On today’s episode we had the biggest honor of sitting down with clinical counselor and developmental scientist, Dr. Deborah MacNamara! Trust us when we tell you that you do NOT want to miss this episode! Why?? Jesse and Dr. Deborah dive into some deep and pressing issues such as how attachment and food are related, what happens when behavior becomes bigger than connection, recipes for relationships, and even de-constructing the idea of “picky eaters”. You’ll learn, you’ll find encouragement, and you might even shed a few tears in this really informative and life-giving episode of the Empowered to Connect podcast. LISTEN TO THE EPISDE AND DROP THE SECRET WORD IN THE COMMENTS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF DR. MACNAMARA’S “NOURISHED.” Find Dr. Deborah MacNamara on... Facebook: Dr. Deborah MacNamara X: @debmacnamara Instagram: @drdeborahmacnamara Subscribe to Dr. Deborah MacNamara’s Kid's Best Bet NewsletterWebsite is here! Buy her newest book Nourished
On today’s episode Jesse, Tona, and Becca open a big can of worms… When I set a boundary, I get “Crying and foot stomps and glares, OH MY!” Why is this happening?? What do I do about it?? Listen in as we unpack BIG reactions that we encounter with the kids that we love. Subscribe to the Empowered to Connect Podcast, follow us on socials, and let us know what you want to hear more about!
Listen to today’s episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast: Help! We’re not on the same parenting page! One of the number one parent questions we get is “HOW can I get my spouse on the same page with parenting???” It makes sense - we each bring SO much of our own history into the equation, so it takes work to get on the same page! Listen in as Jesse, Becca, and Tona share lessons they’ve learned along the way at different points in the parenting (and pre-parenting!) journey. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss any of our bi-weekly episodes!
YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS TODAY’S ETC PODCAST EPISODE! Jamie Finn shares some incredible truths including: what should a foster/adoptive parent do when they are lonely? Where do YOU find your hope? Why should we be thoughtful about the language we use? Hear this and more with a delightful guest and huge voice for supporting adoptive and foster communities. PS: TODAY her new book Filled is being released! Foster the Family blog Filled Conference Filled Book Filled Book Tour Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss any of our bi-weekly episodes!
This is us: unlock the power of rituals. What's a ritual? Nothing fancy... this includes pizza nights, class cheers, inside jokes, the “first day of school pics,” traditions around holidays. Jump into today’s episode to hear how you can create meaningful moments of connection in your everyday routines and throughout the seasons of life! Pro tip: look for opportunities to create a ritual to build connection with the kids in your care.
Rhythm and Blues: unlock the power of routines. In our Fall Launch episode, friends Becca, Jesse, and Tona talk about how ROUTINES can change everything for your family! Whether you are “type A organized” or “go-with-the -low” - you’ll hear us dig into the many different ways routines can look and feel. Hear how routines can solve pain points, create felt safety, and allow some calm to enter your home.
You may believe that this approach is for little kids, or you may know someone else who thinks that way! Today we are joined by the Davaults, who share their extensive experiencing of walking alongside teens for years in different contexts! They are here to debunk the myth that this approach is only for the littles! Listen for wisdom and practical insights on how we can use Connected Parenting principles to lovingly walk alongside our teens as they grow in independence and autonomy. A quick note from us at ETC! We will be taking a Summer Pause from the ETC Podcast! We're excited about what's coming up next in the Fall, and hope you'll go back and re-listen to your favorite episodes! Stay tuned!
There are a TON of myths about what Connected Parenting is and isn’t. Today Cultivate Connection Facilitators Julie and Jess talk about the idea that you have to give up ALL STRUCTURE to parent from a Connection based approach. Spoiler alert: that’s a myth! Listen in to hear tips and mindsets about how to increase both your structure and your nurture to care for the child in front of you!
In our Memphis-based clinic we serve families and their first point of contact is our Family Care Team. Today members of that team talk to us about HOW and WHY taking care of the WHOLE family is so very important! If you’re a parent who has wondered why you can’t just drop your child off at counseling to make them “all better” - listen in! If you’re a professional who feels like you’re missing a puzzle piece or ten - listen in! You can learn more about Empowered to Connect here! Help us out - SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast and leave us a review to let us know how we're doing!
We've talked about stress capacity before, but this week we had SO much fun hearing from BOTH of the McKays about how understanding their own stress capacity was a game-changer! Listen for Rico’s raw and authentic take on how reflecting on his own stress capacity has made him a better elementary school teacher, friend, and husband. How do you know when your stress capacity is running low? What can you to about it?? What “fills your tires” as you navigate “life’s potholes”? We'll get into that and more on today's episode. Head to our website for a free downloadable about Stress Capacity!
TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection. On today’s episode, our Safe and Secure Tennessee Program Team talks about how you can use these VERY principles to promote a healthy staff culture! Listen for WHAT a healthy staff culture looks like, HOW to take steps to build that, and WHERE to reach out for help! Learn more about KPICD and Safe and Secure TN here!
