Your kid's phone is shaping their future | Dr Joyti Kaur & Luisa Harris

The doom-scroll generation isn't a metaphor. Two therapists on what social media is doing to your kids, and the parental habits making it worse. This week's pairing: Dr Joyti Kaur (integrative psychotherapist for adult wellbeing and mindfulness) and Luisa Harris (integrative counsellor and psychotherapist for children and families). Two clinicians from different sides of the practice, on the same conversation. The doom-scroll generation, broken down by two licensed therapists paired for this episode. Dr Joyti Kaur and Luisa Harris on social media, kids, and parents. About the speakers Dr Joyti Kaur is the founder of Joy Wellbeing and a trained psychotherapist with a background in psychology, research, and yoga. She holds a PhD in Psychology and is registered with the BACP. Her work centres on adult wellbeing, mindfulness, and helping people reclaim a life that fits them through solution-focused conversation. Luisa Harris MBACP is an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist for children, adolescents, and families, and the founder of LH Therapeutic Services. She holds an MA in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy for Children, Adolescents and Families from the University of Roehampton and a BSc in Psychology from the University of Leeds. Her practice spans play-based work, CBT, psychodynamic and person-centred approaches, and systemic thinking, with parental coaching, talks, and school services alongside one-to-one therapy. Chapters 0:00 – Intro 3:30 – Why we seek validation through likes and comments 9:15 – Algorithms, doom scrolling, and the feedback loop 16:40 – Performance vs. authenticity online 22:10 – The "always on" mentality and FOMO in young people 28:50 – Parental modelling: what kids actually see 34:20 – The "no phones at the table" double standard 39:00 – Digital escapism and the pandemic shift 43:15 – Practical phone habits for adults and families 47:00 – Closing reflections In this episode Validation and self-esteem are at the centre of the conversation. Dr Kaur and Luisa unpack how both adults and children turn to likes and comments for external approval, and why young people in particular are vulnerable when that approval becomes a substitute for a sense of self. We move into algorithm design and what doom scrolling does to the brain over time. The hosts go into the kinds of content most likely to shape body image, mood, and self-comparison, and why the "perfect" feeds we scroll past are rarely accidental. The second half is for parents. Children watch what adults do with phones more closely than what adults say about phones, which means the family rules that don't apply to the rule-maker tend to fall apart fast. Dr Kaur and Luisa talk about emotional availability, joint family agreements on tech use, and what to put in place of screens when screens come down. The closing section is practical: physical phone habits after work, notification management, muting accounts that don't sit right, spending time in nature without a screen, and putting the phone down when a child wants to talk. Resources mentioned Dr Joyti Kaur — Joy Wellbeing: https://www.findyourjoywellbeing.com/ Luisa Harris — LH Therapeutic Services: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling/luisa-harris-st-albans/1383840 MindFriend (the platform): https://mindfriend.com/ MindFriend Pro: https://mindfriendpro.com/ Connect with us Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/31kse2i22h7hckl5h3t22mpuodla?si=238db5b05b754670 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfriendtalk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindfriendtalk #MindFriendTalk #DoomScrollGeneration #SocialMediaAndMentalHealth