A mother who attended a presentation about the benefits of mindful approaches to discussions on substance use with children said the interactions she has with her preteen daughter on the subject have already taken a positive turn.

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was moved to tears when she listened to a talk by Camily Lovell, a clinical manager for addiction rehabilitation centre Pathways Bermuda, which encouraged parents not to take the more traditional, disciplinary approach.

The session on Saturday, entitled “Navigating Teen Substance Use for Parents”, was organised by Raleigh International Bermuda as part of its Brave Conversations series.

It also included a presentation by Dayla Burgess, the founder of online counselling service TeleConnect.

Speaking on Ms Lovell’s guidance, the mother, whose daughter has experimented with marijuana, told The Royal Gazette: “I am the opposite of what she was saying, often shouting and being aggressive, but that’s not how you get through to them.

“She gave us alternative approaches and I was in tears. It was about having more meaningful conversations and I put it into practice.

“Now, if I want to lash out, I catch myself. I think my daughter has noticed it. She is coming to me more telling me, ‘let me tell you what I did this weekend’. She is opening up and it’s only been a few days.

“We did talk about substances, as I wanted to let her know the different aspects of it. I was able to give her the warning signs, what it can lead to … she was taken aback. The presentation was excellent, it was amazing.”

Ms Lovell shared details from her presentation with the Gazette after the session.

She said: “Our goal was to support parents with a clearer understanding that behaviour is insight into a youth’s world and represents more than ‘just’ choices.

“During the discussion, we spoke about mindful parenting, where parents practise mindfulness and awareness of how one shows up, alongside taking time to understand their lived experience.”

Ms Lovell emphasised the importance of separating substance use from other factors, encouraging parents to explore what may be driving the behaviour rather than focusing only on the act.

Denae Burchall, the executive director of Raleigh International Bermuda, added: “Parents were prompted to consider their own unaddressed experiences and how these may influence their responses to their children.

“This really moved parents, some to tears, as they were able to reflect on their own behaviours and how they impacted their young people.

“Parents raised how they sometimes forget that their children are navigating life as well.

“Parents were encouraged to create consistent, non-judgmental environments, noting that young people will seek this consistency elsewhere — often from peers who may not provide positive influence.

“The session highlighted the need to ask why young people are taking risks, rather than reacting solely to what they are doing.

“Judgment can erode trust, reducing the likelihood that young people will open up.

“Ms Lovell emphasised that children cannot develop skills they have not seen modelled.”

The session also highlighted early exposure to substances among young people, sometimes as young as 8 or 9, reinforcing the need for earlier intervention.

Ms Burgess’s talk took a data-driven approach, equipping parents with local information to better understand teen substance use.

The session referenced the National School Survey 2023 and the 2025 Bermuda Drug Information Network Annual Report, highlighting concerning trends in adolescent substance use.

Ms Burchall said: “Parents learnt about different substances and their impact on the developing brain.

“Vaping was a major focus, including its prevalence and how devices are often disguised as everyday items, making them difficult for adults to detect.

“A key concern raised by parents was the lack of dedicated substance abuse treatment programmes for young people aged 10 to 17 in Bermuda.”

She said that parents also expressed that they didn’t see the ‘in your face’ community education as they did in the past from certain organisations.

“The discussion highlighted increasing risks associated with cannabis use, including unknown substances and varying potency levels in products young people may be accessing.”

In the 2026-27 Budget, some funds were set aside to address gaps in addiction treatment programmes for young people.

• The Brave Conversations series will cover other topics affecting young people including mental health, peer pressure and other risk factors. For more information, e-mail info@raleigh.bm or call 333-5678