Mindful Mama | Inspiration To Thrive Not Just Survive

Why do emotions feel automatic and uncontrollable? Does rational thought really control emotion? How does emotion affect disease? The brain is so amazingly complex and still largely a mystery. My conversation with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, who is among the top one percent most-cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience, provides a deeper understanding of the mind and brain, answering these questions and so much more. *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Emotions aren't happening to you, your brain makes them as you need them.

During this time of remote learning, there are so many questions that are coming up around screen time. Are our kids getting too much screen time? Is there such a thing as “healthy” screen time? When is time to cut back on screen time? Anya Kamenetz, author of The Art of Screen Time: Digital Parenting Without Fear, helps us get to the bottom of these questions, along with many others. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Think of creating healthy screen time habits like you create healthy eating habits. Family participation in conversations around appropriate screen time usage is key. Consider not only time spent but also who they're engaging with and

Our parenting styles are strongly influenced by both how we were parented and current societal norms. However, what if how we have learned to parent doesn’t feel right? What if we believe our children deserve more? In this conversation, I talk to Leslie Priscilla Arreola-Hillenbrand about her experience growing up in an authoritarian culture and how she has looked to the history of her ancestry to change the future. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We all bring different cultural parenting habits and patterns. An essential step to liberation for you and your kids is re-mothering yourself. Oppression begins in the home. Are we teaching our kids to

We parents are often unknowingly (and knowingly) making some big communication mistakes with our children. These mistakes can cause resistance, resentment, and damage to your relationship. How can we communicate better? I talk to Jennie Rosier, Ph.D. about how to improve our communication with our kids. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: One of the biggest mistakes we make with kids is minimizing their feelings Ask yourself, “Would I say this to my mother?” A great phrase to use in repairing: “What I wish I had said was…” Jennie Rosier, PhD, is an Associate Professor at James Madison University, the Director of The Relationships, Love, Happiness Pr

How is it that we are here in February and STILL struggling with remote learning? Sigh. Yes, the pandemic will end one day, but in the meantime, remote learning is not working super-well for a bunch of kids. For help, I talk to author and educator Steven Greene about how we can make it better. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: This is an excellent opportunity to break away from the curriculum-based model of school and give kids a chance to free play in a sense academically.  Highschoolers are at most risk for falling behind and it has a long-term impact on their future. Parents should be advocating for their child's success. Speak to their teacher

Do you feel guilty if you don’t like to play with your child - or feel bad because you want a break from your child? Don’t! These are new developments in WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) societies—that don’t actually benefit children. Author and anthropologist David F. Lancy compares our parenting with other societies across time and around the world. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Attachment parenting is a myth. Mothers are not the sole caretakers in other cultures. Overparenting and overprotecting diminish children’s resiliency. Just observing is more effective than direct teaching. David Lancy is an anthropologis

When we are in autopilot mode or reactive, we tend to be at our worst at our parenting—missing chances to connect and see what’s going on under the surface for our children. Without a mindfulness practice in our lives, we can become overrun by reactivity. Learn how mindfulness works to lower reactivity and becomes our parental superpower and how to bring it into your life. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. H

How does the way we parent our children relate to the criminal justice system? According to my podcast guest, Katherine Wintery-Sellery, a lot. In this episode, we talk about family conflict and the essential mindset changes we need to move to a more cooperative, compassionate model. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We can’t change others but we can create the conditions for change to happen. When we find ourselves needing to prove it is proof of doubt. We often have compassionate goals, but use unskillful authoritarian means. Katherine Winter Sellery, 3x TEDx speaker, founder of the Conscious Parenting Revolution, has mentored and trained 1000s

What do children need most? Unconditional love. Most of us can agree on that, yet we often don’t even realize the ways in which we are conditional with our parenting, which is not only bad for kids, it’s deeply counterproductive! Author and peaceful parenting leader, Alfie Kohn gives insights into our own assumptions and intentions for our kids. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We are trained by society to be conditional in our parenting. Punishments & rewards lead to more manipulative, self-interested kids. Time out is the ultimate in conditional parenting. Kohn is the author of 14 books on education, parenting, and human behavior, including Unc

Everyone experiences fears, and sometimes they can hold us back from living authentically and achieving our full potential. So what do we do with our fears? Author and wellness coach Koya Webb tells us that our fears can be our teachers and make us fierce. We can turn our obstacles into seeds for growth instead! If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways:  We don’t have to be afraid of fear—fear is feedback. To be mentally fit is to let go of limiting beliefs. Affirmations help break through the “not good enough” fear. Koya Webb is an internationally recognized yoga teacher and celebrity holistic health coach on a mission to promote self-love and make heal

