As we emerge from 'sugar season', I thought this would be a great time to revisit a very popular previous episode I did with Dr. Natasha Beck, lovingly known as Dr. Organic Mommy, on reducing sugar and simple strategies for improving nutrient density in our diets. With obesity and mental health skyrocketing in kids and adults, what are some simple swaps and better food choices we can make to improve our physical and mental health? We start with the basics on how to realistically improve nutritio...
Feb 22, 2023•49 min•Ep. 243
My guest this week is Jason Campbell. We are discussing how to avoid stress buildup and dysregulation in kids and ourselves by learning how to create more space in your life--and I don't just mean physical space--we're talking about the space we need in our minds, thoughts, feelings, bodies, and the environment around us. Learning how to create this space allows us to be more reflective and responsive when things happen, as opposed to being reactive. We explore practical ways to not only avoid t...
Feb 08, 2023•48 min•Ep. 242
My guest this week is Dr. Courtney Kowalczyk. In this episode, Dr. Courtney and I are discussing a topic that I get asked about most, school! Specifically about getting the education and help at school your child needs. Issues can arise with kids of all ages, especially when a child has extra challenges that impact their learning or behavior. The school environment can be a tough thing to navigate, and parents often feel at a major disadvantage with not understanding how these systems work, or w...
Feb 01, 2023•54 min•Ep. 241
My guest this week is Cheryl Cardall. In this episode, we are talking about an issue that isn’t covered or supported enough: the current systems are failing parents who are raising kids with mental health challenges and the immense struggle parents often face when trying to get them the help they need. This can create a lot of pain and difficulties in the lives of parents (and children), to the point where the disorders and challenges can take over the family. Unfortunately, there is a lot of so...
Jan 25, 2023•48 min•Ep. 240
My guest this week is Jason Campbell. As the MOST downloaded episode to date and a prelude to part 2 that will be airing soon, I wanted to rerelease my episode with Jason. If you tuned in the first time, I encourage you to re-listen as there are always great reminders and new nuggets of wisdom to be picked up! This is also a great topic to revisit in January as this re-airs; to reset, refocus, and remind ourselves about self regulation tools and how to be less reactive. So in this episode, Jason...
Jan 18, 2023•55 min•Ep. 239
My guest this week is Lynn Cunningham. In this episode, Lynn and I discuss psychiatric medications and the information that doesn’t often get shared in either the doctor’s office or in mainstream media about the concerning impact of these drugs both temporarily and permanently on some children, teens, and adults. I want to be clear that this is not an anti-medication or anti-psychiatry show. If you follow my work, you know I take a very balanced approach, and believe that these medications can h...
Jan 11, 2023•54 min•Ep. 238
My guest this week is Allie Casazza. In this episode, Allie and I discuss how to declutter our lives and environment so we can be happier and healthier. If you are listening to this episode as it airs, the start of the new year is the perfect time to cover this topic, as many of us are looking at our lives—homes, schedule, health, routines, etc. and saying, “Oh my goodness, I need to get things in order”, especially after the holiday hoopla. There is something about the blank slate of a new year...
Jan 04, 2023•53 min•Ep. 237
My guest this week is Dr. Nicole LePera. In this episode, I've got my dear friend, Dr. Nicole LePera, The Holistic Psychologist, to do a dive into our personal and professional experiences in the world of mental health, kids, and parenting. We talk about how we've come to understand mental health diagnoses and treatment differently over time, what we need to do to improve mental health for ourselves and children, how we can be better parents and to ourselves, and much more! When the two of us ge...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 236
My guest this week is Kirsten Cobabe. In this episode, Kirsten and I discuss parenting teens. There are so many parts of parenting teens, tweens, and young adults during the developmental phases that can feel tricky to us, as well as for caregivers and kids. Teens are not adults; they're also not little kids. It can be tough to know when to intervene and support, or when to back off. And some days it can feel like we are wrong no matter what we do. Let’s explore what makes adolescents at this ag...
Nov 30, 2022•48 min•Ep. 235
My guest this week is Dr. Wendy Suzuki. In this episode Dr. Wendy and I discuss anxiety through perhaps a different lens. It’s no surprise most kids and adults are experiencing higher than typical levels of anxiety in recent years. We've talked about anxiety in various ways on the show previously. But today, I want to take a bit of a different approach and help normalize the experience of anxiety and the full realm of associated uncomfortable feelings that happen in our lives and in our kids’ ...
