Once Upon a Feeling

What happens when the darkest chapter of your life becomes the doorway to your purpose? In this episode, Rita sits down with Deanna Blasi DeAndino , founder of The Mindset Tapestry — the first neuroscience-backed brand for kids and families — and creator of the Magic Mirror Affirmation Chart. A former special education teacher, Deanna opens up with rare honesty about the postpartum depression she...

Hi Friends, we're so glad you're here ! For months, Once Upon a Feeling has been about helping children name and navigate their feelings. This episode is where that changes — and Rita shares exactly why. When a friendship conflict she thought she'd "solved" two years ago came roaring back weeks before the end of the school year, it sent her back to a memory of her own: a p...

Most parents think potty training is about timing, sticker charts, and patience. But what if the real story is happening inside your child's nervous system? In this episode of Beyond the Story , Rita sits down with Dr. Quiara Smith , a Pediatric Pelvic Health Specialist based in Santa Rosa, California, who has dedicated her practice to helping children and families navigate one of the most ov...

Hi!  We're really glad you're here! In this episode, Anattina reads "Too Loud, Too Cold, Just Right" — a gentle, relatable story that walks children (and parents!) through the sensory journey of potty training, from the shock of a cold seat to the triumph of a brave flush. Potty training isn't just about habits — it's a full sensory experience for your child. The cold...

What does a worn-out pair of ballet slippers have to do with emotional development, attachment theory, and raising resilient kids? More than you might think.   In this week's Beyond the Stories, host Rita sits down with Sophie Pierce — the real-life dance teacher who inspired Sophie's Slippers — and Rebecca Callahan, a marriage and family therapist in training. Together, they unpack the...

What happens when a child loses the thing they love most — the toy, the blanket, the worn-out pair of shoes that made them feel like themselves? In this episode, we explore transitional objects, big feelings, and the beautiful truth that the magic children believe lives in their treasured items has always lived inside them. This week's story, Sophie's Slippers, captures that journey with...

When Mom Goes Out — Parenting Guilt, Big Feelings, and Raising Emotionally Aware Kids What happens to a family's emotional world when mom isn't there? And why does leaving — even for an hour — trigger such a loud alarm in so many parents? In this episode of Beyond the Stories, Rita sits down with Dr. Anna Huang — licensed therapist, Chinese-American mom, and founder of The Mindful Peach...

That heavy feeling in your tummy when mom or dad has to leave. What do you do with it? And what if someone told you it was completely okay to feel it? In this episode of Once Upon a Feeling, Rita's daughter Annatina reads "When Mom Goes Out" — a children's book written by Dr. Anna Huang, clinical psychologist and co-founder of The Mindful Peach. It's a story about Eden, a...

How Children Grieve — and How to Talk About It What does grief actually look like in a child? And how do you talk about death, loss, and big feelings with kids who don't have the words yet?  In this episode of Beyond the Stories, Rita sits down with Jessica Correnti— certified child life specialist, bereaved mom, and author of the ABCs of Grief series — to explore one of the most avoided conv...

What does grief feel like when you're a child? In this episode, Madlaina reads Always In My Heart — a gooshi story about Milo, a little boy who loses his grandfather and learns that love doesn't disappear when someone does. This is one of the most requested topics in our community — and one of the hardest to talk about. Grief isn't just about death. It's about missing a friends...

Hi! We're really glad you're here! In this episode of Beyond the Stories , host Rita talks with Lacey Holmquist , a Certified Child Life Specialist, about helping children navigate dental visits and medical experiences.  Paired with the Once upon a feeling episode “Bobby Goes to the Dentist” , this conversation explores why kids fear the dentist, how parents can prepare them, and strateg...

Hi ! We're so glad you're here :) Welcome to Once Upon a feeling! In this episode of Once Upon a Feeling , we explore how to help children prepare for and cope with dental visits through the story “Bobby Goes to the Dentist” , read by Annatina.  Dental appointments can be stressful for kids and parents alike—but with preparation, play, and supportive guidance, children can learn to navig...

Big Orange Sky: When Home Changes After a Wildfire We’re so happy you’re here for our second episode of Once Upon a Feeling — the podcast where we talk about growing up: the fun parts, the weird parts, the messy parts… and the magical parts too. This podcast is inspired by stories from Gooshi , read by kids who have lived through similar experiences. You can explore more stories in the app here:...

In Episode 2 of Beyond the Stories, we explore the sensory world of children, especially those who experience the world differently — with more intensity, more sensitivity, or simply from a neurodivergent perspective. This conversation picks up where our story episode “Big Orange Sky” left off — a story inspired by the Eden Fires and how the trauma of an emergency evacuation impacted one child in...

Welcome to Beyond the Stories. Beyond the Stories is the companion podcast to Once Upon a Feeling, where the stories open the door — and the conversations go deeper. Hosted by Rita Bezzola — a mother, community builder, musician, and creator — the podcast brings together thoughtful experts to gently untangle the questions surrounding children’s emotional well-being and development. New listeners a...

Hi! We're so happy that you're here, this is our first episode of Once upon a Feeling. This podcast is based on Gooshi's  stories read by kids that went through similar moments, feel free to explore the app and let us know if any of the stories that we shared there resonate with you   https://gooshi.world/ For our first episode we had a very special guest called Madlaina. Madlaina i...

Hi!  We're really glad you´re here, this is our first episode! Once Upon a Feeling is  a podcast where stories help families listen more closely to what’s happening inside. Each story episode features a real child reading—unpolished, honest, and fully themselves—followed by a conversation about what stood out and what they wish adults understood.  There are no right or wrong answers, just cur...