The Parenting Couch

Do you know what to say when your child asks you how babies are made? From what age should you talk to kids about sex? How do you teach children about consent? These are just some of the many issues that are covered in this latest podcast episode with Vanessa Hamilton, Author of 'Talking Sex". Whether you're a parent, carer, health professional or a teacher, talking about sex doesn&...

Are you in an unhappy or unhealthy marriage, and have been thinking about separation? If you're unsure of the first steps to take, or what might be ahead of you, be sure to listen to this enlightening interview with Family Lawyer, Anna Roberts from Delaney Roberts Specialist Family Lawyers. One of the 'most asked' Anonymous questions in the North Shore Mums Facebook group are around...

A happy life starts with a happy home... and Feng Shui is a four-thousand-year-old practice that can be used to supercharge your home to create a balanced and harmonious space. Feng Shui Expert Patrica Lohan shared her top tips for updating your home to balance your house's energy, find greater flow and design a living space that can help you realise your dreams. Rachel and Sarah are joined b...

Is your child plagued by negative self-talk? Do they have low self-esteem? In this empowering episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Lauren Thompson, Author of 'There's a Bully in my Brain' who shares her tips about how kids can develop a more positive self-talk and healthy self-esteem. One of the most significant mental well-being issues facing Australian...

Got a spring in your step? Keen to tackle the cutlery drawer, linen cupboard or wardrobe? The Decluttering Diva joins Rachel & Sarah on The Parenting Couch to share her top tips for Spring Cleaning. This interview will give you the motivation you need to get started... and once you've sorted one area of your life, you'll be keen to move onto the next! In the latest episode of The Par...

It’s not easy being a parent in a world of TikTok and bubblegum-flavoured vapes! To help guide them through the teenage years, Rachel & Sarah invited Dr Jo Prendergast onto The Parenting Couch to get her top tips for supporting teens towards a healthy headspace. Parenting a tween or teen can come with a whole range of challenges - from depression and anxiety, through to self harm and eating di...

In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk with Katie Parker from Bloomfully... who has created an incredible online program for tween girls called 'I Believe In Me'. Katie opens up about her passion for helping girls to bloom, and her insights for how parents can support their daughters. Tween girls have a lot to deal with... friendship issues, changing...

Financial stress is real, and it has a huge impact on our happiness. When we're stressed about money, our relationships with our partners are strained, we're not as patient with our children and our physical and mental health is impacted. If we can take control of our financial wellbeing and reduce the stress, the benefits are huge. And it's just the smallest changes in the way with...

Do you feel like you never have enough hours in the day? Do you feel guilty about not baking organic muffins? Are your overwhelmed by an inbox that never seems to go down? Help is at hand. Kate Toon shares her insights about why you need to lower your expectations and banish the idea of being the 'perfect' parent.  Most parents just want to earn a decent income and have time to read thei...

Does your baby hate tummy time, suffer from reflux or have trouble breastfeeding? Have you noticed that your child is developing bad posture from using screens? Did you know that all kids should be screened for scoliosis? Dr Tori Wright from Vivid Health Chiropractic shares some of the reasons why you might want to consider chiropractic care for your child (and why it's a lot more gentle than...

Are you curious about changing your relationship with alcohol? Whether you want to cut back, moderate, take a break or quit for good, putting down the bottle isn't easy. But help is at hand! Ange Chappel is a North Shore Mum who has recently launched a life-changing app called Mind The Sip – helping thousands of people re-evaluate the role of alcohol in their lives. Has a nightly wine crept i...

Have you ever heard about a 'Democratic School', but not sure how a school following this model of education actually works? In this week's episode of The Parenting Couch, Rachel & Sarah talk to Wendy Pettit from Currambena Primary School in Lane Cove to understand what makes a Democratic Education so special. Democratic Schools promote learning in a cooperative environment in w...

Want to know how to be a GREAT parent? Not a half-baked parent. Not a ‘good-enough’ parent. A great parent? Dr Justin Coulson joins Rachel & Sarah on The Parenting Couch podcast to share his insights into a revolutionary parenting style that will transform the way you 'parent' your kids. About Dr Justin Coulson Dr Justin Coulson is the co-host of the popular TV program Parental Guida...