Nov 23, 2022•43 min•Ep. 234
My guest this week is Sarah Moore. In this episode, Sarah and I discuss discipline and kids. Now the word discipline can bring up all kinds of thoughts and feelings for parents, often based on our own childhood experiences, beliefs, or things we’ve read about kids and parenting. The reality is, that all kids need discipline. It’s important to understand that discipline really means teaching and guiding, not punishment, spanking, etc., which we often associate with the word. So to help us think a...
Nov 16, 2022•49 min•Ep. 233
My guest this week is Ryan Judd. In this episode, Ryan and I discuss the power of music for children and how music therapy can help kids, especially those with any range of challenges. The benefits reach beyond behavior regulation, stress reduction, and communication for all ages. What I love about using music therapy is it’s easy to access, everyone can benefit, and it’s often free. So whether or not you’ve explored the benefits of music or music therapy for your children, I think you’re going ...
Nov 09, 2022•48 min•Ep. 232
My guest this week is Alexx Stuart. In this episode, Alex and I discuss how to live a low toxin life. We are surrounded by more toxins than ever before, and they impact our physical and mental health, as well as the health of the environment. Children are especially sensitive to toxin exposure and many parents are unaware that these exposures can be one of the root contributors to common learning, attention, mood, anxiety and behavior issues for children. The topic of reducing toxin exposure and...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 231
My guests this week are Dorian Fuhrman and Meredith Berkman. In this episode, Dorian, Meredith, and I discuss vaping and e-cigarettes. Kids and teens vaping is something is becoming a more widespread problem among younger and younger kids. While it initially was touted as a safer version of smoking, this has been marketed to kids as risk free and fun, the reality is very different. We now know that vaping carries a significant number of health risks, and leads kids on a path toward addictive beh...
Oct 26, 2022•52 min•Ep. 230
My guest this week is Dr. Charlotte Markey. Today we are talking about body image and self-worth for our kids, especially those in the tween and teen years. This is an issue that is increasingly on parents’ radars, especially as we learn more about the impact of social media on body image and the increasing body image issues for kids post pandemic. It can be a tricky thing for parents and other adults to know how to best support kids in developing a healthy body image and to understand the diffe...
Oct 19, 2022•50 min•Ep. 229
My guest this week is Melissa Urban. In this episode, Melissa and I discuss one of my favorite topics and also one of the most asked about: boundaries. Having healthy boundaries are key, not only in the context of raising kids, but for a healthy life in general. Many of us know this, but struggle with the implementation and the discomfort, even though we know having them keeps us safe and sane. So, having written, “The Book of Boundaries", Melissa is the perfect expert to have on the show to ans...
Oct 12, 2022•49 min•Ep. 228
My guest this week is Rebecca Burd. In this episode, Rebecca and I are discussing how to stop bullying. Kids of all ages are affected by bullying and children who are neurodivergent, have other unique needs, or differences are often prime targets for this damaging behavior. Bullying in the age of the internet has become even more of a widespread problem and it’s no surprise it negatively impacts mental health, physical health and overall quality of life. To unpack this issue, Rebecca and I first...
Oct 05, 2022•54 min•Ep. 227
My guest this week is Erin Matlock. In this episode, Erin and I discuss an extremely important and sensitive topic that has been weighing on the hearts of so many with the significant increases in all generations, especially in children. That topic is mental health and suicide. I know it can be an anxiety-provoking thing to think about, and there is a lot of stigma and misconceptions around mental health, suicide, and suicide attempts that we will talk through, but, the main focus today is on th...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 226
My guest this week is Jen Fugo. In this episode, Jen and I focus on skin conditions in children and teens, and looking deeper for real solutions when diet and prescriptions are not working or not enough to clear skin issues. Issues like acne, eczema, psoriasis and more are becoming very common, and they can take a massive physical and mental health toll on kids and parents. While conventional medicine offers some helpful tools, many families find themselves frustrated with ongoing symptoms or ch...
Sep 21, 2022•53 min•Ep. 225
My guest this week is Sara Treffert. In this episode, I thought that it would be fun to flip things around a little bit today, so this is going to be an interview of Dr. Nicole because so many of you write in with lots of questions about me, my life, the work that I do, and of course a lot of behavior related questions! So I’ve invited Sara Treffert, a fellow practitioner, but more importantly, she’s on the team that produces this podcast to interview me about the things that you asked most abou...
