Myka Hanson. Photo: Chris Emeott
Life coach Myka Hanson finds her niche.
Being a teenager is tough. And the adolescent years, fraught with new hormones, social navigation and big feelings, can be a time of anxiety and stress for parents, too. Teen Forward, a coaching program founded by Myka Hanson, is helping teens and their families navigate those challenging years. Hanson, who grew up in Edina and has her office here, is a certified life coach. She felt called to start Teen Forward after she transitioned from her first career—as a high school English teacher—to studying psychology in graduate school. When COVID-19 hit, she noticed how much the teens she knew were struggling, especially with their mental health. “I went on Facebook and said, ‘I’ll sit with your kids for virtual sessions, tutor them or just talk with them,’” Hanson says. Her schedule filled up within days. “I realized that a lot of teenagers don’t necessarily need therapeutic mental health services,” she says. “But they do need guidance, companionship and coaching. I offer support from somebody who understands the school system, who understands mental health.”
Hanson’s services are sometimes complementary to a teen’s traditional therapy sessions and sometimes instead of. She does an initial discovery call with each family and helps them build a package of sessions that work best. Some of her clients meet with her weekly or biweekly in person, where they sit and talk or go for a walk. Others meet with Hanson virtually.
One of Hanson’s clients is 17-year-old Sophia Amundson. The high school junior was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder at the age of 9 and had tried traditional therapy with no results. When Sophia’s mom, Christine Amundson, stumbled upon one of Hanson’s workshops via Facebook, she reached out right away. “It was probably the best thing we’ve ever done,” Christine says.
“We did some activities and figured out a toolbox of stuff that would help me,” Sophia says of her sessions with Hanson. “We came up with breathing techniques, some ‘I am’ statements, listening to music, going on a walk.” Sophia says her confidence has gotten a big boost thanks to her work with Hanson. She says the fact that the coaching paradigm is different from traditional therapy has been a good fit for her. “Myka’s more like an awesome aunt or a big sister, instead of me sitting in a therapy waiting room and getting nervous,” Sophia says. “It’s a very open and inviting environment.”
Christine notes that Teen Forward has been beneficial for their entire family, which also includes Sophia’s dad and younger sister. “The three of us weren’t always understanding all these things Sophia was worried about,” Christine says. “Myka suggested that we all sit down together, and for two hours, she explained to us what Sophia is feeling—what it feels like to have anxiety. She helped us understand.” Having an additional resource in parenting has also allowed Christine and her husband to “just be parents, instead of trying to solve every problem when we didn’t know how,” she says.
In addition to individual coaching sessions, Hanson also offers camps, workshops and parent classes through Teen Forward. She’s not only on a mission to guide her clients through these years, but to help change the way our society views adolescence. “I want to change the idea that adolescence is a period that just needs to be suffered through by parents and teens,” Hanson says. “It’s actually a really fun, exciting time for everybody, a time of exploration and pushing boundaries in a healthy way.”
To learn more, and check out summer workshops and camps, visit teenforward.com.
Teen Forward
5200 Willson Road Suite 312
Facebook: Teen Forward
Instagram: @teenforward
