Fresh Start Family Show

What happens when your intuition as a parent… starts to conflict with what you’ve been taught about faith? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Wendy sits down with former student and turned Christian counselor and parenting educator Meaghan Hampton to explore the tension so many parents feel between faith, science, and their own inner knowing. Meaghan shares her journey from overwhelm...

What if the secret to raising calmer, healthier, more resilient kids… was as simple as getting outside more? In this eye-opening conversation, Wendy sits down with author and outdoor advocate Linda McGurk to explore the Scandinavian philosophy that’s changing the way families think about childhood, nature, and everyday life. Linda shares her journey from Sweden to the U.S., and the culture shock s...

In this episode, Wendy welcomes back Alyssa Blask Campbell, bestselling author of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions and Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, for a powerful conversation about helping older kids build emotional strength, navigate boundaries, and move through big feelings with support. Alyssa shares why middle childhood is often overlooked, even though elementary-age kids are still developing major em...

In this powerful episode, Wendy welcomes Pastor Zach Lambert, author of Better Ways to Read the Bible, for a hopeful and honest conversation about engaging with scripture in ways that bring life, not fear. Zach shares how many people have experienced harm through rigid or fear-based interpretations of the Bible, and how a healthier, more Christ-centered approach can help families rebuild trust, de...

What if the key to helping your teen make safer, more thoughtful choices around sex… wasn’t control, silence, or fear? But connection, honesty, and real education? In this powerful and refreshingly honest conversation, Wendy's joined by sex educator Kimberly Wolf to talk about how we can guide our kids through one of the most misunderstood (and often avoided) topics in parenting, without shame, aw...

How do we raise kids who care deeply, speak up with courage, and take meaningful action in the world? In this important and timely conversation, Wendy sits down with Dr. Shelby Kretz, founder of Little Justice Leaders, to explore how parents can nurture empathy, awareness, and advocacy in their children, without fear, shame, or overwhelm. Shelby breaks down what it really means to raise a “justice...

Why do we keep repeating the same painful patterns… even when we know better? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Wendy sits down with somatic practitioner and author Lauren Duke to unpack the truth behind repetition compulsion, the unconscious pull that keeps us stuck in familiar cycles of pain, conflict, and disconnection. Lauren shares the extraordinary story of walking across Spai...

How do we help our kids feel safe when the world feels scary? In this deeply moving conversation, Wendy welcomes back author Dorena Williamson to talk about her newest children’s book, Every Breath, Every Blessing. Together, they explore how to support kids through big feelings, fear, grief, and uncertainty, while anchoring them in hope, faith, and emotional resilience. Dorena shares the powerful...

What if yoga could help kids build resilience, emotional regulation, and confidence, without needing perfection, pressure, or performance? In this episode, Wendy sits down with Lauren Chaitoff, founder of Yogi Beans, to talk about how yoga practices can support kids through big feelings, hard moments, and the everyday challenges of growing up. Lauren shares how yoga helps children connect with the...

What if joy isn’t something we wait for, but something we practice? In this episode, Wendy sits down with marriage and family therapist and author Nicole Zasowski to talk about why celebration matters, especially in seasons when fear, grief, disappointment, or cynicism feel easier to reach for. Nicole shares how her book What If It’s Wonderful? was born out of a long season of loss, infertility, a...

What we teach kids about history shapes how they see the world, and themselves. In this meaningful and eye-opening conversation, Wendy sits down with Brooke Knight, co-founder of Honest History, to talk about why truthful history matters and how we can teach kids about the past in a way that builds empathy, curiosity, and confidence. Brooke shares the heart behind Honest History, a beautifully des...

What if your reactivity isn’t a character flaw… but a program you can actually rewrite? In this fascinating and deeply hopeful conversation, Wendy sits down with board-certified hypnotist Penny Chiasson to explore how hypnosis can help parents break painful generational cycles and finally respond the way they want to, not just react on autopilot. Penny shares her powerful personal story, from a hi...

What if the key to breaking generational cycles isn’t just learning new tools… but healing your nervous system at the root? In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Wendy sits down with Rev. Jemie Sae Koo, founder of Psychable, to explore new pathways to healing, including breathwork, nervous system regulation, and the emerging world of plant medicine. Jemie shares her own story of growi...

What if the strongest kind of power isn’t force, but attunement? In this inspiring conversation, Wendy sits down with Miki Agrawal, entrepreneur, author, and founder of HIRO Technologies, to talk about why soft power beats force in business, parenting, and the way we care for the planet. Miki shares how motherhood shifted her from an “individual consciousness” into an “ecosystem consciousness,” an...

What if the best proof that compassionate discipline works… is 15 years of real life? In this special celebration episode, Wendy and Terry mark two huge milestones: the official release of Fresh Start Your Family and 15 years of no punishment in their home. Together, they reflect on what it has really looked like to raise kids without hurting, harming, or shaming them, and why compassionate discip...

What if the frustration so many parents feel about politics could actually become influence? In this deeply meaningful conversation, Wendy sits down with Sharon McMahon, author of The Small and the Mighty and founder of Sharon Says So, to talk about why civics matters for parents, how history gives us hope, and what it looks like to stay grounded when the world feels heavy. Together, they explore...

In this grounding episode, Wendy sits down with her husband Terry for a conversation about the why behind Powerful Parenting. Together, they reset the table and walk through the four core pillars of the Fresh Start Family approach: paradigm shifting, healthy communication, understanding root causes, and compassionate discipline. They also share what they’ve seen after 15 years of using these tools...

What if raising kids who feel safe around money starts with healing your own story first? In this powerful conversation, Wendy sits down with Patrice Washington, author, speaker, and host of the Redefining Wealth podcast, to talk about what it really means to raise kids with peace, confidence, and trust around money. Patrice shares her incredible journey from building a seven-figure business in he...

What if your reactivity isn’t a failure… but a pattern your nervous system learned to keep you safe? In this powerful conversation, Wendy sits down with applied neurology and somatic practitioner, Elisabeth Kristof, to unpack why so many parents keep reacting in ways they don’t want to, and why it’s not their fault. They explore how trauma lives in the body as patterns, not just past events, and h...

What if the most powerful parenting tool you had… was a pause? In this episode, Wendy dives into one of the most life-changing skills a parent can learn, how to interrupt reactive patterns in the moment and choose a different way forward. If you’ve ever felt yourself snap, yell, or say something you wish you could take back, this conversation will meet you with both honesty and hope. Because react...

Is your strong-willed child really “difficult”… or are they wired to lead? In this episode, Wendy and Terry continue walking through her upcoming book Fresh Start Your Family and unpack one of the most powerful paradigm shifts in parenting: seeing strong-willed kids as leaders in the making, not problems to fix. They talk about: Why culture praises “meek and mild” kids The difference between a tru...

What if the story you were told about sin… isn’t the whole story? In this deeply freeing conversation, Wendy sits down with author and faith leader Meredith Miller to explore one of the most tender, loaded questions many parents carry… Are kids born bad? Together, they unpack how traditional teachings around original sin and total depravity have shaped generations of parenting… and how we can choo...

In this powerful conversation, Wendy sits down with Allison Rose to talk about what it really looks like to break generational cycles, heal from fear-based parenting, and create a more connected home. Allison shares how Fresh Start Family helped her move out of reactivity, pressure, and survival mode, especially while navigating chronic illness, financial stress, and parenting three young kids. To...

In this heartfelt solo episode, Wendy shares what she’s been releasing in this Easter season, especially the lifelong pull of people-pleasing, shame, and trying to make everyone happy. She opens up about the deeper growth work that’s come with writing her new book, Fresh Start Your Family, and why this season has invited her to care more about what God thinks, what her own heart knows, and less ab...

What if one of the most powerful things we can give our kids is freedom from pressure? In this episode, Wendy sits down with veteran educator and homeschool mentor Julie Ross to talk about how to opt out of pressure-filled schooling, whether your kids are in homeschool, public school, private school, or somewhere in between. Together, they explore how fear, performance, and constant pressure can s...