Raised Resilient: Help Your Highly Sensitive Child

Dr. Hilary Mandzik - Psychologist
  • 4.9 (63)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Parenting is the hardest job ever – and parenting a highly sensitive child who’s struggling can feel downright impossible. If you’re suffering through endless meltdowns, walking on eggshells to avoid your child’s huge emotions, and losing sleep worrying that you’re failing your child, you’ve landed in the right place. I’m Dr. Hilary Mandzik – clinical psychologist, parenting specialist, and mom of 3. And I’m here to help you feel GOOD about parenting your highly sensitive child. Join me each week on the Raised Resilient podcast as we explore the topics parents worry about most when it comes to raising highly sensitive kids: managing meltdowns, building emotion regulation, understanding highly sensitive kids, making sense of challenging behaviors, building self-esteem, finding parenting strategies that actually work *with* your child’s sensitivity ... and everything in between. I’ll help you understand your child’s behavior (and your reactions to it!) so that even the really hard moments make more sense. I’ll empower you with tools, strategies, and scripts to navigate those really hard moments with connection and confidence. (And I’ll remind you that no tool, strategy, or script is as powerful as your parenting ace – your relationship with your child!) I’m passionate about parenting differently – parenting in a way that sees all kids as good, even when they’re struggling. I’m passionate about breaking unhelpful generational cycles and putting a hard stop to spanking, time outs, shaming, and yelling. I’m passionate about helping highly sensitive kids build the skills they need in order to manage their big emotions successfully ... and parents learning to regulate their own emotions alongside their children. I want to help you stop worrying about whether you’re “raising them right” and feel confident that your kids will grow up trusting themselves and feeling comfortable in their skin … because they were raised resilient. And that’s big. Because raising our kids resilient can literally make this world a better place. Listen, parenting is hard no matter how you do it. You won’t “enjoy every moment”, no matter what that lady at the store says. But I’m here to help you go from just barely surviving to parenting in a way that genuinely feels good, for you and your highly sensitive child. So warm up your coffee and grab your ear buds. It’s time to turn your child’s sensitivity into their SUPERPOWER! Connect with me: https://www.raisedresilient.com/ IG: @raisedresilient Schedule your FREE Breakthrough Session: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Do YOU have a highly sensitive child? Take my FREE QUIZ to find out: https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz Major themes: parenting highly sensitive / deeply feeling kids; cycle breaking; building emotion regulation; generational healing; respectful parenting; gentle parenting; peaceful parenting; attachment theory / building a secure attachment

  1. 12/17/2025

    Holiday Rewind: 3 Tips for Smoother Holiday Gatherings with Your Highly Sensitive Child (Even When Meltdowns Happen)

    Holiday gatherings can be joyful — and for highly sensitive kids, they can also be a lot. The noise, the people, the excitement, the expectations. This re-released episode revisits a topic so many families struggle with: holiday meltdowns that seem to pop up right before (or during) events. In this episode, we talk through how to support your sensitive child around holiday outings — from gentle preparation beforehand to what actually helps when emotions start running high. You’ll hear practical, parent-friendly strategies that focus on regulation, connection, and flexibility. Because big feelings don’t mean you’re doing anything wrong — they mean your child’s nervous system needs support. With a few simple shifts, holiday gatherings can feel more manageable, more connected, and a little less overwhelming for everyone. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    23 min

  2. 12/10/2025

    Holiday Rewind: The Real Reason You’re So Exhausted: Unpacking the Invisible Mental Load of the Holidays as a Parent to a Sensitive CHild (& 3 Tips to Make This Season Feel Lighter!)

