At The Table

McKayla and Ava
  • 5.0 (2)
  • RELATIONSHIPS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Pull up a chair and join us "At The Table: Your Everyday Guide to Having Difficult Relationship Conversations." We're here to help you navigate those hard conversations with friends and family, using stories and research!

Episodes

  1. 2D AGO

    Forgiveness: Healing From The Inside Out | Derrel Higgins

    Bring all your questions about forgiveness, healing, and letting go to the conversation at the table today! Derrel Higgins, a Marriage and Family professor and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, walks us through how we can have conversations that lead to hope and healing. Get stuck in the forgiveness process no more!! You were made to heal and you were made for genuine, healthy connection! Check out our instagram page @ https://www.instagram.com/at_the_table_podcast25?igsh=bjJuanFvbG01NzZm Have a story to share!! We'd love to hear from you!! Tell us how you're applying what you learn in these podcast episodes? Reach out to us via instagram or theough our email: 25attheteable@gmail.com

    45 min

  2. JUL 22

    Feminism, Can it Correct It's Course? | Torrey Morrill

    Full plunge into a modern topic this week!! In conjunction with last week's episode on Motherhood, we get to hear a little bit more detail about feminism, toxic masculinity, and it's impacts on women, men, and children. Joining the conversation with us today is Torrey Morrill to teach us how we can talk with friends and family about feminism! We would love to hear from you!!! Please share your experiences applying these episodes into your own conversations with family and friends! Email: 25atthetable@gmail.com Instagram: at_the_table_podcast25

    43 min

  3. JUL 15

    More Than "Just a Mom" | Jen Moss

    We’ve all heard it — “just a mom.” But let’s be real: there’s nothing just about it. Motherhood is so much more than just housework and diaper duty. In today’s episode, Jen Moss joins us at the table to teach us that you don’t have to choose between motherhood and doing “something more.” Come join the conversation for a much-needed paradigm shift on what it really means to be a mom. ReferencesAllen, A. (2016). Feminism and motherhood in Western Europe 1890 -1970: The maternal dilemma. Palgrave Macmillan. Erickson, J., & Marks, L. (2025, March 26). When mothering is a sacrifice: Feminism and the lost art of consecration. Public Square Magazine. https://publicsquaremag.org/faith/proclamation-on-the-family/feminisms-impact-modern-motherhood/ Martin, L. J. (2021). Delaying, debating and declining motherhood. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 23(8), 1034-1049. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2020.1755452 Milman, M & Sternadori, M. (2024, April 3). Medical communication, internalized “good mother” norms, and feminist self-identifications as predictors of maternal burnout. Frontiers in Communication, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1265124

    42 min

  4. JUL 8 · BONUS

    Who Even Are We Anyways!? Meet Your Hosts, McKayla and Ava

    This week, we don't have a full length episode for you because we are restructuring how we do our podcast a little bit, trying to make it even better for you listeners! But you can look forward to some time getting to know McKayla and Ava and lots of amazing episodes coming up!!! If you haven't yet, please fill out this feedback survey to help us know how we can improve our show! https://forms.gle/rD1DRSDuscmjLhS59

    7 min

  5. JUL 1

    Breaking the Myth of "The Talk" | Bryanna Johnson

    Talking about sex and puberty with your children may feel incredibly intimidating or embarrassing! On today's episode, Bryanna Johnson, a Child Development and Marriage and Family Studies professor explains how we can create a culture of healthy conversations regarding sexuality in our homes rather than begrudgingly having a one time sex talk. Tune into this week's episode to learn when should you start talking about sex and puberty with your children, what exactly can you talk about, and more!! Check out our references if you're interested! Grossman, J. M., & Richer, A. M. (2023). Parents' perspectives on talk with their adolescent and emerging adult children about sex: A longitudinal analysis. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 20(1), 216–229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00656-w  Educate and Empower Kids (2015). 30 days of sex talks: Empowering your child with knowledge of sexual intimacy for ages 3-7. Rising Parent Media. Educate and Empower Kids (2015). 30 days of sex talks: Empowering your child with knowledge of sexual intimacy for ages 8-11. Rising Parent Media. Educate and Empower Kids (2015). 30 days of sex talks: Empowering your child with knowledge of sexual intimacy for ages 12+. Rising Parent Media. 30 Days of Sex Talks associated website.

    38 min

  6. JUN 24

    Being The Proactive and Intentional In-Law | Tim Belnap

    We know you've all heard about the horrors of balancing in-law relationships when it comes to the holiday season, or the crazy mother-in-law that you hope you don't acquire when you're married.... The truth is that in-law relationships can seem complicated, but they don't have to be! On today's episode, Tim Belnap breaks down the drama by teaching us how to be proactive in creating positive in-law relationships full of love and healthy boundaries! If you or someone you know is struggling with your in-law relationships or you just want to learn how to be a better in-law, this episode is for you! Here's this episode's research: Cloud, H. & Townsend, J. (1992). Boundaries: When to say yes, how to say no to take control of  your life. Zondervan. Fingerman , K. L., Buckser, A. and Turiano, N. A. 2009 . Holidays and relationships. Encyclopedia of Human Relationships, Edited by: Reis , H. T. and Sprecher , S. K. 808 – 809 . Thousand Oaks , CA : Sage . Fingerman, K. L., Gilligan, M., Vanderdrift, L., & Pitzer, L. (2012). In-law relationships before and after marriage. Research in Human Development, 9(2), 106–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2012.680843  Thomas, P. A., Liu, H., & Umberson, D. (2017). Family relationships and well-being. Innovation in Aging, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx025

    42 min

  7. JUN 17

    Principle Over Political Party | Tim Rarick

    When politics come to the table, a sense of dread often follows. In just a few minutes, a peaceful family gathering can turn into a war of words. In this episode, our friend and university professor Tim Rarick helps us navigate these political conversations without damaging our relationships—teaching us how to avoid tribalism and value people above political party!

    42 min

  8. JUN 10

    The Real vs The Ideal: Why am I Not Married Yet!? | Shawnee Hendershot

    Are you or someone you know frustrated that you're "still single?" On today's episode, Shawnee Hendershot shares how we should approach the conversation of "singleness." She shares stories that show that our worth is not our relationship status, explains how a strengths-based approach helps us to feel happiness in life, and emphasizes that our ideal life doesn't have to be our real to feel wanted and to feel purpose in life!! Here's some of the research we used in this week's episode if you want to check it out! Cohn, M.A., Fredrickson, B.L., Brown, S. L., Mikels, J.A., & Conway, A. M. (2009). Happiness unpacked: Positive emotions increase life satisfaction by building resilience. Emotion 9(3), 361-368. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015952Lee, S. (2020). A study on the effect of comparison with others and social support on life satisfaction of Facebook. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 8(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajc.2020.81001Öztekin, G. G. (2025). The relationship of future anxiety with a multidimensional framework of well-being among undergraduate students: Optimism and pessimism as mediators. BMC Psychology, 13(40). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02387-8Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719–727. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.69.4.719 The School of Positive Psychology. (2024, October 18). What is positive psychology? The all-you-need-to-know guide. The School of Positive Psychology. https://www.positivepsych.edu.sg/positive-psychology-comprehensive-guide/

    39 min
  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Pull up a chair and join us "At The Table: Your Everyday Guide to Having Difficult Relationship Conversations." We're here to help you navigate those hard conversations with friends and family, using stories and research!

Information

  • Creator
    McKayla and Ava
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © McKayla and Ava
  • Show Website
    At The Table