Empowered to Connect Podcast

Today Josh and Ava Conley join us to discuss the intersection of youth sports and parenting. When choosing to parent through lenses of attachment and connection, sports can be one of the toughest activities to figure out. How should you approach a coach when there's a complaint or a request to serve your child in a different way? How do we prepare our kids for these environments, how do we prepare...

Today we've got a very special guest - Dr. Lauren Chipman, a Pediatrician in Memphis, TN joins us to help us learn how to navigate the tricky world of advocating for your kids in the medical sector. Lauren joins Tona Ottinger and host JD Wilson and brings hear years of experience as a Physician and as a Mom to the table to help us understand how to navigate the world of Pediatricians/hospitals/med...

In today's Empowered to Connect Podcast episode, we're sitting down with MO and Tona Ottinger from ETC and diving into a crucial topic: how to be an advocate for your children within your own family and friends circle! Parenting comes with its own set of challenges, but you don't have to face them alone. MO and Tona are here to help you understand how to communicate your child's needs effectively...

In today's episode, we are joined by Anna Marie Penn, a former reading specialist and expert in educational advocacy. Anna Marie and her husband, Jonathan, both spent years working in under-resourced schools in Memphis, TN. Now parents to two awesome kids and advocates for many, Anna Marie takes us on a deep dive into the intricate art of advocating for your children within the school system.   Wi...

In today's episode, we are joined by school psychologists Rachel Peterman, PhD and Teressa Davis, PhD with special guest host (and former Dean of Students and School Social Worker) Becca McKay who unveil a treasure trove of insights for parents, especially as it pertains to getting to know the special education system. Delve into the minds of these experts as they share what they wish every parent...

It's August, so kids are going back to school all over the place! Join us today as we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations! We delve into a crucial Back to School conversation with author of Beyond Behaviors, Brain Body Parenting and acclaimed pediatric psychologist, Mona Delahooke! The ETC Team join Mona as this episode delves into effective strategies grounded in neuroscience to na...

In today's episode, we're excited to bring you a masterclass on the art of transitions, led by none other than Becca McKay and Jesse Faris! Becca and Jesse bring a wise and compassionate approach, guiding us through the intricate world of transitions, offering essential insights and practical strategies to navigate your child's (and your own) life's shifts with grace and resilience. Whether it's m...

In today's episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome recurring guest, Anteelah Love, Cultivate Connection Facilitator and ETC Training Specialist! Join us as Anteelah talks us through the art of "Repair, Reflect, Readjust" - our last, but certainly not least important Connecting Practice. We talk about how Anteelah and her husband Matthew are using this practice this...

Today we're joined by Mark and Kelly Raudenbush, Cultivate Connection Facilitators in Philadelphia, PA. Mark and Kelly, among lots of things, head up the Sparrow Fund and are very active advocates in the foster care and adoptive communities. We couldn't think of anyone better to join us to talk about this week's Connecting Practice: 'Respond Thoughtfully.' Discover the transformative power of thou...

It's our 150th episode and who better to join us for the this special occasion than our good friends Nyasha and Regina Chari!? Nyasha and Regina are cultivate connection Facilitators in Zimbabwe and have been ETC Parent Trainers for almost 10 years now! They join us today to talk about the vast importance of understanding how to meet needs for our kids. Sounds basic, right? Well, Becca McKay, the...

This week on the ETC Podcast we bring in Cultivate Connection Facilitators Matt and Carissa Davis from Memphis, TN to talk with us about a foundational Connecting Practice: Giving Voice. This idea has long been critiqued as 'permissive' parenting due to children being taught to advocate for their needs. Giving your child a voice, however, is far from permissive - on the contrary, it is imperative...

Today on the Empowered to Connect Podcast we delve into a pivotal connecting practice: the power of play in parenting with one of our favorite guests, Tom Jordi. Hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, Tom is not only a TBRI Practitioner but also a Cultivate Connection Facilitator, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to our conversation. He and his wife Dawn have 4 kiddos and are an abs...

Join us for an enlightening episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast as we welcome Cultivate Connection Facilitator Angie Grant and talk about utilizing scaffolding as a fundamental parenting principle. In this episode, we explore the profound impact of scaffolding on our children's growth and development. Scaffolding is a transformative approach that empowers parents to provide the necessary s...

In Today's episode we dive deep into the art of being fully present. Joining us today are Nick and Jesse Faris, cultivate connection facilitators based in Memphis, TN, who bring a wealth of wisdom and experience to the topic. Jesse, who serves on staff at Empowered to Connect as a Program and Training Specialist, and Nick have 2 kiddos through adoption and have been Empowered to Connect trainers f...

Today on the Empowered to Connect Podcast, we are joined by Todd and Brandy Baumann, two remarkable people who bring a unique blend of expertise and compassion to the world of parenting and caregiving. Todd, an engineer, and Brandy, the coordinator for True Vine Ministries, serving foster and adoptive families at their church, share their insights on on why balancing nurture and structure quickly...

Today, we are thrilled to have special guests Matt and Laurel Smith, Memphis, TN facilitators of ETC Cultivate Connection (ETC's own parenting curriculum). Join us as we delve into the heart of our summer series and explore the very first connecting practice: "Be Curious." Curiosity is a powerful tool that holds the key to deepening connections and fostering healthy relationships. Matt and Laurel...

Join Tona Ottinger, Becca McKay, and host JD Wilson in today's episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast as we delve into the exciting new resource available at empoweredtoconnect.org/store — the Connecting Practices Handbook! This handbook is a comprehensive guide designed to empower individuals, families, and professionals with an overview of the 9 Connecting Practices found in our parenting c...

On today's episode of the Empowered to Connect podcast, we delve into the inspiring parenting journey of Mike and Kristin Berry, the founders of The Honestly Adoption Company. In this heartfelt conversation, Mike and Kristin share their personal experiences as adoptive parents, opening up about the challenges, joys, and transformative moments they encountered along the way. With their unique blend...

Prepare for a remarkable episode of the Empowered to Connect podcast as we explore the transformative pages of Aundi Kolber's book, "Strong Like Water." This captivating work not only acknowledges the courage it takes to survive but also equips readers with practical tools to transition from mere coping to embodying true strength. In "Strong Like Water," Aundi Kolber's voice rises like a wise and...

Today on the Empowered to Connect podcast, we are joined by Becca McKay and Tori Hope Petersen as they share their personal stories of how Mother's Day can be a difficult and painful experience for them. Both Becca and Tori have experienced significant grief and loss related to their childhood mothers, and in this conversation, they courageously open up about the complexities of navigating this ho...

We've got a great one for you today! In today's episode, we are thrilled to have Lucinda Miles as our guest. Lucinda a TBRI Practitioner with Volunteers for Youth Justice in Shreveport, LA, where she is bringing life-changing TBRI training to the juvenile justice system and incarcerated individuals. Lucinda's work is focused on bringing hope and healing to those who have experienced trauma and adv...

Well. In some seasons of parenting, staying in the good work feels impossible. Maybe impossible is the wrong word, maybe hopeless or 'not worth it' is a better way of expressing it. In all reality, we believe every hard season hits in different ways for different people and their contexts.  So what do we do when we reach one of those places? How do we muster up the strength to continue? I have gre...

Today we take an exclusive look at one of Dr. Karyn Purvis' most helpful parenting strategies with Jesse Faris and Becca McKay. In this episode, we delve into a never-before-seen clip with the late Dr. Karyn Purvis, where she shares invaluable insights on how to manage anger and build trust with our kids. Join us for a deep dive conversation on the power of trust-based parenting and its potential...

We are so excited to share a never-before-seen clip of Dr. Karyn Purvis teaching today. Our team has been on pins and needles waiting to release several new videos of Karyn, so we wanted to hop on an episode today to take the content she shares with us in the video deeper! We've all experienced moments of over-responding as parents. How do we ensure that we aren't going to send our children furthe...

Recurring guests Lisa Qualls and Melissa Corkum, whom you may know from their work at The Adoption Connection , are no stranger to blocked care. They joined us in episode 100 to talk Compassion Fatigue and introduce the idea of blocked care and are back today to tell us about their new book: Compassion Fatigue: Overcoming Blocked Care with Neuroscience and Faith. Melissa and Lisa explain what bloc...