“Villanueva, a developmental psychologist, uses an informal, conversational style in this helpful parenting book, sharing anecdotes from her own experiences as a mother of four who is currently raising two teens, as well as up-to-date information on brain development. Villanueva reminds readers that risky behaviors by teens reflect the fact that their brains are not yet fully developed. She also warns against ‘drawing a line in the sand” as teens are likely to respond to ‘forbidden fruits’ with rebellion. With its encouraging tone, Villanueva’s friendly primer will help parents learn to appreciate, enjoy, and accept their teens as they are, while patiently negotiating the challenges and changes inherent in adolescence.” – Publishers Weekly

“With humor and great warmth, Sara Villanueva tackles issues that can seem unsettling or bewildering to most parents. Her voice is reassuring, and by the end of the book you know you're not only up for the challenge of parenting a teen, but that you're not in it alone.” – Ami Albernaz, Boston Globe contributor

“While reading The Angst of Adolescence, I loved Sara’s conversational voice, assurance, examples, information, and humor. I can't imagine any parent of a teen who wouldn't enjoy and profit from this mix of professional with personal insight.” – Carl Pickhardt, PhD, author of the blog and book, Surviving Your Child's Adolescence

“Sara Villanueva does a masterful job of balancing the sound advice of an experienced parent with the scientific literature of adolescent development and parenting. She strikes a tone that is both authoritative and completely conversational. I feel better equipped to tackle my son’s upcoming transition into adolescence and wish this kind of parenting instruction manual were available sooner.” – Russell Frohardt, professor of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, St. Edward’s University

Being a good parent is one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, jobs a person can have in his or her lifetime. Being the parent of a teen is an especially daunting phase of the journey. As parents begin to notice the significant changes that come with adolescence (physical changes brought about by puberty, the constant angst and moodiness, and of course the classic eye-rolling and the I-know-it-all attitude), they wonder just what happened to their happy, sweet, and affectionate young boy or girl. Parents sit by amazed--and often lost and unprepared--as they witness their child morph and mutate into a full-blown pubescent display of emotions. The Angst of Adolescence: How to Parent Your Teen and Live to Laugh About It, written in a conversational, informative, humorous and relatable style, promises to deliver trustworthy resource for parents of teens who are searching for answers and guidance about how to maneuver their way through this tricky developmental period. Dr. Sara Villanueva, a prominent psychologist specializing in the adolescent years, shares relevant research findings so that parents can be informed of the facts as opposed to making assumptions based on ubiquitous but questionable sources. Most of all it will provide parents of teenagers with perspective in the midst of angst so they can come away with the sense that: * They are not alone in their experience of raising teens; many, many people have gone through it and we can all relate to and learn from one another. * Most of what your teen is feeling and expressing is normal and falls within the expected range of behavior for adolescent development. * Despite the challenges involved in parenting teens, we should take time to focus on the positive things in life and live with our child through the tough adolescent years so that we emerge on the other side with friendship and a deeper bond. As a psychologist and mother of four, the author shares both research-based and first-hand advice on how to navigate the teen years and live to laugh about it.

Sara Villanueva:

Sara Villanueva, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. As a developmental psychologist and mother of four children (three of whom have either gone through, or are smack dab in the midst of adolescence), she shares first-hand, real-life experiences about the perilous joys of raising teens. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, and her MS and PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Her area of specialization is in Adolescent Development, with a specific focus on Parent-Adolescent Relationships and Parenting from various cultural perspectives. In addition, she has also published many articles and given a significant number of presentations to both academic and professional organizations around the globe.