Dr. Todd Talks

Most parents who contribute to disorganized attachment are not bad parents. They love their children deeply. But unresolved pain, inconsistency, emotional flooding, and unpredictability can quietly shape a child’s nervous system. In this episode, Dr. Todd breaks down the five parenting habits most associated with disorganized attachment and explains why children become emotionally confused when th...

Most parents trying gentle parenting are not failing because they’re too harsh. They’re failing because they’ve been taught that validation alone is enough. In this episode, Dr. Todd explains why so many well-intentioned parents end up exhausted, anxious, and stuck in endless negotiations with their children. The issue isn’t emotional validation itself. The issue is when validation quietly replace...

Your calm is the actual intervention. I've been working with anxious kids for 30 years, and the pattern underneath is almost always the same. Parents are doing everything right out of love, and somehow the anxiety keeps growing. In this video, I walk through three shifts that change that. What you'll learn: - Why your child's nervous system borrows regulation from yours - The "relief trap" that ma...

There was a moment in my family that changed how I think about repairing with a child. A seven-year-old boy sat and listened as his entire family told him what they loved about him. You could hear it in his voice. It mattered more than anything else. A few days later, after a hard parenting moment, his mom used that same idea to reconnect with him. And it worked almost immediately. In this episode...

Before you say another word to your anxious child, take two slow breaths and drop your shoulders. Your child’s nervous system is reading yours. And your calm is often the intervention that matters most. In this episode, I walk through the three shifts that change everything when you’re raising an anxious child. Most parents try reassurance, logic, rewards, or protection. And when anxiety keeps esc...

Jack walked into my office wearing an orange jumpsuit with two county deputies beside him. Just a week earlier, he had been a regular client sitting in my waiting room. Now he was facing a year of incarceration for theft. His parents loved him deeply. They had spent years trying to protect his future, stepping in to fix problems, soften consequences, and rescue him whenever things went wrong. What...

Tommy was 12 years old, drowning in the grief of his father abandoning the family, and instead of reaching out, he started lying about everything. His mother was devastated. She told me, “I raised him to tell the truth, and now he’s a liar.” But Tommy wasn’t a bad kid. He was a kid who learned that the truth felt dangerous. We think we’re raising honest children by being strict, but often we’re ju...

Are you experiencing estrangement from your adult child? If you’re the parent who wants them back, this episode walks you through the only path that makes reconciliation possible. You’ll learn why adult children step away to stop the pain, and the three things a parent must do to rebuild trust and create safety. This is a clear guide to understanding why they walked away and what real repair looks...

When an adult child cuts off a parent, it rarely comes out of nowhere. It’s usually the final stage of a long, painful pattern that could have been repaired years earlier. In this episode, I walk through why so many estrangements happen, what keeps them going, and what actually helps parents rebuild a relationship that feels lost. As a psychologist who has spent more than 30 years working with fam...

Why Your Kids Fight Constantly (And How to Help Them Actually Like Each Other) When your kids are always fighting, it can start to wear you down. The yelling, teasing, and constant competition make home feel tense — and you might start to wonder if they’ll ever get along. But what most parents don’t realize is that sibling conflict can go too far, leaving lasting emotional scars if it’s not handle...

How to Tell if Your Teen is Depressed or Just Pulling Away (6 Warning Signs) When your teen stops talking to you, pulls away, and seems like a stranger, how do you know if they are struggling with depression or just pushing you away? Parents often ask: Is my teen depressed, or is this just normal teen behavior? This episode breaks down the crucial difference that could save your relationship and p...

When Consequences Don’t Work Anymore—What Then? You’ve grounded them, taken the phone, even tried tough love—but nothing works. If your teenager seems completely unfazed by consequences, this video is for you. This isn’t about finding a better punishment. It’s about something deeper: the relationship you’ve lost and how to get it back. In this episode, Dr. Todd shares: Why your teen might truly no...

The #1 Reason Discipline Doesn’t Work (And How to Fix It) What do you do when consequences don’t work—when your child shrugs off timeouts, ignores punishments, and nothing seems to stick? In this episode, I share the real reason traditional discipline fails with emotionally immature or impulsive kids—and what actually makes a difference. You’ll meet Ben, a smart, energetic 6-year-old who doesn’t r...

Johnny said, “My parents hate each other.” Billy said, “It makes me mentally unstable.” Ruby said, “They both try to get me on their side.” These are real words from real kids I’ve worked with. And their pain points to one critical truth: Kids don’t feel safe when the adults in their lives are at war. In this 2-minute Everyday Parenting episode, you’ll learn: • Why conflict between parents erodes...

A mom once told me, “He finally apologized… then said, ‘I’m sorry you got so mad.’” That’s not an apology—that’s an insult. In today’s Everyday Parenting episode (2 minutes or less), we’re talking about: • The 3 common words that ruin apologies • A better way to own your mistakes with your kids • Why modeling real apologies builds long-term trust Whether it’s with your partner or your child, how y...

She was 15 years old, living in a luxury penthouse—and had never eaten a meal with her parents. This short 2 minute "Everyday Parenting" episode explores the surprising power of shared meals to prevent substance use and build emotional connection. You’ll learn: • Why family meals are linked to lower risk of teen drug use • How connection—not control—is the real protective factor • One simple step...

He wasn’t traumatized in the way most people expect. But every time there was conflict, he froze—terrified. What we discovered was something deeper: a childhood shaped by control, not connection. In this episode, we’re talking about the long-term effects of authoritarian parenting—and how those invisible wounds still shape your adult life. You’ll learn: • Why “because I said so” parenting leaves l...

It was just a spontaneous moment on her 25th birthday. Each of us shared what we love most about my daughter. She teared up. Later, she told me it was one of the most meaningful things anyone had ever done for her. There’s a reason it mattered so much—and it’s something every parent needs to understand. In this short Everyday Parenting episode, you’ll hear: Why the “magic ratio” of positive to neg...

Molly wasn’t trying to control her daughter—she was trying to keep her alive. Ava had Reactive Attachment Disorder after years of early trauma. And by the time she was 16, things were falling apart at home. Molly felt completely alone. Every therapist labeled her a helicopter parent. Even her husband blamed her. But when someone finally recognized her effort—just one simple sentence—it changed eve...

Alex Trebek once said, “I used to think not crying meant you were tough. Now I think crying means you’re tough.” It didn’t change how I parent—but it captured something he’s always believed: real strength is found in honest and vulnerability, not stoicism. In this 2-minute Everyday Parenting episode, I'll explain why vulnerability isn’t a weakness—and how modeling it can unlock deeper connection w...

Most fear-based parenting doesn’t feel like fear. It feels like protecting your child. Setting boundaries. Being involved. But beneath that urgency is something deeper: anxiety, control, and the fear of losing connection. This episode isn’t about judging your parenting. It’s about recognizing the patterns that push kids away—and how to shift back toward steady, grounded love. You’ll learn: • How f...

Not every “best day ever” has fireworks. Sometimes it just has breakfast, errands, and bedtime. In this 2-minute Everyday Parenting episode, Dr. Todd shares a simple day with his son that turned out to mean far more than he expected—and what it taught him about how connection really works. In this short episode, you’ll learn: • Why ordinary moments often matter most • How to spot the connection hi...

Some acts of forgiveness are too big to believe—but they still hold lessons for everyday life. In this 2-minute Everyday Parenting episode, Dr. Todd reflects on a father’s powerful story of forgiveness—and how it shifted his own approach to handling hurt and conflict at home. In this short episode, you’ll learn: • Why forgiveness isn’t about forgetting—it’s about freeing • How small moments of gra...

Sometimes the smallest things leave the biggest mark. In this 2-minute Everyday Parenting episode, Dr. Todd shares three real moments from his own family that show how quiet, thoughtful acts—like sticky notes, surprise texts, or cleaning the car—can quietly deepen connection over time. In this short episode, you’ll learn: • Why connection often builds in the margins of daily life • Examples of sma...

Most parents expect teens to pull away—but by the time it happens, it often feels too late. Suddenly, your child is failing school, hanging with the wrong crowd, or shutting you out emotionally. You used to be close. Now, you’re a stranger. This episode isn’t about controlling your teen. It’s about rebuilding connection—even if it feels hopeless right now. You’ll learn: • Why emotional disconnecti...