Kids These Days

Guest: Dr. Jacqueline Jacobs Tynan, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in attachment-based therapy for children, families, and parents, trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with Dr. Jacqueline to unpack why kids' big behaviors are rarely the real problem — they're a signal. They dig into selective...

Summer is supposed to feel like freedom — but for most parents, it's also when couple connection quietly falls apart. In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with couples and sex therapist Bozhena Evans, LCSW to talk about why the summer transition is hard on relationships, how to stop the communication spirals before they start, and the surprisingly simple practices that can keep you and your par...

Guest: Dr. Stephanie Bono, licensed psychologist and founder of Evergrow Therapy & Assessment in the Denver Highlands. Steph specializes in ADHD, anxiety, insomnia, and parenting, and leads workshops for moms raising toddler boys — including her new boy mom playgroup at Sloane's Lake in Denver. Episode Summary: Dr. Courtney sits down with Denver psychologist and boy mom Dr. Stephanie Bono for...

In this Father's Day episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with Denver-based therapist and dad coach Bryce Giron Mathern to talk about what it really means to show up as a present, connected father. Bryce shares his personal journey through IVF, miscarriage, and becoming a dad in his 40s to twin boys — and how fatherhood has been his single greatest growth experience. Together they unpack why modern dad...

June is Pride Month, making it the perfect time to evaluate the environment we are building within our own four walls. While many parents hold deeply open-minded values and want their homes to be an "identity-safe zone," a wave of intense anxiety often hits the surface the moment topics like gender exploration, sexual identity, or pronouns enter the chat. Parents freeze out of a catastrophic fear...

If you are a parent of multiples, your day-to-day reality is a completely different ballgame. The physical and emotional exhaustion of the early years is next level. But beyond the logistics of double strollers and synchronous tantrums lies a fascinating, highly specialized psychological landscape. We often celebrate the deep, non-verbal bond twins share, but clinically, that "womb-mate" connectio...

We talk a lot about clinical frameworks and evidence-based psychological theories on this show. But today, we are stepping out of the clinic and straight onto the playground to talk about the real-world execution of mental health: community . In this special bonus episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with Tessa Metiva , the founder of the Denver-based Cool Mom Collective and host of the Mama’s Got the...

Have you ever packed up your car for a weekend getaway with a baby or toddler, looked at the literal mountain of gear, and wondered: Is this even worth it? For most parents of young children, standard travel isn't a vacation—it’s just parenting in a different zip code. The cognitive and logistical mental load required to keep a toddler safe, fed, and sleeping on the road is enough to cause full-bl...

Inside the Episode: The Referee vs. The Coach The 4 Rs: How to Spot the "Referee" in You Chris identifies the four signs that you’ve slipped into a reactive, referee mindset. When we are in this mode, we focus on rules and punishment rather than growth. Reprimanding: Focusing strictly on what not to do (e.g., "Stop running!"). Repeating: Saying the same directive over and over, which actually teac...

This episode is the deep breath every modern parent needs. We live in a world where we are bombarded with "prescriptive" parenting advice at every turn—if we don’t use the right script or the right reward chart, we’re told we’re failing. But what if the goal isn't perfection, but simply being "good enough"? I’m joined by Katie Linn, LCSW , a Denver-based therapist and the creator behind @YourThera...

Biology 101: The Two Halves of Your Cycle Lauren breaks down the month into two distinct phases, driven by our "lead actor" hormones: The Follicular Phase (Front Half): Driven by rising Estrogen . This hormone is responsible for our zest for life. It makes us feel vibrant, creative, and resilient. This is the phase where we often feel like we "have it all together." The Luteal Phase (Back Half): D...

Guest: Dr. Lindsey O’Brennan, Licensed Psychologist & Founder of Morningstar Wellness On paper, they look perfect. Straight A’s, varsity spots, and a resume that would make a CEO jealous. But for many high-achieving teens, the cost of functioning at such a high level has quietly become too great. In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with longtime colleague and performance expert Dr. Lindsey...

Have you ever felt dismissed by your child's school? Your child’s teacher reports they are well-behaved and hitting benchmarks, yet the second they hit the front door at home, they explode into a "whirlwind" of meltdowns. In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with Hannah Higgins, LCSW , a former school social worker and neurodivergent advocate, to demystify the phenomenon of masking . Hannah sha...

