Active & Connected Families

How do we teach our kids to apologize in a healthier way that helps them feel good about themselves, learn from their mistakes, and improve and repair their relationships? That's the question we're discussing in today's episode. Teaching your kid how to apologize is one part of raising empathic children. Our kids have to learn that their actions and words can affect other people and what they can do when they make a mistake and don't feel good about it. Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/teach-kids-to-apologize/

A subject our kids are more knowledgeable and open-minded about than most of us adults are... Today we're talking gender diversity. Oak Reed is our newest clinical psychologist at Virginia Family Therapy and on his first day with us(!), he joined us on Podcast Therapists to share his expertise. What is gender diversity? How can you recognize it as a parent? And how can you as a parent be the most helpful in responding when your child is exploring different gender identities? Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/gender-diversity/

Raising a child with ADHD, what does it actually look like? Some parents might recognize some traits from other people in the family or even themselves. For others, it's a completely new world they're stepping into. We're very excited to be talking to pediatrician Carol Boersma, MD, today who shares some golden nuggets of insights around raising children with ADHD. Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/raising-child-adhd/

Boys are 2-3 times more likely to get diagnosed with ADHD in childhood than girls and that has everything to do with the fact that ADHD presents differently in boys and girls, men and women. Today's episode is a mix of what we see in therapy, scientific findings, and our personal experiences living with (undiagnosed) ADHD. Yes, two of us have actually been diagnosed with ADHD in our forties. Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/adhd-in-girls/

Do you ever struggle trusting yourself and your intuition as a mother? We believe we all do sometimes. Especially in the beginning. Today, we've got a very special guest: Casey Wilson, actress, NYT bestselling author, director, podcaster, and mom, who takes us on her journey of motherhood and learning how to trust her intuition as a mother. Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/trusting-yourself-as-a-mother/

Your favorite coach is back! Michael Atunrase is joining us today to talk about nutrition and body image for athletes. Young athletes struggle with a very specific pull between wanting to look a certain way in school and needing their bodies to perform after school. Michael walks us through what we need & need to do for our athlete kids to educate them on nutrition & body image. Have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/body-image-for-athletes/

Two weeks ago, Ashleigh Sellman told us all about the basics of intuitive eating. But how do we implement these practices into our families? What does that look like in day-to-day life? That's what we're talking about today! Ashleigh Sellman is a registered dietician and we're always amazed after speaking to her. She's taught us so much and we're very excited that she's back today to share more of her insights with you! Hop on and have a listen! We always love hearing from you so don't be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today's episode! More info? You can find the full show notes, links & resources on: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/how-to-intuitive-eating/

Do you know what signs and symptoms to look out for to recognize when your kid might have an eating disorder? If you're not sure, that's totally fine. It's a thin line after all. That's why in this 4th episode of our Disordered Eating series, we're discussing these signs and symptoms with daily life examples. We're also discussing what you can do when you're noticing these things and what steps to take next. Have a listen and come over to Facebook or Instagram to share your thoughts with us. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/signs-symptoms-disordered-eating/

Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Sounds easy, right? Because of our upbringing and the culture we live in, it's actually harder than it sounds. Today, we're bringing on Ashleigh Sellman, registered Dietician and amazing woman, to talk about exactly that: intuitive eating, an eating style that promotes a healthy attitude toward food and body image. Have a listen and come over to Facebook or Instagram to share your thoughts with us. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/intuitive-eating-basics/

One of the main things that help children figure out what their ideas around body image are, is the way the adults around them feel and talk about it. Not only about bodies in general but also about their own. Today we continue our series on disordered eating with an episode all about how to be a good role model for your kids. With his episode, we're providing you a guide for ways to talk about it, acceptance that we all make mistakes, and general awareness about the importance of the topic. We know this is an issue that concerns everyone and believe many of you have a story around this. Come over to Facebook or Instagram to share your thoughts with us. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/role-model-body-image/

The culture we live in is toxic. The way the media shows us we're supposed to look, act, and feel, has a massive negative impact on our body image and also our kids'. With the huge increase in disordered eating we're seeing throughout the pandemic, we're starting this series within our podcast all around disordered eating. In this first episode, we focus on how we see the culture negatively impact folks and ways we can combat this for ourselves and our kids. We know this is an issue that concerns everyone and believe many of you have a story around this. Come over to Facebook or Instagram to share your thoughts with us. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/toxic-culture-body-image/

