A Proven Method to Activate Your Son’s Mature Masculine Wisdom so That
He Becomes Capable of Handling The Challenges of The Young Adult World
Learn Why This Family Therapist Endorses Dr. Mark’s Method




















"As a therapist, I'm very impressed with Dr. Mark’s Right Way for Family Unity method, and I've adopted it into my work with families and young men. This method has profoundly influenced my work."
Richard Platt, Family Therapist

As Seen On CNN

Watch our work  featured on the award winning show, “This is Life With Lisa Ling”.

Dr. Mark with Lisa Ling

The Beauty and Brutality of Technology in Family Life 

Overcome the Outside Forces that May Be Limiting Your Parenting Effectiveness

The digital age has created an amazing acceleration of advances in almost all human endeavors that benefit our society. 

It has also made it harder than ever for parents and communities to focus the attention of our children in ways that foster their healthy development, as they move into young adulthood. The impact of digital dominance and its powerful, and often negative, influence through the media, is that our natural instinctual wisdom as parents is being overturned, or worse, ignored by our children. 

How Did We Get From...

(caring & cooperation)

THERE TO HERE

(ignoring & isolation)

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that doesn’t care enough to educate parents about how to best guide your teen son as he navigates his way through the digital diversions of the electronic highway, consuming social media, endless entertainment and over-the-top commercialism. 

In addition to all of the digital distractions, our sons have to deal with stress from handling school responsibilities, exploring new relationships, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, dealing with family conflicts and figuring out how to “be his own man.”

Media mania has led to our dependence on the need for constant participation and instant gratification. As a result of all these distractions, parents and their sons are under more stress than ever, causing them to lose valuable bonding time during this critical phase when teens need to learn how to transition into adulthood in a healthy way.

“I've been working with Mark as a family coach for the last 6 months around some issues with my teenage son. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist myself and have worked for many years with families and teens, so working with Mark has been especially helpful for me because he allowed me to be the client and receive the support and insight that I so needed. 

I went from having some real blind spots in my relationship with my son, to a much deeper understanding of what was happening for him in his teenage brain! Compassionate, witty, attuned, full of deep insights and years of experience. I feel really honored that I have had the opportunity to work directly with him. I'd highly recommend his coaching as both a parent and family therapist. Mark is the real deal.”

Katherine Warner, LMFT

It’s Painful to Lose Connection with Our Children

Stress is Tearing Families Apart

Dr. Mark Schillinger

We live in a culture that requires adults and children to work so much, and that also distracts them with so much over the top media entertainment, that there’s very little time for the type of deep attachment bonding that needs to happen between all family members. 

As a parent, I know that you have to deal with financial challenges, demanding relationships, intense workloads, time management difficulties, and constantly changing energy levels. There never seems to be enough time in a day to properly care for your own needs, plus the necessary striving to be successful in providing for the needs of your family. 

I know the feelings of sadness and frustration that a parent feels when they’re losing touch with their children. I went through the same thing with my teenage son, Gabe, and my daughter, Becca, back in the 1990s. My wife, Suzanne, and I divorced in the 1980’s when the children were really young, so I also know the intense feelings that arise from being divorced, which for me included shame, guilt, self-doubt and fear. 

I made every possible mistake parenting my own teen age children. My old school style of parenting wasn’t working. By the time Gabe was a teenager, he was getting involved in alcohol and drugs, which I didn’t even know at first because I was too busy working. He could have been an accomplished high school student but he chose to hang out with friends, play video games, watch TV or listen to music.

I loved Gabe more than anything in this world but I also was contributing to the suffering he was experiencing in his transition from the comfort zone of boyhood to the unstable territory of young adulthood. Being rejected by him was really painful. 

Glory Knaus
Kimberly Burke
Nicholas All

Marcella Hauser

“The parenting workshop taught us parenting skills that need to be used in today’s current world in which our sons are growing up in. It takes a community to raise a teen and Mark will guide you how to make it happen for you.”

Bret Smith

“I left Dr. Mark’s workshop with a plan of action. I’m far more confident in my abilities as a parent to raise a young man.”

Parents & Sons Are Disconnecting Worldwide

Parents & Sons Are Disconnecting Worldwide

I Learned That Other Parents Needed Help

Mark Mentoring Young Men at YMUW
Mark Mentoring Young Men at YMUW

I knew that I couldn’t grow older knowing that I didn’t give my best effort to re-uniting my family by restoring our loving connection. I also knew that there were so many other parents with good sons who were having similar problems maintaining a caring and cooperative relationship with their son. 

