Zen Parenting Radio

Cathy and Todd discuss the new film "It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood" about Mister Rogers as well as a quick take on women's menstruation.  

Cathy and Todd discuss Imago Dialogue as introduced by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt's book titled Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples and why it could help your relationships.  

Cathy and Todd discuss what it means to “feel felt” and how to attune to your partner and children. They also explain why it’s important to understand your child’s experience and not deny their reality.

Cathy and Todd discuss Anna Quindlin’s quote, “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself”, and how we can help our kids understand this at an early age. They discuss the anxiety kids feel to do everything right, and why kids from high-achieving schools are now considered “high risk”.

We had two special guests on the podcast today - Rosalind Wiseman and our daughter Jacey - you don’t want to miss this discussion about dignity, respect, Euphoria, sex ed, boy group chats and of course, Mean Girls - we will post next week! 

Cathy and Todd discuss the difference between self-compassion and self-esteem and why only one is healthy for the individual and family. They share the three components of self-compassion shared by Kristin Neff, and discuss her impact on Brenè Brown and others.

Cathy and Todd discuss the Adverse Childhood Experiences test, and why California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris plans to incorporate it into early-childhood wellness screenings. They discuss how an ACE score determines the long-term health of a child, and why understanding an ACE score can help deepen our self-awareness and evolve our parenting.

Todd and Cathy discuss how to talk about money and responsibility with your older kids. They discuss Rupture and Repair and how to recognize your own baggage so you can communicate effectively (rather than defensively).

Todd and Cathy interview author/podcaster and all-around amazing guy- Rob Bell

Todd and Cathy discuss the different types Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) and why it’s important to recognize our own experiences and blindspots. They discuss Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Talking to Strangers, and how it can help us think in a more nuanced and expansive way.

In the second half of this two part interview, Todd and Cathy talk with friend Dr. John Duffy about his new book Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: A Complete Guide to Your Child's Stressed, Depressed, Expanded, Amazing Adolescence They discuss weed, gaming, identity traffic,  and much more.

Todd and Cathy discuss a powerful tool for understanding ourselves and the people in our lives called the Enneagram - it’s a system of nine personality types that combines traditional wisdom with modern psychology. They discuss the light and dark of each number and why understanding the different types develops self-compassion and empathy for others.

Cathy+Todd introduce the speakers for the 5th annual Zen Parenting Conference, February 28+29, 2020. They share why there’s more to love, more to learn, and MORE TO THE STORY. The 2020 conference is for parents, educators, therapists and definitely TEENS. Go to zenparentingradio.com and click events for your early-bird tickets! Only $25 for a teen ticket!

Todd and Cathy discuss a powerful tool for understanding ourselves and the people in our lives called the Enneagram - it’s a system of nine personality types that combines traditional wisdom with modern psychology. They discuss the light and dark of each number and why understanding the different types develops self-compassion and empathy for others.

Cathy and Todd breakdown the manipulation tactic known as gaslighting, where the goal is to abuse or control through lying, manipulating, and destabilizing. They discuss how it can be used by partners, parents, friends, bosses, and the political system, and why self-awareness and reality testing are essential to keep yourself from being victimized. They also discuss Norway’s approach to childhood sports and how its contributed to their record-setting number of Olympic medals.

We couldn’t tape a show this week because Todd was sick ☹, so this is our Pop Culturing Podcast where we talk about the movie Say Anything… (1989) – we share why Lloyd and Diane’s love and friendship inspired us to be better people. We will return to our regularly scheduled programming next week! Say Anything ... is a 1989 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe in his directorial debut. The film follows the romance between Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), an average student, and Diane Court (Ione Skye), the class valedictorian, immediately after their graduation from high school. In 2002, Entertainment Weekly ranked Say Anything ... as the greatest modern movie romance, and it was ranked number 11 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 best high-school movies.

Cathy and Todd discuss the benefit of mental health days after a law passed in Oregon allowing them to be excused. They also discuss the light and dark side of empathy, and how pain and challenge is a an opportunity to become more compassionate toward ourselves and others. The discuss post-traumatic growth and how we are hard-wired to help people in need, especially if we relate to their experience.

Cathy and Todd discuss why alone time or time away from your partner can be healthy and connective. They share the benefits and discuss the balance of togetherness and individuation. They share why it’s important to keep a sense of self and why the healthiest partnerships exist within the paradox of safety and adventure.

Cathy and Todd discuss Stranger Things Season 3 and how it deals with grief, trauma, and growing up. They also discuss the “believe women” theme and all of the obvious and less obvious 80’s references.

Cathy and Todd discuss how we all have different approaches to challenging situations, and why there isn’t one way to speak up or solve a problem. They discuss how we can help children build a “self-awareness muscle” through question-asking and curiosity, and why understanding and honoring who we are is a life-long endeavor.