Today we sit down as a team to talk about…. how we talk about things! What is the impact of our labels? What can we keep in mind about our language? How can we speak to and about people in a way that honors their dignity? Listen for reflections on times we’ve said things and regretted them and how we’re moving forward! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, check out our website, follow us on social media and YouTube!
Today we host the host of the TBRI® podcast to talk about her journey with Trust-Based Relational Intervention! Sarah is one of the most thoughtful and down-to-earth people that we know, and we loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at her story! Listen for insights and inspiration on how to keep going in your parenting journey and supporting those in your community. You'll hear both personal and professional reflections from Sarah's experience. For more from Sarah Mercado, listen to the TBRI® Podcast or follow @child_tcu on socials!
When Mary Beth Chapman and her husband Steven, the highest selling Christian Music artist of all time, were starting Show Hope, they knew they were in for a life long mission. Today, Mary Beth and her daughter Emily join us to talk about the origins of Show Hope, the early connection to Empowered to Connect and why they believe, even in the darkest moments, that we can all find Hope for the Journey.You can learn more about Show Hope and find out how to watch the Hope for the Journey Conference by following @showhope !
In today's FINAL episode of Carpool Q&A we wrap up by discussing why in parenting (and in life) it's about the journey - not the destination. You can find EVERY episode of Carpool Q&A and the Empowered to Connect Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!
Today on the show, friends of the program and prolific authors, Melissa Corkum and Lisa C. Qualls join us to talk about some exciting news! They cover their decision to re-brand their organization (formerly The Adoption Connection) to "Adoption Wise" and their newest resource "Foundations for Overcoming and Preventing Blocked Care" - a course you can take in community to begin working through the healing process and learning how to reclaim compassion in your parenting journey. As always, Lisa and Melissa meet us right where we are with compassion and empathy and SO much practical wisdom to help you walk out of those tough seasons of parenting when you feel stuck. It's a fantastic episode that is sure to encourage and bring life to everyone who listens. Make SURE to follow them on Instagram here - you'll know why that's so important after listening to the episode! You can learn more about Empowered to Connect on our website, by following us on social media or checking out the hundreds of video resources on our YouTube page!
Today on Carpool Q&A we tackle a question that at least two of our hosts know all too well - "How do I do connected parenting when there's multiple kids?" It's a great question - we advocate for lots of time spent with your kids when you're attempting to parent in this way and sometimes it may feel like practically there are just too few parents and too many kids to actually do this thing. If this is you - rest easy - we got you! Today JD (who has 4 kids), Tona (who has 6 kids) and Becca (who is used to managing classrooms and behavior offices of 20-30 kids) talk us through how to stay connected, build connection and maximize every moment on Carpool Q&A! You can find every episode of Carpool Q&A on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your favorite podcasts!
Today on the show we have VERY special guests - the founders of Empowered to Connect, Michael and Amy Monroe join us to tell the story of Empowered to Connect AND to talk with us about nurturing young adults. If you've never heard Michael and Amy share the ETC story or talk about parenting, you are in for a treat! We talk about the origins of ETC, early Dr. Purvis stories and the Ottingers' introduction into ETC during the early days. We also talk to Michael and Amy about how to think through nurturing our kids into the young adult stage - this can be a wildly challenging and wildly rewarding time of parenting, but as Michael and Amy share with us, the difference between those two things is often a shift in mindset for parents. The Monroes share some incredible stories and give practical tips for you as you parent toward the young adult season - but if we're honest, a lot of the advice given today works in any season of parenting - you do not want to miss this episode! You can learn more about Empowered to Connect on our website, by following us on social media or checking out the hundreds of video resources on our YouTube page!
Within the framework of Connected Parenting lie some fundamental beliefs - not the least of which is that we want to attempt, whenever possible, to give our children 'yeses' as often as possible. To "say yes when we can and no when we have to" - but if you've been around this world long enough, you've inevitably seen or heard the criticism that people practicing parenting in the way we do "can't" tell our children no. As in, we're incapable of it because we're too soft (or insert any other criticism of connected parenting). We're here today to debunk that myth and to do it we've got Becca McKay and Tona Ottinger with us again on an episode you don't want to miss! You can find Carpool Q&A every week right here in the Empowered to Connect Podcast feed as well as on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favorite podcasts!
Today one of our favorite recurring guests joins us to talk about nurturing teens! If you're parenting in this stage, you know this is an absolute must listen because whew boy - teenagers can be a CHALLENGE to nurture. Thankfully, Jacque gives us perspective, practical wisdom about how to navigate this season and some stories to help us remember HOW important it is to lean into these stages and give our babies what they need, even when they are acting like they don't want us around. You can learn more about Empowered to Connect on our website, by following us on social media or checking out the hundreds of video resources on our YouTube page!