Send us a text! Would love to hear directly from you! In this episode, Olga Miller sat down with Nicole Runyon — a child psychotherapist, award-winning author, and speaker — for a conversation that has almost nothing to do with "work" and everything to do with the life underneath it. Nicole candidly traces her roots back to a Lebanese immigrant family built on sacrifice, tenacity, and quiet expectation, and reflects on how an angry, unheard young woman grew into someone who speaks her mind with honesty and grace. She opens up about her frustrations with a culture that has traded discipline and tenacity for comfort and "good enough," makes a passionate case for real-world connection over screen time, and shares how she has learned to meet negativity without losing herself. Most strikingly, Nicole walks through the years chronic stress spent quietly wrecking her body — until she met it with perseverance, radical self-honesty, and self-love, and came out the other side. Along the way: seasons, boredom as a gift, and what it really means to be free. Prefer to see this one? The full video is up on YouTube. This one is a slow exhale. Settle in. Key Takeaways Outspoken isn't the same as heard. Nicole spent her 20s speaking her convictions from a place of anger — and it wasn't landing. Becoming a therapist and a mother forced her to learn to sit in silence, manage her own reactivity, and communicate in a way people could actually receive.Disagreement is welcome; disrespect is not. She distinguishes between honest pushback (which she values and engages with) and "buzzwording" or personal attacks (which she disengages from entirely, without apology).Choice is a responsibility, not a given. Growing up believing she had no path forward as a woman, Nicole later realized her parents had been quietly building her a choice the whole time. Her guiding line for clients and herself: "The wound isn't your fault, but it is your responsibility."Screens fill a void — they don't create one. Taking devices away fails when parents don't also teach kids how to sit in boredom and rebuild the internal tools that screens replaced. Boredom, done right, becomes fertile ground.Parents aren't cruise directors. Engagement doesn't mean constant entertainment — it means modeling discipline, tenacity, and the willingness to let your kids feel disappointed, bored, or challenged.The body keeps score. Nine years ago, chronic stress showed up in Nicole's body as pain, stiffness, and hormone disruption. Recovery came through eliminating inflammatory foods, non-negotiable exercise and sleep, and asking for help — not from willpower alone.Presence is a practice, not a personality trait. From leaving her phone in her bag to cooking dinner together instead of DoorDash, Nicole's philosophy on connection starts with noticing her own device use before addressing anyone else's.Let the season be the season. Whether it's a flexible summer or an introspective winter, Nicole closes with a reminder to stop fighting the natural rhythm of the year — and of life. About Nicole Runyon Nicole Runyon, LMSW, is a psychotherapist, parent coach, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in child and adolescent mental health. She is the author of the award-winning, bestselling book Free to Fly: The Secret to Fostering Independence in the Next Generation, which explores how technology is disrupting child development and offers parents a path back to connection, resilience, and real-world independence. Website: nicolerunyon.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicolerunyonlmswInstagram: @igenerationmentalhealthBook: Free to FlyOrdinary Talks with Extraordinary Women — conversations about the life underneath the résumé. Support the show Thank You so much for listening! Please subscribe, leave us a rating & stay tuned! FOLLOW Instagram: www.instagram.com/yellobirdie LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/yellobirdie YouTube: www.youtube.com/yellobirdie.hawaii TikTok: @yellobirdie To learn more about YelloBirdie please visit us at www.yellobirdie.com YelloBirdie is your nest for exploration and growth, a vibrant community where women and little humans of all ages can spread their wings. We offer workshops, empowering guidance, and a curated selection of products, all designed to help you unlock your inner songbird, embrace creativity, and soar through life with confidence. Join us and experience the transformative power of self-discovery and connection in a supportive, judgment-free environment. Let's fly together!
