Taking the Helm

Have you asked yourself, Where did that come from after a situation where you over reacted or blew up? Emotional triggers happen to all of us but why? How do we change patterns of behaviour that are harmful to us and others? Angela suffered from the tyranny of an alcoholic father, entered a toxic marriage and in a time of crisis after a wild fire, listened to the angels whispering in her ear to take her first act of self-love. Angela now gives children and their parents tools and techniques for emotional balance. She has done everything from writing the series, The Bella Santini Chronicles to speaking to high school students about emotional intelligence, to cohosting a television show on Thriving Women Network. Key takeaways and questions we discuss: What is emotional repression and how does it hurt ourselves and others? How do we feel and express our emotions to heal, without harming others? When we shift our responsibility through the game game, we become a victim rather than putting ourselves in control. How can we combine a high level of nurturing with a high level of boundaries and rules for children? What does emotional well-being mean? Angela shares countless resources including her up-coming TV show, blog post, website resources, speaking and writing engagements as well as her book series.

Jim White is an author, podcast host, coach and founder of the Family Enrichment Academy. He has spent the last 40 years studying the topics of personal development, marriage and parenting. More importantly, he has also spent those 40 years applying these lessons and living his life as a husband, a father to 6 children and a grandfather to 12. What's Jim's connection to the classic storytelling technique of heroes embarking on two journeys – the pursuit of external goals and internal transformations? Let's build better habits and move out of fear into love based habits. Jim is a seasoned expert in family dynamics and shares his insights on raising six children while instilling new principles and guides for family growth. Why do we wait for life lessons to become apparent through crisis or when confronted? What are the challenges parents face in the age of social media? How do we acknowledge and validate children's feelings while fostering open two-way conversations? How can we build better habits, transition intentionally during the day, and create love-based connections with your children? When de we take control as a parent and provide a safe space for our child to regain composure in overwhelming emotional situations? What if your love language is different than you child's? Learn about the five love languages and how understanding your child's preferences can strengthen your connection. Jim introduces his course and its three fundamental components while highlighting key insights from his book, How to Be the Parent Your Teenager Needs You to Be.

When community members come together and unite through volunteerism, the impact can be profound. How can individuals turn their passion for mental health advocacy into a meaningful impact? What are some innovative ways to complement the support and services that are already in place through government agencies and non-profit organizations? Our guest, Dr. Sharon Pyke, shares the personal and professional journey that led her to the volunteer work she does today, focusing on mental health. Key points of our discussion include the impact of media on those with undiagnosed or untreated mental health challenges. What are the benefits when we normalize talking about it? What are some examples of communities coming together and how do we get past the challenges facing a grassroots movement? How do we foster collaboration through a shared sense of purpose, while thinking outside of the box to become a catalyst for positive change?

Our guest Ann Coleman shares her intimate insights as she turned the challenges of raising a teen struggling with anxiety, depression, and ADHD into a journey of powerful reflections and growth. If what you are doing is not working and you find yourself in conflict regularly with a child/teen or student, Ann has some specific words of wisdom based on her own experience and research. Discover the poignant moments that transformed her parent-teen dynamic from a battleground into a haven of understanding and support. Through heartfelt anecdotes and powerful realizations, our guest unveils the tools and strategies that reshaped her approach, fostering emotional well-being and fortifying their mother/son relationship. What is the worse thing we can do as a parent? What was the final straw that forced Ann to realize that her own approach to parenting was not working? How does the teenage brain work and why the combative approach destroys relationships. What changes did she make that kick started a new relationship walking side by side with her son? What is the first step we need to make and the immediate action needed? What's the four part process for parents? How do we start our do-over?

We're diving into the world of simplicity and decluttering with Emily McDermott, the host of the globally ranked podcast Moms Overcoming Overwhelm. Emily shares her journey as a wife, mother of two energetic boys, and a simplicity seeker. Discover the power of decluttering homes, heads, and hearts as we explore the profound impact minimalism can have on the well-being of moms. It's not only about our materialistic belongings! If you've struggled to let go of clutter and are looking for a fresh perspective, this episode is a must-listen with practical tips for overwhelmed moms to start their decluttering journey. It's not only about the materialistic things in our lives, but much more! What are the four things clutter robs from us? What is the connection between clutter and decision fatigue? How do the number of decisions we make a day impact our stress and anxiety, and how can we simplify our decisions to improve our well-being? What is the connection between clutter, anxiety, and stress? Where can a busy, overwhelmed mom start her decluttering journey? Connect with Emily: http://www.simplebyemmy.com

We're discussing the crucial topic of developmental milestones and early intervention for children. Drawing from her own experiences and extensive expertise, Theresa shares invaluable insights and practical advice on helping your child reach their full potential. Discover why early intervention is key and why it's essential to trust your instincts as a parent and the importance of creating a nurturing environment from birth to three years, where children can develop vital skills, especially in communication. She introduces the CDC developmental milestones and offers actionable recommendations to seamlessly incorporate them into your daily routine. - Learn about engaging educational tools like the Carrots and Cake app, designed to promote educational and healthy screen time habits. What's the Wait Until 8th movement and the significance of limiting technology use. - Explore the subtle cues that can reveal your child's progress and potential challenges. Shared attention, reaching out, and laughter are indicators of linguistic development. - Embrace your child's interests and play styles. Discover practical strategies for helping children with focus so they can thrive. Understanding their interests and observing their play can be instrumental ... acceptance, patience, and mirroring positive energy. - How well-intentioned assistance can sometimes hinder a child's growth. Learn about the power of allowing children to struggle, problem-solve, and build resiliency. Our guest emphasizes the difference between helping and doing and encourages parents to empower their children to ask for help or tackle tasks on their own. Self-care is presented as a selfless act, and techniques like EFT tapping are discussed. Theresa offers free ebook with excerpts from , as well as insightful articles, engaging TikTok content and her course, Breakthrough Parenting Solutions. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Get ready for a journey into the magical world of childhood development through nature play with our guest, Jena Ponti Jauchius, a renowned nature play specialist. Jena began her work focusing on creating play spaces for children with Autism which was not done in 2004. It is now the driving force behind her passion for creating spaces and exploring incredible ways our outside environment can support the development of all children inclusively. We are inherently connected to nature which has a profound impact when we foster this in children. Jena deepens our appreciation for the great outdoors and empowers us with practical ideas on creating immersive, sensory-rich environments for children everywhere. Jena unravels the fascinating world of seven senses, shedding light on the lesser-known vestibular and proprioceptive systems, and revealing their crucial roles in a child's holistic development. How can we transform our homes, neighborhoods, and schools into sensory-rich spaces that ignite children's curiosity and imagination, leading them to become environmental stewards from a young age? Jena's remarkable story of her twins uncovering rainbow trails through observation inspires us to encourage mindful exploration in our own lives. Dive into the world of butterfly and pollinator gardens and learn how these enchanting spaces can nurture children's sense of wonder, foster communication and problem solving skills, while teaching them valuable lessons about our environment. Jena invites us to join her Facebook Group called, Sensory Rich Nature Play where she shows before and after photos of projects that have been done in homes etc. Discount code for 10% discount on her course: TAKINGTHEHELM10 https://nisfornatureplay.gumroad.com/l/SensoryRichNaturePlayEssentials

Are you an educator who finds yourself triggered by a person, event or action? Self-awareness has a profound impact on the teaching journey when we empower educators to reflect on the why behind their triggers. Our past experiences often shape the way we interact with our students. If we uncover the roots, we can respond to our students with greater empathy, patience, and understanding. Wysteria shares specific experiences that forced her to have an aha moment and change her perspective entirely. We can create safe spaces where students' emotions are not only valued but deeply understood, fostering an atmosphere of trust and growth. How do we teach and normalize conversations about feelings so they become natural and accepted from K - 12? How do we make this a part of our classroom routine every day so students learn to listen and respond to each other with empathy? As we build stronger, more compassionate connections with our students, we enrich both their educational experience and our own. What did Mr. Rogers have to teach us?