When exercise feels impossible, Lizzie Williamson makes it easy. Whether you’re brushing your teeth, waiting for the kettle to boil or hanging out the washing, Lizzie's Two Minute Moves are all about making energy-boosting movement part of your everyday. We all know that we should be moving more, but sometimes it can feel impossible to find the time or motivation to even get started. In this...

If you’re buying or selling property at the moment, you’re probably getting lots of opinions and advice from well-meaning friends and family. So how do you know whose advice to follow? In this episode, local Buyers Agent Henny Stier shares her expert answers to some of the most common real estate myths to help you sort fact from fiction. Does a swimming pool really add value to a property? Is a no...

Do you dream of happy and cooperative children, who do what you ask without you needing to yell? Parenting without anger is something most of us probably aspire to, but the reality is that situations can sometimes escalate before we can calm down. In this interview, senior clinical psychologist Renée Mill shares invaluable tips to help parents manager their anger. Do everyday activities like getti...

Have you ever thought about launching a new product? We speak to entrepreneur Laura Campbell who saw the need for a baby carrier that didn't break your back... so she created one herself! Here, she shares her business journey from idea to the launch of the Hackerlily HipSurfer! Got yourself a Stage 9 Clinger? Or perhaps a teether, light sleeper or adventure seeker? Babies get heavy and carryi...

In Australia, one in four women have experienced domestic violence in their life. Tragically, one woman in Australia is murdered every week by her partner. And there's an alarming increase in the number of North Shore Mums who are reaching out for advice and support as a result of abuse at home in our Facebook group.  In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah sit down w...

Has your home loan been steadily increasing over the last couple of years? Are you about to come off a very low interest rate? We speak to financial planner Daniel Brown who shares some golden nuggets about what you can do to ride the interest rate rise. If you've got a mortgage, like most Australians, you're no doubt facing increasing financial stress at the moment. Not only are home lo...

Got a teen? As you enter the world of parenting a teenager, there are a whole range of new parenting challenges to face. No longer are you worrying about bed wetting, tantrums or fussy eating… you now might need to support your child through more serious issues like self harm, eating disorders or school refusal. If you’ve got a teenager, it’s quite likely that you could be struggling to cope with...

In this episode, we talk about this topic that impacts us all. We all experience it at some time, or alot of the time. Rachel and Sarah discuss Sarah's latest Mum Guilt. And delve into some of the other areas we tend to suffer this guilt.  Support Services Gidget Foundation: Call 1300-851-758 or visit their website. PANDA: For immediate help contact PANDA on 1300 726 306 . The PANDA National...

Is setting boundaries a challenge for you? Do you say ‘Yes’ to everything because you fear disappointing people, don’t want to cause any drama or simply want to keep the peace? Meet Suzanne Culberg. She’s a “Nope Coach’ who helps women to say “no” without feeling like a bitch. In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah chat to the inspiring Suzanne Culberg… who shares her rol...

The Parenting Couch is back for 2023! In the first episode of Season 2, Rachel and Sarah talk about their holidays and goals for 2023. We covered so many great topics with so many amazing guests in 2022. Don't forget to head back to past episodes if you haven't heard these yet.   If you are new to the podcast here is a little background on the co-hosts...   Rachel Chappell is the founder...

Sarah and Rachel have recorded this episode as a live video as a Xmas special. They are very grateful to all the guests that have been on in 2022.  They announce the top 5 episodes for the season. Talk about what they love about this time of year too.  They are taking a break for a month or so and thank you, the listener for your loyalty to the podcast too.  https://www.northshoremums.com.au/categ...

With Christmas only a few weeks away, now is the ideal time to declutter your children’s toys, to make way for new gifts from Santa! If you’ve been meaning to sort through the toys to donate or sell, Kristina Duke from Decluttering Diva is here to share her top tips about how to tackle the job. In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah sit down with Kristina Duke, Decl...