Podcast Episodes

In this recast of a popular Season 5 episode, we discuss how positive connection is the goal... but is there such a thing as too connected? Yup, and it’s called enmeshment. In this episode, Lynn and Robin talk privacy, autonomy, and boundaries. If your goal is to be “best friends” with your child, have a listen. WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we sug...

Are you afraid of your anxious child’s outbursts? Are you allowing those big tantrums to rule the house and dictate your parenting? Sparked by a listener question, this episode dives into a common problem: how do we change the family patterns caused by a rigid, anxious child’s explosive behavior? WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting wi...

Two (really) stressed gals show up for this episode to talk about injecting fun and playfulness into holiday events. Robin and Lynn share lots of ideas wrapped up in a little encouragement, and by the end, they both feel better. We think you will, too!  WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and ...

Not disappointing others seems like a good thing, right? But when make it your global goal, you will decrease your credibility and increase your own feelings of resentment. In this mini episode we talk about the benefits of knowing how and when to say no. WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and ...

In this not-to-be missed episode, Lynn and Robin talk to the expert Lynn values most, Dr. Michael Yapko. Dr. Yapko is one of the world’s foremost experts on depression, how it moves through families, and what parents need to do about prevention. He knows the research and shares it, busting myths and offering advice we guarantee you haven’t heard before. WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here F...

Many parents struggle with the question of how to help a child who feels overwhelmed in an unfamiliar situation, by loud noises, or the start of a new activity. When do we gently push them forward, when do we let them avoid, and how do we handle our own worry so it doesn’t add to the problem? CHECK OUT OUR PLAYLISTS ON SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH & PARENTING TOPICS Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist feat...

Families will often avoid game night or other family competitions if a child has difficulty losing. Or they require the game to be “fixed” so the bad loser doesn’t lose. Games (and winning and losing) offer great opportunities to practice flexibility and emotional management, and in this mini-episode, we’ll tell you how. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the p...

In this recast of a popular episode from last year, we tackle the statements our friends and families use when they're staying stuck in their anxiety patterns. If you hear them or use them, listen up. We have responses ready to go. WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disr...

Although the holidays can be special, the patterns that show up in people are predictable, even if it is Thanksgiving or Christmas. Critical parent? Passive aggressive sibling? Catastrophic you? In this episode, we talk about the most common and stressful holiday traps and how you and your family can disrupt them. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast,...

Anxiety is about “what if,” but with the reality of violence and war, we are now living with “what is.” As parents, How do we process the ongoing news and graphic images of terror in our world? How do we help our children and where do we look for connection? NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn L...

Robin is up to her eyeballs in the college application process, so we pulled in two great people to help her and you: a school counselor on the front lines, and Jill Shulman, college admissions coach, author and sane person who founded the Chill Parents’ Revolution. There is so much wisdom here for parents! NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we sug...

Knowing when you need professional help and when to let your child “grow out of it” is a tricky question…sometimes. In this episode, Lynn and Robin talk about when to allow some time and space (imaginary nephews) and when to take action (selective mutism.) NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyon...

Helping people recognize and shift their own patterns is a key component of Lynn’s approach to emotional management. But there are three patterns that can really add discord in our personal relationships. Do you resist the urge to blame? Can you own your stuff? Can you communicate your feelings well? In this episode, we unpack these patterns and offer some ideas to shift them. Edie Brickell! Here's the song Nothing that we spoke of... and the Julia Louis-Dreyfuss podcast that is discussed. NE...

In this two-part In Session episode, Lynn talks to Marie, a mom from New Zealand whose very imaginative and worried daughter has dramatic fears which can be frustrating for the whole family. Marie has done a great job talking to her daughter about her nighttime fears, but she needs some additional guidance about how to retrain that brain with consistency, humor and a bit of silly bribery. Lynn gives Marie a plan, sends her off for two months to practice, and then speaks again with Marie (and he...

Smart phones are here to stay. And so are the questions we parents have about social media, screen time, group chats…it’s overwhelming. In this episode, we speak with social media expert Devorah Heitner, author of the new book Growing Up in Public, to help us sort through the noise and guide our decisions. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we sugg...

Getting a worried child into school can be exhausting, but once there, we want them to stay! In this episode, we talk about keeping anxious kids in school, the need for a team approach that includes the school nurse, the danger of the “pick-up plan,” and how a consistent (and supportive) message lays the foundation for success. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new t...

Teaching kids how to handle big emotions is an ongoing job for parents. But what happens when children become anxious about the possibility of feeling those emotions at all? Although it can be confusing for kids and parents, this pattern is not that unusual, and really no different from other fears that children develop. Prompted by a listener question, this episode addresses the fear of feeling feelings and why attempts to avoid, as always, backfire. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES...

Our first-ever guest is Lynn’s pal and co-author Reid Wilson. Reid and Lynn met in 2007 and that meeting resulted in two books and a fast friendship. Join them as they talk anxiety, self-help, Reid’s brilliant OCD work and the tenth anniversary of their book, Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting wit...

When smartphones first came on the scene, schools had rather strict policies about their presence and use. Over time, even though schools kept policies in place, most schools stopped enforcing them. The tide might be shifting again. With more than a decade of research and experience to review, what do we know about learning, attention, and even addiction when it comes to our kids, smartphones, learning and our parenting? NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON ...

As kids enter Middle School, their brains, bodies and relationships go through big changes. Parents tend to brace themselves for the roller coasters of this stage, but it’s also full of energy and discovery and fun. How can we better appreciate the Middle School years? How do we best step in with open eyes and big hearts at this time when they need our connection and support? NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents ...

It’s time for a brutally honest conversation about what moms are experiencing right now. Are we pathologizing the demands of our current parenting culture? If you are exhausted or disorganized or overwhelmed, is there something wrong with you? And what kind of help do you need?  NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this play...

When some children make mistakes or get overwhelmed, they jump quickly to self criticism and even self hate: “I’m terrible! I suck! You don’t love me!” What does this mean? Is it a red flag? And how should parents react? In this recast of a popular Season 4 episode, Lynn discusses the traps to avoid and the family skills to promote when this dramatic pattern takes hold. Referenced in this episode: Past Episode: Helping Kids With Shame & Self-Harm NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES T...

Helping an anxious student requires a strong collaboration between families and schools, but so often meetings to create a plan become adversarial. In this re-cast of a previous episode, Lynn (who routinely attends such meetings) offers her key tips for how parents and schools can work together to support a child and teach the needed skills, minus the conflict and blaming. We also answer a question from a shy mom entering a new school environment. She’s socially anxious but wants to do the best...

Is your child heading off to college this fall? If it’s their first year, then the roommate uncertainty may be dominating your household. Sparked by a compelling listener question, we tackle the perks and the problems of roommates and what you can (and can’t) do to help. NEW! WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist fea...