

ScreenStrong Families
Melanie Hempe, BSN
After her oldest son, Adam, dropped out of college due to his video game addiction, Melanie Hempe, BSN, put her nursing degree and training from Emory University to good use and founded ScreenStrong. It’s her mission to create educational programs for kids and parents so no one will experience the pain of screen addiction. Her ability to simplify medical science and provide practical solutions for families has allowed her to share her passion and bold screen solutions nationally. ScreenStrong has won the hearts of many families who are preventing and reversing childhood screen conflicts and addiction.Host of the popular weekly ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Melanie has been featured in Psychology Today, Thrive-Global, The Wall Street Journal, A&E Network, CBS, CNN, NPR, the documentary Screened Out, and various news and television outlets. Her ScreenStrong Kids’ Brains and Screens Courses are available for parents and students. Her four books include, “Kids’ Brains & Screens: A ScreenStrong Student Course,” “Will Your Gamer Survive College?” “Can Your Teen Survive—and Thrive—Without a Smartphone?” and “The ScreenStrong Solution: How to Free Your Child from Addictive Screen Habits.”
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 11, 2023 • 42min
Busting Screen Myths in the New Year (#133)
Happy New Year! Melanie and Dr. Stacey are helping us start the year on the right foot by sharing some common screen myths and tips for beginning new screen habits in 2023.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Jan 4, 2023 • 35min
Yearly Wrap-Up: 2022 Highlights (#132)
Thank you all for listening and engaging with the podcast this year. Here are just a few highlights from our 2022 episodes, and we look forward to continuing to see you in 2023!Happy New Year!Episodes Featured (in order of appearance):"Your Child Hates the Sound of Your Voice, and This is Why" with Erik Goldfield (#121)Welcome 'Glow Kids' Author Dr. Nicholas Kardaras! (#124)The Battle Against Screen Time with Officer Gomez (#86)Social Media & The Resistant Parent with Laura Hickman (#129)Mastering the Flip Phone: A ScreenStrong Family’s Story with Amy & Aubrey (#87)The Mom I Want to Be: A ScreenStrong Family's Story with Carmen Lindner (#128)Debunking Screen Myths with Andrew & Evan Hempe (#91)Trusting Your Gut with Laura Wurzburger (#99)Mind-Blowing Screen Hacks Your Kids Are Using with Julie Christian (#120)Video Game Addiction & Treatment with Dr. Brett Kennedy (#109)How to Get Your Child to Take Music Lessons with Dr. Catharine McClure Jackson (#112)The ScreenStrong Lifestyle: An Explanation (#101)Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Dec 21, 2022 • 14min
Happy Holidays from ScreenStrong!
To all our listeners and friends, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from everyone at ScreenStrong! In this bonus episode, Melanie Hempe gives us all a pep talk to stay strong in your screen choices during the pressures of the holidays.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Dec 14, 2022 • 58min
A Psychiatrist Shares Holiday Screen Tips with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#131)
Today, Melanie and Dr. Stacey discuss overcoming the stress, fear, and frustration around screens taking over your holidays.Maybe you’ve been working on the ScreenStrong Challenge with your family and are worried about maintaining screen routines during the holidays. Remember, short moderation times can derail our kids due to the addictive nature of screens—and the holiday season is just enough time to undo the hard work you have put in to get your kids interested in other things.Melanie and Dr. Stacey will give you tried-and-true tips on how to avoid these pitfalls during the holidays while still sharing quality times as a family.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Dec 7, 2022 • 59min
The Endless Non-Tech Gift Ideas with Evan Hempe (#130)
For this special holiday episode, Melanie is joined by her son Evan to discuss practical holiday gift ideas—and encourage people to skip smartphones and video games as gifts this season. Evan, now a senior in high school, gives his perspective on the highs and lows of wanting a smartphone in middle & high school and shares some of his favorite childhood gifts.Grab your copy of our Non-Tech Gift Guide discussed in this episode!Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Nov 30, 2022 • 53min
Social Media & The Resistant Parent with Laura Hickman (#129)
Today, Melanie is joined by Laura Hickman, a 17-year practicing, licensed mental health counselor and mom to three daughters with a front-row seat to the mental health crisis that technology has created in our youth. In Laura's own words, "never before social media did I have clients coming to my office seeking diagnoses and rattling off symptoms from the DSM in hopes that I would tell them they have autism or OCD. This is the reality now. Some parents don't know and want to know. Other parents I find want to keep their heads in the sand and believe that it is not impacting their children."This is an in-depth episode on mental health and social media you won't want to miss!Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Nov 23, 2022 • 24min
Happy Thanksgiving from ScreenStrong!
To all our American friends, happy Thanksgiving from everyone at ScreenStrong! Today is a special bonus episode from ScreenStrong founder, Melanie Hempe, giving us all an important reminder. Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Nov 16, 2022 • 47min
The Mom I Want to Be: A ScreenStrong Family's Story with Carmen Lindner (#128)
In today's emotional episode, we hear from ScreenStrong Mom, Carmen Lindner. Carmen shares her struggle with social media addiction, its effect on her family, and how discovering ScreenStrong changed her life, helping her become a better mom, wife, and friend. Carmen's vulnerability and transparency can inspire anyone suffering through the painful reality of being at the mercy of screens.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Nov 9, 2022 • 37min
Why Parents Cave to Screen Pressure From Their Kids (#127)
Using examples from conversations with parents from her workshops, Melanie Hempe walks through 10 reasons parents cave when it comes to their children's screen use.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Nov 2, 2022 • 46min
Psychiatrist Says: "Take Advantage of Car Time With Teens" (#126)
Dr. Adriana Stacey joins Melanie to discuss the importance of a "phone-free car." Together they make some compelling arguments for not allowing teens to drive with smartphones and for parents to be intentional with their teens. They also give some anecdotes on why leaving the smartphone at home might be the best option.Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong! Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book! Start your ScreenStrong Journey today! Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products. Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador! ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount) Production Team: Host: Melanie Hempe Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin


