Season 1

We see images and hear conversations about racial injustice almost every day. As a parent, you might find it easier to be silent or ignore, but it’s important to view these as opportunities to talk with your kids about what they are seeing and hearing. How do you have those conversations with your kids? For each family, this conversation might look a bit different, depending on your own heritage and experience. Listen in today as we talk with Dr. Gloria Morrow, a nationally recognized clinical psychologist, speaker and author, about how to talk with your kids about race and racism.

For the past 15 months, we’ve been carefully following safety protocols, and strict mandates have helped inform our decisions. Now, as we come out of our COVID caves, the rules are more ambiguous and varying comfort levels collide. It can create a whole new wave of anxiety around what feels safe, especially when our precautions don’t match those around us. In some ways life was simpler in our caves, where we could more easily protect our families. In this podcast episode, CHC’s Clinical Director and Neuropsychologist, Dr. Vivien Keil, shares coping strategies for easing our family’s way back into the world with courage and compassion.

What is cultural humility and why does it matter? As parents, we are our children’s first teachers. It is from us that our kids learn how to be accepting and respectful of those from diverse backgrounds. So it’s up to us to provide a sense of awe and wonder about other cultures and ways of life. In this podcast episode, Tony Cepeda, LMFT, Clinical Program Manager at CHC, will teach us how to listen and learn from our hearts. In the end, we may find that we have more similarities than differences.

Trauma-informed parenting — it might sound like something more extreme than you need. But the same strategies can help every parent and caregiver feel more equipped to respond to children's behaviors, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Listen in to this podcast episode, as Dr. Pardis Khosravi, licensed psychologist at CHC, explains what trauma means, how it might manifest among various age groups, and how we can connect with our kids so they feel loved and validated.

There could be any number of reasons why one may not be living their best life, especially right now. But if your child or teen is struggling with communication, behavior or relationships, or no longer wants to participate in things that they used to enjoy, it may be time to seek help. How do you convince them that it’s time to take that step? And what can you expect when you get there? We sat down with Dr. Vidya Krishnan, Head of Adolescent Mental Health Services at CHC to find out. Tune in to this episode to learn how to introduce the idea of therapy to your child or teen, overcome reluctance, and get them not just on board, but engaged in their mental health journey.

Parenting a teen can be challenging, especially in a pandemic. Our teens are struggling right now for many reasons, and parents are grappling with how to support them in a meaningful way. How can you be a sounding board for your teen and really connect with them without trying to fix the problem or seem dismissive? Listen in to this podcast episode with Jennifer Leydecker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Clinical Manager at CHC as she shares her experience and expertise from years of working with teens. She will share important strategies that you can use to communicate and connect with your teen.

As more and more people are vaccinated and COVID restrictions ease, the time has come for us to figure out how to re-enter the world. While many have been longing to get back to ‘normal,’ others are not so sure they’re ready. According to a report from the American Psychological Association (APA), about half of Americans are feeling anxious about re-entry after sheltering in place for so long. In this podcast episode, we sat down with licensed clinical psychologist and CHC’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Ramsey Khasho, to talk about how to ease our way back into the world and support our kids in that process.

Everyone in the entire world is experiencing some kind of stress right now. And everyone’s reactions to the stressors of the past year have been different – even among members of the same family. By validating these individualized responses, practicing healthy coping strategies and building self-esteem, parents can leverage difficult days to model resilience for their kids and prepare them for future challenges. Join us for today’s podcast episode as CHC’s Tony Cepeda, LMFT and Karly Crockett, LCSW share their expertise on the various manifestations of stress, trauma and grief and ideas for supporting your family through hard times.

