As parents and caregivers, it can be easy to continuously push taking care of ourselves to the bottom of our list. But, when we prioritize our mental health and wellness, it also has a positive ripple effect on those around us. How can parents and caregivers take care of ourselves amidst full schedules and busy days? In this episode, Taryn, a parent of two, and Dr. Sukpreet Tamana, offer ideas and evidence to: Unpack misconceptions and common challenges that can come up for parents as we try to prioritize our own needs, and Discuss how strategies like recognizing emotions, setting boundaries and building support networks might offer small, practical ways to recharge and take care of our mental health and well-being. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our external senses— smell, sight, touch, and taste—along with lesser-known internal ones like balance and location— are constantly working to help us make sense of our world around us. This intricate process, often known as ‘sensory processing,’ is the foundation of many daily tasks. For some children, navigating this sensory processing can be more challenging. In today’s episode, our hosts chat with Tammie, a parent who shares her personal story of supporting her child with sensory processing challenges, and Courtney Hall, BCCH Occupational Therapist. Together they: Talk about different types of sensory preferences - like hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity Look at other conditions that can go along with sensory processing issues and Offer tips and resources for parents and caregivers to support a child with sensory processing challenges See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With four seasons of the podcast under their belts, our hosts reflect on episodes that have resonated with them. Bryn, Char and special guest Michelle Horn look back at topics including sleep, feeding and eating, concurrent disorders, when parenting gets tough, and more. Together, they discuss some of the gems shared by our many amazing guests including: How to focus on your child’s strengths to help them manage their difficulties in life Things parents and caregivers can do when their child is struggling with mental health challenges Connection and why showing up can be meaningful to your child And much more! Note: A sincere and heartfelt thank you to all of our wonderful guests who have joined us over the last four seasons. We could not have done this without you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When it comes to supporting children and youth through trauma there are things that parents can do to help. In this episode our hosts are joined by Lynne, a parent and grandparent who shares her personal story of navigating trauma within her family and Dr. Linda Uyeda, family physician with expertise in neuroscience, trauma and attachment. Together they discuss:· What trauma is, how it can show up for kids and it’s impact on mental health · The impact of trauma across generations · How parents and caregivers can talk to their child about these experiences; and · What parents and caregivers can do to support their child at home. Note: For some of us the topic of trauma can be challenging and heavy. As you listen to this episode, please take stock of how you're feeling. If you need to take a break, come back a little later, or reach out to your supports please do so. As we discuss with this topic, taking care of yourself is extremely important. Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are hard at work on upcoming episodes and sharing one of our Season 3 episodes that really stuck with us. In this episode, hosts Michelle and Bryn are joined by Kelly, a parent of a youth diagnosed with an eating disorder, and Dr. Jennifer Coelho, Psychologist at BC Children’s Hospital’s Provincial Specialized Eating Disorder Program, to answer questions we often hear from families about supporting a youth with an eating disorder. The conversation covers how to support your child at home, managing meal times, what to do if your child refuses help, tips about how parents can play an active role in your child’s recovery, and resources to support parents and caregivers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Changes and transitions are part of life. We know this as parents and caregivers. However, we don’t always know how to support our kids through these big life events - such as starting a new school, moving, the arrival of a new sibling, or loss of a loved one. In this minisode, hosts Bryn & Char discuss this topic with Dr. Ashley Miller, child psychiatrist and family therapist. Questions include: What is it about transitions and big life changes that can be hard for kids? What effects can major life changes have on my child’s mental health? What are some strategies I can share with my child to help them cope during transitions and big life events? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Separation and divorce can be a highly emotional time and stressful experience for children and youth, and tough to process at any age. In this minisode, we bring questions from BC families on separation and divorce to Dr. Ashley Miller, child psychiatrist and family therapist. Together we discuss tips for supporting both you and your child’s well-being and mental health and explore questions including: What strategies can I share to help my child cope during the hard times? How can I ensure my divorce doesn’t impact my child’s future relationships? And much more. - Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the last few years, we have had no shortage of disturbing news and big, scary world events, be it pandemics, social injustices, wars, climate change issues like wildfires, floods, and more. In this minisode, Bryn and Char bring questions from BC parents and caregivers to Dr. Ashley Miller, child psychiatrist and family therapist. They dig into questions including: How can I talk to my child about disturbing news and scary events without inciting worry or fear? How much information should I share when I talk with my kids about scary news, how honest should I be? Are there skills I can teach my child to help manage the stress or worry they might feel when they hear or talk about scary news? And much more! - Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Children can behave in challenging ways at many different stages of life. From tantrums and angry outbursts, to disruptive behaviour and constant negotiations, managing difficult behaviour is often a part of parenting and caregiving. Where You Are hosts Bryn and Char speak with Jeremy, dad of 2, and Dr. Janet Mah about why challenging behaviors can occur in children, strategies and tools parents can use before big behaviours show up and to support your kids in moments when things are escalated and how these approaches can help you to continue building a positive relationship with your child. Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When it comes to substance use education, school professionals are an important resource. Schools can provide supportive environments that promote overall well-being and equip students with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to make decisions about the substances they'll encounter as they grow. Bryn and guest co-host Cindy Andrew come together with Dave Mackenzie, a school counsellor, and Art Steinmann, a Youth Substance Use Health Promotion Specialist, to talk about the ABC’s of substance use education and schools. They share evidence-based approaches that help students build protective factors including autonomy, belonging and competence and describe how this can help prevent, delay and reduce substance-related harms. This episode is a collaboration between BC Children's Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre and Bunyaad Public Affairs Inc. Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
School is a big part of kids’ lives. When anxiety gets in the way of a child going to or staying at school, this can be really hard on the whole family. In this episode we look at what’s behind school anxiety, when parents should reach out for help, tips for parents and caregivers to promote their own coping, and strategies to help get your child back in their regular school routine. Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Parenting a kid with OCD can be difficult because you often have to go against your natural instincts. In this episode Michelle and Bryn are joined by Jen, a parent of a youth struggling with OCD, and Dr. Evelyn Stewart, Psychiatrist at BC Children’s Hospital and the founding Director of the Provincial Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic. They discuss what OCD is and isn’t, how to know when to reach out for help, approaches parents can use to not ‘feed the OCD’ and practical strategies to help you best support your child with OCD at home. Listeners, help us improve our podcast. Take this short feedback survey: https://bit.ly/WYAfeedback Completed surveys will be entered in a draw for a $100 Chapter's/Indigo gift card.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For our final episode of Season 3, Bryn & Michelle bring questions from BC parents and caregivers to two leading child and youth mental health experts at BC Children’s Hospital, Dr. Ashley Miller and Dr. Amrit Dhariwal. Together they dig into questions including: How can I connect my teen when they won’t even talk to me? How can I best support my child through tough situations like the loss of a loved one? How do I set limits when my child really pushes my buttons? And much more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s important to talk openly with your child about substance use from an early age, but as parents and caregivers we don’t always know where to start. Michelle and Bryn sit down with Cindy Andrew and Art Steinmann, both parents and professionals with 30+ years of experience working in the field of youth substance use within BC schools and communities, to discuss how to talk about substance use with your child, how to prevent problematic substance use, and how you can help your child develop the knowledge and skills they will need to make decisions about vaping, alcohol and other drugs as they grow. Note: This episode will not cover chronic and problematic substance use. That topic will be a future episode on Where You Are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Family life can be super stressful at times, there’s no doubt about it. And that’s where mindfulness can be helpful. Bryn and guest host Char Black sit down with Alison, a mother and coach for neurodiverse families, and Dr. Joanna McDermid, a Psychiatrist and the Associate Director of the BC Children’s Centre for Mindfulness. They discuss how mindfulness can support your overall well-being and help during common stressors that parents experience, debunk some common myths and misconceptions that surround mindfulness, and offer tips on how you can weave mindfulness into parenting and caregiving if this is an approach you’re curious about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Between ages 0-6, a child’s social and emotional health is every bit as important as their physical health. It affects how they express emotions, deal with stress, develop friendships, and more. Join Bryn and Michelle as they take a closer look at social and emotional development (SED) in the early years, including what it is, how you can support your child’s SED, and how these skills will benefit them for life. In this episode you’ll hear from Joelle, a busy mom to a five year old, and Dr. Angela Low, a researcher and educator whose work focuses on social and emotional competence in children. You’ll even hear from some little ones who share their experiences too. - This episode is a collaboration between BC Children's Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre and Child Health BC, as part of the Feelings First initiative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stress levels and burnout for school professionals has been a significant and growing issue for quite some time and have only increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Michelle and guest co-host Gail Markin come together with Vanessa, a school District Counsellor, and Kim Weatherby, lead for EdCan's Well at Work Advisors program, to look at the importance of teacher and school staff well-being and what this means for the students they teach. Listen to strategies school professionals can use to support their own well-being, support each other’s well-being, and engage at a systems level to keep staff well-being a priority for mental health and wellness—all of which contributes to student health and achievement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode Michelle and Bryn are joined by Kelly, a parent of a youth diagnosed with an eating disorder, and Dr. Jennifer Coelho, Psychologist at BC Children’s Hospital’s Provincial Specialized Eating Disorder Program, to answer questions we often hear from families about supporting a youth with an eating disorder. The conversation covers how to support your child at home, managing meal times, what to do if your child refuses help, tips about how parents can play an active role in your child’s recovery, which treatments really work, and resources to support parents and caregivers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As we wrap up Season 2 of our podcast, we decided to reach out to our listeners and ask you to send in your questions about child and youth mental health. This episode explores a range of topics including anxiety, stress, technology use, managing family relationships, and how to have conversations about tough topics with your child. So grab your headphones and tune in as we dig into your questions with two leading experts in Child and Youth Mental Health, Dr. Rosalind Catchpole and Dr. Ashley Miller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Concurrent disorders are when mental illness and a substance use disorder happen at the same time. For example, depression and alcohol dependence or anxiety and opioid dependency. Join our podcast guests Ngaire, a parent of four, and Jennifer Toomey, a Registered Psychiatric Nurse at BC Children’s Hospital, as they discuss how to best support and treat youth with concurrent disorders. They offer tips on how to prioritize the connection with your youth while also getting the support you need as a parent or caregiver. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Marilyn Lawson
excellent podcast