We'd like to start with a warning: We're talking about hard stuff today, especially about child and adolescent suicide. There's an increase in suicide attempts among children and adolescents and also an increase in media attention around the topic and we want to address it directly. It's a hard episode but also a very helpful one. Please be thoughtful about whether you want to listen and how you're going to take care of your family if this feels particularly hard for you. Take care! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook or Instagram. Please note: In case of concerns around your child's mental health, Social Media is not the place to reach out. We put a list of official resources in our show notes: Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/child-and-adolescent-suicide/

Every year again, the holiday season brings a heap of emotions with them. Stress, joy, happiness, sadness, and everything in between. (Nope, you're really not alone in this) In today's episode, we talk about why the holiday season brings up all the feels, how to keep our values at the forefront of what we're doing, and how to stay centered on who we are and who we want to be during the holidays and after. Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Happy Holidays! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/finding-joy-during-holidays/

It's the holiday season! And that means that college kids are coming home for their long winter break. There will be excitement, there will be nervousness, even some anger probably. All the feels will come up for parents and kids alike. That's why today we're sharing some tips & strategies on how to make this time run smoothly, we talk about why it's hard, and also ways to find joy and honor these new adults that are coming into your life. Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/kids-coming-home-from-college/

Anxiety comes in many different forms and ranges. So what kind of things can you notice in your body when you're experiencing anxiety? What can you do to manage your anxiety when it gets to a 3 on a 10 point scale? Or how about an 8? And of course, how can we manage our (and our kids') anxiety before it's even there? Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/deal-with-anxiety/

It's that time of the year again: school is up and running, the holidays are coming up and anxiety is on the rist in both kids and families. That's why we decided to rerelease our favorite and most listened-to podcast episode today. It's the one we send out to our clients the most because we know how helpful it is. In this episode we talk about how we explain anxiety in all its glory to the kids and families that walk through our door. If you or your child worries, gets grumpy, is a perfectionist, puts tons of pressure on themselves, or has difficulty sleeping— this is the podcast for you! We discuss the relationship between anxiety, sensitivity, empathy, motivation, and super powers all in this one episode. We also reveal a little about how anxiety/sensitivity impacts our own lives, because we wouldn't be therapists without it! Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! You can find our full show notes here.http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/rewind-explain-anxiety/

Today's generation of teens is incredibly accepting of each other, and families, parents are more accepting too. Both this and even the pandemic are resulting in kids coming out earlier than even a few years ago. But what's the best way to respond when your kid (or your friend's kid) comes out to you? Chances are big, you've never been in that situation before, so it's normal you don't know the best way to respond. Maybe you're expecting to have this conversation in the (near) future or maybe not at all. Maybe you've already had this conversation and you're not sure whether you've handled it right. We think this episode with an overview of do's and don'ts is an important one for every parent out there to make our kids' coming-out moments smoother and easier. Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/lgbtq-coming-out/

Today we're bringing Virginia Family Therapy's very own Jesse Dice onto the podcast. We talk about how Jesse sees pandemic-related grief impacting parents and kids at this stage of the pandemic. How are we still grieving at this point and how is this grief impacting where we are today? Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/pandemic-related-grief/

This week we're speaking directly to the teens. If you're dreading going to school, school feels empty, you're feeling disconnected from friends or socializing and school in general are feeling hard, we want you to know that this is completely normal and you're not alone. Give us 15 minutes of your time and we'll share with you what we as therapists see in our practice every day, where the things you're feeling might be coming from and the next steps you can take. Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/teenagers-mental-health/

After all your positive responses to our first interview with Jason Frishman on fatherhood a few weeks ago, we're bringing him back on today. Today he shares with us the tools he gives fathers to help them stay more connected to their families. These tools include ways to find your core values and how to make sure you're being led by them but also figuring out what is getting in the way of living from your core values. We can't wait for you to hear Jason's incredible insights! Tune in and let us know what your think on Facebook or Instagram. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/fatherhood-strategies-for-connection/

Our teens are particularly vulnerable to pandemic flux. Remember how we introduced this term to you in last week's episode? Short recap: blunted emotions, spikes in anxiety or depression, and the need to make drastic changes in your life. Since our teens are still figuring out who they are exactly, pandemic flux can be very confusing for them. Combine this with the negative narrative that's often paired with this and your teenager might be left having thoughts like: "This must be who I am. I must not be cut out for this". We walk you through what pandemic flux looks like in teens, why they are particularly vulnerable, the effect of pandemic flux on your family system, and how you can support your teen when they're experiencing pandemic flux. Have a listen and come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know your thoughts. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/pandemic-flux-in-teens/

Have you been experiencing spikes of anxiety or depression lately? Or do you sometimes just feel numb? Maybe you've been feeling the desire to drastically change something about your life? Let us tell you this: you're not alone and there's nothing wrong with you. What you're experiencing is called Pandemic Flux and it has exactly those symptoms. Join us today to learn more about what Pandemic Flux is, what it looks like, where it comes from, and what we can do about it. How have you been experiencing Pandemic Flux? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/pandemic-flux/

Fatherhood. What does it mean to you? Inter-generationally and culturally, we've passed down gender roles but things are changing and we find ourselves on a massive turning point. As a society, we're redefining what it means to be a man, a father. Today, we're talking to Jason Frishman, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist who specializes in helping boys, men, and families. He created the Journeyman Foundation, a coaching group for fathers, to help men improve their connections with their families and give them the tools and strategies for the adventure of parenthood. We're very excited to have Jason's perspective and expertise on our show today, and we've already got a little surprise for you: he will be back in a few weeks! Tune in and let us know what your think on Facebook or Instagram. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/fatherhood-social-activism/

Today's important topic is not only for moms to be, as many people might think. As we're taking a deep dive into post partum anxiety and depression with Kayla Hayes, it becomes clear that the knowledge that's being shared today is important for both moms and dads. Whether you plan on having a baby, your third child is on the way or you're looking at your pregnancy retrospectively, today's episode is for you. We all agree that in our society, there's not enough awareness around post partum anxiety, due to a lack of knowledge, and we'd love to see that change. We would love to hear your feedback on our podcast, so head over to Apple Podcasts to leave us a review or let us know what you think on our Facebook or Instagram. Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/post-partum-anxiety/

"YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!" Sounds familiar? We expect our kids to listen but they expect the same thing from us. And even though we might feel like we're listening to them, to our kids it can feel like we're not. The issue here is not that we're not good listeners, it's probably more that we're not good at showing them that we're listening. In today's episode, we discuss a 3-step framework we often use during our therapy sessions that will help you show your kid you are truly listening to them during the important moments. We even play out some scenes to show you what this framework would look like in real-life situations. You don't want to miss this ;) Come over to our Facebook or Instagram page and let us know your thoughts on today's episode. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/show-your-kids-you-are-listening/

Why is this moment in the pandemic so hard for kids and parents alike? How do we help our kids through the pandemic? Just some of the burning questions many of us have had recently. In today's episode, we're joined by Jacquelyn Lazo, kids' mental health activist and co-author of Comeback Kids - A Pocket Guide to Post-Pandemic Parenting. We discuss key steps that parents can take in order to better parent their kids through this moment, how to talk to your kids, and different ways to ask questions. That being said, let today's episode be a reminder for you to be kind to yourself and others during this time. We would love to hear your thoughts on today's episode. So, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/comeback-kids-parenting/

Do you ever feel confused about how you are supposed to talk about your feelings as a parent? On the one hand, we are supposed to "shield" our children from the ups and downs of life and not talk about our feelings. On the other hand, aren't we supposed to model healthy emotional expression and teach them that feelings are important? We spend so much time talking about our kids' feelings, but we forget that our own feelings are equally important to address. Not only for ourselves but also to raise emotionally healthy kids. We get into the WHYs and HOWs of expressing your feelings as a parent, all with the aim of improving your own well-being as well as increasing empathy and problem-solving in your kids. So, sit back, relax, take a listen… and then tell your kids all about it! Come over to our Instagram or Facebook to let us know how it went. We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/rewind-parents-have-feelings-too/

Back-to-school meltdowns: they're nothing new. But that doesn't make them any easier. And (surprise, surprise!) after being out of school for so long due to the pandemic, we expect things to be a bit different than usual. In today's episode, we answer questions like: Why is my kid experiencing back-to-school meltdowns? What causes a child to have a meltdown? When are my kid's meltdowns healthy and when not (anymore)? How to prevent back-to-school meltdowns? What to do when your kid is having back-to-school meltdowns. How to handle different kinds of meltdowns and situations. Tune in and let us know what your think on our Facebook or Instagram. We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/back-to-school-meltdowns/