Prolonged uncertainty can lead to anxiety in both children and adults, compounded by the layer of risk that has been added to our daily lives for over a year now. As communities begin to reopen, we are faced with additional stressors of getting reacquainted with the people and places that were off-limits for so long. For those with social or situational anxieties, sheltering-in-place may have brought comfort and control, and even the anticipation of re-entry can be debilitating. But these stressful times can also be a teaching moment, for us to validate our kids’ feelings and model healthy coping strategies. In this episode, we sat down with CHC’s Dr. Joan Baran and doctoral psychology intern Beth Moroney to find out how.

ADHD is challenging enough under normal circumstances, let alone in a pandemic. Between working from home and distance learning, both students and adults can experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, distraction and boredom. Important tasks can get overlooked or ignored without the typical structure and oversight of the office or classroom. We sat down with Ross Loofbourrow, an adult with ADHD who’s learned to embrace his differences as strengths and tap into his hyper-focus in a positive way. Ross believes ADHD is a superpower: in this episode, he’ll not only explain why, but share tips that may just make you feel the same way.

It’s a given. Parenting is hard work. Raising a child with special needs brings parenting to a whole new level; an unexpected journey. Nobody can really prepare you for it — you just have to live and learn and take it day-by-day, especially in a pandemic. Today’s podcast episode features Dr. Joaquin Burciaga, a neuropsychologist at CHC and dad of a daughter with special needs. Hear about Joaquin’s parenting journey, what he and his wife have learned, how they make it work for their family and find joy in the process. Listen today!

It’s hard to see our child struggling in school without comparing them to other kids or wanting to “fix” them. But once we recognize that there is no such thing as average, we can learn to appreciate our children’s differences, understand their challenges and foster their strengths. Today’s podcast guest, Dewey Rosetti, is a parent of a child with dyslexia and the author of a new book, Parenting Bright Kids who Struggle in School. She shares her experiences as a mom, an author and an advocate for the 1 in 5 with learning differences, and offers advice for parents to help develop and celebrate their children's unique strengths.

Our bodies and minds have been on high alert for a year now. COVID has altered almost every aspect of our lives, and the effects of this cumulative and prolonged stress response can affect our brain size, structure and functioning. But not all stress is bad, and adapting in the face of adversity can build resilience, confidence and skills to weather future storms. In today’s podcast, we sat down with Clinical Program Manager and Licensed Psychologist at CHC, Patty Crisostomo, PhD, to learn about the very individualized ways that stress can manifest itself in kids and adults, and effective vs. ineffective coping strategies.

Parenting in a pandemic is hard, and each age has specific developmental needs that are challenging to meet in isolation. The work of young children is to build language and social skills, much of which happen through family relationships, play and social interaction with peers. With kids spending so much more time at home and online, it’s important to create lots of opportunities for our young children to practice these skills in other ways. We sat down with Shirit Megiddo, Speech & Language Pathologist at CHC, to learn how to support your young child’s development, often using existing routines and items you already have around the house!

Currently, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the only well-established, evidence-based treatment for self-harming adolescents at high risk for suicide. In today’s podcast episode, hear one mom’s brave story of helping her teenage daughter through panic attacks, PTSD and self-harming behaviors using DBT skills like mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness and communication, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. We are so grateful that she is willing to share her life-changing journey with us.

After nearly a year of remote learning, parents have a window into their child’s learning style like never before. As a parent, you may have observed some behaviors that make you wonder: does my child have a learning or attention difference or is it just Zoom-fatigue? We sat down with Chris Harris, MEd, an expert in learning, social-emotional, behavioral and attention challenges, to find out. In today’s podcast episode, Chris tells us what behaviors might be cause for concern and offers concrete action steps to support and advocate for your child.

Let’s face it. Life can be painful. While we can’t avoid pain, our resistance to accept reality only exacerbates our suffering. In this podcast episode, we sat down with Patrice Cristosomo, PhD and Leeanne Merritt, LCSW, to discuss the power of Radical Acceptance – a practice that involves letting go of the illusion of control and developing a willingness to accept things as they are right now.

