Growing Together- Navigating the Rollercoaster of Adolescence Together with Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto

Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto
  • 5.0 (3)
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In "Growing Together," Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto guides moms through the ups and downs of raising tween and teen daughters. Each episode delves into the unique challenges and joys of adolescence, offering practical insights and expert advice to help mothers and daughters thrive together. With heartfelt conversations, expert guests, and real-world strategies, Dr. Palmiotto infuses her own experience as a mental health professional and mom of 4 girls to provide moms with the tools to understand their daughters’ development, foster open communication, and nurture resilient relationships. Tune in to discover how you can grow alongside your daughter in this transformative stage of life, tackling topics from friendship dynamics to emotional wellness, all while building a bond that lasts a lifetime. It's a rollercoaster, so let's ride it together!

  1. Why Middle School Feels So Hard (And What’s Really Happening)

    JAN 16

    Why Middle School Feels So Hard (And What’s Really Happening)

    Middle school can feel like everything is falling apart, but what if it’s not a breakdown at all? In this episode, Dr. Kim reframes middle school, and puberty a renegotiation in the parent–child relationship. As your daughter’s brain undergoes major developmental changes, she’s wired to seek autonomy, peer belonging, and independence, often before she has the ability to use consistent emotional regulation. At the same time, this stage can activate our own unfinished business from adolescence, making the transition feel deeply personal and emotionally intense. Drawing on neuroscience, and research this episode explores: * What’s actually happening in the middle school brain * Why your nervous system gets activated right alongside your daughter’s * How autonomy, competence, and connection can coexist * Why control increases conflict—and connection supports regulation * How emotionally attuned parenting, curiosity, and repair build long-term trust You’ll leave understanding that this stage invites you to shift from control to presence and become her home base. Reflective, validating, and deeply supportive, this episode is for any parent who feels shaken by the middle school years and wants to stay connected without losing themselves in the process. Middle school is hard, but you’re not alone. www.NurturingGirls.com/RootandRise

    14 min
  2. When Holiday Magic Meets Holiday Meltdowns

    12/17/2025

    When Holiday Magic Meets Holiday Meltdowns

    The holidays are supposed to feel magical , but for many of us, they also bring overwhelm, moodiness, and emotional meltdowns with our teen girls. In this episode, we unpack why girls often struggle more during the holiday season and why what looks like attitude or ungratefulness is usually a nervous system that’s reached its limit. Between overstimulation, disrupted routines, social pressure, and emotional expectations, girls’ developing brains are pushed hard this time of year. And when their emotional bandwidth runs out, it often shows up as irritability, withdrawal, or sudden reactivity. You’ll learn: * How to recognize the difference between disrespect and dysregulation * What research says about emotional overload, routines, and regulation in girls * Practical, gentle ways moms can support their daughters without escalating conflict * Simple tools to help both you and your daughter feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected during the holidays This episode is a reminder that nothing is wrong with your daughter (or with you). She doesn’t need a perfect holiday, just understanding, predictability, and a safe place to land. If you’re parenting a tween or teen girl and the holidays feel emotionally intense, this episode will help you reframe what you’re seeing and respond with confidence, compassion, and connection.

    19 min
  3. Helping Girls Navigate Friendship Stress - with Coach Sheri

    11/25/2025

    Helping Girls Navigate Friendship Stress - with Coach Sheri

    In this episode, I sit down with Coach Sheri, from Teen-Wise, to unpack one of the most misunderstood challenges girls face today: relational aggression, the subtle but painful world of exclusion, friendship breakups, drama cycles, and the unspoken pressure girls feel to fit in. Sheri explains how relational aggression actually begins long before middle school, and then intensifies as girls become more emotionally invested in friendships. We explore why middle school becomes the “practice arena” for conflict, why even college-aged girls still struggle with mean girl dynamics, and how “mama drama” often reflects unresolved patterns from our own teen years . You’ll hear us break down: * Why exclusion hurts so deeply and what’s really happening when girls are ghosted or left out * Friendship breakups in middle school, why they happen, why they feel shocking, and how girls often use meanness to avoid difficult conversations *What moms should do first when their daughter is hurting (hint: support before solutions) * The loneliness spiral — and how to help girls avoid letting loneliness become their identity * ADHD as a friendship superpower and how girls with ADHD can harness their natural loyalty, enthusiasm, and connection skills without overwhelming peers It is a jam packed, but quick listen so, If you’re navigating girl drama, friendship changes, or emotional ups and downs in your home, this conversation will give you some clarity and compassion to understand and start helping your daughter.