In the year 2000, along with the help of many devoted volunteers in my community, I founded a wilderness rite of passage initiation for teen boys called, “The Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend” (YMUW). I realized that a formal ceremony into adulthood would give me and other parents an opportunity to improve our relationship with our son if the young men went through a challenging ordeal that would activate his maturation process.

Young Men with Volunteers at the YMUW
I knew I wasn’t the only parent struggling to raise my son because 205 young men showed up at our first event - without any advertising!  

I wanted all of our volunteers to use the same technology to motivate and communicate to the young men, so I created a step by step method that helped us become united by teaching the same constructive values and behaviors to all of the mentors. 

Young Men with Volunteers at the YMUW

By leading the YMUW for many years, I spent hundreds of hours “in the trenches” with thousands of young men - just like your son. From those revealing experiences, and from years of mentoring young men and coaching parents, I was able to determine what makes young men withdrawn or aggressive, as well as what makes them engaged and become responsible, resilient and resourceful. 

My mentors and I “cracked the code” and figured out how to mentor a young man to become profoundly happy within himself, and become a meaningful contributor to his family and community. 

By leading the YMUW for many years, I spent hundreds of hours “in the trenches” with thousands of young men - just like your son. From those revealing experiences, and from years of mentoring young men and coaching parents, I was able to determine what makes young men withdrawn or aggressive, as well as what makes them engaged and become responsible, resilient and resourceful. 

My mentors and I “cracked the code” and figured out how to mentor a young man to become profoundly happy within himself, and become a meaningful contributor to his family and community. 

Parents Were Amazed That Their Boy Became a Young Man 


Throughout those early years of YMUW, parents would call me and ask me after their sons graduated from the YMUW, what exactly did I do to help their sons move their life in the right direction - in just one weekend!? 

That’s when I realized that I needed to teach parents the same effective technology my trained mentors and I used with their son. This way, the parents could better support him to stay on the new, “mature’ path he had just learned to walk on.

I then decided to create another organization, called Challenging Teenage Sons, in order to coach parents how to challenge, or arouse, their son to achieve his true potential - without anxiety, anger or arguments. 

Parents Re-uniting With Their Sons at the Closing Ceremony at YMUW

Barbara Murphy
Clinical Psychologist

“As a therapist working with families over 20 years, I received many gems from Mark's workshop. And as a parent, I felt held and guided about what's most important in relationship with my sons. Thanks Mark!”

Craig Barton
Retired Educator

“My life coaching sessions with Dr. Mark were very helpful and enlightening for me. Using his RIGHT Way method, he showed me how to improve my personal relationship with my wife and family, as well as other friends and associates. He has really helped me get the best out of my life."

A New Way to Raise Our Sons

 I Created a Modern Rite Passage for Parents!

I learned that it was unrealistic for parents to expect their sons to maintain the new positive beliefs and behaviors they learned at YMUW, if they didn’t know how to effectively support the natural individuation process of their sons in this era of digital distractions.  

In the year 2010, it became clear to me that parents also needed a rite of passage initiation. I revised the mentoring method we used at YMUW and designed it to accomplish three main goals:

1) prevent parents from perpetuating the past conflicts they had with their sons
2) educate parents how to motivate their son so that he would enthusiastically become more responsible for his own well-being 
3) show parents and their children how to have lifelong caring and cooperative relationships.

Ceremony at Parenting Workshop

For the past decade, this special rite of passage “training camp” has successfully applied the method to show parents how to let go of their son as a “boy”, and learn how to treat him like an intelligent young man. This rite of passage event has helped families enjoy healthy relationships where parents and children support each other to develop their own authentic beliefs and behaviors, while also working cooperatively to keep the home operating effectively. 

For more information about this rite of passage, parenting workshop, Click Here.

What I Learned About Parenting in Africa

Soon after we held our first Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend event, I was at the Elephant Watch Camp in the northern foothills of Kenya. The wildlife researchers at the Camp introduced me to a small Samburu tribe who were living just a few miles away. I frequently hung out with five young men in that community. 

I had a chance to play music with them (I’m a drummer) and listen to their prideful stories about their initiation into male adulthood (thankfully, some of them spoke English). They also introduced me to the shaman of the clan and translated our conversations. 