What does 2e look like, and how can you best leverage the strengths and interests of your 2e child during distance learning? In today’s episode, Resilience and Engagement for Every Learner (REEL) founders and parents of 2e kids, Callie Turk and Yael Valek, share the joys and silver linings of flexible learning for 2e students.

How do you even start the college conversation without your child shutting down or storming off? In today’s episode, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Katie Reeves, shares communication strategies for launching meaningful discussions with your teens about college, COVID, mental health, and more.

As a parent in a pandemic, you feel like you have to be superhuman or you’re not doing enough. The reality is that if you can be kinder to yourself, you will also be happier, more resilient and compassionate with others. In today’s episode, Pardis Khosravi, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist at CHC, shares three key steps toward self-compassion.

Distance learning is hard, even for kids without emotional or behavioral challenges. Not to mention the strain on parents working remotely while trying to support their child’s at-home education. We sat down with behavioral expert Jody Miller, MEd, BCBA, to hear her best strategies for promoting and positively reinforcing good behavior, as well as what steps to take when your child is struggling.

Today’s podcast highlights a few favorite excerpts from some of our previous episodes, including Top 3 Mindfulness Strategies to Reduce Stress (Episode 5), Best Strategies for ADHD & Distance Learning (Episodes 8 & 9), Family Dynamics While Sheltering in Place (Episode 11) and more. We hope it brings a smile to your face and perhaps even makes you want to go back and listen to the episodes that resonate most.

This is a holiday season like no other. It can be hard to feel festive in the absence of friends and loved ones. As we all hunker down in our own homes, it may seem lonely or insular, but there are still so many ways to find (and share) holiday cheer!

We are all feeling the strain of living, working and schooling under one roof. It is a challenging time for families – if there has ever been a need for compassion, it certainly is now. We sat down with Jennifer Leydecker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Program Manager at CHC, to get her expert advice on ways to reduce stress and add compassion to your family dynamic. Spoiler alert: take care of yourself first!

While most young people have been spared from the severe physical effects of COVID-19, our children are reeling from the anxiety, fear and isolation the pandemic has caused. What are the best ways for you as a parent to support your child’s mental health? In this podcast, hear from Tony Cepeda, LMFT, who has over 30 years of experience helping families learn creative coping strategies to foster resilience and connectedness.

Distance learning is a challenge for us all, especially those with learning and attention issues. In this episode, we continue our conversation with CHC’s Chief Psychiatrist & Medical Director, Dr. Glen Elliott, and learn strategies to help kids with ADHD mitigate distractions and maximize the motivation to learn. Be sure to catch Part I of this episode if you haven’t already!

Distance learning is a challenge for us all, especially those with learning and attention issues. In this episode, CHC’s Chief Psychiatrist & Medical Director Dr. Glen Elliott discusses the ADHD brain through the lens of distance learning.

Parenting a teen is filled with challenges and joys. Right now it probably feels like you are experiencing most of the challenges. Tune in to hear this podcast with Dr. Joan Baran, Clinical Director at CHC on parenting with C.A.L.M. – an adaptable technique you can use today!

The ripple effect of kindness is really true. Host Cindy Lopez guides a discussion with Kendra Evans Fraka, MSW and Vibha Pathak, OTD, OTR/L about how noticing differences can help raise mindful, compassionate kids - and so much more.

5 Senses. Drop the Anchor. Crunchy snacks. Do you practice mindfulness with your kids or students? Dr. Jennifer Salomon shows us how.

On Part 2 of "I Will Get By," Liza Bennigson shares what she's learned about adult self-care, how to start difficult conversations with your kids and tips from CHC clinicians for hanging on during hopeless moments.

Liza Bennigson dives into talking about her unfiltered experiences being a working mom who feels like most of us, wondering, will there be any end in sight?

How do we navigate this strange time in which we are living and come out on the other side stronger and better?

Welcome to CHC's new Voices of Compassion podcast. We hope you'll find our podcast series just what you need these days.