Your Teen Isn't Broken. The Behaviour Isn't the Whole Story.

David Björkström - ADHD & Addiction Coach

If your teenager is struggling with ADHD, addiction, emotional shutdown, risky behaviour, or constant conflict, it's natural to focus on what you can see.

I work with parents to look beneath the behaviour, regulate their own system, and create the conditions where connection, trust and healthy development can grow.

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For parents of intense and strong-willed teens

for parents

Do You Recognize Your Child in This?

Maybe some of this feels familiar:

Get overwhelmed easily, then escape into screens, substances, or complete shutdown
Swing between intense focus… and total lack of motivation
Push you away when you try to help, even when they clearly need support
React with anger, defensiveness, or numbness instead of opening up
Say "I don't care"… but you can feel that's not the truth
Keep repeating the same destructive patterns, no matter the consequences
Struggle with ADHD, addiction—or both—and nothing you've tried seems to reach them

At some point, it stopped feeling like normal teenage behaviour and started feeling like you're losing them.

And when nothing seems to work, it's easy to believe the answer must be more control.

But before we ask how to change the behaviour, it helps to ask what's happening underneath it, and what's happening in the relationship.

the challenge

Why Trying Harder Can Sometimes Make Things Worse

Most parents are naturally focused on the outcome.

Stop the behaviour. Get them back on track. Make them listen. Keep them away from the people who are influencing them.

So when nothing changes, the pressure often increases. More rules. More consequences. More talking. More trying to get through.

But when the relationship has already become strained, more force can create more resistance.

Attachment matters here. A teenager who is disconnected from their parent is much less likely to naturally look to that parent for guidance, advice and direction.

So the answer isn't simply finding better instructions. It's creating the conditions where attachment, regulation and connection can begin to grow again.

That's why the work starts somewhere deeper than behaviour.

We stop making the immediate outcome the goal and start changing the conditions around the relationship.

the approach

What We Actually Work On

Real change starts with changing the conditions around the relationship.

That means starting with you—not because you're responsible for your teenager's behaviour, but because you are the part of the relationship you can actually change.

The work is about becoming more regulated, more attuned and more present, so you can meet your teenager from a different place.

Instead of trying to control the outcome, we work on creating the conditions where connection, trust and healthy development can emerge.

We focus on three key areas:

Regulate Your System

Learn to recognise what state you're acting from and develop the ability to stay grounded when things become difficult.

Develop Attunement

Learn to notice what is happening within you, understand your intentions and expectations, and become more sensitive to what is actually happening in the relationship.

Create Space for Connection

Learn to stay present without constantly trying to make something happen, creating a relationship where your teenager can feel safer, reconnect and become more open to your guidance.

The goal isn't to make your teenager become who you want them to be.

It's to create the conditions where they can safely become themselves.

the process

How We Work Together

Step 1

Start With a Parent Clarity Call

We look at what's actually happening in your family, what you've already tried, where the relationship is getting stuck, and whether this work is appropriate for your situation.

There's no pressure to continue. The goal is simply to understand the situation and see what support makes sense.

Step 2

Enter the 3-Month Family Intensive

If we’re a good fit, we’ll work together through a focused three-month container designed to help you understand what’s happening beneath the behaviour and change the conditions around the relationship

The work builds progressively, starting with the foundations and moving toward deeper regulation, attunement, presence and connection.

Step 3

Do the Work Between Sessions

The real work happens in everyday life, not just during our conversations. You’ll have WhatsApp support throughout the three months for questions, guidance, resources and support as things come up.

I also work directly with your teenager through dedicated support calls, giving them a consistent space with someone who understands where they’re coming from. These conversations are there to support your teenager and strengthen the wider process, not to tell them what to do or try to control their behaviour.

The structure is clear, but the work is personal.

The journey stays grounded in the same foundations, while the way we apply them is shaped by you, your teenager and your family.

about david

Why I Do This Work

I've been the teenager on the other side of this.

I grew up with severe ADHD. I couldn't sit still, couldn't stay quiet, and was constantly getting into trouble. From the outside, I looked rough and difficult. Inside, I was extremely sensitive.

I experienced a lot of anger, rejection and bullying, and eventually I turned to alcohol and drugs to escape what was happening inside.

That eventually became a ten-year heroin addiction. I got out of it when I was 24.

Since then, I've spent years working with young people and families and studying what happens underneath behaviour, trying to understand the deeper mechanics behind these patterns.

I became the kind of person I needed when I was younger — someone who doesn't just try to fix behaviour, but takes the time to understand what's happening underneath it.

That's why my work with parents starts with the relationship. Not with trying to force a particular outcome, but with learning how to create the conditions where connection, trust and growth can develop.

And when appropriate, I can also become a supportive person for the teenager themselves—a person they don't experience as another adult trying to control them.

Learn More About Me

Real People. Real Change.

A few words from people I've worked with over the years.

"I don’t know much about this work or what it entails, but the minute I met David I felt extremely comfortable giving him the full reigns to work with my son Jack. His passion and expertise were immediately palpable, and my son found so much relief in just speaking with him even in our first group meeting. A few months in, I saw huge progress in Jack and his adhd - he started speaking more calmly, and he was so much more patient and loving with everything. After a while I basically just let them work and didn’t intervene anymore, and over the next year, I saw Jack literally transform into a brand new human being. No other way to say it. It was beautiful, even a bit overwhelming. All to say, I’m truly so grateful to David, and I would highly recommend his services to any parents in a similar position!"

Jennifer

Teacher & Mother

"David, working with you has truly been life-changing. Your support guided me through the darkest moments of depression, anxiety, and addiction. The biggest gift you gave me is a renewed belief in myself and the courage to sit with my feelings, trusting that they will pass in time. Thanks to your encouragement and wisdom, I now face each day with more hope and acceptance, knowing that even the toughest emotions can be transformed."

Ted

CEO & Founder

"So I hired David to work with me for 6 months to help me deal with some deep rooted addictions I’ve been dealing with since very young. It was hard to reach out as I didn’t want to admit my problem, but after just the second week I had so much more clarity and self awareness that I decided to hire him for an entire year. Super crazy for someone like me, but not only have I completely resolved my internal conflicts around my addictions, but I have an entirely new view of my life and the world, specifically in my relationship to spirituality and my health. All to say, if you’re struggling with addiction or even just knowing who you truly are, I truly can’t recommend David enough."

Andreas

Marketing Executive

let's talk

Let's Look at What's Really Happening

If you've been trying to change your teenager's behaviour and nothing seems to stick, it may be time to look at the situation differently. We'll talk through what's happening in your family, what's underneath the current dynamic, and what your next step could look like.

No pressure. No commitment. Just a real conversation to understand what's going on and see whether this work is right for your family.

Book a Free Parent Clarity Call

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