I wasn’t surprised to learn that the children were raised by the entire village, not just the parents. The adults all taught the same shared values and beliefs to the children using the same method. They didn’t have to make up unenforceable rules. They consistently and respectfully instilled their tribal “way” with the children.

When I returned home from that trip, I realized that we, as parents, instinctively possess the intelligence necessary to raise our children effectively. However, the trip to Africa confirmed for me that parents needed a specific way to to effectively apply our ancestral parenting instincts in an era of overwhelming stress and endless digital distractions.

Dr. Mark with Samburu Tribe

That’s when I added a strong dose of ancestral tribal family wisdom to the science-based method that I was using to help mentors and parents. This method calmly and confidently communicates and motivates young men to successfully handle the challenges of the adult world. 

A Proven Way to Help Your Son Grow Up

Decrease Your Anxiety & Stress AND Increase Your Energy & Love

When I started using more tribal family wisdom into my mentoring work with families, I happily observed that parents stopped making up irrational consequences, becoming easily frustrated, speaking or acting punitively, feeling like they wanted to give-up or losing their energy. Their son began to respect them more because they were more skillful in using their authority and influence with him.

The method applies the sciences of: 

  • mindfulness - based stress management
  • ​​adolescent brain development
  • ​​personal growth
  • ​parent - child attachment bonding
  • ​positive discipline AND
  • ​​a strong dose of ancestral tribal family wisdom

Using my method, The RIGHT Way for Family Unity, I’ll give you the tools you’ll need in order to better use, your authority and influence. You’ll be able to motivate your son to become more cooperative inside of your home, more responsible outside of your home, more confident in himself and more relaxed with the world.

Parenting with Tranquility, Empathy, Integrity and Authority

What Is the RIGHT Way for Family Unity Method®? 

What Is the RIGHT Way for Family Unity Method®? 

The RIGHT Way for Family Unity method recognizes there is no one right way for parents to have a successful marriage, a healthy lifestyle, a cooperative divorce or raise resilient, happy children. However, unless a home has a clear path, or “way” to navigate the challenges of family life, everyone is likely to suffer from chronic anxiety, causing conflict, competition and alienation.

Whether married or divorced, The RIGHT Way method shows parents how to use their masculine and feminine wisdom to instill the productive behaviors and positive beliefs their son will need in order to adapt to the challenges of the adult world.

This method allows your son to:

  • build self-respect by being true to himself (authenticity)
  • share his physical and mental talents with his family (reciprocity)
  • keep himself and his community safe and productive (responsibility)
  • ​​​discover his own perspective about the universe and reality (spirituality)

The secret to overcoming all of the conflicts with your son is to have a “Way” to challenge, or activate, his ability
to discover, develop and master his own healthy masculine skills and wisdom.

These are the R.I.G.H.T Virtues and Values
Respect -- esteeming with reverence 
Intelligence -- applying your intuition and experience into wisdom
Grace -- engaging in heartful acts of courage and courtesy
Humor -- celebrating with amusement and gratitude
True -- living life with integrity 

The RIGHT Way for Family Unity technology will:

The RIGHT Way for Family Unity technology will:

  • ​give you a biological understanding of what motivates your son to become more independent
  • ​instruct you on how to relax with your spouse and your son in all situations in 15 seconds
  • ​draw out your innate instinctual leadership skills as a parent
  • ​show you how to resolve the natural male – female conflicts that men and women have with each other
  • ​help you identify and implement the values you know your son needs to learn in order to become more independent
  • ​support you to nurture the healthy behaviors that reveal the authentic values of your son
  • ​teach you how to respectfully communicate with calmness, clarity, conciseness and certainty - without losing authority
  • s​how you how to use consequences as a positive way to handle the toughest conflicts with your son
  • ​provide a lifestyle for you to maintain your own physical, mental and emotional health
  • ​encourage you and your son to celebrate your personal and family victories together

Important Note:
This method is like having a 24/7 personal mentor available to you. It will help your son, whether he’s anxious or depressed, extroverted or introverted, over–empowered or under–driven, over–confident or unwilling, entitled or indifferent, high-energy or low-energy.

Frequently Asked Questions from Parents Before They Started Working with Me 

Frequently Asked Questions from Parents Before They Started Working with Me 

I’ve polled hundreds of parents regarding their concerns that the RIGHT Way for Family Unity method may not be able to help them. Here are some of their most common questions and doubts, as well as my responses.