Pandemic parenting in 2021: the struggle is real. We know because we're right there with you. Today's episode of Podcast Therapists is for parents, and parents only, because in order to be there for your child 100%, you need to take care of yourself first. Luckily, we have our very own trauma specialist at Podcast Therapists. Sarah is going to walk us through what triggers this mass trauma, how to deal with trauma triggers, coping mechanisms, and much more. We'll also give you tips on how to deal with your own anxiety and trauma first, so you're ready for pandemic parenting 2.0! Tune in and let us know what your think on our Facebook or Instagram. We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/pandemic-parenting-2-0/

This week, coach Mike is back and he's showing his perspective on Simone Biles' Olympic performances and what lessons we can learn from them. Michael Atunrase is not only the founder and head coach of Resilience Fitness & Sports Performance Training, but he is also a mental health advocate. He shares our belief that mental health should be an equally important part of sports training, as are warm-ups, strength training, and cardio. In today's episode, we talk about the strong connection between mind and body, the contradictions regarding mental health for young athletes, and essential mental health strategies to implement for every athlete out there. Come over to our Facebook or Instagram page and let us know your thoughts about today's episode. We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/mental-health-for-young-athletes/

Although mentally, we might not be 100% ready for this yet, the new school year is around the corner, and we need to talk about it. The subject of going back to school is coming up more and more during therapy sessions, and today we're having a conversation about a frequently recurring subject: cell phones. More specifically: cell phone use in school for middle schoolers and teenagers. Not only are we having a look at how our kids use their phones in school but, even more importantly, how we as parents respond to their messages. As parents, we think responding is going to be helpful. Our child needs us, after all. It's going to be a tough pill to swallow for many parents, but, most of the time, the opposite is true, and responding is not going to help your kid at all. Whether you're ready to set boundaries from the beginning or you need tips to slowly move away from responding to your child's messages, today's episode is all for you. Join in on the conversation on Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) and let us know what you think. We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/%pagename%/

This week we're coming in hot with a legitimate timeline for how to get your kid ready for the new school year. Last week we shared our thoughts and predictions for the post-pandemic school year; this week, we're translating all of that into actionable steps. Like Amanda said: "I will not have a single backpack ready for my children, but I will have talked to them about all their anxiety and excitement for the school year because I sat down and did this. I'm thrilled." Taking into account that every kid is different, handles situations differently, and has had their own personal experiences of life during the pandemic, we share how to find out how your kid is feeling about going back to school and how to prepare them while also letting them enjoy the summer. This year it'll be a bit different than usual but don't worry, we've got you covered. Head over to our Facebook or Instagram page (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) and let us know what steps you'll be taking. We always love hearing from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/getting-your-kids-emotionally-ready-for-the-post-pandemic-school-year/

It may seem a bit early to some, but more than ever, we already see anxiety about the upcoming school year come up in therapy sessions. This upcoming school year will be different, that's for sure, and everyone will deal with it in a different way. Based on what we see happening in both our clients and our own kids, we talk about the patterns we're already seeing and expect to see during the school year ahead. The uncertainty kids have dealt with during the pandemic, the social interaction they've missed, the maturing they've gone through. All of it will have an impact on how our kids will go into the new school year. In today's episode, we talk about our predictions and how parents can help their kids if they're having a hard time. But let's also not forget how exciting it is for our kids to go back to school and how resilient they have been during the pandemic. Of course, being parents ourselves, we also don't forget about the changes and anxiety parents will possibly encounter. Next week, we'll be back with a plan for you all to get in place to get ready for the school year. Join in on the conversation on Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy). We'd love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/what-can-we-expect-for-the-post-pandemic-school-year/

Talking to your kid about your own drinking behavior often asks you to get very vulnerable as a parent. Being vulnerable is important for us too, and that's exactly what we do in today's episode. We have an open and vulnerable conversation about how to do exactly this: talking to your kid about adult drinking. Even as therapists who talk about these topics to clients on a regular basis, we know it's different when it's your own drinking behavior you have to address to your own kid. We know, we've been there. So, how do you explain that it's just adults who drink? Should you use the scare-tactic? How do you address different kinds of drinking and at what age should you start the conversation? What to do when you do overdrink in front of your kid? And how do you talk to your kid if alcoholism runs in the family? Tune in and let us know your thoughts on Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy). We always love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-adult-drinking/

