Smart Family Podcast Toni Nieuwhof & Dr. Rob Meeder

We want you to hear this episode - so we are playing it again in case you missed it the first time. It is powerful. "Most things that seem complicated are actually just hard." This is a central idea that grounds Dr. Anita Phillips' work as a trauma therapist and life coach. Marriage is a primary relationship where the impacts of trauma - often trauma that occurred prior to the relationship - show up. And when it does, labelling behaviours and laying blame may come easily for the other partner., However, untangling the deeper causes for the behaviour is hard work. Dr. Anita shares a very compelling analogy using seeds and plants to illustrate the process of getting back to the root of behaviours that are causing stress. There's probably no human alive who is untouched by the impacts of trauma in their circle of loved ones. That's why we bill this episode as one not to miss, and we're grateful to Dr. Anita for sharing her wealth of wisdom.
 
 

Sports are part of our society and so it's no wonder that parents wonder whether they should put their kids into sports. And if so, when and what sport? These are all great questions that we explore today with Dr Katie Misener. Katie's research is devoted to sports and their benefits - not just for kids but also for parents and our communities. It turns out that getting kids involved in sports is good not just for their physical health, but also their mental health, and more. If you are a parent with kids in sports or thinking about it - you'll love this episode.

Wouldn't it be great if you had a parenting mentor at your side during those difficult parenting moments? Sometimes we are faced with conundrums - do I intervene, or let my kids figure it our on their own? When do I shift from manager to consultant role? What about sibling rivalry? How can we be real with uncomfortable emotions in front of our kids? What if one parent wants to parent differently? Well parenting expert Sue Groner helps us out today! Sue is the author of Parenting with Sanity And Joy: 101 Simple Strategies and she is a mom herself who shares honestly from her experience, backed up by research and time-tested parenting strategies that work. If you are well into the parenting journey or just starting out, this episode is for you.

Ever wondered about why it's sometimes hard to sync up your intentions for your relationships, and the ways you actually show up? Childhood trauma isn't necessarily what you think it is - we tend to think of the death of a parent or being involved in a life-threatening incident or being sexually abused when we talk about the lasting impacts of trauma (and rightfully so), but sometimes the sources of trauma are not obviously recognized. Trauma expert Dr. Kathleen Murphy joins us for an in-depth exploration of the ways developmental or complex trauma experienced before adulthood may manifest in words and behaviours in our couple relationships and parenting. If you've been treated abusively in your past, you may want to invite a friend to listen along with you and be there, for support. What Dr. Murphy shares is so honest, insightful and powerful, you won't want to miss this conversation, whether it applies to you personally or someone close to you.

The world of teenagers is vastly different from the high-school world we experienced. This generation is digitally-native, more diverse and open to talking about mental health. This might leave your head spinning - what was taboo just a few years ago is now normal. Yet many teenagers are struggling with their mental health and the adults in their lives (teachers and parents) can sometimes find it hard to connect and support them. Today we talk to clinical psychologst and teen mental health expert Deborah Offner. She speaks extensisvely with teens, parents and teachers - mainly in the school setting - and is therefore able to give us the "inside scoop" on connecting with and understanding teenagers. She shares her insight with us today - so that you can parent your teenagers better.

We found this conversation not only enlightening and super practical, but also lively and surprising. Today's expert guest, Patrick Lencioni is acclaimed worldwide for his business acumen and leadership insights. The model he's talking about in our conversation was originally conceived of through his business and team experience, but the wonderfully surprising discovery is that this model (similar to other personality typing systems) has helped many people and couples with their relationships at home. Did you know that you have working geniuses, competencies and frustrations - and yours may be completely different from your partner's? Or, they may be the same, in which case there are other hurdles to be aware of. Discover more about this model and how it can be applied to strengthen ALL your family relationships.