Explore every episode of the podcast The Child Psych Podcast

This is a re-run

Does your child refuse to try new foods? Are family dinners filled with negotiations, frustration, or worries about whether your child is getting enough nutrition? If mealtimes have become a daily power struggle, you're not alone.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, registered psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with Katie Kimball, founder of Kids Cook Real Food, TEDx speaker, and author of the highly anticipated new book, The Picky Eater Playbook, releasing November 10, 2026.

Together, they explore why picky eating is about so much more than what's on a child's plate. From sensory sensitivities and anxiety around unfamiliar foods to the unintended consequences of pressuring children to eat, Katie shares a refreshing, practical approach to helping kids develop a healthier relationship with food.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why kids become picky eaters: Understanding the developmental, sensory, and emotional factors that influence children's eating habits.

Why pressure makes picky eating worse: How bribing, negotiating, and insisting on just one more bite can increase resistance and mealtime anxiety.

How to end mealtime power struggles: Simple, practical strategies to reduce stress and create more peaceful family dinners.

How to raise adventurous eaters: Helping children become curious and confident around unfamiliar foods without forcing them to eat.

Why getting kids into the kitchen matters: How cooking, food preparation, and playful exploration can help children build confidence and independence.

How to support a healthy relationship with food: Moving beyond controlling what children eat and toward building lifelong habits rooted in trust and connection.

Drawing from her new book, The Picky Eater Playbook, Katie offers parents a compassionate, pressure-free approach to navigating picky eating and helping children feel more comfortable exploring new foods.

The takeaway: Raising healthy eaters isn't about winning the battle over broccoli. It's about helping children feel safe, capable, and confident around food—one small step at a time.

Join Tania and Katie for an encouraging, practical conversation that will help you understand your picky eater, reduce mealtime stress, and bring more joy and connection back to the family table.

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In this powerful conversation, Dr. Michele Borba joins us to discuss what she calls the growing “empathy crisis” in children and teens — and why empathy may be one of the most important skills we can nurture in the next generation.

Dr. Borba is an internationally recognized educational psychologist, parenting expert, speaker, and bestselling author of UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World. Her work explores how empathy shapes children’s mental health, moral development, resilience, relationships, leadership, and long-term success.

Together, we explore why self-absorption, overvaluing achievement, excessive praise, screen use, stress, and cultural messages around performance may be making it harder for children to notice, care, and respond to the needs of others. Dr. Borba shares why empathy is not simply a personality trait children either have or do not have — it is a skill that can be taught, practiced, and strengthened through everyday moments at home and school.

We also talk about how to raise children who are deeply caring without becoming people-pleasers, overly accommodating, or lacking boundaries. Dr. Borba offers practical ways parents can help children see themselves as kind, responsible, and capable of making a positive difference, including using family values, identity-based language, perspective-taking, repair, and calm accountability.

This episode is a hopeful reminder that empathy is not “soft.” It is a strength. And in a world that often prioritizes achievement, popularity, and self-promotion, raising children who can care deeply, regulate themselves, take another person’s perspective, and act with courage may be one of the most important parenting tasks of our time.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why empathy is declining and what may be driving the shift

• The connection between empathy, resilience, happiness, anxiety, and academic success

• How achievement culture can undermine caring and moral development

• Why overpraising or overvaluing children may increase narcissistic traits

• How to raise empathetic children with strong boundaries

• The role of screens, social media, and self-focus in empathy development

• How to help children repair hurt and understand the impact of their actions

• Practical ways families can build empathy into daily life

Dr. Borba reminds us that children become more empathetic not through lectures, but through repeated experiences of being guided to notice others, reflect on their impact, repair harm, and live out the values their family stands for.

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Ever wonder why your child holds it together all day at school, only to completely fall apart the moment they get home?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, registered psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson explore why children often save their biggest emotions for the people they feel safest with.

From after-school meltdowns to emotional outbursts over seemingly small things, Tammy and Tania unpack what may be happening beneath the surface and why these behaviours aren't necessarily signs of defiance or poor parenting.

In this episode, you'll discover:

- Why children fall apart with their parents: How emotional safety, attachment, and the effort of holding it together throughout the day can contribute to meltdowns at home.

- The hidden cost of being good all day: Why following rules, managing friendships, and meeting expectations can leave children emotionally exhausted.

- Why small things trigger big reactions: Understanding how accumulated stress and unmet needs can overwhelm a child's capacity to cope.

- How to respond without escalating the meltdown: Practical ways to offer connection, co-regulation, and boundaries when emotions run high.

- How to prevent the after-school explosion: Simple strategies to support decompression, emotional regulation, and connection.

The takeaway: Your child's biggest emotions aren't always a reflection of how you're parenting. Sometimes, they're a sign of just how hard your child has been working to hold everything together.

Join Tammy and Tania for a compassionate, practical conversation that will help you see your child's meltdowns through a different lens—and feel more confident supporting them through those difficult moments.

Join us for our upcoming FREE Parenting Summit, November 16–19! 🎉

Four days of inspiring conversations, expert insights, and practical parenting tools—all completely free!

👉 Register here: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com

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Are we protecting our children—or unintentionally making them more anxious and less confident?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free-Range Kids movement and co-founder of Let Grow, to explore how overprotective parenting may be contributing to childhood anxiety, declining independence, and a lack of resilience in today's children.

Lenore challenges us to rethink modern parenting and the culture of fear surrounding childhood. We discuss why giving children age-appropriate freedom, opportunities for healthy risk-taking, and space to solve problems independently is essential for building confidence, emotional resilience, and problem-solving skills.

Together, we explore the connection between parental anxiety and childhood anxiety, why children need more independent play and unsupervised experiences, and how parents can move away from helicopter parenting without compromising their children's safety.

You'll discover how small changes in parenting can help children develop greater independence, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and the confidence to navigate life's challenges.

Because raising resilient kids isn't about protecting them from every challenge—it's about helping them believe they can handle challenges themselves.

Whether you're raising an anxious child, struggling with the urge to overprotect, or simply looking for ways to foster independence, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on raising confident, capable, and resilient children.

To find out more about Let Grow , click here

Join us for our upcoming FREE Parenting Summit, November 16–19! 🎉

Four days of inspiring conversations, expert insights, and practical parenting tools—all completely free!

👉 Register here: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, to explore how well-intentioned parenting can sometimes get in the way of the very skills children need to become capable, confident adults.

Julie unpacks the rise of the “checklisted childhood,” where success can become defined by grades, activities, achievements, and getting into the “right” school, and explains how this pressure can undermine independence, self-efficacy, and a child’s ability to discover who they really are. We talk about why parents often overhelp out of love and fear, how to know when support becomes overparenting, and why struggle, failure, responsibility, and everyday life skills are so important for healthy development.

We also explore how parents can step back without becoming disconnected, support anxious or struggling children without rescuing them, and shift from managing a child’s life to becoming a trusted guide. Julie offers a powerful reminder that the goal of parenting is not to create a perfect childhood, but to prepare children to navigate adulthood with confidence, resilience, and a sense of ownership over their own lives.

Julie Lythcott-Haims is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and former Stanford dean. She is best known for How to Raise an Adult, which explores how overparenting and achievement culture can undermine children’s independence, resilience, and self-confidence—and how parents can better prepare kids to become capable, self-directed adults.

Join us for our upcoming FREE Parenting Summit, November 16–19! 🎉

Four days of inspiring conversations, expert insights, and practical parenting tools—all completely free!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we raising our children, or are Big Tech, big business, and algorithms quietly doing it for us?

In this thought-provoking episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with Dr. Susan Linn, psychologist, author, and one of the world's leading voices on creative play and the commercialization of childhood. Drawing from her groundbreaking book Who's Raising the Kids?, Susan explores how technology companies, advertisers, toy manufacturers, and even schools have become powerful influences in children's lives—often shaping their values, relationships, attention, and development in ways parents never intended.

Together, Tania and Susan unpack what it means to parent in a world where children's attention has become one of the world's most valuable commodities. They discuss why the conversation isn't about blaming parents or banning technology, but about reclaiming childhood through connection, imaginative play, boredom, and real-world experiences. Susan also shares practical, hopeful ways families can resist the pressures of consumer culture and raise children whose identities are shaped by relationships rather than algorithms.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why the biggest competition for your child's attention isn't other children—it's an industry built to capture it.

How Big Tech and big business influence children's values, relationships, learning, and emotional well-being.

Why imaginative play is one of the most important foundations for healthy child development.

The hidden ways marketing reaches children through toys, apps, schools, games, and digital media.

How parents can reclaim their influence without relying on guilt or fear.

Practical ways to foster creativity, connection, and resilience in a commercialized world.

Why protecting childhood isn't about eliminating technology—it's about ensuring children have the freedom to be children.

If you've ever wondered why it feels harder than ever to compete with screens, devices, and digital entertainment, this conversation will leave you informed, empowered, and inspired. More importantly, it will remind you that parents remain the most powerful influence in a child's life—and that it's never too late to reclaim that role. Dr. Susan Linn is an internationally recognized psychologist, author, ventriloquist, and one of the world's leading advocates for protecting childhood from the harmful effects of commercialism and excessive screen use.

Through her research, writing, and advocacy, she has spent decades helping parents understand the importance of play, creativity, and connection in raising healthy, resilient children.

To learn more about Dr. Linn or to purchase Who's Raising the Kids? Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children, click here.

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"Most parents know that play is important. But what if it's not the game that matters most—it's how you show up while you're playing?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson pull back the curtain on what therapists know about play that every parent can use at home. Drawing from the principles of child-centred play therapy, they explore how simple shifts in the way you play can strengthen attachment, build emotional safety, and help your child feel deeply seen and understood.

You'll learn why following your child's lead is more powerful than directing the activity, how presence and attunement create the foundation for emotional regulation, and why children often communicate their inner world through play long before they have the words to explain it. Whether you have five minutes before bedtime or an afternoon at the park, these practical techniques will help you create moments of connection that support your child's emotional development for years to come.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why your presence matters more than the activity itself.

The power of child-directed play and why following your child's lead builds confidence and connection.

How attunement helps children feel safe, understood, and emotionally secure.

Simple play therapy techniques every parent can use at home.

What reflective responding is and how it deepens connection without needing to solve or fix.

How play supports emotional regulation, communication, and resilience.

Easy ways to create meaningful moments of connection, even in the middle of a busy day.

You don't need expensive toys, elaborate activities, or hours of free time to build a strong relationship with your child. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is slow down, enter their world, and simply be present."

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Love Over Algorithms: Raising Kids Who Choose Connection Over Screens with Nikki Martyn

Screens aren't just competing for our children's attention—they're competing for their relationships. And while many parents focus on limiting screen time, what if the real solution isn't found in stronger rules, but in stronger connections?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with parenting educator and author Nikki Martin to discuss her new book, Love Over Algorithms. Together, they explore how today's digital world is shaping our children, why technology struggles are often relationship struggles, and how parents can create homes where connection is more compelling than the endless pull of the algorithm.

Nikki introduces practical, research-informed tools that help families move beyond constant battles over devices. From the Love Loop and the L.O.V.E. Method to the power of the Pause Moment, she shares simple strategies that foster emotional safety, trust, and healthy technology habits without relying on shame, fear, or endless punishment.

This conversation offers a refreshing perspective for parents who want to raise digitally healthy children while protecting what matters most—the parent-child relationship.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why technology challenges are often rooted in relationship, not just screen time.
• The difference between the Dopamine Loop and the Love Loop, and why connection changes everything.
• How to use the L.O.V.E. Method during everyday screen-time struggles.
• Why the Pause Moment can completely change difficult interactions.
• How narrating your own technology use helps children develop healthy digital habits.
• What it means to move from control to trust using the Three Cs of Consent.
• Practical ways to create a home where children naturally choose connection over constant scrolling.
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Whether you're introducing your child's first device or navigating daily battles over phones, gaming, or social media, this episode will leave you with practical tools and renewed confidence to raise children who thrive in a digital world—without sacrificing connection along the way. Dr. Nikki Martyn is a parenting educator, speaker, and author of Love Over Algorithms. Passionate about helping families navigate the digital world with confidence, she equips parents with practical, relationship-first strategies that foster healthy technology habits, emotional connection, and resilience in an age of constant distraction.

To learn more about Nikki or to purchase Love Over Algorithms, click here.

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Feeding children can bring up so much pressure. Are they eating enough? Are they getting the right nutrients? Should we limit sugar? What do we do when they refuse everything on their plate?

In this episode, Tania is joined by Jennifer Anderson, registered dietitian, founder of Kids Eat in Color, and author of the new book, Feed Them Well: A Guide to Raising Healthy, Confident Eaters for Life.

Jennifer takes us deep into the research on how children learn to eat and what happens when parents restrict certain foods, pressure kids to eat, or try to tightly control what and how much they consume.

She explores the difference between restrictive feeding practices and helping children learn to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues, and why our best intentions around nutrition can sometimes have unexpected consequences.

They also dig into picky eating, sugar, treats, highly processed foods, food rules, body image, and the enormous amount of pressure parents feel to “get feeding right.”

How much control should parents actually have? Should dessert be restricted? What do we do when our child would happily live on crackers? And can giving children more freedom around food actually help them make better choices over time?

Jennifer brings the research, practical strategies, and plenty of reassurance for parents who want their children to eat well without creating fear, shame, or battles around food.

This is a fascinating conversation about what it really takes to raise children who are not only well nourished, but who grow up trusting themselves around food.

To order your book now, click here

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If every request turns into a battle, mornings feel like a marathon, and you're constantly walking the line between staying calm and completely losing your patience, you're not alone.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with parenting educator Kirk Martin, founder of CelebrateCalm, to explore why some children seem to push every button—and what parents can do instead of yelling, threatening, or repeating themselves for the tenth time.

Kirk shares practical, down-to-earth strategies for parenting strong-willed, highly sensitive, and emotionally intense children. Together, he and Tania discuss why traditional discipline often backfires, how parents can become the calm anchor their children need, and simple ways to reduce daily power struggles while building trust and cooperation.

Rather than trying to control children's behaviour, this conversation focuses on understanding what's driving it and responding in ways that help children develop emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why some children are naturally more intense, persistent, or emotionally reactive.

How to stop getting pulled into daily power struggles.

Practical ways to stay calm when your child is escalating.

Why connection creates more lasting change than constant correction.

Simple phrases that de-escalate conflict and encourage cooperation.

How to build your child's emotional regulation while strengthening your relationship.

Small changes that can make family life feel calmer and more connected.

Whether you're parenting a toddler with big feelings, a school-aged child who argues about everything, or a teenager who seems impossible to motivate, this episode will leave you feeling understood—and equipped with practical tools you can start using today.                                                  

Kirk Martin is the founder of CelebrateCalm and one of North America's leading parenting educators, known for helping families reduce power struggles and create calmer, more connected homes. Drawing on decades of experience working with strong-willed children, he shares practical, compassionate strategies that help parents respond with confidence instead of frustration.

To learn more about Kirk or explore his parenting resources, click here.

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When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan Shapiro was simply looking for something meaningful to do with his son. What began as an after-school chess club quickly turned into an unexpected journey that challenged everything he thought he knew about intelligence, learning, and what it really means to help a child thrive.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with Dan, author of Decoding Genius: The Unexpected Lessons of After-School Chess Club, to explore the remarkable lessons hidden within one of the world's oldest games. Driven by his son's growing passion for chess, Dan immersed himself in the fascinating history and science of the game, uncovering stories of blindfold chess masters, child prodigies, remarkable feats of memory, and the surprising reasons cultures around the world have long viewed chess as a powerful tool for developing the mind.

But this conversation isn't really about raising chess champions.

It's about raising children who can think ahead, tolerate frustration, recover from mistakes, embrace challenge, and discover the quiet confidence that comes from mastering something difficult. Together, Tania and Dan explore why meaningful struggle is essential for healthy development, how chess strengthens executive functioning and emotional regulation, and what every parent can learn from a simple game played across a checkered board.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How one family's pandemic chess journey became a lesson in resilience, confidence, and connection.
• Why chess develops much more than strategic thinking.
• The fascinating history of chess and why it has captivated brilliant minds for centuries.
• How children build executive functioning through planning, pattern recognition, and decision-making.
• Why mistakes, setbacks, and losing are essential ingredients for growth.
• How parents can foster curiosity, perseverance, and a love of learning without creating pressure to perform.
• Why the greatest lessons children learn through chess have very little to do with winning.

Whether your child is already a chess enthusiast or has never played a single game, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about challenge, mastery, and the hidden moments that shape a child's developing mind.                                                                          

Dan Shapiro is an author, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of learning and human potential. Inspired by his son's journey into competitive chess during the COVID-19 pandemic, he wrote Decoding Genius to explore the surprising ways chess develops resilience, creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.

To learn more about Dan or to purchase Decoding Genius: The Unexpected Lessons of After-School Chess Club, click here.

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Your teenager barely leaves their room. They're gaming for hours, avoiding school, pushing every button, and every conversation ends in an argument. You've tried consequences. You've tried backing off. You've tried talking, therapy, and taking devices away. Yet nothing seems to change.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with family therapist Dr. Scott Sells, author of Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager, to discuss what parents can do when they feel like they've lost both their authority and their connection with their teen.

Rather than focusing on quick fixes, Dr. Sells explains why so many families become trapped in cycles of conflict and power struggles. Together, they explore how anxiety, gaming, depression, trauma, entitlement, and family dynamics often become intertwined, making it difficult for parents to know where to begin. Most importantly, Dr. Sells offers practical strategies that help parents step out of constant battles and begin leading their families with both confidence and compassion.

This conversation is filled with hope for parents who feel exhausted, discouraged, or afraid that it's too late to reconnect with their teenager.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The first thing parents should stop doing when their teen seems completely checked out.
• Why power struggles around screens often make the problem worse.
• How to stay calm when your teen knows exactly how to push your buttons.
• The difference between treating the behavior and understanding what's driving it.
• Practical screen boundaries that reduce conflict instead of escalating it.
• How to rebuild motivation, responsibility, and hope in a teenager who seems to have given up.
• Why healthy parenting isn't about choosing between love or limits—it's about learning how to provide both at the same time.

Whether you're parenting a teen who is struggling with gaming, anxiety, school refusal, depression, or constant conflict, this episode offers practical tools and a fresh perspective to help you move from surviving each day to rebuilding your relationship—and your confidence as a parent.

About Dr. Scott Sells

Dr. Scott Sells is an internationally recognized psychologist, family therapist, speaker, and the creator of the evidence-based Parenting with Love and Limits® model. For more than 30 years, he has helped families navigate some of the most challenging adolescent behaviours, including defiance, aggression, school refusal, anxiety, depression, substance use, and technology-related conflict. His practical, compassionate approach has helped thousands of parents rebuild both authority and connection with their teens.

To learn more about Dr. Sells, click here or to purchase Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager: 8 Strategies to Reestablish Authority and Reclaim Love, click here.

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For years, parents have been told to talk to their children about their feelings. But what if talking isn't always what children need most?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson challenge one of today's most common parenting messages. While emotional literacy is incredibly important, there are moments when constantly asking children how they feel can unintentionally keep them stuck in their emotions instead of helping them move through them.

Tammy and Tania explore the difference between acknowledging feelings and over-focusing on them. They discuss why children need more than conversations—they need co-regulation, play, movement, connection, and opportunities to experience competence. You'll learn when to lean into emotional conversations, when to simply be present, and how to help children build resilience without making every difficult moment the center of attention.

If you've ever wondered, "Am I talking about feelings too much?" this episode offers a balanced, compassionate perspective grounded in attachment, neuroscience, and child development.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why talking about feelings isn't always the most effective intervention.

• The difference between validating emotions and unintentionally reinforcing them.

• When children need connection instead of conversation.

• How play, movement, and co-regulation help children process difficult emotions.

• Why emotional resilience comes from experiencing feelings—not avoiding them or over-analyzing them.

• Practical ways to respond when your child is upset without turning every moment into a therapy session.

This conversation isn't about talking less with your child—it's about knowing when words help, when presence matters more, and how to support children in ways that foster lasting emotional health.

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In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with Dr. Daniel Amen, physician, double board-certified psychiatrist, founder of Amen Clinics, and author of *Raising Mentally Strong Kids", for a powerful conversation about children’s brain health.

Dr. Amen explains why we need to shift the way we talk about “mental health” and begin thinking more deeply about brain health. He shares how children’s brains are shaped by everyday choices — including nutrition, sleep, movement, screens, stress, connection, substances, and the environments they grow up in.

Together, Tammy and Dr. Amen explore how parents can teach children to love and care for their brains, rather than simply nagging them about what not to do. They discuss practical ways to support children with ADHD, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and low resilience by looking at the brain and body as deeply connected systems.

In this episode, we discuss:

▪️ Why “mental health” is really brain health

▪️ How brain health impacts anxiety, ADHD, mood, learning, and resilience

▪️ Why gut health matters for children’s emotional well-being

▪️ The role of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and blood sugar regulation

▪️ Why screens and social media can affect dopamine and motivation

▪️ The importance of delaying smartphones and setting technology boundaries

▪️ How sleep, movement, sunlight, and exercise support the developing brain

▪️ Why connection, listening, and attachment help protect children’s mental health

▪️ How parents can build “brain reserve” and resilience in their children

▪️ What parents can do to model brain-healthy habits at home

Dr. Amen reminds us that children make better choices when they understand their brains. When kids learn to ask, “Is this good for my brain or bad for it?” they begin to build a foundation for healthier decisions, stronger relationships, greater resilience, and lifelong well-being.

This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, clinicians, and anyone who wants to help children grow strong, healthy brains.

Dr. Daniel Amen is a physician, double board-certified psychiatrist, award-winning researcher, and founder of Amen Clinics, which has 11 locations across the United States. His mission is to end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health. Amen Clinics uses brain SPECT imaging as part of its clinical approach and reports having one of the world’s largest databases of brain scans related to behavior, with scans from patients across 155 countries. Dr. Amen is also a bestselling author whose work focuses on brain health, mental health, ADHD, anxiety, addiction, trauma, resilience, and helping families build healthier brains.

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Why are so many autistic women missed in childhood? And what happens when a parent's journey to understand their child leads to a life-changing discovery about themselves?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we welcome Julie M. Green, author of Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood, and Radical Acceptance. Julie shares her powerful story of parenting an autistic child, navigating a late autism diagnosis, and finally making sense of a lifetime of experiences that had never quite fit together.

For many women, autism goes undiagnosed for decades. Traits are often misunderstood, hidden through masking, or mistaken for anxiety, perfectionism, sensitivity, or social difficulties. Julie's journey sheds light on the unique presentation of autism in women and girls, while offering hope for those seeking answers later in life.

In this conversation, we explore:

▪️ Autism in women and why so many girls are missed

▪️ Late autism diagnosis and its emotional impact

▪️ Parenting an autistic child

▪️ Masking and autistic burnout

▪️ Neurodiversity and self-acceptance

▪️ Autism in families and generational autism

▪️ Supporting autistic children and autistic parents

▪️ Identity, belonging, and mental health

▪️ What radical acceptance looks like after diagnosis

Whether you're a parent of an autistic child, an educator, clinician, or someone wondering if you may be autistic yourself, this episode provides valuable insight into autism spectrum disorder, neurodivergence, parenting, and self-discovery.

Julie's story is a powerful reminder that understanding ourselves can happen at any age—and that sometimes the people we love most help us find our way there.

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Are well-meaning parenting phrases doing more harm than good?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson unpack five common phrases many parents use every day—phrases like "Good job!" and "Be careful!"—and explore how they may unintentionally shape children's confidence, resilience, independence, and self-belief.

While these phrases often come from a place of love and protection, research in child development suggests that the words we use matter. The goal isn't to make parents feel guilty—it's to become more intentional about the messages children receive about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them.

Tammy and Tania discuss practical alternatives that encourage intrinsic motivation, problem-solving, emotional regulation, confidence, and healthy risk-taking. They explain why small shifts in language can have a powerful impact on children's long-term development and self-esteem.

In this episode, you'll learn:

▪️ Why "Good job!" may not be the praise children need most

▪️What to say instead of "Be careful!"

▪️ How language influences confidence, motivation, and resilience

▪️Common parenting phrases that can unintentionally increase anxiety

▪️ Simple communication strategies that foster emotional growth and independence

If you've ever wondered how to raise confident, capable, and resilient children, this conversation will help you rethink some of the most common parenting advice and give you practical tools you can start using today.

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Boys are struggling — academically, emotionally, socially, and developmentally. But what do boys actually need to grow into healthy, grounded, responsible young men?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with Dr. Alan Hahn doctoral-level educator, founder of Iron Academy, and author of The Iron Academy, to explore the modern crisis facing boys and young men.

Together, they discuss why so many boys are struggling in school, mental health, motivation, identity, and purpose — and what parents, educators, and communities can do to help. Dr. Hahn shares why boys need more than lectures or discipline. They need joy, community, accountability, identity, responsibility, and meaningful rites of passage.

This conversation explores how we can help boys move from simply consuming to contributing — and why young men need trusted adults who will guide them with both love and high expectations.

In this episode, we discuss:

▪️ Why boys are struggling in today’s culture

▪️ How schools may be failing to meet boys’ developmental needs

▪️ The importance of joy, community, accountability, and identity

▪️ Why boys need responsibility and opportunities to build competence

▪️ How screens, pornography, gaming, and digital culture can shape identity

▪️ The role of male mentorship and brotherhood

▪️ Why rites of passage still matter

▪️ How parents can create a family culture rooted in values

▪️ Why boys need adults who delight in them, not just push them

This episode is an important conversation for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone who cares about helping boys become healthy, connected, purposeful young men.

Dr. Alan Hahn is a doctoral-level educator, author, founder, and CEO of Iron Academy, a private all-male school in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving boys in grades 6–12. His work focuses on helping families and communities form boys into young men of character, responsibility, leadership, faith, and purpose.

Through Iron Academy, Dr. Hahn has developed an educational and mentorship model rooted in intentional male formation, rites of passage, brotherhood, moral development, accountability, and service. His work addresses what he describes as a modern crisis of masculinity by helping boys develop a clear identity, a sense of responsibility, and a vision for becoming mature, virtuous men.

To find out more, please click here: https://www.amazon.ca/Iron-Academy-Forging-Young-Fight/dp/B0FJ47PLM6

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Why does your child fall apart over “nothing”—the wrong socks, a transition, a loud sound, or being asked to leave the house? In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco to unpack what may really be happening beneath those big reactions.

Kathryn explains how children’s nervous systems are constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger, and why something as small as uncomfortable clothing, a rushed morning, or too much sensory input can become the “last straw.” Together, Tammy and Kathryn explore sensory processing, fight-or-flight responses, co-regulation, and how parents can become a calming cue of safety for their child.

This conversation helps parents shift from asking, “Is my child being difficult?” to “What is my child’s nervous system trying to tell me?” You’ll learn how to spot patterns, respond in the moment, and support children who may experience the world as too much, not enough, or simply hard to process.

In this episode, we discuss:

▪️ Why meltdowns can happen over seemingly small things

▪️ The connection between sensory processing and behaviour

▪️ How children’s bodies label experiences as “safe” or “unsafe”

▪️Why rushed mornings can trigger bigger reactions

▪️How parents can use their voice, body language, and presence to cue safety

▪️The difference between managing behaviour and listening to behaviour

▪️When sensory challenges may be interfering with everyday life

▪️Practical ways to help kids understand their brains, bodies, and emotions

As Kathryn shares in the interview, children’s behaviours are often an “output” of what is happening inside the nervous system—and when parents understand this, they can respond with more curiosity, compassion, and confidence.

Kathryn “Katie” Hamlin-Pacheco, M.S., OTR/L, ASDCS, is a pediatric occupational therapist, former teacher, author, and founder of the Brain Executive Program. She specializes in helping children and families understand sensory processing, regulation, and everyday neuroscience in simple, child-friendly ways. Kathryn is the author of How to Be a Brain Executive: And Get Sensory Sharp!, a practical workbook designed to help children better understand their sensory patterns and learn tools for daily life. She is also an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist and has training in Polyvagal Informed Practice, sensory integration, neuroscience, and child development.

To learn more about Kathryn's Brain Executive Progam visit: https://www.brainexecutiveprogram.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of infant loss, grief, and NICU trauma.

Some stories change us forever.

In this deeply moving episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C, and Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C, therapists, mothers, and co-authors of Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience.

What begins as a conversation about the NICU quickly becomes something much deeper.Mahaley courageously shares the story of her daughter, Saachi, and the unimaginable journey of becoming a mother while simultaneously facing the possibility of losing her child. She opens up about the hope, fear, heartbreak, and profound grief of leaving the hospital without her baby in her arms, and how that experience forever changed her life, her family, and her work.

Together, Emily and Mahaley explore the emotional realities many NICU parents carry long after the monitors are turned off and the hospital stay is over. We discuss trauma, attachment, grief, resilience, and the often-unspoken experience of trying to make sense of a story you never expected to live.

This conversation is for every parent who has sat beside a hospital bed praying for good news. For every family carrying the weight of medical trauma. For every mother or father learning how to hold both grief and love at the same time.

While this episode touches on profound loss, it is ultimately a story about connection, meaning, and the enduring bond between parent and child. It is a reminder that every child's life matters, every story deserves to be told, and no family should have to carry their pain alone.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of infant loss, grief, and NICU trauma.

Listen now for a powerful conversation about love, loss, healing, and the stories that stay with us forever.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is gentle parenting creating calmer, more connected families—or are some parents accidentally raising children who struggle with frustration, responsibility, and resilience?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson take an honest look at one of the most talked-about parenting approaches today: gentle parenting. While the principles of connection, empathy, and emotional validation are powerful tools for raising emotionally healthy children, problems can arise when gentle parenting is misunderstood or applied without clear boundaries and expectations.

Across social media, many parents are receiving conflicting messages about discipline, consequences, emotional regulation, and behavior management. As a result, some families find themselves stuck in cycles of negotiation, power struggles, emotional exhaustion, and increasing child anxiety.

In this conversation, Tammy and Tania explore the difference between true gentle parenting and permissive parenting, why children need both connection and boundaries, and how parents can respond to challenging behaviour without resorting to punishment, shame, or fear.

In this episode, we discuss:

Gentle parenting vs. permissive parenting

Why boundaries are essential for children's emotional security

The role of consequences in healthy child development

How over-accommodation can increase anxiety in children

Raising resilient, responsible, and emotionally regulated kids

Common parenting mistakes that can unintentionally reinforce challenging behaviour

How to balance empathy, authority, and connection

Whether you're parenting a toddler, child, or teenager, this conversation will help you better understand what children truly need to thrive and why effective parenting requires both warmth and leadership. If you've ever wondered whether you're being too strict, too lenient, or somewhere in between, this episode is for you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you prepare an autistic daughter for puberty, body changes, periods, privacy, and personal safety?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Dr. Natasha Poulopoulos shares practical guidance for navigating some of the most important conversations parents will have with their autistic daughters. We discuss why these conversations should begin earlier than many parents realize and how to approach sensitive topics in a way that feels safe, supportive, and manageable.

If you've ever wondered how to help your daughter understand her changing body while building confidence, self-advocacy, and healthy boundaries, this episode offers valuable insights—and a helpful introduction to Dr. Poulopoulos' work supporting autistic girls and their families.

Ready to dive deeper? Dr. Poulopoulos' comprehensive workshop, Autistic Girls, Puberty & Sexuality, provides practical tools, strategies, and guidance for supporting autistic girls through these important developmental years. For families raising autistic sons, her companion workshop, Autistic Boys & Sexuality, offers equally valuable support tailored to the unique needs of boys.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Kim Van Dusen, psychologist, parenting expert, and author of Parenting Through Play: Creative Strategies for Building Better Behavior, Deeper Connection, and Positive Communication. Together, we explore the powerful role of play in child development and why play is one of the most effective tools parents can use to strengthen connection, improve behavior, and support emotional regulation.

Dr. Kim explains how play-based parenting strategies can help reduce power struggles, increase cooperation, and build stronger parent-child relationships without relying on punishment, yelling, threats, or rewards. We discuss how children communicate through play, why playful parenting often works better than lectures, and how parents can use simple, everyday moments to foster emotional connection and positive behavior.

Whether you're parenting a toddler, preschooler, school-aged child, or tween, this conversation offers practical tools to support emotional development, attachment, communication, and resilience. Dr. Kim also shares actionable strategies for managing challenging behaviors, improving listening skills, and creating more peaceful interactions at home—even for parents who don't consider themselves naturally playful.

If you're looking for positive parenting techniques, play therapy-inspired strategies, behavior management tools, or ways to deepen your connection with your child, this episode is packed with evidence-informed insights and practical advice. It serves as a compassionate reminder that play is not simply a reward for good behavior—it is a child's primary language and one of the most powerful pathways to learning, regulation, communication, and connection.

Get a copy of her book "Parenting Through Play" here--> https://a.co/d/0d46o1cO

About the Author

Dr. Kim Van Dusen, LMFT, RPT, is a doctoral-level licensed marriage and family therapist, registered play therapist, parenting expert, educator, and mom of two. She specializes in working with young children, including both neurotypical and neurodiverse children, and has nearly twenty years of experience helping families use play-based, positive, and solution-focused strategies to address everyday behavioral challenges. Dr. Kim has also taught graduate-level play therapy students, supported positive behavioral systems in elementary schools, and works with a large online community of parents seeking practical support for connection, communication, and behavior.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screens aren't just hard for kids to put down because they enjoy them. As Michaeleen Doucleff explains in Dopamine Kids, screens can become powerful "dopamine magnets," pulling children back again and again, often without leaving them feeling calmer, happier, or more fulfilled afterward.

In Part 2 of this important conversation on The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy Schamuhn and Michaeleen Doucleff move from understanding the science of dopamine and screen time to exploring practical solutions parents can use at home.

Discover evidence-informed strategies to help children reduce screen dependence without constant power struggles. Learn how to create screen-free spaces that support healthy sleep, improved attention, meaningful family connection, and everyday adventure. Michaeleen shares why simply removing screens is rarely enough and how parents can help children reconnect with activities that naturally support emotional well-being.

This episode explores how outdoor play, creativity, movement, boredom, relationships, and family rituals can help children find genuine satisfaction beyond digital entertainment.

If you're concerned about screen addiction, excessive screen time, video games, social media, YouTube, or the growing impact of technology on children's mental health, this conversation offers practical and hopeful guidance.

Because children don't just need less screen time.

They need a life that feels richer, more meaningful, and more rewarding than the screen.

Michaeleen Doucleff is a science journalist and correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk. She holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Hunt, Gather, Parent.

You can learn more about Michaeleen and her work through Michaeleen Doucleff’s official website.

Books mentioned in this episode:

• Dopamine Kids
• Hunt, Gather, Parent

Aura

Your kid’s digital life doesn’t come with a playbook.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay in the dark.

That’s where Aura Parents comes in. It combines traditional parental controls—like content filtering, time limits, and Pause the Internet®—with newer digital wellbeing features that show patterns in sleep opportunity, screentime trends, social engagement, and even AI app usage insights.

So instead of just limiting screen time, you get more context and insight into changes in patterns and can use that information to decide when to check in with your kid.

It’s not about control—it’s about feeling informed and empowered as you navigate an always changing digital world.

Learn more about Aura Parents and start your free trial at auraparents.com/icp

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Tammy Schamuhn sits down with Michaeleen Doucleff, author of Dopamine Kids, to explore what is really happening in children’s brains when they beg for more screen time, melt down when devices are taken away, or seem unable to pull themselves away from video games, social media, YouTube, or ultra-processed foods.

Many parents have been taught that dopamine is simply the brain’s “pleasure chemical.” But Doucleff explains that dopamine is more accurately understood as part of the brain’s motivation and seeking system — the internal drive that says: keep going, get more, don’t stop yet.

This shift in understanding changes everything.

When children become explosive after screen time ends, their brains may not be responding to joy or satisfaction. Instead, they may be caught in a cycle of constant wanting. Screens and ultra-processed foods can act as powerful “dopamine magnets,” pulling children toward repeated stimulation while leaving them feeling more dysregulated, disconnected, and emotionally depleted.

In this episode, Tammy and Michaeleen unpack:

• why screen time battles can feel so intense for families
• how dopamine-driven behaviors affect motivation, focus, sleep, and emotional regulation
• why children are especially vulnerable to highly stimulating technology and foods
• how modern childhood has become shaped by endless craving and overstimulation
• why this is not about blaming parents or shaming children
• how understanding the brain can help parents respond with more compassion, clarity, and confidence

This conversation is essential listening for parents, educators, and caregivers trying to understand why screen limits feel so difficult, why transitions off devices can trigger meltdowns, and why many children today seem trapped in cycles of “more, more, more.”

In Part 2, releasing June 3, Michaeleen shares practical, science-backed strategies to help families reduce screen dependence, shift unhealthy habits, and reconnect children with play, sleep, focus, creativity, and real-life joy.

Michaeleen Doucleff is a science journalist and correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk. She holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Hunt, Gather, Parent.

You can learn more about Michaeleen and her work through Michaeleen Doucleff’s official website.

Books mentioned in this episode:

• Dopamine Kids
• Hunt, Gather, Parent

Aura

Your kid’s digital life doesn’t come with a playbook.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay in the dark.

That’s where Aura Parents comes in. It combines traditional parental controls—like content filtering, time limits, and Pause the Internet®—with newer digital wellbeing features that show patterns in sleep opportunity, screentime trends, social engagement, and even AI app usage insights.

So instead of just limiting screen time, you get more context and insight into changes in patterns and can use that information to decide when to check in with your kid.

It’s not about control—it’s about feeling informed and empowered as you navigate an always changing digital world.

Learn more about Aura Parents and start your free trial at auraparents.com/icp

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Anxiety, Meltdowns, Sleep Problems, and Emotional Dysregulation May Have More to Do With Modern Childhood Than We Think

Children today are more anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, and emotionally exhausted than ever before.

But what if one of the biggest threats to their mental health isn’t something happening online…

It’s what’s missing offline?

In this incredibly powerful and emotional episode of the Child Psych Podcast, Dr. John La Puma joins us to unpack what he calls The Indoor Epidemic — the silent shift away from sunlight, outdoor play, movement, nature, boredom, independence, and real-world connection that is fundamentally changing childhood.

This conversation will likely make you see parenting — and modern life — differently.

We explore why children’s nervous systems are struggling, why so many kids seem emotionally dysregulated and chronically stressed, and how today’s indoor, screen-filled lifestyle may be contributing to rising rates of anxiety, attention difficulties, sleep problems, sensory overwhelm, and disconnection.

But this episode is not about guilt.

It’s about hope.

Dr. La Puma shares practical, science-backed ways families can reconnect with the outdoors, regulate the nervous system naturally, and begin restoring the kinds of experiences children’s brains and bodies desperately need to thrive.

If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought:

“Why do they seem so overwhelmed lately?”

“Why does everything feel harder than it used to?”

“Why can’t screens seem to satisfy them?”

“Why do we all feel so disconnected?”

This episode is going to hit deeply.

In This Episode:

The hidden psychological cost of indoor childhoods

Why nature is one of the most powerful nervous system regulators

The surprising link between sunlight, movement, sleep, and emotional health

What kids lose when free play and independence disappear

How modern life is reshaping children’s brains and stress responses

Simple changes that can dramatically improve family well-being

This is one of those conversations every parent needs to hear.

Aura

Your kid’s digital life doesn’t come with a playbook.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay in the dark.

That’s where Aura Parents comes in. It combines traditional parental controls—like content filtering, time limits, and Pause the Internet®—with newer digital wellbeing features that show patterns in sleep opportunity, screentime trends, social engagement, and even AI app usage insights.

So instead of just limiting screen time, you get more context and insight into changes in patterns and can use that information to decide when to check in with your kid.

It’s not about control—it’s about feeling informed and empowered as you navigate an always changing digital world.

Learn more about Aura Parents and start your free trial at auraparents.com/icp

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this insightful and practical conversation, we sit down with Katie Kimball, founder of Kids Cook Real Food and author of Kids Cook Real Food: Healthy Kids, Happy Moms, to explore the real story behind picky eating.

If mealtimes in your home feel like a constant battle, this episode offers a refreshing and evidence-informed perspective. Katie challenges the common belief that picky eating is simply about stubbornness or defiance, and instead helps parents understand the developmental, sensory, and relational factors that shape how children engage with food.

We talk about why pressure, bribing, and “just one more bite” often backfire, and what actually helps children build confidence and curiosity around food. Katie shares simple, practical strategies that support autonomy, reduce stress at the table, and create a more positive mealtime experience for the whole family.

This episode is especially helpful for parents who feel stuck, frustrated, or worried about their child’s eating habits, and are looking for a more connected, sustainable approach.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why picky eating is rarely just about the food

• How pressure and control can make mealtimes harder

• The role of independence and life skills in expanding food choices

• Simple ways to involve kids in cooking and build confidence

• How to create calm, connected, and successful mealtime routines

This is a conversation about shifting the dynamic at the table, moving away from power struggles, and supporting children in developing a healthy, lifelong relationship with food.

Aura

Your kid’s digital life doesn’t come with a playbook.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay in the dark.

That’s where Aura Parents comes in. It combines traditional parental controls—like content filtering, time limits, and Pause the Internet®—with newer digital wellbeing features that show patterns in sleep opportunity, screentime trends, social engagement, and even AI app usage insights.

So instead of just limiting screen time, you get more context and insight into changes in patterns and can use that information to decide when to check in with your kid.

It’s not about control—it’s about feeling informed and empowered as you navigate an always changing digital world.

Learn more about Aura Parents and start your free trial at auraparents.com/icp

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, we sit down with Harry Psaros, author of From Struggle to Strength: A Father’s Journey with Autism, to explore a perspective that is often missing in conversations around autism, the father’s experience.

Harry shares his personal journey from denial to acceptance after his son’s autism diagnosis, opening up about the confusion, resistance, and emotional struggle many parents quietly face. Like many fathers, he initially found it difficult to fully embrace the diagnosis, a reality he now speaks openly about to help other families feel less alone.

Through vulnerability and reflection, Harry offers insight into what helped him shift his mindset, strengthen his role as a parent, and become a more connected and supportive father. His story is not about perfection or quick fixes, but about growth, resilience, and the power of showing up, even when it is hard.

This episode is especially meaningful for parents navigating a new diagnosis, families experiencing disconnection, or anyone wanting to better understand the emotional journey behind raising a child on the spectrum.

In this episode, we explore:

• The emotional reality of receiving an autism diagnosis as a parent

• Why some fathers struggle with acceptance and how to support them

• The shift from resistance to connection

• Building a united, supportive family approach

• How mindset, hope, and small steps can transform the journey

This is a conversation about honesty, growth, and the kind of parenting that evolves through challenge, connection, and love.

To learn more about Harry, please click here: https://www.harrypsaros.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your child is melting down, shutting down, or completely overwhelmed… it can feel like nothing works. In this powerful, brain-based conversation, best-selling author Jon Fogel reveals what’s really happening beneath your child’s big emotions—and why those intense feelings so quickly turn into explosive behaviors.

But more importantly, he shows you what to do in the moment.

Drawing from his work with families and the tools behind his upcoming children’s book Set My Feelings Free, Jon explains why talking often fails when kids are dysregulated—and why play, movement, music, and sensory tools can calm a child’s nervous system in seconds.

You’ll walk away with simple, powerful strategies your child can actually use when it matters most—because the best tools aren’t the ones that sound good… they’re the ones that work in real life.

✅ What’s really happening in your child’s brain during meltdowns

✅ Why logic and reasoning don’t work when emotions take over

✅ Fast, play-based tools that help kids regulate in the moment

✅ Why one strategy can work beautifully for one child—and fail for another

✅ How to build regulation skills before the meltdown happens

✅ How to stay calm, confident, and grounded—even in the hardest moments

Jon is the author of the best-selling book Punishment-Free Parenting: The Brain-Based Way to Raise Kids Without Raising Your Voice, where he outlines practical, research-informed strategies for guiding children’s behavior without fear, shame, or harsh discipline and his newest CHILDREN'S BOOK Set My Feelings Free

Jon is also the host of The Whole Parent Podcast, where he shares tools, mindset shifts, and real-life applications to help parents move from reactivity to intentional, grounded leadership. Through his writing, teaching, and podcast, Jon empowers parents to build emotionally healthy homes rooted in both warmth and accountability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Challenging behavior isn’t a motivation problem, it’s a skills and problem-solving problem. In this powerful masterclass, Dr. Ross Greene (clinical psychologist, author, and founder of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model) and Tammy Schamuhn (child psychologist and co-founder of the Institute of Child Psychology) unpack a compassionate, research-informed shift that has transformed homes and schools: kids do well if they can. 

Instead of relying on sticker charts, punishments, power struggles, or “compliance-first” discipline, Dr. Greene helps adults learn to see behavior as communication: a child is showing us they’re having difficulty meeting an expectation, and there’s an unsolved problem underneath that needs our attention. 

What You’ll Learn:

✅ Why consequences (rewards and punishments) don’t solve the problems that cause challenging behavior 

✅ How to shift from “They won’t” to “They can’t yet,” by identifying lagging skills and unmet expectations 

✅ The 3-step CPS/Plan B process for collaborative problem-solving

✅ How to reduce conflict by solving problems proactively, before kids reach the boiling point 

✅ How this approach supports children across settings (home, classroom, recess, coaching) while strengthening trust and connection 

FREE resources from Dr. Ross Greene can be found here--> https://cpsconnection.com/

His newest book "The Kids Who Aren't Okay", His classic book "The Explosive Child"

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, we sit down with attachment therapist and author Eli Harwood to explore the heart of her new book, How to Deal With Your $%$! So Your Kids Don’t Have To: An Encyclopedia for Ditching Your Emotional Baggage—releasing April 14.

At the core of this conversation is a simple but profound truth: your kids can feel what you don’t heal.

Together, we unpack how unprocessed anger, experiences of rejection, and lingering shame can quietly shape the way we show up as parents. These patterns often surface in our hardest moments—during conflict, disconnection, or discipline—and can unintentionally be passed on to the very children we’re trying to support.

Eli offers practical, no-nonsense guidance to help parents recognize their emotional triggers, work through their own internal experiences, and respond with greater intention and connection. This is not about perfection—it’s about awareness, repair, and doing the kind of work that changes family patterns over time.

In this episode, we explore:

*How anger, rejection, and shame show up in parenting

*Why children carry what parents don’t process

*Tools to begin healing your own emotional patterns

*Strategies to handle big emotions in the moment

*How to break generational cycles and build secure, connected relationships

✨ Her new book, How to Deal With Your _________! So Your Kids Don’t Have To, releases April 14—your roadmap to shedding emotional baggage and raising children who feel safe, seen, and secure. Order HERE : https://www.attachmentnerd.com/books/how-to-deal-with-your-so-your-kids-dont-have-to

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we raise children who not only feel a deep sense of belonging — but actively create it for others?

In this powerful and deeply important episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Gaiathry Jeyarajan — clinical psychologist, educator, advocate, and author of Ella’s Choice — to explore what it truly means to raise inclusive, compassionate, and socially aware children in today’s world.

Grounded in developmental science, attachment, and real-life parenting, this conversation unpacks how belonging begins in the earliest relationships — through emotional safety, secure attachment, and children feeling genuinely seen, heard, and valued at home. From there, we explore how children develop empathy, identity, moral courage, and the confidence to speak up when something feels unfair.

Dr. Jeyarajan explains why children are naturally curious rather than judgmental, how bias is learned through environment and silence, and why avoiding conversations about race and difference can unintentionally leave children vulnerable to harmful narratives. Together, we discuss how honest, developmentally appropriate conversations build emotional safety, critical thinking, and compassion.

This episode also highlights one of the most important truths in parenting: children learn far more from what we model than what we say.

How we respond to exclusion, discomfort, injustice, and everyday moments teaches children how to move through the world.

Most importantly, this conversation reminds us that raising anti-racist and inclusive children is not about perfection. It is about presence, openness, repair, and being willing to grow alongside our children.

• How belonging and inclusion begin in early childhood
• Why children are naturally curious—not inherently biased
• How bias is learned through silence, environment, and messaging
• The importance of talking openly about race and difference
• How emotional safety supports empathy and compassion
• Raising children who speak up against unfairness and exclusion
• Why modeling matters more than lectures
• Helping children develop identity, courage, and social awareness
• Practical ways parents can nurture inclusion and belonging at home

This episode is a compassionate and hopeful guide for parents, educators, and professionals who want to raise children capable of creating safer, kinder, and more inclusive spaces for everyone around them.

Click here to find out more about " I Love You More Than Rice and Curry" : https://a.co/d/0bBWYpxK

Dr Gaiathry's Instagram is also fantastic: https://www.instagram.com/lifeofashrink/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this insightful and deeply validating episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Mike Goldstein — education leader and co-author of I’ll Do It Later: Surviving School (and Renewing the Love) with Your ADHD Son.

Together, we unpack a refreshing and realistic perspective on ADHD — one that moves beyond blame, labels, and quick-fix parenting strategies.

Through powerful real-life stories and case studies of boys navigating school, motivation, homework, and everyday life, Mike challenges one of the biggest misconceptions about ADHD: that children simply “aren’t trying hard enough.”

Instead, this conversation reveals a much deeper truth.

Many children with ADHD genuinely want to succeed, want to please the adults around them, and want to follow through — but struggle with executive functioning skills like task initiation, organization, sustained attention, planning, and follow-through, especially outside highly structured environments like school.

We explore why so many traditional parenting and school approaches fail to create lasting change, how technology and shrinking attention spans may be complicating ADHD symptoms, and what actually helps children build motivation, confidence, and independence over time.

Most importantly, this episode offers parents a compassionate reframe: ADHD is not a character flaw or motivation problem — it is an execution challenge rooted in how the brain manages attention, regulation, and action.

• Why ADHD is often misunderstood as laziness or lack of motivation
• The difference between wanting to do something and being able to initiate it
• How executive functioning impacts homework, routines, and follow-through
• Why many ADHD strategies fail over time
• The impact of technology and attention fragmentation on kids today
• How relationships and environment shape ADHD success
• Practical ways parents can reduce power struggles and frustration
• Supporting children with ADHD through coaching, understanding, and realistic expectations

This episode is a powerful reminder that behind many unfinished tasks, forgotten homework assignments, and frustrating routines is a child who is often trying much harder than we realize.

To find out more about Mike, click here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re airing a re-run today of one of our most popular podcast episodes with Dr. Laura Markham.

Most parents think that if our child would just "behave," we could maintain our composure as parents. The truth is that managing our own emotions and actions is what allows us to feel peaceful as parents. Ultimately we can’t control our children or the hand life deals them—but we can always control our own actions. Parenting isn’t about what our child does, but about how we respond."

In this podcast we interview one of our FAVOURITE parenting experts Dr. Laura Markham, Clinical Psychologist, best-selling author of the book "Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids" and "Peaceful Parents, Happy Siblings" and founder of AHA!Parenting where we talk about how to keep our cool as parents! Want more of Dr. Markham?! Use code ICPSAVE30 to TAKE 30% OFF her courses: Peaceful Parents, Happy Siblings: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/product/peaceful-parent-happy-siblings-how-to-stop-the-fighting-raise-friends-for-life/ How to Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/product/how-to-raise-an-emotionally-intelligent-child/

Interested in more from the Institute?

 The Parenting Handbook: Your Guide to Raising Resilient Children is the ultimate guide to nurturing emotional regulation, resiliency, connection, and well-being in children. Find out more here

Our  parenting membership comes with over 90 Parenting & Mental Health Courses and more!. Click here

Our professional membership offers affordable, accessible training all in one spot for mental health professionals! Find out more  here

We have amazing free parenting content on:

Youtube

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Childhood anxiety is more common than many parents realize — and it often shows up in ways that leave families feeling confused, overwhelmed, and unsure how to help.

In this compassionate and practical episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we explore how worries take shape in a child’s mind, why anxiety can feel so overwhelming in the body, and what parents can do to help children build confidence, resilience, and bravery in the face of fear.

Inspired by the ideas behind Shrink Your Worries, this conversation focuses on practical, child-friendly strategies that help children understand anxious thoughts, calm their nervous systems, and slowly face the situations that feel scary instead of avoiding them.

Together, we unpack one of the most important truths about anxiety: the goal is not to eliminate fear completely, but to help children learn they are capable of moving through fear with support, courage, and connection.

We discuss why anxious thoughts often grow bigger when children avoid difficult situations, how reassurance can sometimes accidentally reinforce anxiety, and why small steps toward bravery can create powerful long-term change. Parents will also learn how to respond to anxious moments in ways that help children feel safe, capable, and emotionally supported.

This episode is filled with gentle encouragement and practical tools for parents, educators, and professionals supporting anxious children.

• Why childhood anxiety can feel so overwhelming for kids
• How anxious thoughts grow and take hold
• Why avoidance unintentionally strengthens anxiety over time
• Helping children calm their bodies during anxious moments
• Practical strategies to build bravery and resilience
• How parents can respond without reinforcing fear
• Supporting children through worries with calm, connection, and encouragement
• Why confidence grows when children face fears in small, manageable steps

To find out more about Poppy, click here , more here too on Poppy's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppyoneillbooks/

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In this special sneak peek from the upcoming ICP Summit 2026, we are joined by Dr. Robert Melillo — renowned clinician, researcher, author of Disconnected Kids, and creator of the Brain Balance Program.

This fascinating and thought-provoking conversation explores a question many parents ask themselves every day:

Why is my child struggling so much despite trying so hard?

Drawing from decades of research and clinical work, Dr. Melillo explains how subtle imbalances in brain development may contribute to challenges such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, OCD, learning difficulties, emotional dysregulation, sensory sensitivities, and behavioral struggles.

Together, we unpack the concept of functional disconnection syndrome — differences in communication between regions of the brain, particularly between the hemispheres — and how these imbalances can impact attention, emotional regulation, learning, coordination, behavior, and social functioning.

Most importantly, this episode offers hope.

Dr. Melillo explains the incredible power of neuroplasticity and how the developing brain can strengthen, grow, and change through targeted intervention and supportive experiences. We explore holistic, brain-based approaches that support children from the bottom up, including movement therapies, sensory stimulation, nutrition, cognitive exercises, and environmental supports designed to strengthen neural pathways and improve long-term functioning.

Whether you are parenting a child with ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning challenges, or simply trying to better understand your child’s nervous system and development, this episode offers a compassionate and deeply informative perspective.

• What “functional disconnection syndrome” means
• How brain imbalances may impact behavior, learning, and emotional regulation
• The connection between neurodevelopment and ADHD, autism, dyslexia, OCD, and sensory challenges
• Why struggling children are often misunderstood
• The science of neuroplasticity and how the brain can change
• Movement-based and sensory-based interventions for brain development
• The role of nutrition, cognitive exercises, and environmental support
• Why a holistic, brain-based approach can help children thrive

This episode is a powerful reminder that beneath every challenging behavior is a developing brain asking for understanding, support, and the right kind of help.

LINK TO HIS BEST-SELLING BOOK--> https://a.co/d/0jdB23nD

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Today’s episode is a special sneak peek from one of the powerful masterclasses featured in the upcoming ICP Summit 2026 — and if your child has a smartphone, gaming console, or social media account, this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss.

In this urgent and eye-opening episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Constable Scott Sterling and Constable Stephanie Bosch from the Internet Child Exploitation Unit to talk about what is really happening behind children’s screens today.

Together, we unpack the growing realities families are facing online — including sextortion, online grooming, explicit image sharing, gaming-based exploitation, and the emotional devastation many children experience when private images are spread or threats begin.

But this conversation is not about panic or fear.

It is about prevention, awareness, and giving parents the knowledge they need before a crisis happens.

Scott and Stephanie explain how offenders build trust with children through games, social media apps, and private messaging platforms, why even “good kids from good homes” are vulnerable, and what warning signs parents should never ignore. Most importantly, they share practical, immediate strategies parents can use to reduce risk, strengthen communication, and create homes where children feel safe asking for help.

We also discuss:

• What to say to your child tonight about online safety
• The biggest mistakes parents unknowingly make online
• What to do immediately if your child is being threatened or sextorted
• Why shame keeps many children silent
• The emotional impact online exploitation has on kids and teens
• How connection and open communication protect children more than monitoring alone

This is one of the most important conversations we’ve had for parents navigating today’s digital world.

Please listen. Share it. And start the conversation before your child needs it.

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n this deeply emotional and validating episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we’re joined by Rebecca Geshuri — licensed marriage and family therapist, IFS-informed clinician, perinatal mental health specialist, and co-author of When Good Moms Feel Bad.

This conversation speaks directly to the mothers carrying invisible guilt, shame, rage, anxiety, exhaustion, and the quiet fear that they are somehow failing their children despite loving them deeply.

Rebecca helps us understand a profound truth: the mothers who care the most often struggle the most.

Together, we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) offers a compassionate and transformative framework for understanding motherhood—not through blame or pathology, but through the lens of nervous systems, emotional overwhelm, and protective “parts” that emerge during stress. Rebecca explains the difference between our “Good Mom” parts and “Bad Mom” parts, why maternal rage is often rooted in unmet needs and overload, and how shame keeps so many mothers suffering silently and alone.

We also discuss the powerful concept of unblending—learning to create space from overwhelming emotions so parents can respond instead of react in difficult moments. Rebecca offers deep reassurance to parents terrified that their anger or dysregulation has already harmed their children, reminding us that repair, reconnection, and nervous system safety matter far more than perfection.

Most importantly, this episode introduces listeners to the idea of the “Inner Mom”—the calm, compassionate internal leader that already exists within every parent, even when overwhelm makes it hard to access.

This is a conversation every mother deserves to hear.

• Why loving your child deeply can sometimes make parenting feel harder
• Maternal rage, anxiety, guilt, and shame through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• The difference between “Good Mom” and “Bad Mom” parts
• Why mothers often feel emotionally flooded and reactive
• How shame keeps parents isolated and suffering silently
• The power of unblending during triggering parenting moments
• Why repair matters more than perfection in parent-child relationships
• How healing a mother’s inner world supports a child’s attachment and regulation
• Accessing the calm, compassionate “Inner Mom” during overwhelm
• 
  

If you’ve ever whispered to yourself, “Why is this so hard if I love my child this much?” — this episode will help you feel seen, understood, and far less alone.

Find Rebecca on social @rebeccageshurilmft

Here is the link to her new book, "When Good Mom's Feel Bad" : https://rebeccageshurilmft.com/book

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In this episode, we sit down with Elle Wilks, confidence advocate and co-founder of Fearless Girls Club, to explore a pattern many parents notice but don’t always understand: why girls’ confidence so often drops around age 10.

This is the age when many girls shift from carefree self-expression to self-consciousness. Peer approval, appearance, performance, and social comparison begin to carry more weight. What once felt easy — speaking up, trying new things, being silly, taking risks — can suddenly feel loaded with fear of getting it wrong.

Elle shares what is happening developmentally, socially, and emotionally during this stage, and how subtle messages about being “good,” “nice,” and “liked” can slowly disconnect girls from their authentic voice. We talk about the growing influence of friendships, perfectionism, school pressure, and the early impact of social media culture — even before many girls are officially online.

Drawing from her work with girls and families through Fearless Girls Club, an award-winning UK social enterprise supporting girls aged 8–12, Elle explains how confidence isn’t built through lectures — it grows through experiences of courage, creativity, and connection. Their monthly themed activity boxes are designed to spark those moments, giving girls practical tools, stories, and creative challenges that nurture bravery, kindness, and self-worth in a hands-on, meaningful way.

Most importantly, this conversation is packed with practical ways parents can respond when confidence begins to wobble. You’ll learn how to:

• notice early signs of shrinking confidence

• support bravery without adding pressure

• shift conversations away from appearance and toward identity

• help girls build resilience after social setbacks

• create a home environment that protects self-worth

If you’ve seen your once bold, expressive child become more hesitant, emotional, or self-critical, this episode will help you understand why — and show you how to gently guide her back toward self-trust.

An empowering listen for parents, educators, and anyone who wants to help girls grow up grounded, confident, and secure in who they are.

To find out more about the Fearless Girls Club, click here

👀 Something Big Is Coming for Parents…

We’re launching The Parent Coach — and trust us, you’re going to want this in your back pocket. More details soon!

The 2026 ICP Parenting Summit is next month!

Join us March 16–19 for 35+ expert masterclasses and four interactive half-day workshops, featuring leading voices like Ross Greene, Laura Markham, Robert Melillo, Lawrence Cohen, Kim John Payne, and Jon Fogel. We’ll be diving into the topics parents need most: screens, discipline, anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, resilience, play, and more.

The summit is completely free, and VIP packages include lifetime access, toolkits, certificates, and a digital copy of The Parenting Handbook.

Click here to save your seat!

• how to repair and reconnect after the storm has passed

• ways to build emotional skills so these explosions happen less often

Tammy and Tania share compassionate, practical strategies that help parents lead with steadiness instead of shame or punishment. You’ll walk away understanding how to hold boundaries while still protecting your connection — even in the hardest moments.

If you’ve ever felt crushed, angry, or unsure what to do after hearing those words, this episode will help you see them differently and respond in a way that strengthens your relationship rather than strains it.

A must-listen for parents raising emotionally healthy, resilient kids.

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In this episode, Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson tackle one of the most painful moments in parenting: when your child looks at you and says, “I hate you.”

Those words can sting, shock, and even shake your confidence as a parent. But Tammy and Tania explain why this moment is far less about hatred — and far more about big feelings, overwhelmed nervous systems, and developing brains that don’t yet have the skills to say what they truly mean.

You’ll learn what’s actually happening beneath those words, why kids often say this to the people they feel safest with, and how your response in that moment can either escalate the situation or help your child return to regulation.

In this conversation, we cover:

• why “I hate you” is often a sign of emotional overload, not disrespect

• how brain development limits kids’ ability to express complex feelings

• what not to say in the moment

• how to stay calm when you feel hurt or triggered

👀 Something Big Is Coming for Parents…

We’re launching The Parent Coach — and trust us, you’re going to want this in your back pocket. More details soon!

The 2026 ICP Parenting Summit is coming!

Join us March 16–19 for 35+ expert masterclasses and four interactive half-day workshops, featuring leading voices like Ross Greene, Laura Markham, Robert Melillo, Lawrence Cohen, Kim John Payne, and Jon Fogel. We’ll be diving into the topics parents need most: screens, discipline, anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, resilience, play, and more.

The summit is completely free, and VIP packages include lifetime access, toolkits, certificates, and a digital copy of The Parenting Handbook.

Click here to save your seat!

• how to repair and reconnect after the storm has passed

• ways to build emotional skills so these explosions happen less often

Tammy and Tania share compassionate, practical strategies that help parents lead with steadiness instead of shame or punishment. You’ll walk away understanding how to hold boundaries while still protecting your connection — even in the hardest moments.

If you’ve ever felt crushed, angry, or unsure what to do after hearing those words, this episode will help you see them differently and respond in a way that strengthens your relationship rather than strains it.

A must-listen for parents raising emotionally healthy, resilient kids.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and reassuring episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we’re joined by Devon Kuntzman — parenting educator, early childhood specialist, and author of Transforming Toddlerhood.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by tantrums, constant power struggles, hitting, biting, screaming, or endless “no’s,” this conversation will completely shift how you see toddler behavior.

Devon helps parents understand one of the most important truths about early childhood: toddlers are not trying to manipulate, embarrass, or control us. Their behavior is communication rooted in an immature nervous system, developing brain, overwhelming emotions, and an intense need for connection and safety.

Together, we unpack why traditional discipline approaches like punishment, threats, shame, and time-outs often backfire during the toddler years—and what children are actually learning when fear and control are used. Devon explains what’s happening inside a toddler’s brain during meltdowns, why emotional regulation and impulse control cannot yet be expected, and how parents can respond in ways that support long-term resilience, emotional health, and nervous system regulation.

This episode is deeply validating for overwhelmed parents who are trying to parent differently while carrying the pressure of cultural expectations around obedience and behavior.

Most importantly, Devon reminds us that discipline is not about control—it’s about teaching, connection, co-regulation, and helping children feel safe enough to grow.

• Why toddler behavior is communication, not manipulation
• What’s actually happening in the toddler brain during meltdowns
• Why punishment and fear-based discipline often backfire
• The difference between discipline and punishment
• How connection helps toddlers develop emotional regulation
• Supporting hitting, biting, refusal, and power struggles with compassion and boundaries
• Why parents often feel triggered during toddlerhood—and what to do about it
• How shifting from control to connection changes the parenting experience entirely

This episode offers reassurance, insight, and a powerful reframe that many parents have been waiting for.

Devon's Book "Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums, End Power Struggles, and Raise Resilient Kids---Without Losing Your Mind" --> https://a.co/9AGhuXk

Devon is a featured speaker at our 2026 Children's Mental Health and Parenting Summit. To register for this FREE event please visit: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/summit-registration-spring-2026/

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In this deeply heartfelt episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we’re joined by Princess Noor of Jordan — author, mother, and passionate advocate for emotionally healthy childhoods.

Together, we explore something many parents overlook: how stories can become powerful emotional tools for children struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, big feelings, and self-expression.

Drawing from her beautiful children’s books Sometimes, Pandy’s Book of Thanks, and Whisper’s Journey, Princess Noor shares how storytelling can help children feel safe enough to name emotions, process difficult experiences, and build deeper self-worth, compassion, and emotional resilience.

This conversation is filled with gentle wisdom for parents raising sensitive children in an overwhelming world. We talk about mindfulness, gratitude, emotional awareness, and the quiet moments of connection that often matter most. Princess Noor also shares how motherhood shaped her writing, how her Jordanian heritage influences the messages within her stories, and why emotional connection—not perfection—is what children remember most.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your child through big emotions without forcing conversations, this episode offers a beautiful reminder: sometimes healing begins with simply sitting together and reading a story.

• How storytelling helps children process emotions safely
• Why emotionally intelligent kids are built through connection, not correction
• Supporting anxious, sensitive, or overwhelmed children through books and shared moments
• Teaching mindfulness, kindness, gratitude, and compassion in everyday life
• The emotional power of slowing down and being fully present with our children
• Why stories often say what children cannot yet put into words themselves

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In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we’re joined by Alyssa Blask Campbell—educator, emotional-development expert, and author of the bestselling book Tiny Humans, Big Emotions. Alyssa invites us into the heart of her groundbreaking framework, the Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method—a research-based approach designed to help parents and educators respond to children’s emotions with intention rather than reactivity.

Through this rich conversation, Alyssa explains what it truly means to process emotions collaboratively, starting with the adult’s ability to regulate their own nervous system. She shares how the CEP method reframes emotional moments not as crises to fix, but as opportunities for connection and co-regulation. Together, we explore how this framework helps both parents and teachers move beyond behaviour management and into deeper relational understanding—where curiosity, empathy, and attunement replace power struggles and frustration.

Alyssa’s insights offer a refreshing reminder that emotional intelligence begins with us. When adults pause, breathe, and reflect before reacting, they model the very skills children need to thrive. Her work bridges cutting-edge neuroscience with compassionate, practical tools that fit into everyday life—whether you’re navigating a toddler tantrum, a classroom meltdown, or the quiet undercurrent of stress in your own body.

Tune in for an inspiring and empowering conversation about what it means to raise and teach with emotional awareness, and how cultivating calm within ourselves is the most powerful gift we can give the children in our care.

Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed., is an emotional development expert, teacher, parent, and the founder and CEO of Seed & Sew—a global platform dedicated to raising emotionally intelligent humans by supporting the adults who care for them. She holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is the creator of the Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method, a research-based framework that helps parents and educators respond to children’s emotions with intention rather than reactivity.

Alyssa is also the host of the popular Voices of Your Village podcast and author of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions (HarperCollins), where she translates the science of emotional intelligence into practical, compassionate tools for everyday life. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post and other major outlets, and she has trained educators and families across the globe on how to build connection through co-regulation and nervous system awareness.

LInk to Alyssa's books: Tiny Humans, Big Emotions , and Big Kids, Bigger Feelings

Sensory Quiz: https://www.seedandsew.org/links

The Parent Coach:

We’re launching The Parent Coach — and trust us, you’re going to want this in your back pocket. More details soon!

The 2026 ICP Parenting Summit is coming!

Join us March 16–19 for 35+ expert masterclasses and four interactive half-day workshops, featuring leading voices like Ross Greene, Laura Markham, Robert Melillo, Lawrence Cohen, Kim John Payne, and Jon Fogel. We’ll be diving into the topics parents need most: screens, discipline, anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, resilience, play, and more.

The summit is completely free, and VIP packages include lifetime access, toolkits, certificates, and a digital copy of The Parenting Handbook.

Click here to save your seat!

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Whining can feel like nails on a chalkboard, especially when everyone is tired, stretched thin, or heading into (or out of) the holiday season. In this episode, Tania and Tammy unpack why kids whine, what’s happening beneath the behaviour, and how parents can respond in ways that reduce escalation and build connection.

With their signature blend of warmth, humour, and clinical insight, they explore the real reasons kids slip into that grating tone, how stress and dysregulation fuel it, and why some children are more prone to whining than others. You’ll walk away with simple, compassionate strategies you can use right away to support emotional regulation, set clear boundaries, and guide your child back to calm.

If whining has ever pushed your buttons (we’ve all been there!), this episode is for you.

👀 Something Big Is Coming for Parents…

We’re launching The Parent Coach — and trust us, you’re going to want this in your back pocket. More details soon!

The 2026 ICP Parenting Summit is coming!

Join us March 16–19 for 35+ expert masterclasses and four interactive half-day workshops, featuring leading voices like Ross Greene, Laura Markham, Robert Melillo, Lawrence Cohen, Kim John Payne, and Jon Fogel. We’ll be diving into the topics parents need most: screens, discipline, anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, resilience, play, and more.

The summit is completely free, and VIP packages include lifetime access, toolkits, certificates, and a digital copy of The Parenting Handbook.

Click here to save your seat!

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the digital world our children grow up in, creating opportunities for learning and connection—but also ushering in complex new challenges for safety, attention, identity, and mental health. In this timely episode, we sit down with Dr. Scott Kollins, Chief Medical Officer at Aura and a nationally recognized expert in ADHD, digital health, and youth mental wellness.

Together, we explore how AI-driven platforms represent a significant evolution from earlier forms of digital media. Dr. Kollins explains how algorithmic personalization, generative content, and immersive engagement tools influence children’s attention patterns, behavior, and even neurological development. He highlights emerging concerns surrounding AI-generated characters and influencers designed to mimic friendship and connection—raising important considerations for social development, empathy, and identity formation in childhood.

The conversation also delves into the growing difficulty children face in distinguishing real from artificial experiences online, and how this blurring of reality can shape emotional regulation, perception, and worldview. Dr. Kollins discusses the mental health implications of AI systems that feel responsive or “alive” to young users, and what it means to parent in an era where digital platforms may seem to be constantly listening.