Have you ever wondered if and how you should discuss your drinking with your kids? Or second-guessed whether your drinking behavior is still healthy? Join us in an open, honest, and non-judgmental conversation about healthy adult drinking and how to talk about it with your children. As therapists, moms, and, well, just human beings who like to drink alcohol, we share our insights, the red flags to look out for, and the boundaries we've set for ourselves. Should you discuss your drinking with your kids or hide it from them? What kind of drinking behavior should you expose your children to and when is it better to protect them from it? How can you distinguish between healthy and unhealthy drinking behavior? We discuss it all. After listening to this week's episode, head over to Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) and join us in the conversation. We're excited to hear your stories and questions. Be sure to join us next week, when we continue this conversation around how to discuss adult drinking with your kids. Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/should-adults-drink-in-front-of-their-kids-part-1/

For many kids and teenagers, playing sports becomes a big part of their life and even their identity. Knowing that anxiety and depression can increase during intense training periods, it's important to know as a parent how to support your child's mental health. Whether your child is still a preschooler or already in high school and dealing with the pressure of recruiting to get on a college team, today's guest will give you invaluable insights on how to keep your athlete mentally healthy. Today's guest is Michael Atunrase, better known to some as Coach Mike. Michael is the founder and head coach of Resilience Fitness & Sports Performance Training and has even taken on the job to work with both Amanda and Sarah. We talk about support systems, balance, identity, growth mindset, communication, vulnerability and so much more. After listening, head over to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you! Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/mental-health-for-athletes-an-interview-with-michael-atunrase/

We've been waiting a long time to share today's episode with you and we couldn't be more excited! Dr. Samantha Sweeney is one of Amanda's oldest friends and an expert on working with parents of anxious kids. She's a psychologist, author, educator and has a private practice where she works with kids, families, and adults. Together with Melissa Kilbride, Sam wrote the book 'Working With Worry: A Workbook for Parents in How to Support Anxious Children' and on today's episode, she is sharing all about this must-have book and much, much more. Tune in to hear Samantha's amazing insights and new strategies to help kids manage their own feelings and her answers to burning questions like 'Why do parents have so much power in their kids' anxiety?' And 'What do you do when one parent is on board with doing the work, but the other isn't?'. We'd love to hear your thoughts on today's episode. Let us know on Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) Full show notes: http://www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/how-to-help-your-anxious-kids-an-interview-with-samantha-sweeney-ph-d/

Today's guest is an incredible social justice activist and filmmaker and, yes, another one of Amanda's brilliant friends. In her short documentary 'Blood & Guts: Exposing Endo', Meg Allan Cole sheds light on a chronic illness called Endometriosis, which impacts one out of every ten folks with a uterus (girl or boy!). Despite its frequency, 64% of doctors admit they know very little about it, meaning we all need to learn more! In today's episode, Meg Allan Cole highlights signs and symptoms of endo so that we all, especially listening parents, can have more awareness and help identify it in their kids. She also shares her difficult, yet not uncommon, search for care while doctors kept telling her it was all in her head. Meg's Endo community has been essential for her mental health, and she invited anyone listening to join her and her Endo Mission! Thank you for tuning in to listen to this important episode. Let us know what you think on Facebook or Instagram (@VirginiaFamilyTherapy) Full show notes: www.podcasttherapists.com/episode/endometriosis-impacts-10-of-folks-with-uteruses-an-interview-with-meg-allan-cole/

Today we bring in Nicole Osei,M.Ed., MSW, Anti-Racist Consultant and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coach and one of Amanda's oldest and dearest friends (yes, my friend's are brilliant!). As three white women running a podcast and business, we want to make sure that we are doing our own anti-racist work everyday. Fortunately, Nicole agreed to record our conversation so you could hear her share her experience, enlighten us, and teach us about anti-racism and DEI. Nicole also gave us one of the greatest nuggets about anxiety and white supremacy that we have ever heard-- and I (Amanda) have used it in almost every therapy session since. So take a listen to learn what Nicole thinks white parents should know, how we can work towards raising anti-racist children, and even what we can do at Virginia Family Therapy to run a better business. This was recorded before the murder for Daunte Wright, but is being released early because more opportunity to listen to Nicole means more opportunity for everyone listening to do their own anti-racist work. Thanks for listening to this one. It is important. *To reach Nicole about her work as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant, you can contact her at [email protected].

Today, we talk about how we teach parents and children how to manage their anxiety when it gets high -- anywhere from 5 to 10 on our anxiety scale :) We talk about what high anxiety thoughts sound like in our heads, what happens to our body when we get anxious, and strategies we use to bring ourselves back down to baseline. We also discuss how anxiety has impacted us in OUR lives and the strategies that we have relied on the most (it's different for all of us!). This is a GREAT podcast to share with your teenager to let them feel like they have more control over their own anxiety (without parents getting in the way). Thanks for listening! And please contact us at www.virginifamilytherapy.com for more support. We now have offices in Charlottesville, Crozet, and Northern Virginia!

In our 2nd session on anxiety, we deep dive into all the ways we help clients MANAGE their feelings of worry, starting with proactive, or lifestyle, strategies. We give you hints on improving: 1. Exercise 2. Eating habits 3. Sleep 4. Psychoeducation on how anxiety works All in an effort to reduce anxiety before it even starts! We also describe reactive strategies, or skills to use when the anxiety starts creeping in! We explain signs and symptoms of low level anxiety and describe our best breathing strategies, apps, and methods to stay in the here and now. In our next episode, we will dive into signs of high anxiety and ways to manage- so subscribe to make sure you don't miss it! Here's a link Burnout book that we reference! https://www.burnoutbook.net/media-1

Anxiety is so misunderstood! In Session 1 of our 4-part Anxiety Series, we talk about how we explain anxiety in all its glory to the children and families that walk through our door. If you or your child worries, gets grumpy, is a perfectionist, puts tons of pressure on themselves, or has difficulty sleeping— this is the podcast for you! We discuss the relationship between anxiety, sensitivity, empathy, motivation, and super powers all in this one episode. And we have our talking points down, because this is the conversation we have with most of our clients and their families! We also reveal a little about how anxiety/sensitivity impacts our own lives, because we wouldn't be therapists without it! So subscribe and follow along, because next week we are going to give you all of the details on how to actually MANAGE your anxiety when it's getting in the way. Have a great week!

We are hopeful today as we are all post-vaccine and feeling a little safer in our world. Take a listen as we discuss what we have learned from the pandemic lifestyle and what we will take moving forward. Most specifically, the permission to say no and actually choose what we say yes to for ourselves, our kids, and our families. We also take a little minute to reflect on how strong we have all been over the last year... you should give that to yourselves, too! Thanks for listening =)

Kids are going back to school! Are your kids nervous? Mad? Excited? Proud? It all makes sense! And we are here to give you a roadmap for their transition. And yours. Tune in for our six steps to get your family through the next few weeks, starting with "Create Your Comfort Zone" and ending with "Practice Your Routine." This is going to be hard, friends, but it will be so worth it when you can listen to Michael Barbaro as loud as you want while you're not cleaning the house because the KIDS WON'T BE THERE!!!

Do you ever feel confused about how you are supposed to handle your feelings as a parent? On one hand, we are supposed to not talk about them and "shield" our children from the ups and downs of life. On the other hand, aren't we supposed to model healthy emotional expression and teach them that feelings are important? We get into the WHYs and HOWs of expressing your feelings as a parent, all with the aim of improving your well-being as well as increasing empathy and problem-solving in your kids. So sit back, relax, take a listen... and then tell your kids all about it!

Have you ever wondered if your child need therapy? Us too, and we're therapists! It's an especially hard time right now for mental health, and we will let you know some of the signs around sadness, anxiety, and anger that may indicate that calling a therapist is a good idea. We will also remind you that a lot of these hard feelings and behaviors are normal, especially during a pandemic. Trigger warning: we talk about suicide and self-harm in this podcast. Also, this is a reminder that we don't know your specific situation, so we can't speak to your child in particular. We hope this is helpful!

Due to Covid, more children and parents are grappling with grief than ever in our lifetime. We cover what you might see from children through this process. We also discuss how to talk to your kids about death and dying and offer ideas for how to help them with their feelings. If you or a friend are grieving the death of a loved one, we are incredibly sorry for your loss and hope we can offer you this sliver of support.

The days after holidays are usually tough, but this year may feel harder because of the way Covid has changed our lives. We may have had amazing holidays, and still felt sad that we missed our family or scared about the upcoming cold and socially distant months. We are feeling all of the feelings too, and hope to help you put them into words and also let you know you are not alone! We also give ideas for how to use any energy you may have to make the upcoming months feel a little more bearable. So sit back, relax, and hear how we all got ourselves out of bed at 11 am on December 26!

We are family therapists hoping to help hard-working parents and guardians understand the insanity of family life in light of psychological theory and research. This means that we tell embarrassing stories about our kids and then explain what the real experts would say. Join us as we analyze everything from talking to your kids about sex to COVID holidays. Come take a seat on our couch! In this podcast session, we discuss how holiday traditions sew together our past, present and future. And that it might look different this year. We explore finding moments of joy in this difficult holiday season, creating new traditions, and managing family expectations.