Empowered to Connect Podcast

You've made it! Or so you thought - your kids have begun that final ascent into adulthood! Congratulations! No more parenting?? HA! Yeah Right!  Hear Becca, Tona and JD Discuss the shifts that must inevetibally be made as we go from parenting children to parenting young adults - how do we handle independence? What can we do to ensure they're remaining connected and at the same time, finding their...

Boundaries are talked about a LOT within relationships, particularly within the parenting realm. We all recognize that humans need boundaries - we can't do everything we want all the time without it costing us dearly...if you're a parent, OR you work with children, you see evidence of that on the daily! Boundaries can be hard to set and often the act of "setting boundaries" or "holding boundaries"...

Oh boy. Buckle up for this one, the question that we all ask as we cover our faces in shame. What about when it's not just a kid, it's ME losing it? Again!? Don't worry - it happens to all of us. Something triggers us again and before we can catch ourselves and regulate, there we go, flying off the handle again. What do we do in those circumstances and HOW DO WE DO IT!? Tona Ottinger, Becca McKay...

Continuing our series on discipline this new year, we've got a good one for you! Today on the show we have Dr. Matt Smith from the Memphis Family Connection Center here to walk us through the 3 C's and 3 D's of discipline when connected parenting. I cannot stress enough how valuable this episode is in its' practicality - if you are struggling with discipline in your home, this is the episode to he...

Do your kids struggle with hearing "no"? Great, neither do ours! Ok, but seriously: for all of us poor souls (aka nearly every parent ever) who DO have kids that struggle to hear us answer "no" to a question or request, we've got you covered! Tona, Becca and JD talk about how to help our kids (and ourselves) sit with disappointment and learn to work through it without exploding.  Carpool Q&A e...

Happy New Year! We wanted to start off 2024 with a series on discipline. As the year begins and routines and rhythms kick back into place, it can be difficult for all of us. Holidays often bring less structure, more junk food, different sleeping habits and lots of excitement...which can mean a tougher return to regular life. Have no fear, though, our series on discipline kicks off with the brillia...

Sometimes family game night doesn't go as planned - a night that seems set up for success goes sideways in a heartbeat, but why!? Today Becca, JD and Tona join us to discuss why competition can be so difficult and how to give your kids the support they need to thrive! You can find every episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast AND Carpool Q&A on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever...

On today's episode, Cultivate Connection Facilitator David Davault joins us to talk about how defining wins and losses changed for him when he started learning about attachment and connection. As the holidays approach, definitely take today's episode and soak it in - when we redefine our expectations for ourselves and those around us, it can lead to the best version of us as parents, friends, part...

It's the holiday season here at ETC and we are here to remind you not to run yourself into the ground! Now, before you respond with the reasons you must run yourself into the ground (no one else is going to do this stuff if I don't, for example), may we look to our phones for a gentle reminder that our batteries HAVE TO charge periodically to keep going. Today the team talks through why recharging...

Today one of our Cultivate Connection Facilitators, Todd Maino, joins Mo and JD to talk about fear. What did we fear as dads early on? What did we fear as dads early on? What settled out and what persisted? How do we process fear and how can we use what we've learned in our parenting journeys to help our kids learn to process their fears in a way that will lead to healing and growth?? All that and...

Disrespect - the age old identifier of younger generations, punk teenagers and people that cut us off in traffic. The single most outraging thing you did to your parents growing up is now something you find yourself being mad about with your kids? How did this come to be!? Today we tackle the topic of disrespect and attempt to define it, talk about why it's so triggering for us and put some filter...

Today on the show we talk about guilt and shame - something no parent ever deals with...right?? Well, for those who know OTHER PARENTS who may struggle in this area, have no fear, we ask friend of the program and CEO of Kardia Collective Shad Berry and ETC Executive Director Mo Ottinger all about guilt and shame on the show today. As parents (and as people) guilt and shame can invade every area of...

Today we revisit one of our most commented on episodes of last year, our conversation about grief and loss with Therapist Rocky Anthony. Rocky tells his own story of going from a career in church ministry to opening his own private counseling practice and walks through how to process grief and loss when we don't see a way forward. This conversation is powerful, practical and full of hope - you are...

It's that time of year again - time to take a deep breath and spend hours and hours with family members you may or may not want to see, eat foods that may or may not be easy for your kids to eat and spend the next month or so with the dull hum of presents and high expectations accompanying your every move. Happy Holidays everyone! In all seriousness, whether you live for this season or loathe this...

It's Friday and you know what that means - it's time for Carpool Q&A with JD, Tona and Becca! Each week, one of us brings a topic for the group to talk through and today JD asked the question: What do you do when you encounter perpetual lying with one of your kiddos? The group talks it over and gives some explanation as to what could be happening underneath the surface as well as some practica...

Today on the show we talk about knowing and understanding our stress capacity - this is a skill that is beneficial to every person on earth! Yes, absolutely essential for parents, but also for human beings who endeavor to be in ANY kind of relationship with another human being, knowing ourselves and our stress capacity helps us manage our humanity and help the humans around us manage theirs. Becca...

Welcome to episode 2 of Carpool Q&A - quick episodes about one topic designed to be listened to as you go to or from your carpool responsibilities! This week we cover a topic that affects so many of us today - how to handle picky eaters! Now - before we launch off into the episode, a few caveats - there is not, unfortunately, a 15 - 20 minute conversation that can cure picky eaters or teach yo...

On today's episode, one of our faorite guests is BACK to talk about her incredible new book. It's our friend Robyn Gobbel and her book, Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain, Body, Sensory Strategies that Really Work , is one of our favorite parenting books ever. Robyn talks about why she wrote this book, the thought behind her creative approach of weaving narrative and instruction toge...

Surprise!! We have a brand new show launching today!  We're calling it Carpool Q&A - a one-topic show to get you from point A to point B with practical tips and advice to help you parent today. New Episodes drop on Fridays where JD, Becca and Tona will take turns throwing out a topic and discussing it. These will be shorter, more direct episodes than our long form Tuesday episodes and we'd lov...

Happy Tuesday and I hope you're ready for an uplifting episode today! We've got a special guest, Dr. Maureen Michele with us today and she's going to talk about how to reclaim your life. Dr. Maureen Michele is a mom,  Pediatrician, author, life coach and more - she's here today to talk about how parenting a daughter through a cancer diagnosis changed her life - and how she nearly missed the opport...

In this episode of the Empowered to Connect podcast, our ETCI Program Manager, Becca McKay, joins host JD Wilson to delve into the challenging topic of "How to Talk to Your Kids About Tragedy." With the horrific news coming out of the middle east right now as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, we thought it pertinent to have an episode where we talk about how to talk about hard things. We...

Today's the day to hear from the dads! We've been talking lately at ETC about how important it is to get on the same parenting page as your spouse. It's difficult - it can be contentious - but it's necessary. We had Cultivate Connection Facilitator dads Evan Dyson and recurring guest Todd Baumann join us to talk through that important process - how did they do it? What were the challenges and hurd...

In today's episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast, we're joined by a recurring guest, the wonderful Rhonda Roorda. Rhonda joined us early in our show's history, if you never listened to that episode, you can (and should) find it right here ! She's not only an award-winning author but also a transracial adoptee, bringing a unique perspective to the table. Apart from her work as an author, Rhon...

In today's episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast, we're joined by ETC Training Specialist Jesse Faris, along with host JD Wilson and ETC Institute Program Manager Becca McKay, to explore the complex world of parenting in the digital age. As technology continues to play an integral role in our lives, it's crucial to strike a balance between maintaining a strong connection with our children an...

If you are or have been a part of a church, you know childcare can be a minefield for parents whose children have experienced early trauma, adversity or loss. Well-meaning volunteers can become frazzled not knowing how to help, kids become unsure of what to expect and parents wonder "Is it safe for my child to be here the whole service?"  Obviously this isn't everyone's experience, but for those w...