Parenting coach Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner talk with counselor and life coach Maria Winters about raising bicultural kids. Maria shares her journey from Venezuela to the U.S., the cultural mix in her family, and what it’s like to raise children with two languages and traditions. They explore the joys and challenges of bicultural parenting, from building empathy and flexibility to helping kids navigate identity, language, and family expectations.
About Maria
Maria is passionate about helping others prioritize emotional wellness. She is a licensed mental health therapist in Maryland with over 20 years of experience supporting adults and teens. She’s a trained life coach, published author, podcast host, and creator of The Emotional Fitness Studio in Annapolis, MD. As founder of The Coaching Therapist, LLC, Maria’s mission is to share practical tools through workshops and training. She is originally from Venezuela and is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
You know when your kid screws up in some way, and you're sure of the lesson you want them to learn from it....but you’re not sure how to say it in a way they’ll actually hear?
Download Sam's free video guide that walks you through a simple, step-by-step process for handling these tough conversations called the L.O.V.E.D. framework.
Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com
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Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
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This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
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