The School of Hard Talks

“Dr. Kline offers practical, research-based tools that build the trust and respect that teenagers crave and allow growing families to thrive. My only regret in reading this book is that I didn’t have it when my own kids were teenagers!”
—Robert Waldinger, MD, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness


“Think you can ‘create’ the perfect child? Dream on! Then stop dreaming and start reading this book. We can’t control our kids’ life trajectories, but we can create relationships with them that are genuine, warm, and encouraging. Here’s your road map!”
—Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement

“Informal, engaging, and inspiring…It belongs in every public library.”
–Booklist, Starred Review

“Psychologist Kline’s guide to navigating challenging conversational topics centers around asking questions and encouraging teens to find their own solutions…”
–Library Journal


“Dr. Kline has written a readable and wonderful book that integrates research and everyday family situations. I happily recommend this book for every parent who wants to learn what we know about communication to improve family relationships.”
—Ken Duckworth, MD, NAMI Chief Medical Officer and author of You Are Not Alone


“Actionable, evidence-based, and compassionate, The School of Hard Talks gives parents a road map to have more effective discussions with their teenage and young adult children.”
—Jeanette Park, cohost and cocreator of the Model Minority Moms podcast


“Dr. Kline’s scholarly authority and science-based perspective are made approachable by the warmth and humor of her writing. The School of Hard Talks is a must-read, particularly for parents of adolescents and children on the verge of those challenging teen years.”
—Adam Stern, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training


“The School of Hard Talks outlines a real-world way to talk to your kids about their real-world problems. Kline has created a pragmatic method that cuts through the buzz of adolescence and fosters true two-way conversations.”
—Daniel Hinds, creator of Stories Podcast


“Borrowing from therapists’ best techniques for influencing individuals in their care, Dr. Emily Kline offers an indispensable and evidence-based set of tools for exiting cycles of closed-off or antagonistic communication with our almost-adults.”
—Yael Schonbrun, PhD, clinical psychologist, host of the Psychologists Off the Clock podcast, and author of Work, Parent, Thrive

Emily Kline, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and writer in Boston. She has held faculty positions in psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Haverford College, her graduate training at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her clinical and postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School. She lives with her husband and children who graciously beta-test her experiments in family communication, and a dog who can’t be reasoned with at all.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.