Why are today’s young people facing a crisis of anxiety, identity confusion, and disconnection—even amid greater material abundance?

In this important conversation on Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Inside Policy Talks, I speak with Leonard Sax MD PhD—physician, psychologist, and best-selling author—about the deep roots of today’s youth mental health challenges.

We explore:

• How cultural confusion about sex and gender is undermining development

• The collapse of parental authority and its impact on resilience

• Why boys and girls face different, but equally urgent, challenges

• How schools, healthcare, and policy can respond

• What it will take to build a culture of commitment, structure, and belonging, in place of one of navel-gazing, rebelliousness, and fragility.

Dr. Sax combines rigorous clinical insight with compassionate clarity. If you care about youth mental health, family formation, and the future of our culture, this episode is well worth a listen.

Also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify