Parenting Shrink Wrapped
Parenting Shrink Wrapped is your all-access pass to the wild and wonderful journey of raising kids! Hosted by Dr. Melissa Wellner, a double board-certified psychiatrist and child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Samantha Straub, a licensed therapist, educator, and parenting coach, this dynamic duo brings a perfect mix of professional expertise and mom humor. With five kids between them—and thousands more they’ve supported in their professional roles—they’re here to share practical strategies and real-life stories that will help you navigate everything from tantrums to teen drama. Whether you're handling sleepless nights or the chaos of carpool, you'll find relatable advice and a good laugh along the way. Strap in, because parenting is a ride, and we're here to make it a little smoother!
Episodes
Childcare is one of the biggest challenges modern parents face—whether it’s during a crisis like COVID, while juggling work schedules, or simply trying to carve out time for your own sanity. In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa dive into the real-life stories, lessons, and tough decisions that come with hiring, trusting, and sometimes saying goodbye to babysitters, nannies, and other caregivers...
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam welcome Christa Welch, LCSW-C, founder of The Betty Center in Annapolis, MD. Krista shares the inspiring story behind naming the center after her mother, “OG Betty,” and how it has grown into a supportive hub for women, families, and the community.
Together, they dive into practical parenting wisdom—including how to check your motivation as a parent, shift yo...
Back-to-school tips for elementary kids go beyond pencils and backpacks. Sam and Melissa talk with child therapist Jennifer Ruef about what kids—and parents—really face from kindergarten to 5th grade, academically, socially, and emotionally.
In this episode:
- The emotional rollercoaster of sending a child to kindergarten
- Why 3rd grade marks such a big academic and social leap
- How perfectionism and homework battles sh...
Middle school—the years of awkwardness, growth spurts, eye rolls, and endless energy. In this Nature of the Beast series episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with Mary Foard, a veteran middle school counselor and mom of twins, to unpack what parents really need to know about sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
From the emotional rollercoasters of seventh grade to the reclusive “indoor cat” phase of eighth grade, Mary shar...
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Melissa and Sam dive into the unique challenges, milestones, and surprises that come with each year of high school. From wide-eyed freshmen still running to class, to confident (and sometimes cocky) seniors navigating “lasts” and life after graduation, Sam walks us through the highs, lows, and everything in between.
We explore:
- Seniors – riding the wave of early-year leaders...
College drop-off isn’t the end of parenting—it’s just the beginning of a new phase. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kelly Wilcox, Dean of Student Success at Haverford College, to talk about what parents can expect as their teen transitions to college. From the emotional rollercoaster of move-in day to mid-semester meltdowns, we explore how to support your student without overstepping.
We cover:
- What the “invisi...
In this powerful conversation, Sam and Melissa welcome Dr. Katie Lawliss—a licensed psychologist specializing in chronic illness and ADHD, who also lives with cystic fibrosis. Katie shares her personal journey from childhood diagnosis to becoming a health psychologist, revealing how chronic illness shaped her identity and sparked her passion for normalizing mental health care in this community. Together, they explore ...
We’ve all had moments where a messy room or a missed assignment feels like the end of the world—and we explode. But is it really about that sock on the floor... or something deeper?
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa explore the moments when we, as parents, “flip our lids” over something small—only to realize it was connected to big fears, old baggage, or past patterns. Sam shares her powerful...
Is your kid constantly in motion? Refuses to wear socks? Melts down over tags in their shirts? You’re not alone—and you’re not imagining it.
In this eye-opening episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with occupational therapist and mom of three, Samantha Hyali, owner of Children at Play in Annapolis, to pull back the curtain on what occupational therapy actually is—and why more parents should know about it.
Whether you’ve he...
In Part 2 of our ADHD series, Sam Straub, LCPC, and Dr. Melissa Wellner, MD, dive deeper into the lived experience of parenting—and being—a kid with ADHD. This episode moves beyond the textbook and into real family dynamics: the misunderstandings, the emotional toll, the parenting pitfalls, and the opportunities for growth (yes, even when there’s an ice cream bowl in the sink. Again.).
If you’ve ever been tempted to ca...
In this insightful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, hosts Sam Straub and Melissa Wellner dig into the many dimensions of ADHD—busting myths, exploring emotional highs and lows, and celebrating the often-overlooked strengths that come with it.
They unpack what ADHD really looks like (spoiler alert: it’s not just about being “distracted”), highlight the emotional rollercoaster that many families experience, and share...
In this powerful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Laura Reagan—somatically oriented trauma therapist, founder of the Trauma Therapist Network, and host of the widely acclaimed podcast Therapy Chat (over 8 million downloads!).
Together, they explore how trauma shows up in childhood and parenthood, how it hides in plain sight in the form of chronic stress responses, and why healing is no...
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner engage with Kristen Keuleman, a licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma therapy, particularly EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). They explore the nature of trauma, its impact on parenting, and how EMDR can help individuals process traumatic memories. Kristen shares her journey into counseling, the mechanisms ...
In this heart-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub sit down with two thoughtful dads, Charles Parmele and Bryan Levy, for a conversation that’s equal parts real talk and reflection. Together, they dig into what it means to be a father in today’s world—from the pressure to “have it all together” to the power of being vulnerable.
The discussion goes deep into topics like equitab...
Feeling crispy-fried by May? You’re not alone. In this short and real-talk episode, Sam and Melissa break down why everyone’s burnt out—from teachers to teens to you—and how to make it to summer without losing your mind.
We cover:
- End-of-year burnout (it’s not just “senioritis”)
- Helping teens through finals without melting down
- Low-lift summer ideas (Alphabet Summer, anyone?)
- How to avoid the screen-time vortex
- Why it’s...
In this eye-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub welcome psychiatrist Dr. Milena Smith to talk about the emotional and mental health impacts of hormonal changes—from the postpartum period to perimenopause and beyond. Dr. Smith, an expert in reproductive psychiatry, breaks down how hormonal transitions can trigger mood and anxiety symptoms, what signs to watch for, and how to ...
Why does your usually sweet kid turn into a full-blown meltdown in the doctor’s office? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam talk with pediatric health psychologist Dr. Missy Hendricks about how to help kids manage anxiety around medical visits—from vaccines and blood draws to chronic illness and everyday checkups.
Dr. Missy shares her expertise on how to prepare kids for tough medical moments, ...
In this deeply personal episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam explore what it means to parent your own children while still navigating the lifelong role of being someone’s child. From generational expectations and emotional triggers to unresolved childhood wounds and the pressure to “do it better,” this conversation sheds light on the complex web of relationships many of us are trying to untangle in mid...
What if sports weren’t just about winning—but about raising resilient, self-aware, and confident kids? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam sit down with Courtney Parfitt, founder of Thrive Gym in Annapolis, to explore how youth sports can become powerful spaces for growth, failure, leadership, and self-discovery.
Courtney shares how parents and coaches can support—not sabotage—the athlete exper...
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Melissa Wellner and co-host Sam Straub tackle three of the most common and harmful myths they hear from parents about kids and mental health. From the idea that “teens are just moody” to the belief that “my kid would tell me if something was wrong,” Melissa and Sam break down why these myths persist—and what parents can do instead.
They also take on one of the biggest fear...
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