 Does the RIGHT Way method work for parents who have teen young women, or is it just for young men?


When I started to use the method with my teen son, Gabe, I quickly realized that the same technology also worked with my teen daughter, Becca. I also noticed in my teen mentoring work with young women that they tended to implement the advice I gave them more efficiently than the young men I coached.

I saw that Gabe was way more susceptible to the distractions of devices than Becca. I later learned that a wealth of scientific research revealed that young men were having a harder time than young women making a healthy transition into young adulthood.

I’ve been on a Men’s Team with Warren Farrell (Myth of Male Power) and John Gray (Mars/Venus) for many years. Their book, “The Boy Crisis”, is full of data that reveals why young men struggle so much to focus their attention in healthy ways.


When I started to use the method with my teen son, Gabe, I quickly realized that the same technology also worked with my teen daughter, Becca. I also noticed in my teen mentoring work with young women that they tended to implement the advice I gave them more efficiently than the young men I coached.

I saw that Gabe was way more susceptible to the distractions of devices than Becca. I later learned that a wealth of scientific research revealed that young men were having a harder time than young women making a healthy transition into young adulthood.

I’ve been on a Men’s Team with Warren Farrell (Myth of Male Power) and John Gray (Mars/Venus) for many years. Their book, “The Boy Crisis”, is full of data that reveals why young men struggle so much to focus their attention in healthy ways.

FACT: Worldwide, boys are 50% more likely than girls to fail to meet basic proficiency in any of the three core school subjects of reading, math and science.

I founded the non-profit, “Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend” (YMUW) as a way for me - and other parents - to begin the healing process of restoring a great relationship with their son. Because I had so many years of direct experience working with thousands of young men at the YMUW, I focused most of my technique illuminating the problems and solutions on young men. 

The bottom line is this: the current effect of technology on our intelligent teenage children is that many adolescents are at an alarmingly high risk for becoming irresponsible, lazy, angry, withdrawn, feeling entitled, over-powered, struggling in school or succumbing to drug, alcohol or digital addiction. Parents need to have a method to help them guide their teens to become more adept at navigating their way through the turbulent times of adolescence. The RIGHT Way method works for young women as well as it does for young men.

  My teen children are now in college. Why would I now need to learn how to do a better job helping them become more mature? 

Please be prepared for the reality of the likeliness that your college children will be moving home again someday. This could occur because:

1) pandemics like Covid force closures of colleges
2) your children won’t be able to afford to live away from you after college
3) your children may go thru a divorce someday and need a place to live
4) you or your children may suffer from a health problem that requires family care

According to a 2018 Pew Research Center report, up to 50% of millennials (ages 18-34) are moving back home with their parents after college. The media has even dubbed millennials the “boomerang generation” because they’re so much likelier than other generations to end up back where they came from.

More than ever, parents need a healthy “way” to establish respectful and loving relationships with their children so that EVERYONE contributes to the well-being of the family. As times get more challenging politically, economically, climatically and socially, families will absolutely need to know how to cooperate by willingly sharing their material, mental and physical resources.

True Stories:
When my son came home after college, he lived with me for 6 years before he could set himself up to live on his own. He and I had a fun and productive time together because we used the RIGHT Way method to help each other out when we needed to.

My daughter moved back into my house 5 years ago after a divorce. I’m thrilled to still have her living here as our relationship and love has become more fulfilling and deeper than ever. We used to fight like cats and dogs. We have not even had to raise our voices even once since because we’ve trained ourselves to work through every challenge. 

The bottom line is this: when you use the RIGHT Way method, you’ll know how to help your adult children become more resilient than ever. By doing so, you’ll give them the best opportunity to eventually move out and create a meaningful life of their own

 The pandemic and the shelter-in-place rules have kept my children at home way more than any of us are used to, causing more tension than ever. Can the RIGHT Way method help us stop fighting so much?

My heart goes out to those who are suffering with the corona virus and those who are suffering from the anxiety, depression and fear about the pandemic. 

While I’m saddened by the emotional toll that families are experiencing, I think it’s important for people to know that the nervous systems of humans have evolved to be able to overcome its initial reaction to stress (fear, anxiety, worry, etc.), and then effectively respond by making decisions that move everyone closer towards physical safety, mental calmness, emotional security and focused productivity.