Sep 14, 2022•55 min•Ep. 224
My guest this week is Eli Weinstein. In this episode, Eli and I discuss how to navigate, improve, and rekindle a relationship, especially when children enter the mix. Relationships can go sour real quick when we are not feeling like we are being appreciated, seen, or heard. Add children and it can make a turn for the worst if both partners are not making the relationship a priority. When life gets busy, as it always does, how can you manage raising kids while keeping your partner relationship he...
Sep 07, 2022•51 min•Ep. 223
My guest this week is Dr. Anthony Balduzzi. In this episode, Dr. Anthony and I discuss practical and tangible tips to make health stick. It’s tough raising children, and our health as parents typically gets shoved to the way-side and it’s not serving us or our children. When we feel good, we show up as better parents and humans. With the rates of chronic and physical mental illness issues on a steep rise, one of the ways we start turning those stats around is by taking stock of our own health an...
Aug 31, 2022•51 min•Ep. 222
My guest this week is Dr. David Rabin. In this episode, Dr. David and I discuss innovative ways to support stress reduction and mental health for children and adults. Chronic high levels of stress is an issue for many children and teens, especially those diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions. As parents and professionals, we are also facing unprecedented levels of stress in our personal, parenting, and professional lives. Dr. Rabin shares his novel research and approach t...
Aug 17, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 221
My guest this week is Dr. Mike Rucker. What feeling does the word “fun” evoke? Does it make you smile and reminisce of what brings you joy, or does it make you think “huh, what’s fun?” In this episode, Mike and I discuss this idea of inserting fun, even if life isn’t all that “happy”. We know there’s a big gap in what society portrays and what is real life, so there’s no wonder why so many feel stressed out, stuck, or we are not meeting expectations. Real life isn’t always going to be pure happi...
Aug 10, 2022•52 min•Ep. 220
My guest this week is Caroline Alan In this episode, Caroline and I discuss the magic of minerals. Often overlooked and underrated, mighty minerals are incredibly important for health, especially in children for their developing bodies and brains. Minerals affect everything from mental health and behavior to all bodily functions, and that is why paying attention to getting adequate amounts is so critical. We discuss why minerals are important for every function, who is deficient, why we tend to ...
Aug 03, 2022•59 min•Ep. 219
My guest this week is Lisa Lewis. In this episode, Lisa and I discuss sleep deprivation in teens. This is an epidemic that is rampant in our culture. The “sleep when we are dead” mentality is a public health issue and the negative effects are evident! Teens, specifically, are not getting enough quality sleep and it's something that most adults don't recognize as a significant driver of the physical and mental health issues we are seeing on a steep rise. Although you may be thinking the sleep con...
Jul 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 218
My guest this week is Eileen Devine In this episode, Eileen and I discuss parenting through behavior and developmental challenges, with a spotlight on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Whether you have a child diagnosed with FASD or not, I encourage you to listen to this conversation as the content and tips can be applied to parenting kids with or without any behavioral or developmental challenges, at any stage of life. We talk about why a brain-based parenting lens is so much more effecti...
Jul 20, 2022•52 min•Ep. 217
My guest this week is Tara Bixby In this episode, Tara and I are going to explore mental health from a very unique lens: using insights from older adolescents and adults in both acute inpatient psychiatric settings and the prison system to help us understand what's most important for supporting children who are struggling with mental health challenges. How do we need to think in a more flexible way about the effects of various inputs, experiences, genetic predispositions, and processing proble...
Jul 13, 2022•47 min•Ep. 216
My guest this week is Chef Kibby In this episode, Chef Kibby and I discuss the power of food and connection. When the pandemic hit, his professional career drastically shifted, but what he didn’t know was his lacking relationships with his biological, adopted, and fostered children would flourish. Whether you are a stranger in the kitchen or a trained chef, Chef Kibby will walk you through tips and strategies on how simple it can be to connect with your child through food and cooking together! S...
Jul 06, 2022•45 min•Ep. 215
My guest this week is Autumn Smith In this episode, Autumn and I discuss the hot topic of meat consumption… It’s time to upgrade your thinking around meat and the quality you consume. The issues around agriculture, animal farming, soil health, and more are some of the most pressing of our time. We all need to understand what's actually happening in this realm versus what mainstream media is touting as it's having a major impact on our children now and definitely will impact their future. And tha...
Jun 29, 2022•50 min•Ep. 214