Guest: Annie Close, Pediatric Occupational Therapist & Founder of OWN Pediatric Therapy Potty training is often treated like a high-stakes behavioral exam, but what if the struggle isn't about "willpower" at all? In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with pediatric pelvic health expert Annie Close to discuss why so many families hit a wall with potty training. We dive deep into the physiolog...

"Their behavior is a longing for connection." If you’ve ever found yourself in a "boiling point" moment—where a simple request turns into a door-slamming explosion—then this episode is your permission slip to stop being a "Fixer" and start being an Anchor. In this conversation, I’m joined by Emma Abel Loach, M.Ed., Ed. S., LMFT , the Clinical Director at Thrive Couple and Family Counseling Service...

“I looked, and I don’t see a tie.” For many parents, this sentence is the beginning of a long, frustrating journey of chasing symptoms like fragmented sleep, chronic gas, and delayed motor milestones without ever finding the root cause. In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney Lynn sits down with Dr. Kayla Culbertson, a pediatric Occupational Therapist and specialist in tethered oral ties...

Morning stress, "tummy aches," and the desperate plea to stay home—school refusal is one of the most taxing challenges a family system can face. In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney Lynn is joined by Dr. Alex Littleton to discuss the "School Refusal Trap." They dive deep into why our well-intentioned efforts to ease a child's distress can inadvertently reinforce their anxiety. Using t...

“I feel like I’m failing on all fronts.” “I’m always the one left out.” If you are a member of a stepfamily, you know that the word "step" often carries a heavy weight. Between the Disney stereotypes of evil step-parents and the internal feeling that your family was born from a place of "brokenness," it is incredibly easy to get stuck in a state of high-alert. We try to "manage" the dishes and the...

“Is this decision going to break my child?” When a family faces divorce, parents often spiral into intense fear and shame. We worry that our choice to pursue a healthier life will dismantle the Secure Base we’ve worked so hard to build. But as we often say at IBH: our children don’t need us to be perfect; they need us to be regulated, honest, and present. In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. C...

“If I just try harder, my child wouldn't need this.” “I can exercise my way out of this depression.” As parents, the pressure to "optimize" our families often turns us into "Human Doings" who are stuck in a state of high-alert. We treat clinical struggles as personal failures. But what if the path to a healthier family wasn't through perfection, but through balance? In this episode of Kids These D...

“Mommy, my tummy hurts.” It’s the phrase that can derail a morning and send a parent’s stress levels through the roof. When medical tests come back "normal" but your child is still in pain, where do you turn? In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney sits down with Dr. Cat Naclerio, a pediatric psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Digestive Health Institute. They pull back the cu...

Did you know that 90% of your child’s serotonin—the "feel-good" neurotransmitter—is actually made in their gut, not their brain? In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney sits down with functional and integrative medicine expert Dr. Laura Vanston to demystify the "gut-brain connection." We often think of anxiety as a "head problem," but Dr. Laura explains why it is a bi-directional highway...

“I’m stupid.” “I’m going to fail.” “If I don't get an A, I'll never get into college.” As parents, hearing our children engage in negative self-talk can trigger our own "Internal Critic." We feel the urgency to fix it, to argue against it, or to problem-solve the pain away. But what if our "fix-it" mode is actually closing the door on connection? In this episode of Kids These Days , Dr. Courtney s...

Navigating the school system can feel like learning a foreign language. Between IEPs, 504 plans, MTSS, and specialized educational jargon, parents often find themselves overwhelmed and unsure of how to get their child the support they actually need. In this episode, Dr. Courtney is joined by Rachel Schopp , a K-12 veteran, former administrator, and educational consultant. Rachel acts as a "transla...

We hear the term "Self-Care" everywhere—usually accompanied by images of three-hour spa days or solo vacations. But for parents in the "messy middle," those things don't just feel rare—they feel impossible. When we can't achieve the Instagram version of self-care, we end up feeling two things: Guilt and Pressure. Today, Dr. Courtney is joined by Dr. Brittany Wade , a Licensed Psychologist and foun...