Families Can Adapt to Adversity
The most important virtue families need in order to have relationships that are respectful and resourceful, especially in times of intense stress, is cooperation. Our ancestors learned that to be able to successfully handle the challenges of life, they would need to put aside their differences and focus on working together. I define the virtue of cooperation as, “sharing all necessary resources with others to accomplish a goal.” 

More than ever in recent history, families need to know how to work together caringly and efficiently. If a family does not have a specific path, or way to cooperate, the family tends to become anxious, where everyone feels like they have to walk on eggshells. The house members will still love each other, but they’re sad and frustrated because they’re dis-connected and dis-respectful. 

The bottom line is this: the purpose of The RIGHT Way Family Unity method is to show parents a step by step way to consistently move their families in the right direction. This allows everyone to experience more happiness and love, and less conflict and fear - regardless of the ever-changing conditions outside of their home.

 It sounds like your method is too soft for the kind of authority we need with our son.
Even though my son is a good kid, he can become unpredictably intense, angry and aggressive. Does the method help parents of a young men who is hard to get talk to, let alone cooperate with?

My siblings and I were raised in an apartment in New York City in the 1950’s with parents, grandparents and neighbors who all knew how to apply the best of the “old world” style of parenting. They knew exactly what values they wanted me, my brothers and my sister to learn. They were all united in their intention and their efforts, so there was no way I could wear them down and get them to change their minds by making demands or threats, in the hope of getting them to change their values.

Everyone in that confining apartment really loved each other. However, if any fighting with my siblings erupted, if we were not keeping up in school or if we were being respectful, the adults knew how to clearly, firmly and efficiently resolve the issue. If we even thought of questioning their decision, we would immediately get, “the look.” One glance from either parent was like being zapped by a laser gun by Captain Kirk from Star Trek.

However, when I tried some of these techniques with my children the results did not often go my way. I was met with resistance, in the form of Becca and Gabe speaking back to me, ignoring me, or indulging their attention on video games or other distractions. 

That’s when I realized that I needed to change my style of parenting to match the way the world was influencing my children. Thankfully, the RIGHT Way method worked!

The RIGHT Way for Family Unity method is a cohesive blending of three styles of parenting:
1) TENDER LOVE
This type of love maintains a heartful connection with your son by being courteous

2) TOUGH LOVE
This type of love maintains an authoritative connection with your son by being courageous

3) TEACHING LOVE
This type of love maintains an instructive connection relationship by behaving more like a mentor and less as a parent 

I know that most of you have heard of tender love and tender love, but have probably never heard of "teaching" love. I use this term when instructing parents to let go of the mindset that they still have a boy who needs them to do everything for him, and replace that with a mindset that they need to teach their son how to take care of himself, BEFORE he moves out. If parents don’t have the time, energy or wisdom to help their son, they simply have to find the right mentor to help them.

The bottom line is this: The RIGHT Way will show you when and how to apply tough love using consequences in a no-nonsense way that will motivate your son to become:
1) responsible - doing the things you like to do and don’t like to do, until completion
2) accountable - owning what you should have done, or not done, without excuses
3) respectful - treating another person with the highest regard

There’s a lot of stress in my house because my son rejects my suggestions and resists my expectations. How can I improve my relationship with him when we’re so tense with each other?

80% of all illness is caused by stress. Stress is the number one reason why people become sick. Scientific research clearly reveals that parents and children equally suffer from the harmful effects of stress. The term often used to describe this condition with children is called, “General Anxiety Disorder”.

I believe young men have a primal survival instinct which allows them to identify those adults who are capable of successfully leading them to independence, and which ones aren’t. In my two decades of mentoring young men, I’ve learned that they don’t trust adults who react strongly to their immature and compulsive beliefs and behaviors. 

Even though you provide money, clothing, food, devices and wisdom to your son, he’s not going to listen to you if you consistently appear aggravated to him.  

The Solution to Your Son’s Resistance 
Remaining calm when your son is emotionally upset completely changes the dynamic of your relationship. Why? Because now you’re earning the respect of your son. That’s right – knowing how to relax when your son is acting like Godzilla is the best way to get his attention. Young men respect adults who know how to control their energy, especially when they’re “acting out” and the adult continues to remain calm, like the Buddha.