Top 5 Mindful Mama episodes of 2020. Learn about: - The best way to respond when your child won't listen - How to handle academics during remote learning - How to break free of perfectionism - How to keep ourselves replenished to handle whatever life throws at us - The biggest error parents make in discipline If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. Sh

What do you say to yourself when you mess up with your kids? If you are like many of us, you berate yourself. My guest, Kristin Neff, has done research that shows that our harsh self-criticism does NOT work. It doesn’t help us grow and become better parents. In fact, it does the opposite. So what does work? Self-compassion. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Kristin Neff is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassion over a decade ago. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported eight-week training program called Mindful Self-Compassion and offers w

Clutter causes stress, costs you money, and eats away your time. Will this new year be the year that you clear away the clutter and create a simpler, more joyful environment? I talk to Katy Wells of The Maximized Minimalist podcast about how we can declutter for the new year. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Kids' attitudes, behavior, and sleep habits can improve with a decluttered environment. Our brain registers clutter as “unfinished work,” elevating stress levels. The surprising items that can make a home feel more cluttered. Katy Wells is a declutter expert and host of The Maximized Minimalist podcast. She helps women turn their home from st

2020 has been an incredibly difficult year with the global pandemic, multiple crises, the election, remote learning, and more. We’ve all had to deal with multiple disappointments and anxieties. Today I talk to Anna Seewald about 10 ways to cope with this difficult time. We end this episode with a guided Ideal Future meditation to help bring hope and positivity into your vision. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways:  It’s time to slow down and prioritize our mental & emotional health. Ask yourself, “What is alright right now?” Stay in the present moment AND consciously envision your positive future. Anna Seewald, M.Ed is a Parent Educator, Keynote Spea

We have a lot of stress in our lives and we want to do well for our children. But sometimes, the more we push to get it right, the more off-course we get. My podcast guest this week reminds us that it’s okay to drop some balls sometimes. We don’t have to be perfect. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We have to be able to step back and let our kids fail. How to handle homework at different ages. Positivity is a conscious choice. Lisa Sugarman is a parenting author, a nationally syndicated humor columnist, a radio show host, and the mom of two grown daughters. Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! ABOU

Simpler, more natural living is really appealing to thoughtful parents in our world of more tech and more stuff. It can give us a sense of rest and ease. But how do we get there from our busy lives? My guest, Rachel Rainbolt helps us move from overwhelmed to calm, from fearful to trusting. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Kids absorb their environment and reflect it back in their behavior. When we have the intention to join with our child, we get out of the house more easily. We need to pull together our intuition with science and research. Rachel Rainbolt is the Sage Family coach, writer, podcaster, and advocate for gentle parenting, natural hom

What is it like when your child tells you they are trans? This happened to Paria Hassouri when her then son, came out as a girl at 13 years old. Find out what it’s like parenting a transgender teen. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Our children need us to trust and support them when they come out as trans. As a mom, she went through denial, anger, and grief at this huge change. Girls are often celebrated for being strong, but we also need to celebrate boys for being soft. Paria Hassouri is a mother of three, pediatrician, writer, and trans rights activist in Los Angeles. Found in Transition: A Mother's Evolution During Her Child's Gender Change i

What messages does our kids' education send? What are the lived results—does it keep their spark of curiosity alive? Like many of us, especially this year, you may be totally frustrated with your kid’s education system. In this episode, I talk to Akilah Richards about her story of disenchantment and the perhaps-not-so-radical step of moving to self-directed learning. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Examining the beliefs we take for granted liberates us from harmful patterns. Conventional education can be about being told what to do and enforcing that. There is no arrival point. Unlearning is the process. Akilah S. Richards hosts Fare of the Free

Talking about racial and lifestyle differences can be hard and uncomfortable. Yet it’s our job to raise the next generation to respect and learn from people who look or believe differently than we do. Carolyn Helsel and Y. Joy Harris-Smith offer practical ways to build compassion and empathy in our children. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: We have to practice restraint when answering questions from kids. Our kids watch everything we say and do. Food can be a great entry point to experiencing different cultures. Carolyn and Joy are authors, mothers, teachers, and preachers. Carolyn is white and Joy is black, and they each bring different experien

Sometimes truths about parenting go against the grain—against what we assume is natural or normal. Ashley Merryman loves to find research that debunks conventionally held truths. Learn about the problem with praise, and what are some of the best ways to respond to kids. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor. Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show! Takeaways: Kids who are overpraised underperform. Little kids lie because they don’t want to disappoint. You can catch bad behavior from others. With Po Bronson, Ashley Merryman is the New York Times bestselling author of NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children and Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Clic