Dear Dr. Tracy – Details, episodes & analysis

In the season finale of the podcast, Dr. Tracy tackles one of her most frequently asked questions: "How do I get my partner to go to therapy?" But first, she has a special announcement to share: she's writing her second book! Dr. Tracy then dives into the importance of starting therapy early in a relationship to build trust, enhance communication, and address issues before they become critical. She discusses the challenges many couples face, especially when one partner is hesitant, often due to stigma or fear of blame. She shares strategies for encouraging a reluctant partner, including empathetic communication, understanding their concerns, and approaching the conversation with care. The episode also explores the benefits of therapy, such as identifying and changing negative cycles, fostering personal growth, and deepening emotional connection. Dr. Tracy encourages listeners to be patient, respect their partner's pace, and consider therapy as a tool to strengthen and sustain their relationship.  Leave Dr. Tracy a voicemail here!  A special thank you to our incredible sponsors for making this show possible! Cozy Earth - Visit cozyearth.com and use code SHRINK at checkout for an exclusive 35% off. Links: Ready to deepen your connection? Download my 100 Questions!  Want your questions answered on the show? Submit them here!     You can now order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here!    Ready to learn how to repair? Save now! Grab my REPAIR workshop       Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, Dr. Tracy welcomes Eli Harwood, a licensed therapist, author, and creator of the "Attachment Nerd" online community. Eli shares her personal journey of overcoming inherited attachment trauma, emphasizing the importance of breaking intergenerational cycles. Together, Dr. Tracy and Eli explore the pressures of parenting, emphasizing the value of attunement, co-regulation, and being present with children during painful moments rather than trying to eliminate their pain. Eli also introduces her new book, "Raising Securely Attached Kids," which offers insights and practical advice for parents. Key takeaways from this conversation include the importance of repair over perfection in relationships, the necessity of connection in parenting, and understanding that parenting is challenging because it requires confronting our own vulnerabilities. The episode highlights that fostering connection through vulnerability and repair is what truly strengthens relationships.  Be sure to keep up with Eli on Instagram @attachmentnerd and pre-order her new book here! Leave Dr. Tracy a voicemail here!  A special thank you to our incredible sponsors for making this show possible! Cozy Earth - Visit cozyearth.com and use code SHRINK at checkout for an exclusive 35% off. Links: Ready to deepen your connection? Download my 100 Questions!  Want your questions answered on the show? Submit them here!     You can now order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here!    Ready to learn how to repair? Save now! Grab my REPAIR workshop       Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s mini session, Dr. Tracy and Dr. Jen Douglas, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University, licensed psychologist, and mental wellness speaker, tackle mom burnout and perfectionism, highlighting the pressures modern mothers face. They discuss how today’s moms spend twice as much time on parenting compared to 1965, coupled with the demands of being constantly available to employers. This has led to unrealistic expectations of being a hands-on, super-present mom. They emphasize the importance of allowing yourself to just "be," as taking a moment to relax doesn’t diminish your worth as a mother. The session calls for reevaluating perfectionist standards and giving yourself grace in the journey of motherhood. Listen to the full episode here: Spotify Apple Be sure to keep up with Dr. Jen on Instagram @drjenofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does it feel like a never-ending cycle with your partner when it comes to setting boundaries with the family?  Maybe you both end up getting stuck on what you should do when your mother-in-law gives TEN gifts, when you both told her only two.  What are the missteps in our relationship when it comes to boundaries? My husband and business partner joins me for today's episode on boundaries. Why bring in Greg? In a heterosexual cis-gender relationship, he has the other side of the experience when it comes to holiday boundaries.  In this episode, we discuss: Who should set the boundaries with extended family What it means when we're at different points in our journey with boundaries (e.g., one gets defensive; one is critical) Important decisions to consider when it comes to setting boundaries with family  Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again.  Want to be on the same page with your partner this holiday season? Grab the Same Page Parenting Holiday Webinar and feel like a team with family.  Ready to learn how to repair? Take my free masterclass Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Season 4! With each season this community passes new milestones and continues to grow! I am incredibly grateful for you - your DMs, downloads, shares, and comments. Each week, you show up. You bring me your ah-ha moments, your wins, and your struggles. Thank you for joining me here and let's get started with another amazing season! To kick off the season, I am so excited to bring Dr. Becky Kennedy to this space. New York Times bestselling author and child psychologist, Dr. Becky is referred to as the parent whisperer of our time. If there is one thing that resonates with all of us from Dr. Becky's work, it is this: You are good inside. Your kids are good inside. Let's go into today's episode.  In this episode, we discuss: What it means to sit with emotions [2:38] and what this looks like with our children [4:30]  The intergenerational legacy of feelings [8:20]  Why acknowledging, validating, and empathizing with others' emotions is not soft [13:15] What happens to a child when no one repairs for them and what it means to go back and repair with your child [23:00] EPISODE LINKS Dr. Becky Kennedy Good Inside Book Dr. Becky Good Inside Membership JOIN ME in my community! Ready to learn how to repair? Take my free masterclass Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a parent brings new challenges to your life, but one that might have surprised you was constantly feeling touched out. Your child is tapping your arm, the furnace is humming, and you're beginning to feel like your head is going to explode.  So why is this? In this episode, I sit down with Larissa Geleris, MS, OTR/L from Steady Parents to discuss parenting and sensory overload. Larissa is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in the identification and treatment of sensory processing dysfunction.  Originally a pediatric therapist, Larissa experienced a life-altering concussion and experienced severe sensory and motor challenges. She soon realized the knowledge she used for her patients was helping her cope and that she could use this to help other parents who are experiencing overstimulation, overwhelm, and dysregulation.  