In this episode of Your Kids Don’t Suck, Cara and Rythea sit down with researcher and parent Ash Lowenthal to discuss their PhD work on trauma-informed care and non-coercive, collaborative parenting. Ash shares their passion for challenging systems that perpetuate trauma and explores how these principles can inform parenting journeys.

Key Topics:

• Parallels between non-coercive parenting and trauma-informed care in professional settings.
• Why traditional "authoritative" parenting often falls short compared to collaborative methods.
• Evidence supporting non-coercive approaches in fostering resilience and emotional safety in children.
• Practical strategies for integrating trauma-informed principles into everyday parenting.
• Research gaps in "gentle parenting" and why it may not always meet its promises.

References:

• Harris & Fallot (2001): Dynamics between service providers and users can mirror abusive relationships. Envisioning a trauma-informed service system: A vital paradigm shift.
• Lowenthal (2020): Implementation of trauma-informed care in child- and youth-serving sectors. International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience.
• Durrant & Stewart-Tufescu (2017): Defining discipline in the era of children's rights. The International Journal of Children’s Rights.
• Curran & Hill (2022): Impact of parental expectations and criticism on perfectionism. Psychological Bulletin.
• Fuentes et al. (2022): Parental warmth without strictness fosters adolescent empathy and self-concept. Frontiers in Psychology.
• Garcia et al. (2020): Parenting warmth and psychosocial adjustment across generations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

For access to these articles (often behind paywalls), email Ash, and they’ll provide a PDF version.

Connect with Ash:

• Email: ash.lowenthal@gmail.com
• Instagram: @ash.lowenthal