The kind of adults your son will follow - the ones that are “chill”: calm, concise and, most importantly, confident.

My background as an expert in stress management has given me over three decades of experience teaching patients and parents how to relax in the most stressful situations.
I teach parents - and their son - a simple mindfulness-based stress reduction technique that only takes 15 seconds to do, regardless of what the circumstances and conditions are like.

In fact, my mind-calming method is so effective, I’ve been approved as a California Chiropractic Board Certified Continuing Education educator. I teach a course for chiropractors and acupuncturists called, “Adjusting the Mind Seminar”. This course shows health care practitioners how to use my technique both for themselves and for their patients.

True Story:
I recently started a session with parents by asking them to check in with me about using the stress reduction technique I had taught them in the previous session. They were instructed by me to use the technique (called, “The RIGHT Now Meditation”) whenever their son was behaving disrespectfully to them.

Like all of our sons, their son is a good soul, with a loving heart. And he sometimes uses strong, foul language in a very loud voice when he’s upset with them. And he occasionally slams a door excessively hard or does some other disturbing activity.
Sound familiar? 

The mother told me that she and her husband encountered their son in the kitchen one night, when he suddenly launched into a tirade about a disagreement he had with them. She then looked softly into my eyes. She told me that she and her husband held hands, and, together, practiced The RIGHT Now relaxation technique together for about 15 seconds, without saying any words.

She said her son then reached for the nearest chair and quietly sat down. The father then gently added that their son spontaneously began to cry.

I was getting teary eyed listening to them complete the story of how their son eventually apologized for his poor behavior. We celebrated the fact their son felt the emotion of remorse and was able to sincerely communicate it.  

Why Is This Story Important? 
Because it demonstrates how powerful it can be for parents NOT to mindlessly act out our “typical” conditioned reactions to the agitating behaviors of our sons. By remaining peaceful, these parents created a feeling of emotional security and physical safety for their son. Their son was able to reveal a deeper underlying anxiety he was experiencing about his personal life, something stressful that had nothing to do with them.

The bottom line is this: Once I teach you how to remain calm, not only will your health dramatically improve, your son will eventually stop trying to wear your energy down with endless arguments. 

MAIN BENEFIT FOR YOU

Without a clearly defined “way”, you’ll likely to continue being anxious and possibly fearful about your son’s future. And you’ll continue to focus on your son as a main source of attention and energy.

After this workshop, you’ll enjoy more personal freedom to take good care of yourself because your son will be better able to take care of himself. Equally important, it will help you find your way through the challenges of aging, with good health, a loving heart, a happy mind and a peaceful spirit.

I’ve been on a Men’s Team with Warren Farrell (Myth of Male Power) and John Gray (Mars/Venus) for many years. Their recent book, “The Boy Crisis”, contains many facts revealing why our sons are at an alarmingly high risk for irresponsibility, laziness, feeling entitled, struggling in school or succumbing to drug, alcohol or digital addiction.

I guarantee you that it is never too late to move your family in the right direction.

Sue Meehan

“Thank you so much for this wonderful parenting workshop experience I had this weekend with you, and all of the wonderful parents that I was surrounded by. I appreciated how you organized us around our common goal, which is the love and commitment we have to our precious son's! By learning the RIGHT Way method, I walked away with tools to use as a whole person, not just as a parent.” 

Sue Meehan

“Thank you so much for this wonderful parenting workshop experience I had this weekend with you, and all of the wonderful parents that I was surrounded by. I appreciated how you organized us around our common goal, which is the love and commitment we have to our precious son's! By learning the RIGHT Way method, I walked away with tools to use as a whole person, not just as a parent.” 

It’s Never Too Late to Move Our Families in The Right Direction

Our Sons Can Be Our Heroes

Young Men at YMUW

We’re living in extremely turbulent times due to so much uncertainty and polarization economically, politically, climatically, technologically, socially and racially. On top of that, parents and sons are overwhelmed from the stress of having to do so much just to “keep up”, that they’re suffering from chronic anxiety and depression at sky-high rates.

Research is very clear about the harmful effects that occurs to children who don’t have their basic physical, mental and emotional needs met. This is especially dangerous for tweens and teen boys. 

When boys transition into young men, they feel anger and resentment towards their parents, or their community, if the adults don’t know how to skillfully guide them to handle the challenges of the adult world. This often causes them to act out their frustration with behaviors that are dis-respectful and adversarial, including being aggressively violent or being passively withdrawn.  

