Youth Under Pressure

with Michelle Hull and Roxanna Flores

Episode 1, Season 6 | August 26, 2025

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Show Notes

Today's teens face unprecedented pressure to excel academically, socially, and in extracurricular activities, contributing to rising rates of stress and mental health challenges among young people. This pressure stems from competitive college admissions, social media comparison culture, peers and unrealistic expectations to name a few. While healthy motivation encourages growth and learning from mistakes, harmful pressure creates chronic stress focused solely on outcomes and perfection. Parents can support their teens by emphasizing effort over results, creating safe spaces for open conversation, and modeling balanced approaches to challenges. Understanding the difference between supportive encouragement and damaging pressure is crucial for helping young people develop resilience rather than burnout.

Join us in this conversation with CHC’s Clinical Psychology Doctoral Interns, Michelle Hull and Roxanna Flores as we explore practical strategies for fostering healthy motivation while protecting teen mental health.

Guest Info

Michelle Hull, MS, MA

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Intern at CHC

Michelle Hull (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium with a focus on child, adolescent, and family well-being. She is currently completing her internship at Stanford Children’s Health/Children’s Health Council. Michelle’s clinical approach is grounded in building trust and working alongside clients to create meaningful change. With a strong focus on cultural responsivity, Michelle brings curiosity, respect, and thoughtfulness to her work with individuals from diverse and intersecting identities. Her clinical interests include trauma, attachment injuries, self-harm and suicidality, and youth and families affected by medical illness.

Roxanna Flores

Pre-Doctoral Clinical Psychology Intern at CHC

Roxanna J. Flores Velasco, MA is a bilingual (native Spanish-speaking), bicultural clinician completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, with a concentration in child and adolescent mental health. She is currently a Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Doctoral Intern at Stanford Children’s Health/Children’s Health Council. Roxanna is deeply committed to providing culturally responsive, evidence-based care to youth and families. She has extensive experience conducting comprehensive psychological assessments and delivering trauma-informed psychotherapy for a variety of clinical presentations across settings. Her clinical and research interests center on childhood trauma, resilience, and the impact of early adversity on emotional development. She specializes in working with children and caregivers navigating complex trauma, particularly within historically underserved and marginalized communities. In all her work, Roxanna seeks to honor the cultural values and lived experiences of the families she serves, while addressing the broader systemic and structural inequities that shape mental health.