    The holiday season is here again — and while it’s full of magic and meaning, it can also feel like a lot, especially when you're the one quietly coordinating all the joy. Gifts, gatherings, school events, traditions… the mental load piles up fast. So this week, we’re re-releasing one of our most-loved holiday episodes — all about three simple, doable ways to lighten that invisible load. These strategies will help you protect your energy, stay present, and actually enjoy the season you’re working so hard to make special. Because the truth is: the moments that matter most aren’t the perfectly planned ones — they’re the connected ones. So grab something cozy to sip, take a deep breath, and let’s make this holiday season feel more manageable, meaningful, and doable. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    32 min

  3. 12/05/2025

    Holiday Rewind: From Toddler Tantrums to Big Kid Meltdowns — How to Handle the Season’s Big Feelings Like a Pro

    The holidays feel magical for kids, with nonstop activities, treats, and excitement. But all that joy can also stir up tantrums, meltdowns, impulse-control struggles, and plenty of big feelings for sensitive little ones. So this week, we’re re-releasing an episode that so many parents found grounding and helpful the first time around. You’ll get practical, doable strategies to support your child through the holiday whirlwind by tuning into their cues, planning ahead, and knowing when it’s time to pivot or head home before things unravel. And here’s the truth: it’s rarely if a meltdown will happen during the holidays — it’s when. When we expect some bumps in the season, we’re so much more prepared to meet them with calm and connection. This episode will help you feel ready for whatever the festivities bring. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    28 min

  4. 11/26/2025

    Why Is My Child So Ungrateful? The Real Reason Sensitive Kids’ Big Emotions Look “Ungrateful” — and How to Teach Real Gratitude (Without Forcing It or Taking It Personally)

    Have you ever spent a whole day pouring into your sensitive child, only for them to fall apart the moment you walk through the door? It stings — and it’s easy to think, “Why does this feel so ungrateful?” In this episode, I’m unpacking what’s really behind those big emotions, and why they’re not actually about gratitude at all. We’ll look at why sensitive kids often melt down after something positive, why it can come across as entitlement, and how emotional overload plays a much bigger role than we realize. Once you understand what’s happening underneath, those confusing reactions finally start to click. You’ll also learn how gratitude develops differently in sensitive kids, plus simple, gentle ways to nurture real appreciation without forcing it or taking their overwhelm personally. Because even when their feelings spill over, their gratitude is still there — it just needs space to show up. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    21 min

  5. 11/19/2025

    How to Support Your Highly Sensitive Child Through a Big Transition Like Moving — 3 Things We Accidentally Do That Make Transitions Harder (and the Approaches That Truly Ease the Shift)

    Big changes are tough for sensitive kids — even the exciting ones. And without meaning to, we sometimes make those transitions harder by over-preparing, over-explaining, or hyping things up in hopes it will make them easier. Whether it’s a move, a new sibling, or a big end-of-year transition, sensitive kids feel every ripple. And sometimes, the more we prep or talk about what's coming, the bigger those emotions grow. In this episode, I’m breaking down what actually helps: the steady, low-pressure steps that give sensitive kids the safety and confidence they need to handle big shifts. If your child struggles with change, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    21 min

  6. 11/12/2025

    Why Mornings Go Off the Rails — 3 Reasons Your Sensitive Child Melts Down (and What to Do Instead)

    If mornings with your sensitive child feel like an emotional rollercoaster — one wrong move and everything spirals — you’re definitely not alone. Maybe they wake up already grumpy, refuse to get dressed, or melt down over something tiny. You start the day exhausted before it even begins. In this episode, we’ll talk about why mornings go off the rails so often with sensitive kids — and why your best efforts to stay calm, be logical, or “just get through it” don’t always work. I’ll share 3 key reasons behind those chaotic mornings that might surprise you. Then we’ll get into what you can do — 3 simple, connection-focused shifts that help you move from walking on eggshells to starting the day on the same team. Because even the hardest mornings can become moments of growth and connection. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    21 min

  7. 10/24/2025

    Parenting Reflections: When My Daughter’s Hair Clip Meltdown Wasn’t Actually About the Hair Clips — How I Resisted the Urge to “Fix It” While Parenting My Highly Sensitive Child