We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For
In my decades as a social philosopher, a physician, and as a family mentor, I’m convinced that there’s only one chance for the people of the world to enjoy better physical, mental and emotional well-being.


The world can make the positive transformations it needs in order to reach its true potential, but only if our culture helps parents guide our sons to create a world where safety and prosperity is enjoyed by everyone, without discrimination towards anyone. I believe this can be achieved by providing mentors for any family that needs them. Family mentors who help parents instill the values that their sons need to learn, will be able to reduce stress and anxiety, and increase energy and cooperation for everyone. 

When young men grow up in healthy households, our sons will know how to work effectively with women in order to provide political and economic leadership that’s based on love, generosity and cooperation, not on hatred, greed and domination. 

It’s up to us, as parents, and to our communities, to raise the kind of young men we can trust to take good care of themselves, their families, and the world.
Mission of Challenging Teenage Sons
To educate young men and their parents how to develop more caring and cooperative relationships by calmly and respectfully responding to each other's needs, so that young men feel supported to pursue a life of happiness, responsibility and resilience.
Vision of Challenging Teenage Sons
We see households as a place where family members enjoy trust, teamwork and love. We envision a world where young men are held in high regard, and where adults model the values they know young men need to learn in order to become happy, caring and cooperative adults. We believe the world will be safer and more prosperous for all – without discrimination towards anyone – when young men know how to work effectively work with young women, in order to provide political, economic and social leadership that’s based on love, generosity and cooperation.

Dr. Mark Speaking to Aspiring Hip Hop Producers

“The parenting workshop far exceeded my expectations. The RIGHT Way techniques were great and will be useful, not just for parenting, but for the workplace and all of the relationships in my life.”

GI Wells

“There are many life coaches and healers, but none with the repertoire or deep wisdom that Dr. Schillinger has. He’s the most experienced, expansive teacher and coach I’ve ever had. His RIGHT Way program will assist you and your family to clear old patterns and beliefs to allow you to enjoy your life more.”

Dr. Leslie Hewitt, DC

“I’m impressed with the simplicity, consistency and authenticity of the RIGHT Way method. The parenting workshop was down to earth, and Mark did a great job of handling this subject with a sense of humor and empathy. The genuine regard that Mark has for family relationships was clear and honest.”

Geoff Cunningham

“The parenting workshop far exceeded my expectations. The RIGHT Way techniques were great and will be useful, not just for parenting, but for the workplace and all of the relationships in my life.”

GI Wells

“There are many life coaches and healers, but none with the repertoire or deep wisdom that Dr. Schillinger has. He’s the most experienced, expansive teacher and coach I’ve ever had. His RIGHT Way program will assist you and your family to clear old patterns and beliefs to allow you to enjoy your life more.”

Dr. Leslie Hewitt, DC

“I’m impressed with the simplicity, consistency and authenticity of the RIGHT Way method. The parenting workshop was down to earth, and Mark did a great job of handling this subject with a sense of humor and empathy. The genuine regard that Mark has for family relationships was clear and honest.”

Geoff Cunningham

Dr. Mark Schillinger, D.C., is both the Executive Director of the Young Men's Ultimate Weekend, Inc (YMUW), and the sole owner of Challenging Teenage Sons, Inc (CTS). This notice is in compliance with California Non-profit Law (section 5000) and the California Business and Professions Code (Sections 5230 through 5239, and Section 10133) and applies to any activities coordinated between YMUW and CTS.

What Others Are 
SAYING ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Dr. Mark’s Workshop Includes:
The first option the tool allows you to adjust
The first option the tool allows you to adjust
Why You THINK You Might Not Want To Attend The Workshop
I’ve polled hundreds of parents regarding their concerns that this workshop may not be able to help them. 
Here are their most common questions and doubts, as well as my responses.
The Brutal & Beautiful Journey with My Son, Gabe
When You Attend The Workshop You’ll Receive These Tools 
Which Will Help You Implement What You’ve Learned
At this workshop, I do my best to keep all of the tips, techniques and scripts as simple as possible so that you can apply them immediately. 

However, I’ve learned from the busy parents who attend the workshop that they need follow up educational materials to keep them inspired and motivated to continue moving their family in the right direction.

Therefore, when you attend the workshop you’ll receive the following educational materials: