Anxious teens. Worried parents. Overwhelmed school staff. Practical, warm, expert workshops for all three.

Kara speaks to audiences with intention, purpose and a goal to leave all audience members with something they can use starting tomorrow morning.

Book Kara Now

Hi! I'm Kara Friedman, a Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of Making the Middle, an online masterclass for parents of middle schoolers. I've spent 25+ years in the room with anxious teens and the parents and schools who support them.

I've presented at the American School Counselor Association annual conference and the International OCD Foundation annual conference, and have spoken at parent communities throughout St. Louis including Washington University, Visitation Academy, Cor Jesu Academy, MICDS, Villa Duchesne, and Ladue Middle School. I contributed to The Drama Years (Simon & Schuster) and served as a consulting editor on The BFRB Workbook for Teens and Young Adults (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2025).

What audiences tell me they value: I translate clinical research into practical strategies people can actually use on Monday morning. My workshops are warm, direct, entertaining, and built around real questions with solutions, not just theoretical frameworks. I'm at my best with audiences who want both the"both the 'why' and the 'how.""

In addition to live workshops, Making the Middle is available to school communities through institutional licensing. Reach out to discuss licensing for your families.

Meet your speaker…

  • “I invited Kara to speak to my staff about mental health. Her conversation went beyond what you can read in a book as she shared some of the ‘real’ thoughts and feelings that kids have when they are struggling. This allowed my staff to have a much deeper understanding of how mental health disorders impact the students we work with. My staff gave Kara rave reviews and shared that her presentation was invaluable to their work.”

    — Mindy Grossmann Program Manager, CHADS Coalition St. Louis

  • "Parents walk away feeling more confident navigating the middle school years."

    — Angela Thompson, Ladue Middle School Principal

  • "Kara is the go-to expert for the tween and teen years! Trusted by parents, loved by girls, and transforming how families navigate middle school."

    — Haley Kilpatrick Dozier, Founder of Girl Talk

  • "Parents leave with practical strategies they can use right away."

    —Parent Association President

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Past Audiences

  • Washington University in St. Louis

  • American School Counselor Association Annual Conference

  • International OCD Foundation Annual Conference

  • Visitation Academy of St. Louis

  • Cor Jesu Academy

  • Villa Duchesne

  • The Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School

  • Ladue Middle School

  • MICDS (Mary Institute and Country Day School)

  • United Hebrew Congregation

  • The National Charity League

  • CHADS Coalition for Mental Health

  • NCJW (National Council of Jewish Women)

Schools, conferences, and organizations that have hosted Kara include:

“You were hands down the favorite speaker we have ever had!”

—  National Charity League Meeting Attendee

Signature Workshops

(30, 60 & 90 minute as well as deep dive workshops are available)

Parenting Anxious Teens: What Actually Works A clinical look at how parents inadvertently reinforce anxiety, and the practical, research-backed strategies that build confidence instead. Based on training in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions- Yale University).

Making the Middle: Surviving and Thriving Through the Middle School Years The strategies that worked when your child was eight stop working at twelve. This workshop gives parents real tools for the developmental window most parents feel least prepared for.

Raising Confident Kids in an Anxious World How perfectionism, comparison, and social pressure show up in tweens and teens, plus what parents can do at home that actually helps.

For Parents

Anxiety in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators For teachers, counselors, and administrators. How to support anxious students without inadvertently reinforcing avoidance. Active, skill-based strategies that work in real school settings.

Supporting Students with OCD and BFRBs For school personnel. Identification, accommodation versus reinforcement, and how to partner with families and outside clinicians.

School Refusal: When Students Won't Come to School The clinical picture, the family dynamics, and what schools can actually do to help.

For Schools

For Students (Middle & High School)

The Anxiety Toolkit: Real Tools for Real Life Direct work with students on identifying anxiety, understanding what their brain is doing, and using strategies they can actually carry into school, sports, and friendships.

Building Confidence Through the Awkward Years For middle school audiences. Honest conversations about social pressure, perfectionism, and growing into yourself. 


For Conferences & Professional Audiences

Treating BFRBs in Teens and Young Adults Clinical-level presentation drawing on The BFRB Workbook for Teens and Young Adults (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2025).

Adolescent Anxiety: What Every Practitioner Should Know For mental health professionals, school counselors, and pediatric providers.

Don't see your topic? I create custom workshops for the needs of your audience. Reach out to discuss..

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Available Formats

60-minute with Q&A

Best for parent nights, faculty meetings, and conference breakouts.

Best for parent groups wanting deeper engagement, in-service training, and community education events.

90-minute workshop

Best for school-wide professional development or extended parent education programs.

Half-day deep dive

Multi-session

A series of workshops customized to your school community across the year. Best for schools wanting an integrated approach to mental health education.

What’s the investment?

Every event is different, so I prefer to learn about your community before suggesting the right format and fee. Reach out and let's talk.

Let's Talk!