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In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist Megan Hamm, who has spent 17+ years supporting children and families through trauma, crisis, and complex emotional needs. 

Together, we unpack why traditional views of “bad behavior” miss the mark—and what parents can do instead to truly support their children in moments of big emotion.

Whether you’re navigating daily meltdowns, feeling stuck in reaction mode, or simply want to build a deeper connection with your child, Megan offers a compassionate, grounded framework to help you shift from managing behavior to understanding it.

Key Takeaways

• Behavior is communication: Every outburst or meltdown is a signal, not a problem to be fixed.
• Connection comes before correction: Real change begins with relationship, not control.
• In-the-moment responses aren’t the time for teaching: Kids in crisis need safety, not consequences.
• You can’t teach what you haven’t practiced: Parents must build their own regulation tools first.
• Modeling matters more than managing: Your calm presence teaches more than any strategy.
• Changing the environment matters: Preventing crisis often starts with how we set up the home and routine.

Episode Highlights

[00:00 ] - Introduction to Megan and her background in trauma-informed care

[04:00 ] - The shift from changing behavior to understanding behavior

[07:00 ] - What to do when your child is in meltdown: A crisis-response lens

[09:00 ] - Why calm connection beats consequence every time

[12:00 ] - How to prepare your home and your nervous system for high-emotion moments

[16:00 ] - Practicing regulation when things are not chaotic—why timing matters

[20:00 ] - Why Megan does more parent coaching than direct child therapy

[25:00 ] - What children really need during a meltdown—and why “fixing” doesn’t work

[30:00 ] - Letting kids learn through experience and mistakes, without shaming

[36:00 ] - What to say when others don’t understand your parenting approach

[41:00 ] - Modeling, natural consequences, and what actually builds lifelong skills

[48:00 ] - Megan’s book and how to work with her

Resources Mentioned

🔗 Megan Hamm’s Website: www.meganmhamm.com

📖 Book – The Heart of the Matter: Buy here https://buy.stripe.com/5kA4hxcDc2zd0GkbIJ

🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meganhamm-lpc

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhammlpc/

👥 Facebook: facebook.com/megan.hamm.554041

🎧 Want to reflect more deeply on your parenting journey?

If this episode stirred something in you or helped you see your child’s behavior in a new light, I invite you to take a quiet moment to explore what support might look like for your family. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.