    16 min
  4. Raising Her Without Losing You- Navigating Middle School Part 4

    11/04/2025

    Raising Her Without Losing You- Navigating Middle School Part 4

    Middle school is a season of deep change, not just for your daughter, but for you, as her mom. In the final episode of this 4-part series, Dr. Kimberly Palmiotto shifts the spotlight back to the heart of it all: Us as Moms. While your daughter is growing into herself, you may find yourself triggered, exhausted, or wondering where you went in the process. In this episode, we explore: * Why middle school can reactivate your own adolescent wounds * The emotional labor of mothering a tween girl (and why you feel so tired) * How to avoid self-abandonment while still showing up for her * The difference between modeling self-sacrifice and modeling self-respect * Three practical tools for grounding, boundary-setting, and emotional self-check-ins You'll also be invited into a powerful reflection practice to connect with your future self, the one who’s on the other side of this chapter and grateful for how you stayed grounded in your own growth, too. Because you’re not the same mom you were when she was little, and that’s a good thing! You're growing, too. And she needs to see that.

    15 min
  5. How to Build Connection Over Control - Navigating Middle School Part 3

    09/12/2025

    How to Build Connection Over Control - Navigating Middle School Part 3

    She pulls away. ..You try harder. She slams the door... You wonder if you're losing her. In Part 3 of this 4-part series on navigating middle school, Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto explores one of the hardest parts of parenting a tween girl: how to stay connected when she seems to want nothing to do with you. You’ll learn: *Why the push-pull dynamic is wired into her brain and not your fault *How to shift from control to connection, without losing boundaries *Tools to build emotional safety, even when your daughter is shut down *How to model repair after conflict and open the door to communication *The 3 C’s that transform your relationship: Calm, Curiosity, and Compassion Whether you’re dealing with eye rolls, slammed doors, or emotional shutdowns, this episode gives you language, mindset shifts, and repair tools to help you be the safe base she still needs, even when she acts like she doesn’t.

    15 min
  6. Power, Popularity, & Pressure- Navigating Middle School Part 2

    09/09/2025

    Power, Popularity, & Pressure- Navigating Middle School Part 2

    Middle school friendships aren’t just complicated, they feel critical to your daughter’s sense of identity, safety, and self-worth. In Part 2 of this 4-part series, Dr. Kim dives deep into what’s happening in your daughter’s outside world. She explores things like friendships, peer pressure, social status, and the rising tide of relational aggression. In this episode, you’ll learn: *Why belonging feels like survival to the tween brain *What “mean girl” behavior really signals and how to respond *How to support your daughter whether she’s being excluded or doing the excluding *The difference between popularity and true friendship (and how to help her know it too) *Tools to help her build empathy, boundaries, and confidence without losing herself This one is for every mom who has watched her daughter walk into changing middle school friendships and wondered, “What do I say? What do I do?” You’ll leave this episode with tools, reflection prompts, and connection strategies that help you be the safe, steady voice in her social world, even when things get messy.

    21 min
  7. Her Changing World - Part 1 of A Series on Middle School

    08/20/2025

    Her Changing World - Part 1 of A Series on Middle School

    Middle school is more than a milestone, it’s a deep, messy, and transformational chapter for your daughter… and for you. This first episode of Season 2 rolls out part 1 of a 4 part series on navigating Middle School for Moms of Girls. In this episode, Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto helps you understand what’s really going on inside your tween’s changing brain, body, and emotional world. From hypersensitive feelings to identity experimentation and peer comparison, this season can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to walk it alone. You’ll learn: * Why your daughter can’t always explain how she feels (and what to say instead) * How her brain development impacts emotional regulation and behavior * What it looks like to offer safety without shame * The 3 things she needs most from you in this phase (even if she can’t say them) Whether your daughter is moody, melting down, or changing before your eyes, this episode will help you respond with presence, compassion, and confidence.

    23 min
  8. Why Tone Matters with Your Teen Daughter

    06/29/2025

    Why Tone Matters with Your Teen Daughter

    In this episode, we talk about a parenting tool that is underestimated: tone of voice. As moms of tween and teen girls, how we say things often matters more than what we say. During adolescence, a girl’s brain is rewiring and more reactive to emotional cues—especially tone. Your voice becomes her inner voice, shaping how she sees herself and how she handles relationships in the future. Dr. Kim breaks down the science behind this sensitivity, shares practical tools to shift your tone toward calm and connection, and reveals how everyday moments of communication leave lasting emotional imprints. You’ll learn how to avoid the “tone traps” of sarcasm, correction, and dismissive language—and replace them with language that nurtures confidence, emotional safety, and resilience. If you’ve ever wondered why your daughter reacts so strongly even when you're not “yelling,” this episode is for you. Tune in to learn how to use your voice not as a weapon or a wedge—but as a bridge.

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

In "Growing Together," Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto guides moms through the ups and downs of raising tween and teen daughters. Each episode delves into the unique challenges and joys of adolescence, offering practical insights and expert advice to help mothers and daughters thrive together. With heartfelt conversations, expert guests, and real-world strategies, Dr. Palmiotto infuses her own experience as a mental health professional and mom of 4 girls to provide moms with the tools to understand their daughters’ development, foster open communication, and nurture resilient relationships. Tune in to discover how you can grow alongside your daughter in this transformative stage of life, tackling topics from friendship dynamics to emotional wellness, all while building a bond that lasts a lifetime. It's a rollercoaster, so let's ride it together!

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