Podcast

10 for Teens + Tweens

Education, Education for Kids, Kids & Family, Self-Improvement

This is 10 for Teens + Tweens, a 10-ish minute podcast by Empowerful Girls that helps you grow curiosity, compassion, and confidence so you can take on the world!

Host Stephanie Valdez discusses positive themes and tackles tough topics, teaching girls how to handle them. She shares guidance on personal development, physical and mental health, relationships, and media literacy. She hopes every girl listening will accept and embrace herself (strengths and weaknesses), make stronger connections with friends and family, and be mindful with media. More than anything, Stephanie wants girls to know for themselves that they are enough.

Stephanie Valdez is the founder and director of Empowerful Girls. She has a degree in Communications and a background in Journalism. Stephanie is certified as a Girl Power Instructor, as well as in Social and Emotional Learning and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She has years of experience mentoring teens and tweens, and is also raising her own.

Education for Kids chart
#36
Episodes
158
Releases
Every two weeks
Typical length
11 min
On air since
2020
Latest episode
2 weeks ago

Episodes

158 episodes, newest first

  1. 157. Gossip

    Episode 157

    Show notes

    Let’s talk about gossip! There are a few angles we’ll cover–gossip in general, what you can do when gossip starts up, and what you can do when the gossip is about you.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 157 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    12 min
  2. 156. Social Media Driver's License with Jennifer Berger

    Episode 156

    Show notes

    I can't wait for you to hear my conversation with Jennifer Berger from Ready Set Screen!

    Jennifer developed a program called Social Media Driver’s License to help tweens/teens/parents “prepare for the digital road ahead.” We discussed how she grew a passion for media literacy education, how she developed Social Media Driver’s License, and how you have control over your own online life.

    Connect with Jennifer on social media @readysetscreen and learn more about Social Media Driver's License at https://readysetscreen.org/.

    . . .

    A full transcript of our conversation is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 156 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    14 min
  3. 155. Over-apologizing + Hedging

    Episode 155

    Show notes

    If you find yourself saying sorry constantly, or downplaying what you have to say, this episode is for you. Sorry not sorry, we’re talking about over-apologizing and hedging.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 154 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    9 min
  4. 154. Girls + Sports

    Episode 154

    Show notes

    Multiple ads involving women and sports have sparked some online debates. I won’t go too far into the details of these ads; instead, I want to focus on the broader picture, those media messages and why they matter.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 154 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min
  5. 153. My Best Advice for 2026-27 School Year

    Episode 153

    Show notes

    Even if it’s the middle of the school year when you listen to this, I want to share my best advice that can help you all year long.

    • Overthink what might go right
    • Keep moving
    • Become better friends with yourself

    . . .
    To help you, I created a "Best Advice 2026-27 School Year" worksheet. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 153 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min
  6. 152. Jealousy

    Episode 152

    Show notes

    Jealousy is often the source of conflict in books and in shows, but how do you deal with it in real life?

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 152 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  7. 151. Friendship reason, season + lifetime

    Episode 151

    Show notes

    I once learned that friendships and relationships are in your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I'm gonna share some of my experiences to help you understand your own.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 151 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  8. 150. Play

    Episode 150

    Show notes

    What comes to mind when you hear the word "play"? What does play mean to you or look like for you? Also, when was the last time you allowed yourself to play? Let's talk about why and how you should bring more play into your life.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 150 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  9. 149. Sleep

    Episode 149

    Show notes

    Question for you–how’ve you been sleeping lately? Do you tend to stay up late doing homework, hanging out with friends, or scrolling through your phone–even on school nights? Or do you have to get up early for school, practice, or work?

    Maybe you get to bed at a decent time, but it takes a while for you to fall asleep, or you wake up during the night and have a hard time getting back to sleep. So you feel exhausted during the day, yawning all the time, even dozing off while you fight to stay awake.

    Let’s talk about teen sleep struggles, why sleep is important, and what experts recommend.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 149 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  10. 148. Jitters + Nerves

    Episode 148

    Show notes

    When you feel nervous before taking a test, or competing in a sport, or singing on stage or starting something new, it's called performance anxiety. The good news is, there are methods to handle performance anxiety. Let’s explore a few.

    . . .
    To help you, I created a "Jitters + Nerves" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 148 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  11. 147. Study Strategies

    Episode 147

    Show notes

    What's your study strategy? How about instead of studying harder, you try studying smarter. I’m going to share multiple studying strategies, and you can decide which combination works best for you.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 147 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min
  12. 146. Girls Changing the World pt. 2

    Episode 146

    Show notes

    As we wrap up March and Women’s History Month, remember that women and girls are still making history today and changing the world. I want to highlight a few modern sheroes in hopes that they will inspire you to pursue your passions:

    • Shanya Gill, invented a fire detection system to warn of house fires
    • Catherine Drysdale, the first woman to win the Antarctic Ice Marathon
    • Tejasvi Manoj, created a website and app to protect seniors from online scams
    • Bohlale Mphahlele, invented the “Alerting Earpiece” to protect women and girls from attackers
    • Cécile Hernandez, the oldest medallist ever in Para snowboard
    • Jordan Sucato, raised money to protect homeless dogs' paws from the heat
    • Mckenna “Mak” Whitham, the youngest player in National Women’s Soccer League history
    • Madhvi Chittoor, helped pass legislation to protect people from PFAs

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 146 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  13. 145. International Women's Day

    Episode 145

    Show notes

    Yesterday, March 8, was the 115th International Women’s Day! We've still got plenty of work to do for women to have the equality, rights, and support they deserve. Here are a few things I hope to see by the time you gals are my age.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 145 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  14. 144. When it's hard to Love Yourself

    Episode 144

    Show notes

    Sometimes it’s hard to love yourself, so let’s help make it easier.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 144 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min
  15. 143. What Is Happening

    Episode 143

    Show notes

    I’m not gonna sugar coat it–there are a LOT of troubling things going on in the world right now. Like, more than usual.

    When you feel worried or weighed down by what you see happening, you often turn to adults for support. So I want to offer you validation, comfort, and guidance.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 143 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  16. 142. New Year, New View

    Episode 142

    Show notes

    Did you know that most New Year's Resolutions fail? Clearly how we're making them isn't working, maybe we should do things differently? Here's my new view on Resolutions to help you keep them.

    . . .
    PS--I created a "2025 Year Reflection" worksheet. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 142show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    12 min
  17. 141. It's Giving Service

    Episode 141

    Show notes

    Sometimes when we’re asked to volunteer, we’re not exactly enthusiastic about it. But volunteering doesn’t only benefit the organization or group the service project is helping–it also benefits those who volunteer to help. Let's discuss how giving service to others gives back to you too!

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 141 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    9 min
  18. 140. Visualization + Goals

    Episode 140

    Show notes

    10 for Teens + Tweens just celebrated it’s 5th birthday! Honestly this podcast exists because of you girls, so with all my heart, thank you for listening.

    Have you ever heard about using visualization? It's a mental practice that can help you achieve your goals. Let's explore how to utilize it and how it can help you.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 140 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    10 min
  19. 139. Spilling the Tea on Secrets

    Episode 139

    Show notes

    Let's talk about the difference between secrets and things shared in confidence. Plus--there are some things you shouldn't keep a secret. And what do you do if your friend shares something you told them in confidence--or if you do it to them?

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 139 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min
  20. 138. My Birthday Breakup

    Episode 138

    Show notes

    It’s been 20 years since I got the worst birthday gift I’ve ever received. I’m sure you wanna know what it was. I’m not just gonna spill tea in this episode, there’s a lesson to take from it, too.

    . . .
    A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 138 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

    11 min