This episode offers an essential, research-grounded understanding of the digital landscape parents are navigating today, and provides guidance for supporting children’s well-being as technology continues to evolve at unprecedented speed.

For more information:

Join the Study: Click here

https://www.aura.com/ 

https://meetcircle.com/

The Parent Coach:

We’re launching The Parent Coach—your new go-to place for instant parenting support. Ask a question and get immediate guidance plus a three-minute expert video, all at your fingertips. No more endless scrolling or long courses.

Join now and become one of our first 1,000 early adopters to lock in a heavily discounted introductory price.

The 2026 ICP Parenting Summit is coming!

Join us March 16–19 for 35+ expert masterclasses and four interactive half-day workshops, featuring leading voices like Ross Greene, Laura Markham, Robert Melillo, Lawrence Cohen, Kim John Payne, and Jon Fogel. We’ll be diving into the topics parents need most: screens, discipline, anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, resilience, play, and more.

The summit is completely free, and VIP packages include lifetime access, toolkits, certificates, and a digital copy of The Parenting Handbook.

Click here to save your seat!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re feeling unsure about how to manage screen time, social media, and digital life in your home, you’re not alone. Many parents are trying to balance technology with raising children who are emotionally grounded, connected, and responsible in an increasingly digital world.

In this insightful episode, Tania Johnson sits down with Jessica Joelle Alexander to explore what Denmark — often ranked among the happiest countries in the world — can teach us about raising healthy, resilient kids in a screen-filled age.

Together, they discuss how Danish families approach technology with balance, trust, and strong community values. Instead of focusing only on restriction, they emphasize digital citizenship — helping children develop the skills to navigate online spaces with empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking.

Jessica shares practical ways parents can support their children’s digital lives, including the use of Digital Citizen Cards, a tool designed to guide thoughtful, values-based conversations about online behavior and decision-making.

• How to raise digitally responsible children in a screen-heavy world

• The difference between limiting screen time and teaching digital citizenship

• How technology impacts connection, behavior, and emotional regulation

• Practical strategies to build empathy and critical thinking online

• How to create healthier tech habits without constant conflict

This conversation offers a powerful reframe: technology isn’t the enemy — disconnection is. By raising digital citizens, not digital consumers, parents can help their children thrive both online and offline.

To find out more about Raising Digital Citizens, click here

To purchase the conversation cards, click here

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
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The holidays can be magical… and messy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or carrying the pressure to make everything “perfect,” you’re not alone. For many parents, this season brings a mix of joy, stress, and emotional overload.

In this episode, Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson, registered psychologists and co-founders of the Institute of Child Psychology, talk honestly about the emotional roller coaster families often experience during the holidays. From financial pressure and overstimulation to complex family dynamics, grief, and the weight of expectations, they explore why this time of year can feel so intense — for both parents and children. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how stress impacts emotional regulation, behavior, and connection during busy seasons.

Together, they share practical, compassionate strategies to help you manage holiday stress, set realistic expectations, support sensitive children, and create meaningful moments of connection that matter more than perfection.

• Why the holidays can feel overwhelming for parents and children

• How stress and overstimulation impact emotional regulation

• Ways to support sensitive or anxious kids during busy seasons

• How to set boundaries and realistic expectations around holidays

• Practical strategies to reduce stress and increase connection

Whether you love the holidays, dread them, or feel a bit of both, this conversation will help you slow down, breathe a little easier, and let go of the pressure to do it all.

Because what children remember most isn’t perfection — it’s connection.

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
• Private community where you can feel supported
• Workbooks, parenting scripts, and printables
• Member-only Webinars 
• Course Certificates for Continuing Education
• Access to our Certification Program
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• Downloadable Social Media Collection
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Click here for more

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If your teen is struggling with anxiety, low mood, sleep issues, or constant screen use, you’re not alone. Many parents are noticing that something feels different in this generation — more stress, more disconnection, and more challenges with both mental and physical health. In this powerful episode, Tania Johnson sits down with the inspiring young authors of Teen Health Revolution: Unlocking Lifestyle Secrets for the Mind, Body, and Soul — all under 18 — to explore how small, daily habits can have a powerful impact on teen mental health and overall well-being.

Together, they discuss the connection between gut health and mental health, along with the roles of nutrition, sleep, stress, and screen time in shaping how teens feel day to day. You’ll hear how lifestyle choices — from movement and mindfulness to gratitude and time in nature — can support emotional regulation, resilience, and long-term health.

This conversation offers a refreshing and hopeful perspective: teens are not just struggling — they are also leading change. With the right tools and support, they can take an active role in their own well-being.

• How gut health impacts teen mental health, mood, and energy

• The role of sleep, nutrition, and screen time in adolescent well-being

• Why so many teens are feeling overwhelmed — and what helps

• Simple, practical lifestyle habits that support emotional regulation

• How teens can build resilience through mindfulness, gratitude, and connection

In a world that often feels overwhelming for both parents and teens, this episode is a reminder that meaningful change doesn’t have to be complicated. Small, consistent shifts can make a big difference.

Because the next generation isn’t just facing challenges — they’re also creating solutions.

To purchase" The Teen Health Revolution, unlocking Lifestyle Secrets for the Mind, Body, and Soul", click here

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
• Private community where you can feel supported
• Workbooks, parenting scripts, and printables
• Member-only Webinars 
• Course Certificates for Continuing Education
• Access to our Certification Program
• Live Q & A Sessions for Parents & Professsionals
• Bi-Annual Parenting & Mental Health Conferences
• Downloadable Social Media Collection
• Robust Resource Library

Click here for more

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If your child struggles with downtime, melts down when there’s “nothing to do,” or seems unable to handle boredom the way other kids can, you’re not alone. For many neurodivergent children, boredom doesn’t feel calm or creative — it can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, and even distressing.

In this insightful episode, Tania Johnson sits down with Bea Moise to explore why boredom impacts autistic and ADHD brains differently — and what children actually need in those moments.

Together, they unpack how novelty, structure, and movement support emotional regulation, attention, and focus. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how sensory differences and executive functioning challenges can make unstructured time especially difficult for neurodivergent kids.

Bea shares compassionate, practical strategies to help parents support their child without escalating frustration — offering ways to balance stimulation with rest, encourage creativity without chaos, and create environments where different kinds of brains can thrive.

• Why boredom can feel overwhelming for autistic and ADHD children

• How executive functioning and sensory differences impact downtime

• What neurodivergent kids actually need instead of “just be bored”

• How to support emotional regulation during unstructured time

• Practical strategies to balance structure, movement, and creativity

This conversation reframes boredom not as a skill to force, but as a signal to understand — helping parents respond with more clarity, confidence, and compassion. Because when we meet children where they are, we create space for them to truly thrive..

To find out more about Bea's work, click here

Bea's Youtube Channel is also on fire, to subscribe click here

To purchase : "Our Neurodivergent Journey", click here

To purchase :"The Neurodivergent Home", click here

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
• Private community where you can feel supported
• Workbooks, parenting scripts, and printables
• Member-only Webinars 
• Course Certificates for Continuing Education
• Access to our Certification Program
• Live Q & A Sessions for Parents & Professsionals
• Bi-Annual Parenting & Mental Health Conferences
• Downloadable Social Media Collection
• Robust Resource Library

Click here for more

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Some children feel everything — the moods in a room, the pain of others, even the tension adults think they’re hiding. For parents, this can feel both beautiful and overwhelming, especially when your child struggles with big emotions, anxiety, or emotional overload.

In this heartfelt episode, Tania Johnson sits down with Dr. Judith Orloff, psychiatrist and author of The Empath’s Survival Guide, to explore what it means to raise and support a highly sensitive or empathic child.

Together, they unpack how empathy and intuition show up in children, how to tell the difference between emotional sensitivity and anxiety, and why highly sensitive kids are more prone to overwhelm, fatigue, and emotional contagion.

Dr. Orloff shares practical grounding and protection strategies that help children stay open-hearted while also learning how to regulate their emotions and create healthy boundaries.

• Signs your child may be highly sensitive or empathic

• The difference between emotional sensitivity and anxiety in children

• Why sensitive kids often feel overwhelmed or drained

• How to support emotional regulation and build resilience

• Practical tools to help children set boundaries and feel safe in their bodies

Raising a sensitive child can come with unique challenges — but it also comes with incredible strengths. With the right support, these children can grow into deeply compassionate, intuitive, and emotionally aware individuals. This episode is an invitation to see sensitivity not as something to fix, but as a gift to understand, support, and nurture.

To purchase"The Highly Sensitive Rabbit", click here

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
• Private community where you can feel supported
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• Member-only Webinars 
• Course Certificates for Continuing Education
• Access to our Certification Program
• Live Q & A Sessions for Parents & Professsionals
• Bi-Annual Parenting & Mental Health Conferences
• Downloadable Social Media Collection
• Robust Resource Library

Click here for more

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If you’ve ever wondered, “Is my child ready to stay home alone?” you’re not alone. This decision can bring up a mix of worry, uncertainty, and pressure to get it just right.

In this episode, Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson unpack one of the most common parenting questions: when is a child truly ready to stay home alone?

Together, they explore the developmental skills children need before taking this step — including emotional regulation, problem-solving, impulse control, and knowing what to do in an emergency. Because readiness isn’t just about age — it’s about confidence, safety, and the ability to handle unexpected situations.

They also walk through age guidelines, legal considerations, and important red flags that may signal a child is not quite ready. Most importantly, they share practical, step-by-step ways families can gradually build independence and confidence over time.

• What age kids can stay home alone (and why age isn’t the only factor)

• The key developmental skills children need for safety and readiness

• Signs your child may not be ready yet

• How to prepare your child for staying home alone safely

• Practical scripts and strategies to build independence with confidence

Leaving your child home alone for the first time can feel like a big step — but with the right preparation and understanding, it can also be an important milestone in building independence and trust.

Whether your child is asking for more freedom or you’re starting to consider this transition, this episode will help you make the decision with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

• 90+ courses on parenting and children's mental health
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• Workbooks, parenting scripts, and printables
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• Course Certificates for Continuing Education
• Access to our Certification Program
• Live Q & A Sessions for Parents & Professsionals
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• Downloadable Social Media Collection
• Robust Resource Library

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