Raising Families with Dr. Jerry Weichman

Brock Tropea is here today to continue the all-important conversation on social skills. As an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist, Brock has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to develop our kids’ social skills. Brock emphasizes the “skill” in social skills and encourages parents to remember that socializing is a skill that all kids can build on. He also reminds parents to remember their ki...

As our kids grow, social skills are and essential skill we can teach them as parents. Today, Dr. Jerry Weichman walks us through the top social skills kids need to know, and how to teach them to our kids. From maintaining eye contact to knowing how to carry on a conversation, it’s important to make sure adolescents and teens aren’t left behind when learning social skills. Luckily, it’s never too l...

Dr. Jerry and Christina sit down to continue the discussion on the importance of looking beyond yourself. When we foster a sense of community for ourselves and our kids, everyone benefits. They explore our society’s shift toward individualism and how smartphones and social media can leave us feeling isolated. In this world, small acts of kindness go a long way toward helping others and teaching ou...

Looking beyond ourselves is key to engaging with others and living a fulfilled life. As we grapple with technology, the lingering effects of COVID era restrictions, many people have become self-absorbed, disconnected from others and cold. Today, Dr. Jerry Weichman walks through how and why putting our energy into others allows is the key to deriving daily purpose and meaning in our daily lives and...

As we continue our discussion on self-esteem, Prerna Rao joins us to walk parents through the core building blocks of self-esteem. Prerna explores how childhood shapes our self-image, and how we can make sure our kids have a strong foundation before they go out into the real world. Prerna has great actionable steps to take to help build out kids’ self-esteem like open conversation and little adjus...

Having good self-esteem is essential for anyone, but it’s especially important to foster in our teens and adolescents.  Today, we explore the common issues surrounding self-esteem, the factors contributing to low self-worth, and practical strategies for parents to help their children build confidence. Helping our kids build a positive self-image in a supportive environment is one of the best gifts...

As we continue our conversation on Athletics, Elise Garcia joins us to talk through the challenges and benefits of today’s world of sports. As a NCAA champion, clinical therapist, and sports psychologist, Elise is uniquely poised to tackle all of the highs and lows of athletics. Today, Elise shares some of her experience as a Division I athlete and the mental health struggles she faced during her...

Navigating today’s sports world comes with a whole host of challenges that didn’t exist when we were kids. Today, we explore how to support our young athletes mental and physical health. It’s important to help our kids have a balanced childhood that celebrates effort over outcomes. One way we can do this is by providing tools to help them manage stress and anxiety in sports. When managed correctly...

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when you think it might be time to get your kids into therapy. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Nate Balfanz to break down the steps to getting your son or daughter into therapy, as well as some tips for when they may be reluctant to go. Dr. Balfanz is a licensed clinical psychologist who sees individuals, teens, and families. He has a wealth of knowledge when...

Unaddressed mental health struggles can take such a toll on our children. Today, Dr. Jerry Weichman walks through how to find the right therapist... and then how to actually get your kids to go. He explains what credentials actually matter when picking a therapist as well as tips for helping kids feel empowered in the therapy process. Early intervention in therapy can make a world of difference, a...

Dr. Vivi joins us this week to continue the discussion on warning sings to watch for in our children. As a pediatrician, Dr. Vivi gives us a great overview on what to look for when we’re keeping an eye on our kids’ health. We explore the intersection of mental and physical health, and what physical symptoms can be signs of deeper mental struggles. Dr. Vivi also explains the role of family history...

This week, we’re delving into critical mental health warning signs to be on the lookout for in our kids and teens. As mental health struggles arise, it's crucial that we as parents identify these shifts in behavior that can indicate a deeper issue. We cover everything from emotional to physical symptoms and get some practical advice on when to seek help. Make sure to take notes on how to support y...

Navigating the world of academics can be so challenging as our kids get older. Today, Anna Laboon of Activ8 Learning Center shares insights on how to navigate academic challenges with our kids. Anna emphasizes the importance of understanding the root causes of our kids’ academic issues. For many kids, poor executive functioning and a fear of failure are what is holding them back; not simply being...

Academics can be a constant source of stress for families, especially as their kids enter into the more challenging middle and high school years. It’s important to focus on effort over outcomes while creating ways to hold our kids accountable in academics. Today, we go over some of the top ways to take your child’s academic life from stress to success. When we foster resilience and self-esteem in...

This week, Dr. Natalie Solomon, a premier sleep expert at Stanford, join sus to reveal groundbreaking insights into sleep science. Sleep is so essential to our wellbeing, and it’s especially important for our teens and adolescents. Dr. Solomon explains that hyperarousal was a natural defense for early humans but now can make sleep difficult. She tells us how to lower hyperarousal and understand ou...

Sleep is an essential part of our kids’ brain development. We prioritize it when they’re babies, but it's actually just as important to make sure they’re getting enough sleep in their adolescent years as well. Today, we cover why our preteens and teens need more sleep, and why our school schedules don’t always allow for the best rest. We also get into some practical tips for improving our kids sle...

Today we’re joined by Paul Cloud to dive deeper on ways to connect with our children. Paul is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has additional training is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Paul shares his personal journey, including his experiences as a ballroom dancer and police officer, which shaped his path to becoming a therapist. When trying to communicate and connect with our kid...

Communicating with our kids is one of the most important, and challenging, things we do as parents. It’s so important to understand where our kids are coming from developmentally as adolescents so we can better connect with each other. When our children are in their teen and tween years, they naturally start to pull away. Creating quality time, reinforcing positive behavior, and employing effectiv...

Clayton Cranford is the founder of Cyber Safety Cop and a retired Sergeant from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. While there, he served as a school resource officer, juvenile investigator, crisis negotiator, and behavioral threat assessor. Today, he discusses the challenges parents face navigating the digital world with their kids, and the importance of communication about why we are regula...

In today’s world, kids are growing up surrounded by screens, apps, and endless notifications—and parents are left wondering how much is too much. In today's episode, we dig into device addiction, the hidden pitfalls of popular apps, and the impact technology is having on kids’ mental health, focus, and relationships. More importantly, we share practical strategies parents can use to set healthy bo...

Dr. Wendy Hunter joins us this week to cover all the benefits of exercise for our physical and mental health. Dr. Hunter is a board-certified pediatrician and the host of the podcast The Pediatrician Next door. Today, she shares how physical activity naturally boosts serotonin and works as a natural treatment for mental health challenges. We cover how daily exercise is especially helpful in treati...

Exercise is possibly one of the most important ways to take care of our mental health. Not only does exercise help maintain our physical health, but it has so many benefits to our mental health as well. Today, we go over the benefits of exercise and why we need to make sure that we prioritize physical activity for ourselves and our kids. Anything from taking a walk to having a family dance party e...

Perspective shapes everything, our thoughts, our feelings, and the way we show up for our families. In today’s episode, Dr. Jerry Weichman goes solo without Christina to conduct this interview and is joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Neha Saluja to unpack how negative thinking takes root in kids, why it impacts resilience and mental health, and what parents can do to shift the lens...

Perspective is so important to both our own and our kids’ mental health. The lenses through which we view the world can shape our thoughts, feelings, and overall wellbeing. Today, we get into how to teach our kids to shift their perspective and foster better mental health in perpetuity. When we teach our kids how to look at life in a different light, we help foster positive thinking and set them u...

In today's one-on-one discussion, Dr. Jerry Weichman and Christina explore the powerful concept of where your mind is in time and its impact on mental health. They break down how dwelling on the past fuels depression and grudges, while fixating on the future sparks anxiety and stress, sharing practical tools to stay present for peace and balance. Drawing from their parenting experiences, they disc...