The Positively Healthy Mom

What is the difference between fitting in and belonging for teenagers? Fitting in versus belonging is one of the quietest, heaviest struggles our teenagers face, and it is something we grapple with as adults too. If your teen is changing how they act, dress, or speak just to get a seat at the table—or hurting because they feel left out—I want you to know there is no judgment here. In this episode...

What Are Practical Ways to Support Teens Through College Applications? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , where positive parenting meets wellbeing, I sit down with college consultant and founder of Your College Process, Lisa Goldstein, to talk about how we can navigate the college admissions journey without letting anxiety, comparison culture, and constant nagging take over our homes....

What Causes Teen Boys to Cross Boundaries Online and Offline? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , I am exploring what it really takes to raise respectful, confident young men in today's cultural landscape. Moving past surface-level messaging, we look at how to guide our teenage and college-age sons through complex topics like media influences, locker room culture, handling rejection, a...

Why does my teenager always agree with others and avoid sharing their real opinion? When teenagers or young adults continuously defer to others, avoid conflict, or struggle to state simple preferences, they may be relying on protective adaptations like people-pleasing to feel safe. In this episode, I speak with Certified Trauma Care Practitioner Stacey Uhrig about how these learned behaviors take...

Why am I having homework battles with my teen? This week I’m talking about outsourcing academic struggles and setting healthy boundaries around schoolwork. This episode will help explain who your teen will actually listen to about their study habits and why it’s not you.  In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, I sit down with Amanda Martin, founder of Studyville®, to discuss taking th...

What should I do when I find candy wrappers under my teen’s bed? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom podcast I am sitting down with Dr. Wendy Schofer to help us understand coping mechanisms our teens are using and how to get curious about them without shame. Listen to improve your parent–teen communication as we are shifting the perspective from control and judgment and moving toward cur...

How can parents help teens build courage and manage social anxiety? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, I sit down with Jennifer S. Miller, MEd., an author and expert with over 30 years of experience working with educators and families to support child and teen development. We explore the vital distinction between temporary bravery and true courage habits, offering actionable guidance f...

How can I prepare my high-achieving teen to handle real-world pressure, stress, and independence before they leave home? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , host Laura sits down with Rafael McMaster , Executive Director of Indivisible Arts , artist, author, and youth mental health advocate. High-achieving teens often look completely prepared on paper, yet struggle with deep overwhelm,...

How Do I Help My College Freshman Who Is Lonely and Struggling to Adjust? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , Laura is here for a rare solo episode. This episode dives into navigating the social adjustment period of college, helping parents learn how to validate their freshman's feelings and lend them confidence without taking over or micromanaging. Laura Ollinger is giving moms of fre...

Are peptides and stem cells safe for high-achieving teen athletes recovering from injuries? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, I sit down with Dr. Jeff Gross, a board-certified neurological surgeon and founder of ReCELLebrate , who specializes in non-surgical regenerative medicine and spine health. If you are a mom navigating the high-pressure world of competitive sports and trying to...

How do parents adjust during the college freshman transition and support their teen during college drop-off? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , host Laura Ollinger, teen life coach and founder of Positively Healthy Coaching, opens up about the emotional and practical realities of dropping off her daughter at college. This episode is for any parent navigating the messy transition of le...

How can parents build academic resilience in teens so they don't quit when college gets hard? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, I sit down with Jewellyn Forrest , an educational consultant and academic strategist who helps students master learning habits, emotional regulation, and self-coaching skills. If you are a mother of a middle schooler, high schooler, or young adult who wants t...

What is nervous system dysregulation in teens, and how does screen time affect teen stress? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge , a therapist, school psychologist, leading expert in emotional regulation, and founder of Regulation First Parenting®. This episode explores how nervous system health directly impacts teen behavior, stress levels, an...

How can parents build self-awareness and break generational patterns to create an emotionally safe home for their teenagers? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , Laura Ollinger continues the conversation with Stacey Greer , an ICF Professional Certified Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, relationship repair coach, and founder of The Upstream Method and the Family Peace Project . This episo...

How can parents stay calm and regulate their emotions when reacting to teen conflict? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Stacey Greer , an ICF Professional Certified Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, relationship repair expert, and founder of The Upstream Method and the Family Peace Project . This episode explores how parents can understand their own emotional triggers...

Is there a drug-free alternative to ADHD, depression, and OCD medication for my teenager? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Kelley Jensen , a dedicated brain health advocate, co-host of the Refrigerator Moms podcast, and representative of Brain Performance Technologies . This episode delves into the cutting-edge worlds of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and M...

How to stop demonizing food, fix picky eating habits, and help your teenager build a healthy relationship with their body before leaving the nest. In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, we sit down with Lisa Moskovitz, a registered dietitian, founder of the New York Nutrition Group, and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan . Navigating the high-stakes pressure of teen body image, kitch...

How do I get my teenager to put down their phone? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , I sit down with Maura Thomas, an award-winning international speaker, trainer, and the world's most widely cited authority on attention management whose work has been embraced by NASA, Google, and Dyson. Together, we explore how moms of teens can reframe the  traditional time management trap, bea...

How can busy moms balance midlife hormones naturally and protect their teenager's brain focus? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Karen "ZuZu" Armes , a holistic health educator, speaker, and author who has given more than 2,500 health seminars globally. In this conversation, we dive into how moms in midlife can completely balance their hormones, regain lost energy, a...

How can parents teach teenagers mental resilience against anxiety and stress? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Dr. Jerry Weichman , a clinical psychologist, adolescent specialist, and parenting expert with nearly three decades of experience. If you are a mom feeling like you are constantly overthinking things and just not being present with your kids, or if you are...

What should parents do when a highly sensitive teenager exhibits intense, high-risk emotional behaviors? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we sit down with Katie May, a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and the founder of Creative Healing—a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area to discuss strategies for parenting teens with self-destructive behaviors. This ep...

Are you overwhelmed by social media dorm trends and giant retail packing checklists? You are not alone. In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we are breaking down the ultimate guide to college transition prep. We sit down with Lara Becker , founder of The Dorm Guide and author of The Dorm Room Guide , to cut through the consumer noise and focus on what your rising college freshman actual...

How do mirror neurons and parent co-regulation help de-escalate emotional outbursts and stress in teenagers? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom , we dive deep into the science of nervous system regulation, exploring how parents can use their own energetic presence to calm a dysregulated teen, while also providing practical mind-body tools to support competitive teen athletes through inj...

Is your daughter struggling with friendship drama, and are you finding it hard not to jump in and "fix" it for her? In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, we sit down with Sheri Gazitt , a global friendship expert and founder of Teen Wise . Sheri brings over 30 years of experience in counseling psychology to help us deconstruct the "mean girl" narrative and understand the developmental roo...

In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom, we sit down with Shannon Weisblatt, a College Executive Function Coach with over 20 years of experience in education and special education. Shannon specializes in helping students master the "hidden curriculum" of college—time management, organization, and self-advocacy. This episode is essential for moms of high school juniors and seniors who want to...