Parenting Stuff I Wish I Knew Sooner (and Want You to Know Now)

On this episode I am joined by Coral Edwards and Megan Gallagher, co-facilitators for the Philadelphia chapter of Chamber of Mothers, a collective movement to advance maternal rights in America. They are a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) uniting all mothers+ as advocates to create a better America that offers systemic supports for families including federally protected paid family leave, affordable childcare, & improved maternal mortalit...

On this episode I am joined by Shawn Kraemer, a mom of two teenagers and a licensed professional counselor who works with adolescents and adults with anxiety, ADHD, depression, self harm, relationship issues and autism spectrum disorder to discuss how we can be with our teenaged kids in ways that will help them feel close, grow up well, and keep us sane too.

Learn more about Shawn and the Center for Psychological Services at https:...

On this episode I am joined by Ashley Minni, a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Yoga Instructor, and the Founder of Foundation to Flourish, a health coaching program for overwhelmed moms. We cover the 5 steps she utilizes in her 12 week program to help moms find peace and balance so you can be more present and grow in your relationships and career (without mom-guilt or living in a state of exhaustion!)

Learn more about Ashley ...

I was joined by Avery Wasmanski, a licensed professional counselor and mom of two littles under 5 who received a diagnosis of ADHD only after becoming a mother. Late in life and missed diagnoses are very commonplace, especially among women, so many mothers share this experience. Listen as we discuss what aspects of ADHD can make motherhood* that much harder and what things to consider if you are dealing with a harsh inner critic an...

I was thrilled to be joined by the Constipation Gurus, a duo who supports families struggling to address common potty- training challenges such as constipation, withholding, encopresis (poop accidents), enuresis (pee accidents), and endless journeys on the Miralax train.

Listen to hear why these challenges are so common, can last SO long and what you can do to effectively support your child to progress past them.

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I was joined by mom and special education teacher Jennifer Kempin to learn about a brand-new school option in its first full year of enrollment in Norristown, Pa for elementary aged students who are struggling to fit the public and private school setting. We discuss what her Waldorf inspired, whole child approach consists of, what a microschool is, who her program may be a good fit for, what a typical day and week looks like and mu...

On today's episode I am joined by parent coach Maria Sanders to explore why it is necessary for parents to set and hold clear expectations and, more importantly, how to set and hold them when faced with pushback, meltdowns and other hard to tolerate reactions. Whether you have a young child or a tween/teen and whether they are neurodivergent or neurotypical, Maria's approach will help move your family from pushback and powe...

I was joined by occupational therapist Jaime Bassman to discuss what the Birth to 3 Early Intervention program is, who can apply and qualify and how parents can initiate the process. (Spoiler alert...ANY PARENT can request and receive an evaluation for ANY CONCERN and it's FREE!) If your child is already 3 or older, we talk about that too!

Learn about the Center for Confident Parenting and Erica's personal and professi...

On this episode I am joined by Jenn and Bonnie, the owners of A Flick of the Wrist, an inclusive and sensory-friendly splatter and paint studio with locations in Malvern and Broomall Pennsylvania. We discuss how Bonnie's experience in the classroom as well as their experiences raising a neurodivergent son culminated in their business idea that everyone can enjoy.

Learn more at https://www.specialneedscollective.com/business/fli...

On this episode I am joined by Kathryn Snyder, an art therapist and the Founder and Director of Parent to Child and Therapy Associates, a private clinical practice focused on creative arts therapies and speech and language therapy for individual adults, children and families and teens. We discuss what art therapy is, what types of children and scenarios are a good fit and what a session might look like.

Learn more about Kathryn at...

On this episode I am joined by Melissa Bloom, a mom to three boys with a background in molecular biology on a mission to help people find and maintain joy in their daily lives. She is a coach and retreat facilitator and recently launched a community called Joy School. She is also author of the book The Path to Joy: A Guide for Finding Balance, Embracing Possibility, and Creating the Life You Love Living. Her work focuses heavily on...

On this episode I welcome back Kerri Carpenter, a parent mentor with a background in Early Intervention and Occupational Therapy, to discuss three common childhood behaviors: hitting, biting and defiance. We answer:

*Why are they so common?

*What is triggering the behaviors?

*What can parents do in the moment?

*How can parents proactively get ahead of those moments?

*How do we decide whether it is just an age related phase or a red...

I was joined by Dr. Michelle Litwer, a licensed clinical psychologist with a certification in perinatal mental health to learn about manifestations of perinatal mood disorders that are not talked about often enough and may still carry more of a stigma than postpartum depression.

Dr. Litwer helps us understand the various diagnoses, what they feel like to the person experiencing them and look like to a partner, and avenues for trea...

I was joined by Bill Reichle, owner and mental health therapist at Avanti Consulting, LLC, to discuss what recent research tells us about adolescents and screen use and what we can do as parents to set and hold reasonable limits surrounding them.

Learn more about Bill and his counseling services for children, young adults and families at https://www.specialneedscollective.com/business/bill-reichle-avanti-consulting.

Learn more abo...

I was joined by Zoe Darazsdi, a mental health counselor who specializes in empowering neurodiverse people. In that time, she has helped countless teens and adults to navigate the challenges and gifts of living with a unique brain. Zoe’s work is supported by her own autistic self-advocacy and the professional research she conducts on autistic peoples’ experiences in counseling. She shares what she wants neurotypical parents to know ...

On this episode I am joined by sisters (and my sister-in-laws!) Kristen and Elisha to chat about the pros and cons of working outside the home as well as working at home and how they have navigated an outside the box child care arrangement despite wildly varying parenting styles.

Check out Kristen's blog Honest Mom Spot at https://honestmomspot.blogspot.com/.

For more about your host and her mission visit CenterforCo...

My guest today is Brianna Dawson, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and owner of Behavioral Wellness for Women. She is on a mission to provide compassionate, holistic mental health care to women throughout the perinatal period and beyond. We chat about being proactive about your mental health when you're expecting, signs you and your partner can look for to know you need support, and what to look for in a practit...