Your Zen Friend

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation designed to help you feel less overwhelmed and feel more peace and calm.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to...

Send Lauren a text! Ever wondered how to strike a balance between minimalism and maximalism in your home? Well, you're not alone. Join me as I catch up with my best friend, Lori Simon, in a fun and insightful chat about these contrasting styles and how they shape our living spaces. Lori shares her love of collectibles and blow up holiday decorations and I share how I fantasize about a more si...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation designed to help cultivate peace within yourself while sending thoughts of peace and wellness to others. This mediation is especially helpful when you have a heavy heart for others in the world who are suffering.  This meditation was inspired by one that I found here: https://mindworks.org/blog/lovingkindness-meditation-...

Send Lauren a text! Are you a flexible thinker? Are the children in your life flexible thinkers? What does it even mean to BE a flexible thinker? On this week's episode we will explore what it looks like to have brain flexibility and how you can support your children in improving their flexible thinking. Before we get into brain flexibility I'll tell you how I'm struggling with some...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation to help you to let go of some of the stress in your life as well as some of the tension in your body.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental...

Send Lauren a text! Does the clutter in your home weigh you down or make you feel overwhelmed? Are your digital spaces a chaotic mess with overflowing inboxes? Our guest for this episode, Amanda Jefferson, a seasoned organizational expert, will tell us about the benefits of clutter clearing and give some tips for how you can begin this process. We will venture into the world of daily routines and...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation to help you identify where you are currently meeting your own needs and where you could use some more self care.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your docto...

Send Lauren a text! As we celebrate the one year anniversary of the Your Zen Friend podcast, I will take you behind the scenes and share what I have learned about the world of podcasting.  I'll tell you how podcasts are recorded and sent out into the world and what helps podcasts to grow and become more discoverable. I'll also give you an idea of what you need to know if you have ever th...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation to help you connect with gratitude for your home. Whether you are living in your dream home or not, this meditation will help you to appreciate the home you have.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological tre...

Send Lauren a text! On a mission to make your home both functional and aesthetically pleasing without breaking the bank? Join the conversation with my dear friend and interior designer, Don Richards. In this episode Don offers insights on some of the best places to shop for a deal and shares what to hunt for and what to steer clear of in stores like Home Goods. Whether it's brightening your h...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation for parents or caretakers of children who are experiencing anxiety.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care...

Send Lauren a text! Anxiety symptoms in children often look different from what we imagine. Parents are sometimes surprised at how some of their children’s behavior, especially their  misbehavior, comes from their anxiety. On today's episode I will tell you about some symptoms I commonly see in kids and teens who are experiencing anxiety. The symptoms I'll tell you about are not always ...

Send Lauren a text! On today's short guided meditation, I will walk you through a breathing exercise that is combined with applying light pressure with the finger tips on the meridian points used in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).  In this week's podcast episode, episode #49, Dr. Lori Leyden talks about the benefits of taking just two minutes throughout the day to tap and breathe. Thi...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode I have the privilege of interviewing Dr. Lori Leyden, internationally renowned trauma healing pioneer and spiritual mentor. I'll tell you about how I met Lori one year after the Sandy Hook tragedy and how she profoundly changed my life for the better. I'll also tell you about my experience living through the Sandy Hook tragedy as a community member, th...

Send Lauren a text! On today's short guided meditation, I will walk you through identifying where in your life it feels like you are not getting the validation you are craving.  And I will help you to give yourself the gold start you deserve.  You are doing a great job! Really! You have shown up to listen to a self help podcast and are making time to meditate. I am sending many gold stars you...

Send Lauren a text! Are you ready for more harmony at home with your tweens and teens? This episode provides strategies to help you get more cooperation from your kids while fostering connectedness between the two of you. I'll share my tried-and-tested parenting technique that has not only worked wonders with my clients, but also with my own children. We'll dive deep into effective commu...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode of a Drop of Zen, I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you sit with difficult feelings and validate yourself with love and compassion.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your d...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode I am beyond thrilled to have and interview with Ann Coleman from the Podcast, Speaking of Teens!  Ann tells us about her journey as a mom of a son who struggled with ADHD, multiple mental health disorders and behavioral issues during his teen years. She shares some of the mistakes she made with her son, including what she wishes she had done differently. As a re...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode of a Drop of Zen, I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you connect with what you have been enjoying about the summer and identify what you want to do to fill your cup before the summer ends.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychol...

Send Lauren a text! On this week's episode I will talk about what I am experiencing as the days of summer come to an end. This includes a mix of emotions as my kids get ready to return to school. I'll also share what I hear as a Licensed Professional Counselor at this time of year, which includes siblings arguing and fighting after spending  a lot of time together.  Kids are also having...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode of a Drop of Zen, I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you feel safe and loved. This is a great mediation to do throughout the day.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doct...

Send Lauren a text! I get personal on this episode, and tell you about some magic moments from my life. Moments when things happened that feel like they had deeper meaning than what was on the surface. Maybe you believe in signs or believe that some relationships or events in your life were meant to be. This episode celebrates those moments. I will tell you about two significant events from my lif...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode of a Drop of Zen, I will guide you through a short breathing meditation designed to help you calm your nervous system and feel more peaceful and grounded. This is a great mediation to do anytime, including right before bed.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy o...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode, I will give tips and strategies for how to enjoy your next vacation more. And this includes vacationing with children. Maybe you’ve had a disappointing vacation in the past or even worse.. a vacation disaster. Or maybe you’re about to go on a vacation you’ve been looking forward to for a long time and want it to be a positive experience. Stay tuned and I’ll tel...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode I have a super fun interview with Vinnie Stergin! Vinnie is a musician, teacher and creator of the Mindful Ukulele Method.  Vinnie talks about growing up with the influence of music and what lead to creating the Mindful Ukulele Method.  We also talk about the benefits of having a regular creativity practice and how you can start one of your own. Here's a fr...