Who Am I? Helping Ourselves (and Our Teens) Rediscover Identity in a Noisy World with Guest Ellie Saxer
This week on The Encourager, I’m joined again by my dear friend and resident brain-science-meets-Bible expert, Ellie Saxer, and we’re talking about something we see everywhere — an identity crisis hitting every generation, from moms to teens to college students.
Ellie shares powerful research on why our teens (and honestly, we adults) feel more lonely, anxious, and disconnected than ever — and how much of that traces back to not knowing who we are outside of our roles, and to the massive influence of social media and comparison culture.
We talk about:
- Why “Tell me about yourself” is so hard for most people to answer
- The shocking stats around teen loneliness, perfection pressure, and screen time
- How our brains process emotional pain the same way as physical pain
- Why we’re wired by God for connection, service, and joy
- How to help your kids recognize curated/fake content online
- Practical steps to rediscover who you were uniquely created to be
- How to help your teens build identity, resilience, and confidence
- The power of calling out the God-given qualities you see in your children
- Why serving others actually rewires your brain toward joy
This is a deep, encouraging, eye-opening episode that will help you support your teens, reconnect with who you are, and understand why identity matters so deeply in our walk with Christ.
And here’s your first step:
- Write down the question Ellie’s counselor asked her
- Who are you… outside of your roles?
- Sit with it. Pray over it. Begin noticing what lights you up. This is a journey, not a quick assignment.
At the end, Ellie and I share practical next steps for you and your family, including a simple way to capture identity “clues” on your fridge.
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