Mom Essentials

You ask how his day was and you get "fine."  You ask if anything is going on and you get "nope." Then the door closes. If you are raising a teen boy, you know that feeling of being locked out, and this episode is here to help. Angie Weber sits down with Jarrod Hoffman, a licensed professional counselor whose whole practice is built on two beliefs: that teens are far more resilient than we give the...

You've had Blue's Clues, Daniel Tiger, and Super Why on repeat. But have you ever stopped to think about who's behind those shows, and what your kids are actually absorbing while they watch? This week Angie sits down with Angela Santomero, the creator behind those beloved programs and a Peabody and Emmy Award winner with a master's in child development from Columbia. Angela has built her career on...

Ever looked around your house and thought, "How did it get like this? I used to have it all together"? You are not alone, and according to this week's guest, that mess is not a character flaw. It is a sign your life has outgrown your system. And that is fixable. Angie sits down with Tia Toso, founder of Room for Serenity, a home organizing service in the Twin Cities. Tia isn't the kind of organize...

Ever sat in a parent-teacher conference and heard the words "we're seeing some attention issues"? Or found yourself Googling your kid's behavior at 11 p.m., wondering if it's normal or something more? ADHD is one of the most talked-about and most misunderstood diagnoses out there, and this week Angie sits down with two women who live in it every single day. Sam Straub, LCPC, is a parent coach and...

It's 2 AM. Your baby has a fever you can't explain, your toddler has a rash out of nowhere, or your tween just asked a question you have no idea how to answer. Where do you turn? This week on Mom Essentials, Angie sits down with Hans Kullberg, father of five, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of Avocado Health, a text-based parent decision support platform built from one of the most profound los...

Tech is everywhere- from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep. And as moms, we're not just managing our own relationship with screens, we're shaping our kids' relationship with them too. So how much is too much? What does screen time actually do to a developing brain? And what are we missing when the iPad becomes the default babysitter? This week, Angie Weber sits down with Meg Faure- occupa...

What if your child's meltdowns aren't a behavior problem - but a nervous system problem? And what if the same thing is happening to you? In this episode, Angie Weber sits down with Dr. Katie Jancik, an integrative pediatric chiropractor and owner of It Takes a Village Chiropractic, to talk about the powerful connection between nervous system regulation and how our families actually feel day to day...

"My labs came back normal, so why do I feel so awful?" If you've ever sat in your doctor's office and heard "everything looks fine" while feeling anything but, this episode is for YOU. Today we are joined by Christa Biegler, award-winning dietician and functional nutritionist, who helps women resolve food sensitivities, inflammation, and hormonal chaos- without endless restriction or costly testin...

Parenting teens without power struggles might feel impossible at times. Between one-word answers, emotional reactions, and constant pushback, it can be hard to know how to stay connected while still guiding your child. In this episode of Mom Essentials, Angie Weber sits down with teen and parent wellbeing coach Laura Ollinger to talk about what is really happening beneath teen behavior and how to...

Are we pushing our kids to succeed… or unintentionally setting them up to feel like they are never enough? In this episode of Mom Essentials, Angie Weber sits down with a pediatric expert, Dr. Joshua Stein, to unpack the growing pressure of perfectionism in today's world and how it is impacting both children and parents. From academics to athletics to everyday expectations, many kids are feeling t...

Tired of feeling disconnected from your teen? In this empowering episode, psychotherapist Iuri Melo shares practical strategies for building strong emotional bonds, teaching regulation skills, and helping teens thrive in a world full of noise. From proactive mental health tools to parenting through digital challenges, this conversation is full of "aha" moments for anyone raising a child today. Lea...

We don't get to choose the patterns we were raised with—but we do get to choose whether we continue them. In this episode of Mom Essentials , empowerment strategist Kate Ferrian shares her powerful story of healing after divorce and an emotionally abusive relationship. We explore how reparenting yourself, rebuilding self-trust, and honoring your emotional needs can help you stop performing and sta...

Big feelings aren't just for kids, parents have them too. But when we don't know how to regulate our own emotions, it makes it harder to show up the way we want to for our families. In this powerful episode, psychotherapist and author Jennifer Elmberg shares how we can become more emotionally aware, respond rather than react, and help our kids do the same. From her children's book Mari's Magical M...

How often do you feel like you're running a household, but missing out on actually connecting with your family? In this solo episode of Mom Essentials, I'm opening up about how a few small changes made a big difference in the way we communicate in our home. You'll find out why communication is as much about listening as it is about talking with some new approaches to conversations!  Also, I share...

What if your teen didn't just guess their way into college or a career path, but actually knew what they were good at and where they thrive? In this episode of Mom Essentials, I'm joined by Anna Nelson, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and founder of Strengths Before Strategy. Anna works with teens to help them identify their natural strengths, so they can build real confidence, make empowered cho...

Let's be honest, financial stress can feel like a constant hum in the background of motherhood. But it doesn't have to stay that way. In this episode of Mom Essentials, I sit down with Bobbie Harris, financial wealth coach and founder of the Wealth Builder Profit Power Hour, to talk about how to end the money stress for good . Bobbie shares how she and her family went from living paycheck to paych...

So many of us are silently struggling- navigating parenting, trauma, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm while pretending we're fine. But silence doesn't heal. In this episode of Mom Essentials , I'm joined by Kelli Melissa Reinhardt, founder of Make Mental Health Matter , to talk about breaking the silence surrounding mental health, grief, and the emotional burdens we carry as parents. Kelli shares...

When parenting a child with ADHD or anxiety, the emotional rollercoaster can feel unrelenting and the mom guilt? Overwhelming! In this episode, I'm joined by Dana Baker, ADHD and anxiety parenting coach, speaker, and mom who's lived this journey firsthand. Dana opens up about her own parenting story, how she learned to trust her instincts, and what finally helped her advocate for her daughter in a...

There are so many parts of motherhood we're told to celebrate, but what about the things we don't talk about? In this episode, I talk with Ivy Brooks , a digital marketing strategist, homeschooling mom, and former tokophobia sufferer. Ivy opens up about her emotional journey through pregnancy, birth trauma, and the early days of motherhood and how healing didn't come from pretending it was perfect...

Running a business is tough. Raising kids is even tougher. Doing both at the same time? That takes intention, boundaries, and a whole lot of grace. In this episode, I chat with Holly Stomberg, realtor, business owner, and mom of two, about what it's really like to juggle motherhood and entrepreneurship. Holly shares her honest experience of working with her spouse, setting boundaries around family...

Not all kids learn the same way, but many parents are left feeling confused, guilty, or overwhelmed when their child struggles in school. What if the real issue isn't behavior or motivation but something deeper? In this episode, I sit down with Rich Frieder, owner of LearningRx, a brain training center that helps kids and adults improve the cognitive skills that impact how they learn, read, and pr...

Have you ever wished you could just clone yourself to get it all done? Between the mental load, never-ending tasks, and the weight of invisible labor, it's no wonder so many moms are feeling burned out. But what if there was a better way to manage your household—and your energy? In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Morgan , entrepreneur, mom of three, and founder of Heron House Management—the f...

If you've ever found yourself whisper-yelling "Why won't you sleep?!" into the darkness at 2 a.m., you're not alone. And contrary to what books and advice columns might suggest, it's not always about routines or bad habits—it could be your child's temperament. In this powerful episode, I sit down with Macall Gordon, a certified pediatric sleep consultant and co-author of Why Won't You Sleep? , to...

Play is more than just a way to pass the time- it's how kids learn, connect, and thrive. But for many parents, knowing how to "play right" with their kids can feel confusing, exhausting, or even a little overwhelming. In this episode, I sit down with Jill Lerman, a play and parenting coach, early childhood educator, and mom, to explore the true power of play and why it doesn't need to be Pinterest...

Do you ever end your day wondering where the time went? You're constantly busy, yet it still feels like you're falling behind. If you're tired of feeling overwhelmed and ready to take back control of your schedule, you're going to love this conversation. In this episode, I chat with Erica Dirkes, time management coach and founder of Mindful Time Coaching. Erica shares why women in particular carry...