We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Megan Saxelby. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Megan below.

Megan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My Mom likes to tell the story of how she used to get nauseous whenever she saw my bus coming from about the ages of 11-13. She knew what was heading her way, a kid who had been trying to hold it together all day and she was going to have to absorb the emotional tidal wave that was heading her way. I grew up with learning disabilities and learned early on that it was easier to be the trouble maker than it was to be stupid. Only now do I realize that my Mom and Dad were dodging a lot of shrapnel as I blew through adolescence. I know some of it wounded them, but they never gave up and they never stopped. While they chose to lead with empathy at every turn, which at times had to be incredibly difficult, there was also no room for bullshit. My parents loved me unconditionally, I always knew that, but I also needed consistent consequences. Truly, I must have been exhausting. My parents were not perfect, nor are they now, no one is. What they are, that has made all the difference, is consistent. When I started working with adolescents, I kept this dual generation narrative close to heart: be there even when they’re hard, see behavior as a need trying to get met, hold high standards, and love them fiercely.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m on a mission to change the cultural narrative around adolescence.

For too long, we’ve treated the adolescent years like a hormonal horror show we all just have to survive. But that’s not the whole story, not even close. Adolescence is one of the most extraordinary developmental windows we get as humans. It’s a time of wild growth, fierce feeling, deep questions, and massive potential. And it deserves more than eye-rolls and survival-mode parenting strategies.

I started my career as a middle and high school humanities teacher. Then I left the classroom to work behind the scenes, building curriculum for bestselling authors, collaborating with researchers, and helping lead the education efforts at the country’s top digital wellness nonprofit. I was in rooms where the big conversations were happening, where we were trying to crack the code on how to support young people in a rapidly changing world.

And then it hit me: the person who needs this support the most is the parent. If I really want to change the way our culture thinks and talks about adolescence, I have to start with the folks in their homes, the ones packing lunches, managing group chats, and trying to stay connected to a kid who just grunted at them from under a hoodie.

That’s where Wild Feelings was born. Through this work, I help adults and adolescents build real-deal emotional agility, the ability to navigate big emotions with curiosity, compassion, and skill. I create tools and experiences that help families stay connected and grounded through the messy, magical middle of growing up.

One of the core ways I deliver life-changing learning is through beautiful design. I collaborate with my brilliant design partner, Melissa Small, to create tools that aren’t just impactful—they’re visually engaging, emotionally resonant, and intentionally built to teach. We use design as a second language in the learning process. Every color choice, layout, and illustration works in tandem with the content to make emotional concepts feel accessible, memorable, and fun.

Here’s what I offer:

Parent Support Groups: My signature program, It’s Gonna Be Great!, blends cutting-edge research, real talk, and practical strategies to help parents feel more confident and connected during the adolescent years.

Teen Resources: I make Field Guides to Emotions—interactive, beautifully designed tools that help adolescents name what they feel, understand where it’s coming from, and figure out what to do next.

Speaking & Workshops: I lead sessions for schools, conferences, and organizations on emotional agility, adolescent development, digital wellness, and more.

What sets me apart? I have a knack for translating complex research into bite-sized, totally usable tools. I keep it real, I keep it grounded, and I believe in humor as a delivery system for hard truths. My goal isn’t to “fix” teens or parents, it’s to equip both with the tools they need to thrive in relationship with one another.

I’m most proud of the moments when parents tell me, “I feel like I can actually do this now.” Or when a teen lights up and says, “That’s exactly how it feels.” That moment of recognition? That’s where the magic starts.

If you take one thing from me, let it be this: emotional agility isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about staying curious, connected, and courageous enough to keep showing up, especially when it’s hard. And yes, it really is gonna be great.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Honestly? Talking to people. Like, really talking to them.

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been showing up in rooms, whether that’s a parent event, a school staff workshop, or a podcast interview, and having real, generous conversations about what adolescence is actually like and what’s getting in the way of connection. I think people are hungry for someone who can speak truthfully about how hard this season can be, and still believe that it’s full of possibility. That combo builds trust quickly.

Word-of-mouth has also been huge. When parents finish my group and immediately text five friends saying “YOU HAVE TO DO THIS,” that’s when I know it’s working. I’ve learned that when I focus on delivering a transformational experience, something that truly makes people feel more hopeful, more capable, and more connected, they naturally become ambassadors for the work.

And finally, consistent, thoughtful storytelling. Whether it’s on Substack, at a speaking event, or in a one-on-one convo, I try to keep the message clear: adolescence doesn’t have to be a crisis. We have what we need to show up with courage and care. That message resonates and it travels.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A big lesson I had to unlearn was the idea that being a teacher “wasn’t enough.”
And, if we’re being really honest, that I wasn’t enough.

For a long time, I carried around a pretty deep fear of looking stupid. I struggled with learning disabilities growing up, and even though I figured out ways to thrive, the early shame stuck. I got really good at working hard, anticipating what others needed, and staying one step ahead. But I also got really good at playing small. I avoided putting myself in positions where I might be wrong, or seen, or challenged in ways I couldn’t immediately fix.

So even after spending 15 years as a deeply committed educator, working with adolescents and their families, researching constantly, and evolving my professional skills, I still didn’t believe it counted. I told myself that “real” experts were the ones with PhDs or book deals or big followings. I thought if I wanted to have an impact, I’d have to stand next to someone with more credibility and kind of quietly assist.

But here’s what I’ve come to know: teaching is expert-level work. It’s emotional labor, strategic thinking, research application, and deep relational skill, all happening in real time, all day long. And the fact that I’ve done it for over a decade? That’s not a footnote. That’s the foundation.

I had to unlearn the belief that authority only comes from external validation and relearn that the most powerful kind of expertise is lived, tested, and shared with intention.
The scariest thing I’ve done is build something of my own. And the most healing thing I’ve done is realize I never needed to be anyone else to do it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wildfeelings.co/
• Instagram: wildfeelings.co
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-saxelby-20b1a689/
• Other: https://wildfeelings.substack.com/