I got to sit down with the one and only Mary Van Geffen, the wise, hilarious, caring, OG spicy one here to help the moms raising the big-feeling, strong-willed, exquisitely sensitive children, to talk about her forthcoming book, "Parenting a Spicy One; A Compassionate Guide for Raising a Deep-Feeling and Wonderfully Strong-Willed Kid."

We spent this episode wandering through the real terrain of parenting—the parts where your child’s emotions pull at every unhealed corner of your nervous system, the parts where you’re laughing because the alternative is crying on the kitchen floor, and the parts where you realize that raising a strong-willed kid is basically a heroine’s journey.

Mary shared so beautifully (and hilariously) from her own life—what it means to parent neurodivergent and sensitive children, how to stay curious instead of controlling, and why community support is not optional but essential for cycle breakers. We talked about the essentialness of rest, the miracle of a parent who can hold space without collapsing, and the spiritual dimension of raising children who are wired for depth, intensity, honesty, and full-body aliveness.

If you’re a parent who sometimes feels like your child is your greatest teacher and also your greatest trigger… if you’re trying to build a safe inner home for yourself so you can offer one to your kids… if you’re learning to laugh at the absurdity of raising humans in the age of overstimulation… this episode will feel like a gentle hand on your back. I love Mary, and I know you will too!

Her book is available for pre-order, and comes out on Feb. 10th! Link here: https://www.maryvangeffen.com/parentingaspicyonebook