Whether you are a new teacher or seeking ways to calm your classroom from the first day of school, Jodi Nolin can help you foster well-being and non-reactivity for you and and students. - From kindergarteners to high school seniors, she shares, free, readily accessible tools that can be applied throughout the entire K-12 journey. The approach is secular and inclusive, ensuring that anyone can benefit. It has transformed educational environments and improved overall well-being. - What's your superpower? Through 40 years of data and research, we'll discuss the compelling evidence behind the effectiveness of mindfulness in reducing stress, enhancing attention, and fostering resilience. This is one lesson of many! - Jodi shared specific examples of students and staff who struggled with sleep, distraction, anxiety and reactivity, and moved to a place of calm and focus in a very short time. - Embracing this practice gives teachers more time because of the impact on student learning and success. They are solving their own problems, pushing away drama and increasing their focus. https://smho-smso.ca/online-resources/stress-management-and-coping-virtual-field-trips/ https://smho-smso.ca/online-resources/mh-lit-student-mental-health-in-action/

Are you frustrated daily because you can't connect with a child who is out of control or defiant? Host Lynn McLaughlin is joined by Ginny Luther who has experienced crises in her life that are unimaginable. She has now authored her book, Blue Star Grit: A Mother’s Journey of Triumph and Tragedy Raising a Defiant Child into an Exceptional Leader to help parents see there is a way! Through her own experiences and trauma, Ginny Luther helps us see how we can change our approach and how our response at any moment has an impact on a child. The connection we have with them is the key to discipline and what we do in that moment with empathy or compassion shows them we are a safe and secure person. Control comes with a cost to connection. How we talk to ourselves is how we talk to children, reflecting our Inner speech. How many of us are shoulding our children and what does this provoke in them? Peaceful or conscious parenting comes with consequences. We DO NOT give up our limits. Ginny will help us see how we can be assertive, set boundaries and be kind/firm at the same time with very clear and actionable examples.

How can we connect with our children to better understand and be proactive when it comes to their mental health? Extended communication is always our best ally. That adage, What children need most is our time couldn't be a better fit to help us understand what our children are feeling. That time is not as long as we think it needs to be. It's about the connection. There is a tremendous correlation between time spent with our child, and your ability to understand what they are thinking and feeling. Can we try to get away from denial and avoidance behaviors? It can be hard for parents to come to terms with their children's anxiety. No one wants this for their child, and as a result, it can be easy to miss. If our child is bringing up a complaint, and they are having a difficult time explaining it to us, there may be another problem. We can expand the conversations into other areas of their life to determine if they're hiding anything. Children don't always express themselves efficiently. This life moves fast, and as a result, anxiety gains momentum quickly. Is it wise to educate our children, even the younger children, about anxiety, what it feels like, and how to talk about it? How does validation positively affect our children and how do we respond when we don't agree with their actions or choices? Always validate what your child is saying. You may not agree with what they're reporting,

Julia Recker and Kelsey Timiuk are Child and Youth Care Workers who are offering counselling services through private practice. The centre they work in is one of few currently available in Ontario. What is the role for Child and Youth Care Workers in supporting children, youth and adult mental health needs? Why do so few students graduating with this qualification consider private practice as an option? Julia and Kelsey discuss how they work with their clients, the 3 year college program and how they are helping close the gap for affordable and accessible counselling. . What is Rosie's Mission and how does using vocabulary, talk therapy and books help people cope? Kelsey and Julia also share how self-regulation as an adult is important to children's well-being as well as resources that are available.

We all agree that feeding our bodies with wholesome foods in vital for ourselves and our families. Don't our minds require intentional care and nourishment like our physical bodies do? Our minds, bodies, and souls are part of our whole being. Taking time to pause is more critical than ever but what does that really mean? How do our childhood experiences generate the Ingrained beliefs, patterns, and fear that hold us back from living our most joyful lives? What can we do to give our children a head start to avoid being blocked by fear? We can gain clarity to make intentional choices every day with intentionality. When we are in the most challenging times facing stress, anxiety, or self-doubt, what is a thought rescue plan? How can we have it ready to use when we need it most? Our guest shares why she sold a prospering business to take what resulted in a long self-realization sabbatical to becoming an international best-selling author, coach, and course/program creator that has changed thousands of lives.

Feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns? Join us as we discuss strategies for breaking through emotional barriers within families. Discover practical techniques to promote personal growth, improve communication, and create a thriving and harmonious family dynamic. Celebrate the power of play in cultivating social-emotional literacy in children. Learn about exciting games and activities designed to teach empathy, communication, self-awareness, and more. We'll share proven techniques, expert advice, and personal stories to help parents support their children through anxiety. Conflict is a natural part of family life, but finding peaceful resolutions can be challenging. We explore effective conflict resolution strategies to build strong, resilient relationships. Empathy is a vital skill that can transform relationships and create a compassionate world. How do we teach empathy to children and foster heart-centered connections within families? Connect with Margaret: https://creativeeducationinaction.com/