    If your child has ever completely melted down over something tiny — like the wrong cup, the favorite shirt that’s in the wash, or in my case this week… hair clips — this episode is going to feel very familiar. Because it’s never really about the thing, even though it really feels like it in the moment. I’m sharing a real morning from my own house — one that reminded me how quickly I can slip into trying to fix or prevent instead of pausing and seeing what’s actually going on underneath the reaction. Even with all the tools, that pull is still strong. So if you’ve ever wondered, “Why are we melting down over something so small?” — this episode will help you start to see these moments differently, and remember where our influence and power truly live as parents. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    17 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    How Kids Actually Learn to Regulate Their Emotions — and Why It Matters So Much for Highly Sensitive Kids (Hint: It’s Not What You Expect!)

    We all dream of the day our kids can handle their big feelings with ease—when their emotions don’t rule the day, and they can take life’s bumps in stride. But how do kids actually get there? In this episode, we’re diving into what helps children truly build emotional regulation skills—and spoiler alert—it’s probably not what you think. There’s a missing piece in the way most of us imagine emotional growth, and once you understand it, everything about those tricky moments starts to make more sense. Join me as we explore what’s really behind a child’s ability to stay calm, bounce back, and handle life’s ups and downs—because this one shift changes how you see every emotional moment that unfolds in your home. FREE Breakthrough Call: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? Take My FREE Quiz! https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz FREE Guide: 10 Things Your Highly Sensitive Child Needs You to Know: https://www.raisedresilient.com/10things Mastering Meltdowns Support: https://www.raisedresilient.com/meltdowns  Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisedresilient

    16 min
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About

Parenting is the hardest job ever – and parenting a highly sensitive child who’s struggling can feel downright impossible. If you’re suffering through endless meltdowns, walking on eggshells to avoid your child’s huge emotions, and losing sleep worrying that you’re failing your child, you’ve landed in the right place. I’m Dr. Hilary Mandzik – clinical psychologist, parenting specialist, and mom of 3. And I’m here to help you feel GOOD about parenting your highly sensitive child. Join me each week on the Raised Resilient podcast as we explore the topics parents worry about most when it comes to raising highly sensitive kids: managing meltdowns, building emotion regulation, understanding highly sensitive kids, making sense of challenging behaviors, building self-esteem, finding parenting strategies that actually work *with* your child’s sensitivity ... and everything in between. I’ll help you understand your child’s behavior (and your reactions to it!) so that even the really hard moments make more sense. I’ll empower you with tools, strategies, and scripts to navigate those really hard moments with connection and confidence. (And I’ll remind you that no tool, strategy, or script is as powerful as your parenting ace – your relationship with your child!) I’m passionate about parenting differently – parenting in a way that sees all kids as good, even when they’re struggling. I’m passionate about breaking unhelpful generational cycles and putting a hard stop to spanking, time outs, shaming, and yelling. I’m passionate about helping highly sensitive kids build the skills they need in order to manage their big emotions successfully ... and parents learning to regulate their own emotions alongside their children. I want to help you stop worrying about whether you’re “raising them right” and feel confident that your kids will grow up trusting themselves and feeling comfortable in their skin … because they were raised resilient. And that’s big. Because raising our kids resilient can literally make this world a better place. Listen, parenting is hard no matter how you do it. You won’t “enjoy every moment”, no matter what that lady at the store says. But I’m here to help you go from just barely surviving to parenting in a way that genuinely feels good, for you and your highly sensitive child. So warm up your coffee and grab your ear buds. It’s time to turn your child’s sensitivity into their SUPERPOWER! Connect with me: https://www.raisedresilient.com/ IG: @raisedresilient Schedule your FREE Breakthrough Session: https://www.raisedresilient.com/breakthrough Do YOU have a highly sensitive child? Take my FREE QUIZ to find out: https://www.raisedresilient.com/quiz Major themes: parenting highly sensitive / deeply feeling kids; cycle breaking; building emotion regulation; generational healing; respectful parenting; gentle parenting; peaceful parenting; attachment theory / building a secure attachment

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