Mindful Mama | Inspiration To Thrive Not Just Survive

In order to be happy, do we always have to think happy thoughts, banishing the negative ones? Dr. Andrea Bonior, licensed clinical psychologist and the author of “Detox Your Thoughts” counters this, saying that unhappiness comes not from having negative thoughts, but from paying too much attention to them, thus giving them too much power. In our conversation we talk about this idea, as well as how to approach negative thoughts, so you can work through them and not become stuck in them. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! 3 Takeaways: We often give our thoughts too much power Lean int

As children get older, they begin to realize just how big the world is, triggering fears and creating anxiety. As a parent, they look to us for reassurance and guidance. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Aude Henin, Ph.D. about helping children cope with stress, anxiety, and OCD, how to help our children work towards facing their fears, and how to recognize when our children need additional support. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! 3 Takeaways: Effective learning tools for difficult emotions Expressing anxiety at different ages When to seek professional help for your child Dr. Aud

The Terrible Twos. The Three-nagers. Why are these years so hard, filled with countless meltdowns, frustration, and stress? Does it have to be this way? In today’s podcast, I talk to Devon Kuntzman, ACC and ICF certified coach about how we can overcome the challenges and experience the joy of toddlerhood. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Tantrums are not a reflection of ourselves or our children Tantrums are a necessary emotional release Some of the best learning opportunities can come post-tantrum Devon Kuntzman, ACC, is an ICF-certified coach on a mission to transfo

What is attachment theory? How can I help my child develop secure attachment? What if I don’t have a secure attachment style, myself? Today, I talk to Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Attachment Specialist, Paula Sacks. We discuss the importance of secure attachment and how the attachment a child develops with their primary caregiver sets the foundation for all future relationships. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: What are the three styles of attachment? The five primary conditions needed for secure attachment. Why we need to be intentional in our interactions with

When are fears normal for kids and when are they a cause for concern? In this episode, I talk to Natasha Daniels, anxiety & OCD Child therapist and a mom to three kids with anxiety and OCD, who helps us to distinguish between the two. She offers valuable insights into what signs to watch for and how we are best able to support our kiddos. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: What normal anxiety looks like versus an anxiety disorder How to help our kids cope with and learn from anxiety The importance of empowering our kid and celebrating their bravery Natasha Daniels is an

In this podcast episode, I talk to Dr. Meghan Owenz, author of the book, Spoiled Right: Delaying Screens and Giving Children What They Really Need. Dr. Owenz explains why screens should be avoided for children under 5 and are actually necessary (to an extent) for older kids. We talk about finding a balance, using her S.P.O.I.L. method, and tools that can be used to reclaim some of the time our kids are dedicating to their screens. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways:  Some negative effects of screen time have nothing to do with the screen itself 5 activities for children th

Our bodies have so much to tell us. Why aren’t we listening? Today, I talk to Kimberly Ann Johnson, a Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner and author of the newly released book, Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Power, and Use It for Good. We have a fascinating discussion about how tuning into our bodies is the starting point for understanding our needs, improving communication, and finding our inner jaguar. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Our bodies have a register of everything that we’ve been through. How our social nervous system influ

What makes Mindful Parenting different? What do you learn inside Mindful Parenting? How is it different from “mindfulness for parents?” In this very special reverse-interview, Hunter answers questions posed by Lynn Weller, the Mindful Parenting Community Manager. You’ll learn about why Mindful Parenting came about, Hunter’s own struggles, and what’s inside the ground-breaking course she developed. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Mindfulness practices change the brain in ways that parents need. Learning to take care of our own difficult feelings is a game-changer. Pare

Montessori is an innovative education modality that puts great emphasis on preparing the environment to help children succeed. They follow children’s sensitive periods for more individualized learning. Montessori has prepared some amazing creative thinkers, including Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon), Larry Page and Sergey Brin (founders of Google), Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Helen Keller! Let’s bring some of that power into our homes! *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: A mindset shift can help to create connection. How Montessori creates confident, respectful kids. How n

How can dads step up to the plate and become better dads to their kids? Larry Hagner, the creator of The Dad Edge Podcast, is here to let us know. Find out how dads can become better role models and improve marital relationships too! *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Model taking responsibility for mistakes. Creating psychological safety for your kids. Build patience, starting from the moment you wake up. Larry is the creator of The Dad Edge Podcast. Featured as one of the top dad podcasts on iTunes, the show has received over 5 million downloads. Larry is the author

Hunter makes a guest appearance on Sage Family Podcast, with Rachel Rainbolt. In this conversation, they talk about what it means to parent mindfully. They discuss topics like what’s happening in our brains and bodies when we feel the stress response, what mindfulness is, and how it is helpful when we’re in that stress response, we can hold a beginner’s mind, the parenting superpower - empathy, and how to get both our needs as well as our children’s needs met more peacefully. *New!* Watch video clips from other episodes on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: What’s happening in our brains and bodies when we feel the st

Birds & Bees. This is a conversation so many of us put off. Perhaps, it’s the uncomfortable memories we have of having an awkward conversation with our parents, or maybe it’s a conversation our parents never even had with us. However, this is the single most important conversation that we should be having with our kids. How and when we should be having these conversations? How do we keep our kids safe online? What is “normal” in sexual development? Amy Lang, Parenting & Sexuality Educator, breaks it all down for us, providing strategies and resources to help make this conversation a basis for further open communication. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stit

Why do emotions feel automatic and uncontrollable? Does rational thought really control emotion? How does emotion affect disease? The brain is so amazingly complex and still largely a mystery. My conversation with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, who is among the top one percent most-cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience, provides a deeper understanding of the mind and brain, answering these questions and so much more. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Emotions aren't happening to you, your brain makes them as you need them.

During this time of remote learning, there are so many questions that are coming up around screen time. Are our kids getting too much screen time? Is there such a thing as “healthy” screen time? When is time to cut back on screen time? Anya Kamenetz, author of The Art of Screen Time: Digital Parenting Without Fear, helps us get to the bottom of these questions, along with many others. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Think of creating healthy screen time habits like you create healthy eating habits. Family participation in conversations around appropriate screen time usage is key. Consider not only time spent but also who they're engaging with and

Our parenting styles are strongly influenced by both how we were parented and current societal norms. However, what if how we have learned to parent doesn’t feel right? What if we believe our children deserve more? In this conversation, I talk to Leslie Priscilla Arreola-Hillenbrand about her experience growing up in an authoritarian culture and how she has looked to the history of her ancestry to change the future. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We all bring different cultural parenting habits and patterns. An essential step to liberation for you and your kids is re-mothering yourself. Oppression begins in the home. Are we teaching our kids to

We parents are often unknowingly (and knowingly) making some big communication mistakes with our children. These mistakes can cause resistance, resentment, and damage to your relationship. How can we communicate better? I talk to Jennie Rosier, Ph.D. about how to improve our communication with our kids. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: One of the biggest mistakes we make with kids is minimizing their feelings Ask yourself, “Would I say this to my mother?” A great phrase to use in repairing: “What I wish I had said was…” Jennie Rosier, PhD, is an Associate Professor at James Madison University, the Director of The Relationships, Love, Happiness Pr

How is it that we are here in February and STILL struggling with remote learning? Sigh. Yes, the pandemic will end one day, but in the meantime, remote learning is not working super-well for a bunch of kids. For help, I talk to author and educator Steven Greene about how we can make it better. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: This is an excellent opportunity to break away from the curriculum-based model of school and give kids a chance to free play in a sense academically.  Highschoolers are at most risk for falling behind and it has a long-term impact on their future. Parents should be advocating for their child's success. Speak to their teacher

Do you feel guilty if you don’t like to play with your child - or feel bad because you want a break from your child? Don’t! These are new developments in WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) societies—that don’t actually benefit children. Author and anthropologist David F. Lancy compares our parenting with other societies across time and around the world. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Attachment parenting is a myth. Mothers are not the sole caretakers in other cultures. Overparenting and overprotecting diminish children’s resiliency. Just observing is more effective than direct teaching. David Lancy is an anthropologis

When we are in autopilot mode or reactive, we tend to be at our worst at our parenting—missing chances to connect and see what’s going on under the surface for our children. Without a mindfulness practice in our lives, we can become overrun by reactivity. Learn how mindfulness works to lower reactivity and becomes our parental superpower and how to bring it into your life. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. H

How does the way we parent our children relate to the criminal justice system? According to my podcast guest, Katherine Wintery-Sellery, a lot. In this episode, we talk about family conflict and the essential mindset changes we need to move to a more cooperative, compassionate model. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We can’t change others but we can create the conditions for change to happen. When we find ourselves needing to prove it is proof of doubt. We often have compassionate goals, but use unskillful authoritarian means. Katherine Winter Sellery, 3x TEDx speaker, founder of the Conscious Parenting Revolution, has mentored and trained 1000s