tween with Low Self-Esteem
Christine and Bill were noticing that their sensitive 12 year old son was starting to shut
down and withdraw more and more, especially when his father would yell, which was
often. They worried about their son’s dropping self-esteem, and longed for a more
peaceful home environment.
After working together, both parents learned to calm themselves and dissolve the triggers
which caused them to become angry. Bill was able to connect better in a way that his son
responded to better.
Bill shared, “After doing this work, I am more thoughtful and deliberate as a parent. I’m
able to slow down and listen better. I’m able to pause. I can see that behavior is an unmet
need. I’m less quick to react with anger. I’m more able to focus on the good in my son,
and to enjoy him more.”
If these stories resonate, we should chat.
The next step is a free call where I learn more about your family and share exactly what I think might be helpful.
This could be working together 1-on-1.
This could be my new group program for parents of spirited kids ages 5-12.
Regardless of the specifics, you can have a more peaceful home. Let’s chat and make it a reality.
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