The field of pediatrics offers us many evidence-based possibilities to help our children become resilient, self-confident, empathetic, motivated, and able to solve the hurdles life will throw at them. Dr. Anna Esparham works with children and youth who have anxiety, ADHD, are sleep deprivation, have chronic pain, or other challenges. Our guest shares many of these approaches and walks us through how we can all use the technique of tapping to calm ourselves. Acupuncture or acupressure? There are many mind/body therapies including self-hypnosis. How can children use this themselves? If we can activate our parasympathetic systems, it will serve us well in all areas of our being - mind, body, soul and spirit. Dr. Esparham discusses the power of breathing, yoga, various forms of meditation, distracting techniques, nutrition, and more. How does osteopathic medicine relate to emotional regulation and awareness? Understanding integrative medicine gives us more options to consider for our family's well-being. Connect with Dr. Esparaham: https://www.healthispowher.com/

When faced with the worst thing that’s ever happened to you, how do you want to show up for yourself — and your family? Sara Olsher is a cancer survivor and also experienced a difficult divorce when her daughter was under 2 years of age. How do we build a foundation for open communication with our children to support them while we make our way forward? Our children know when something is wrong in our homes, even if they can't identify what it is and often we will see it in their behaviours as they become anxious and worried. She's developed a multitude of resources for parents to help our children cope, including children's books specifically about cancer and divorce. The mission of her company Mighty + Bright is to raise a resilient generation of kids who can handle life's toughest stuff. Sara learned the hard way that not talking about crises is the opposite of what we should be doing. Letting people help in times of crisis also gives them the ability to offer care and compassion, as the CEO of her company did for her. What skills do we need when we're handling fear ourselves? Connect with Sara: https://mightyandbright.com/

Dr. Sharon Spano delves deep into the fascinating developmental model exploring the complexities of childhood and unraveling the concept of egocentrism. We can be held in the egocentric stage as we age because of childhood experiences. We examine why generational models of parenting are no longer effective and propose a shift towards a conscious family culture. Our guest, Dr. Sharon Spano shares valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating the developmental journey. We challenge traditional parenting paradigms, encouraging listeners to question long-standing beliefs and explore new approaches. How can we foster healthy emotional and cognitive development, create nurturing environments, and build strong connections with our children? We share personal experiences, research-based knowledge, and alternative perspectives, guiding you toward a more conscious and connected parenting style. Whether you're a new parent, a seasoned caregiver, or simply interested in the world of child development, The Conscious Family Journey will help you break free from generational patterns, embrace a conscious mindset, and create a harmonious family culture that supports the well-being and flourishing of children. Connect with Dr. Spano https://www.sharonspano.com/

Amber Raymond works with children and youth in a variety of ways. In this episode, she helps us learn how to find ways to get our emotions out and communicate with our children in a positive and transparent way. How do we move ourselves and our families out of the comfort zone we have been living in for three years? Is a child's emotional age the same as their chronological age? Often it is not. How can we know and how do we respond? What are the stages of Erikson's model of personality development for children from birth to the end of life? What is the number one challenge facing today's youth from Amber's perspective in her practice? How can we get our kids in front of it? Connect with Amber https://www.messsmakers.com/

In this episode, we bring hope from the trenches to parents with our guest Danielle Bettmann, host of the podcast, Failing Motherhood. Do you have a strong-willed child? How can you tell? What are some of the traits? What is your child trying to tell you? What strategies and techniques can we adopt as parents? What do children need today and what are the roots to the development of their well-being? What resources are available? Join us as we ride the waves to calmer waters! Connect with Danielle: https://www.parentingwholeheartedly.com/

In this episode, our guest shares valuable insights on how parents can help their children build character, responsibility, positive intelligence, empathy, and resilience. We all want our children to grow up to be happy, successful, and well-adjusted adults. But how do we go about instilling the qualities and values that will help them achieve this? Our guest explains how parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's development and guiding them toward becoming kind, caring, and responsible individuals. We dive into topics such as the importance of modeling positive behaviors, setting clear expectations, and providing opportunities for children to practice empathy and compassion. Our guest also shares how our self-sabotaging traits affect our parenting habits, childhood trauma, and what we need to watch for in our kids. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of child development and learn how you can help your child become the best version of themselves. Connect with Annette: https://trulybalance.com/about/