In this episode, we discuss: What is sensory processing? [9:44] The three senses you've probably never heard of [10:20] How parenting impacts our sensory processing [15:00] Why are noises and touch so triggering? [24:58] Proactive strategies for sensory overload [37:50] Larissa shares a strategy to use in the movement for sensory overload 40:20] How do we get our partners to understand what is happening to us? [42:00] EPISODE LINKS Steady Parents on Instagram Steady Parents Website JOIN ME in my community! Ready to learn how to repair? Take my free masterclass Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are here! Already at the season finale. Season finales are bittersweet. I have gratitude for all the amazing conversations of this season and I feel sad that we are taking a break! I love ending the season by taking your questions. So here are three of YOUR questions that I will answer in this episode: How does one deal with the fear of abandonment when you are someone with anxious attachment? How do I get my partner to prioritize better? How do I navigate the mother wound while feeling low self-esteem, mom-guilt, and exhausted in general?  Did something resonate with you this episode? If so, be sure to share it with a friend! Ready to learn how to repair, feel closer after the fight, and connect with your partner? Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS. I will teach you my 4 A’s on how to repair so that you can look at your partner and feel like a team again. Join me in my community! Curious about the relationship cycle you get stuck in? Take the free quiz Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Visit my website for more What’s Coming Next? We're taking a summer vacation! I'll be back in the fall with more great episodes and conversations. Be sure to leave me a review and send me a DM on Instagram about your topic ideas for next season. I love hearing from you! Subscribe and Review in iTunes "This podcast provides sound advice, examples, and information for the modern mother navigating a world full of opposing advice. I feel uplifted and empowered after listening." ~ Kat&Babe_ I would love to hear from you. I would be so grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. I love hearing what you have to say about the episode, but also so that others who might benefit from listening to this podcast can find it! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review.” I can’t wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people don't think of divorces as happy, which is why the story from today's guests is an important one! When Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldond got divorced, they devised a strategy to put their son's needs first. Together, they helped each other heal and build a new, blended, family.  In this episode, we discuss: How Nikki and Ben came to be "Our Happy Divorce" The markers/moments that they knew it was time to divorce When you're trying to find the "right" way through separation Nikki's and Ben's response to someone who says "I have to stay for the kids" Their individual pain points in their divorce Their prioritization of their son The key piece of respect and mutuality For more from Our Happy Divorce: Follow them on Instagram Learn more about their book Head over to their website Ready to learn how to repair, feel closer after the fight, and connect with your partner? Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS. I will teach you my 4 A’s on how to repair so that you can look at your partner and feel like a team again. Join me in my community! Curious about the relationship cycle you get stuck in? Take the free quiz Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Visit my website for more What’s Coming Next? The season finale where I answer YOUR questions! Subscribe and Review in iTunes "This podcast provides sound advice, examples, and information for the modern mother navigating a world full of opposing advice. I feel uplifted and empowered after listening." ~ Kat&Babe_ I would love to hear from you. I would be so grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. I love hearing what you have to say about the episode, but also so that others who might benefit from listening to this podcast can find it! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review.” I can’t wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"My partner isn't willing to change - what do I do?" We love certainty and the only thing that is certain about our relationships is that we cannot control other people. It's really challenging when our partners are not interested in learning to shift - especially since a couple is two people that make up the struggles.  In this episode, I discuss: What if your partner doesn't want to change? Can change happen when only one person is ready? Ready to learn how to repair, feel closer after the fight, and connect with your partner? Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS. I will teach you my 4 A’s on how to repair so that you can look at your partner and feel like a team again. Join me in my community! Curious about the relationship cycle you get stuck in? Take the free quiz Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Visit my website for more What’s Coming Next? When change feels one-sided. What are we left to do? Subscribe and Review in iTunes "This podcast provides sound advice, examples, and information for the modern mother navigating a world full of opposing advice. I feel uplifted and empowered after listening." ~ Kat&Babe_ I would love to hear from you. I would be so grateful if you left me a review on iTunes. I love hearing what you have to say about the episode, but also so that others who might benefit from listening to this podcast can find it! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review.” I can’t wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you find yourself asking… How do we feel close again after we just had a disagreement?  My partner doesn’t like to come back and talk about the hard stuff.  My partner doesn’t apologize. I always have to bring up the hard conversations.   I get it.  This is a common experience in our relationships.  The reality? We didn’t learn how to repair. It was never modelled to us or it came attached with a lot of shame. And yet, repairing is one of the most important things we need to do in our relationship because without it, we are more likely to build resentment and disconnection.  In today’s episode, I get to sit with Dr. Morgan Anderson. A previous guest on the podcast (Season 2, Episode 21, a must listen), we talk about: What happens in relationships when you can’t work through conflict Why you need to repair Difficulties with repair through an attachment style lens Ready to learn how to repair, feel closer after the fight, and connect with your partner? Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS. I will teach you my 4 A’s on how to repair so that you can look at your partner and feel like a team again. Learn More About Today's Guest: Dr. Morgan is a clinical psychologist and relationship coach, host of the “Let’s Get Vulnerable” podcast and creator of the E.S.L relationship method. She helps women break the toxic dating cycle, raise their self-worth and attract the healthy relationship they’ve always wanted. Make sure you head over to her IG page and send her a DM to say hello! Join me in my community! Curious about the relationship cycle you get stuck in? Take the free quiz Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected Join me in my monthly newsletter where I give you actionable tips that you can use today in your relationship Visit my website for more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices