Healing Hearts: Parenting with Purpose-Support for Resilient Families, Support for Parents, Childhood Trauma Advocacy

Send us Fan Mail Most parents feel like they’re constantly correcting and disciplining their teens, yet their behavior never seems to change. If every conversation turns into an argument, or it feels like you're losing your relationship with your teen, this episode offers a practical approach to rebuilding that could change the way you parent. Last episode, we started our conversation with Dr...

Send us Fan Mail Maybe you’ve tried therapy, but your kid goes, barely says a word, and quits after the second session.  Dr. Will Dobud has spent two decades working with families who had been in that situation. In wilderness programs, clinical settings, and remote Indigenous communities in Australia, Will has been working with teens who everyone else considered lost causes. He was that kid, kicke...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I advocate for my kid when everything seems to be against me?” “How do adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect kids, and how can we help them recover?” — Advocacy is tough and often feels like an uphill battle. Whether you’re raising a child who has experienced foster care, a child with developmental challenges, or a child recovering from trauma, advocacy is crucial t...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I help my kids manage stress and pressure in youth sports?” “How can I encourage my kids without adding undue pressure?” — Two weeks ago, we heard Harvey Araton’s expertise on character building through youth sports and the pressures and stresses that often come out of it. In part two of Benoit Harpey and Kayla Richerson’s conversation with him, Harvey walks us through pr...

Send us Fan Mail “How to reduce pressure on young athletes?” “How can I support my kids in youth sports?” “How do sports shape character in kids?” — Kids worldwide engage in team sports, and for years it has brought joy to the players. Recently, though, the commercialization of youth sports, as well as motivations beyond character building and fun, have placed undue pressure on young athletes. Thi...

Send us Fan Mail “How to help my child heal from trauma?” “What are some trauma-informed parenting techniques?” “What are ways to help children cope with trauma?” — The toll that trauma takes on a child extends far beneath the surface. Trauma impacts perceived identity, self-worth, and hinders joy. Today, Benoit Harpey speaks with Tiffany Tyler, the founder of the Grace Epic Center. Tiffany experi...

Send us Fan Mail “Why does it feel like we aren’t healing?” “What actually works for healing trauma?” “Is my child’s trauma un-solvable?” — Two weeks ago, we heard Marcia Earhart’s story through adoption, parenting, loss, and healing from trauma. Today, Benoit Harpey and Brooke Lowry dive deeper in their conversation with Marcia, a trauma coach and mother, as they discuss how to practically parent...

Send us Fan Mail “What is RAD?” “How does trauma affect my children?” “What can I do to best support my family without getting burnt out?” — Even in the darkest of storms, the blue sky remains behind the clouds. Traumatic experiences come and go, but what remains is an identity forged through the trials. Today, Benoit Harpey and Brooke Lowry sit down with Marcia Earhart, a grief-counselor, a traum...

Send us Fan Mail “How do I build trust with a kid who has gone through trauma?” “What can I do to help my child open up to me?” “Why does it feel like my child isn’t healing from trauma?” — Two weeks ago, we heard Eddie Acosta’s story going from an abused foster kid to an advocate for breaking the cycle of trauma in families. Today, we hear the rest of Benoit Harpey and Amina Elsamahy’s interview...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I break cycles of generational trauma?” “How can I stop my Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) from reflecting onto my kids?” — Almost everyone experiences trauma in their lives, and it weighs heavily on each of us. 33% of people who experienced trauma in their childhood reflect it onto their children, creating a cycle of trauma. But we aren’t defined by our trauma, and...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I help my teen get through self-harm and suicidal behavior?” “Am I harming my teen when I’m trying to help?” “Is healing actually possible?” — The pain, fear, and hopelessness you feel when your teens act out, shut down, or self harm is real. This behavior, though, isn’t manipulative or defiant; it’s survival. Today, Kayla Richerson sits down with Katie K. May, a therapis...

Send us Fan Mail “Why does no one talk about trauma?” “What are the real effects of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?” “How can we recover?” — Two weeks ago, Benjamin Perks told us how important love and connection is in healing trauma, and we started discussing the taboo that lies around trauma. As we finish Benoit Harpey’s interview with him, we hear how important it is that we ta...

Send us Fan Mail “Why does my kid have disproportionally big responses to things that happen?” “How can I help my child heal from trauma?” — There’s a taboo around trauma that cannot seem to be lifted, but it is crucial that we lift it so that we can heal. Today, Benoit Harpey sits down with Benjamin Perks, who’s dedicated his life to removing that taboo. A father himself, Benjamin is a UNICEF Glo...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I help my kid find the right path?” “How can I pay for college while avoiding student debt?” “What is the right college for my kids?” — The college admissions process seems daunting; your baby is making decisions that will change their future. What’s the right college, what’s the right major, what’s the right career? And the nagging question: how will we pay for college?...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I stay calm when my child is having a breakdown?” “What does it mean for me to be an emotional anchor for my kid?” — Most parents struggle with their children's emotional regulation; you are not alone. Last episode, we heard from Todd Sarner, who explained to us that parenting is not about perfection, but presence. Today, we hear the rest of Sophia Mills and Amina El...

Send us Fan Mail “Why don’t discipline or behavior systems work for my child?” “Why does my child shut down so easily?” “What is trauma-informed parenting, and how can I apply it?” — Parenting is tough, and sometimes it feels like we’re doing it all wrong. Behavior can be difficult to understand, especially in kids with trauma. Today, Sophia Mills and Amina Elsamahy sit down with psychotherapist,...

Send us Fan Mail “My foster child’s biological parents are incarcerated; how can I guide them through this difficult time?” “My child’s guard is up after trauma, how can I help take the walls down?” “How can I help a child transition out of Department of Juvenile Justice custody?” — When a child is in DJJ custody, they’re locked up, isolated, and scared. They aren’t just going through legal troubl...

Send us Fan Mail “How do I stop feeling like I’m failing when my child has a hard day?” “How can I balance seeking professional help with trusting my own instincts as a parent?” — We’ve already heard from Dr. Amanda Trovato, who told us about communication through behavior, the power of routine, and how everyone involved in a child’s life is a caregiver. Today, in the second part of Benoit Harpey’...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I help my child with emotional regulation?” “Is my child’s behavior a sign of something more?” “Who can help me as I parent a child with developmental differences?” — As parents, our children’s behavior can be frustrating and disheartening. But what if that behavior is unspoken communication? Benoit Harpey discusses this and more with Dr. Amanda Trovato, clinical psycholo...

Send us Fan Mail “I’m struggling as I parent my foster kids, I feel at a loss and overwhelmed.” “I feel all alone, how can I build a support system?” “Am I being the parent my kid needs me to be?” — We heard from Josie Mae Wells in part one of this series two weeks ago, when we discussed her story, vocational development, and community support system. If you missed that one, be sure to check it ou...

Send us Fan Mail “How can I support my child who has developmental delays?” “What role does community play in foster care success?” “How can I find support for my family as we foster children?” — There are hundreds of challenges that parents, especially those raising foster children or vulnerable children face. Thankfully, there’s a solution to every challenge and today, Benoit Harpey sits down wi...

Send us Fan Mail “I feel overwhelmed and unsupported as a parent.” “Is prioritizing me time selfish?” “How can I break the cycles of trauma and pain in my family?” — As parents, we can often feel torn between caring for our children and caring for ourselves. Both are crucial, and if you don’t balance both, you’ll feel overwhelmed, helpless, and crushed by an unbearable weight. Thankfully, that bal...

Send us Fan Mail “Is there a secret to curing ADHD?” “How can we better support our children through their challenges?” “What am I doing wrong, why isn’t my kid listening?” — ADHD, OCD, ADD. They’re all terms used to define your children as neurodivergent, but often, these occur due to poor lifestyle habits and can easily be resolved. Today, Benoit Harpey sits down with Randall Strain, Air Force v...

Send us Fan Mail “My family and my career are both growing, and I’m having trouble balancing the two.” “Am I messing up my kid’s life by working too much?” “How can I regain time with my family, despite the amount of time I need to spend working?” — Work-life balance. A true struggle, especially when you’ve recently become a parent, and you need to reassess your priorities. You’re not alone in you...

Send us Fan Mail “How do I build trust with a child who’s learned not to trust adults?” “What is my child’s behavior trying to communicate?” “Am I seeing my child’s pain and fear, or just their actions?” — Parenting is hard, parenting foster youth is even harder. Sometimes it feels like they just won’t trust you, that they block you out and don’t listen to what you say. Sometimes they’re even crea...