Abundant Wellness With Andrea- From Surviving to Thriving in Mind, Body and Spirit

What if your child is incredibly bright... but still struggles with emotional regulation, friendships, executive functioning, or everyday life? In this eye-opening conversation, Andrea sits down with Mark Talaga, counselor, founder of the Center for Identity Potential, and host of the Hopelessly Gifted podcast, to unpack one of the most misunderstood forms of neurodivergence: giftedness. Together,...

Bringing home a new baby is supposed to be one of life's happiest moments—but for many moms, it's also one of the loneliest. In this episode, Andrea sits down with Andrea Ippolito, founder and CEO of Simply Fed, to discuss the hidden gaps in postpartum care and why so many women feel unsupported after birth.   Together they explore why breastfeeding is often far more challenging than expected, how...

Groceries are more expensive than ever, and for many families, the mental load of meal planning, budgeting, and shopping has become overwhelming. In this episode, Andrea sits down with entrepreneur and Stretch founder Andy Ellwood to discuss why grocery prices vary so dramatically, how shoppers can make more informed decisions, and why pricing transparency matters. Andy shares his journey from bui...

Raising a neurodivergent child often comes with questions that traditional parenting advice doesn't answer—especially when it comes to food, sensory sensitivities, emotional regulation, and mealtime struggles. In this episode, Andrea sits down with ADHD Life Coach, Certified Teacher, and Functional Nutrition Practitioner Amy Jones to explore the powerful connection between ADHD, autism, nervous sy...

Mothering Through Perimenopause: Why Neurodivergent Parenting Hits Differently If you've found yourself feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering why perimenopause seems to be hitting you harder than everyone else, this episode is for you. Andrea explores the unique challenges of raising neurodivergent and medically complex children while navigating the hormonal shifts of midlife. She explains...

In this powerful conversation, Andrea sits down with pediatric chiropractor and airway-focused practitioner Dr. Kathy Cantwell to discuss one of the most overlooked contributors to behavior issues, sleep struggles, nervous system dysregulation, ADHD symptoms, and long-term health concerns in children: airway dysfunction. Dr. Cantwell shares her own personal journey with severe sleep-disordered bre...

Every child experiences fear at some point in their lives, but how we as their parents, help them through it can make all the difference in their emotional development.    In this episode, guest Randolph Schiffer shares his personal journey of helping children overcoming fear as a pediatrician and father.    Grab a copy of his book here

Today we are talking with Emily Roper, Certified Midwife Assistant and Neuro Developmental Delay Specialist all about how the brain develops in early pregnancy, how postpartum changes impact early childhood development and how we can prevent developmental issues from happening AND fix them with the right support.   You can find out more about Emily on INSTAGRAM    And  or on her website https://ww...

Conventional Pediatrics is a necessity for all children, however, there is one thing it does that might be setting you and your child up for failure and you don't even realize it!    In this episode, Andrea, RN, BSN and former Pediatric bedside nurse shares how the microwave culture creates unrealistic expectations for true healing, and what she is doing to change it.    To set up a Strong Start D...

Maybe you got thrust into the "super Mom" role against your will when your child was diagnosed with a complex medical diagnosis or chronic illness.   Maybe you've been trying to get out of "Super Mom" mode for years but still keep getting stuck in the cycle...   If this sounds like you, then listen up!   In this episode, Andrea explains why “super mom” parenting is unsustainable for parents of chi...

With Mother's Day just a few weeks away, this is an episode you don't want to miss!   The episode addresses why Mother’s Day can feel heavy for parents of children with special needs, emphasizing that love can coexist with grief, exhaustion, and resentment.   From a nervous system lens, chronic stress, heightened expectations, sensory and emotional needs, and social comparison can make the day fee...

In this episode,  Andrea interviews naturopathic doctor Dr. Bahr, who uses classical homeopathy to help families recover from PANS/PANDAS (autoimmune neuropsychiatric symptoms triggered by infections such as strep).   They discuss how Dr. Bahr’s practice built consistent, structured care so families can be supported during crises and covered when providers are away. Dr. Bahr shares how she moved f...

Andrea, a functional health practitioner and RN , interviews Dr. Tony, a chiropractor focused on nervous system healing, about why neurodevelopmental disorders and related issues are exploding. Dr. Tony says the root is not genetics but a “perfect storm” of toxic overload (inhaled, ingested, or injected), high maternal stress during pregnancy that wires sympathetic dominance and suppresses vagal d...

If you’ve been sitting in despair, this episode is for you. We’re having an honest conversation about what despair actually means—and what it doesn’t. It’s not a failure of your faith. It’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong. In this episode, we explore how spiritual bypassing can keep us stuck, what the Bible really shows us about walking through despair, and why a felt sense of safety is es...

What does a dysregulated nervous system actually look like in kids? If your child has meltdowns, shuts down, refuses food, or reacts in ways that feel confusing, it’s easy to assume it’s behavioral. But often, it’s neurological. In this episode, we break down how nervous system dysregulation shows up in children, including the difference between tantrums and meltdowns, common regulation struggles,...

In this episode, Andrea sits down with her friend Larah to explore what it means to parent through diagnosis, hardship, and uncertainty through a gospel lens rather than fear, shame, or comparison.   Together, they unpack the true meaning of the gospel, why toxic positivity and forced gratitude miss the mark, and how hope and grief can coexist. This conversation gently challenges the belief that c...

Today we have Dr. Kathy Cantwell of Unity Chiropractic in Beaverton Oregon with us.  Kathy has been in practice for over 30 years with a special focus on the nervous system.    In today's episode, we talk all about : What a dysregulated nervous system looks like in children How nervous system focused chiropractic care is different than classical chiropractic care What diagnoses or behavioral issue...

Rethinking Mental Health Through the Nervous System Lens When we hear mental illness, we often imagine something extreme or permanent. But what if many mental health struggles are actually signs of a nervous system operating beyond capacity? In this episode, Andrea is joined by licensed mental health therapist Amy Waters to explore mental health through a nervous system lens — moving beyond labels...

What It Costs to Parent a Sensitive Nervous System There’s a kind of exhaustion that doesn’t come from doing too much — it comes from being on all the time. In this episode, we name the hidden cost of parenting a child with a sensitive or neurodivergent nervous system. Not just physical tiredness, but the constant emotional vigilance, real-time regulation, and nervous system load that never makes...

“If it worked, it would have worked by now.” Many parents quietly think, We’ve tried everything. Charts. Rewards. Consequences. Punishments. And when none of it works, the blame often falls on you. In this episode, we explore why traditional parenting tools often fail neurodivergent or sensitive nervous systems — and why that failure is not a parenting problem. You’ll learn: The assumptions behind...

Many Christian parents quietly wonder: If my child isn’t obedient, am I failing God? In this episode, we explore the tension between obedience-based parenting and what neuroscience reveals about how children’s brains actually function—especially in neurodivergent, anxious, or trauma-affected kids. You’ll learn why obedience is a higher brain function, why fear creates compliance but not disciplesh...

Your Child Isn’t Broken (and Neither Are You) Why so many special-needs parents feel like failures — and what’s really happening neurologically If you’ve ever wondered “Why is this so hard?” or “What am I doing wrong?”—this episode is for you. Parenting a neurodivergent, sensitive, or anxious child can leave parents feeling judged, exhausted, isolated, and ashamed—especially when traditional paren...

Raising healthy, happy kids in this day and age is no easy feat!    Dr. Elisa Song joins me today to chat all things integrative medicine and how that can help us raise children that are free of the chronic issues that have been normalized by western medicine.    Make sure you grab a copy of her bestseller HERE   To schedule a discovery call with Andrea, find a time HERE    

Disappointment is something we all experience in life. It is unavoidable! But how we process it will determine if we get stuck in it or move through it in a healthy way that leads to deeper connection with ourselves and with God.     

If you haven't taken a listen to part 1 where I explain what the microbiome is and how it impacts our mental, emotional and spiritual health, make sure to go take a listen to that first!    In todays episode, I cover:  How can microbiome testing help in identifying and addressing mental health or behavioral issues? What are the limitations or potential challenges of microbiome testing in the conte...