Dear Dr. Tracy

This week, Dr. Tracy sits down for episode 2 of her mini-series highlighting the hard, less talked-about moments in relationships that we often don’t see on social media. This week, she’s joined by the hilarious and honest duo, Cat and Nat, to bring a fresh perspective on the realness of building and balancing strong friendships as adults and how rewarding it can be when you put yourself out there. Together, they delve into the nitty-gritty of maintaining the balance between personal needs and nurturing friendships—a struggle especially familiar to parents. They also highlight their experiences of being both friends and business partners and the importance of recognizing what each person brings to the partnership and the ebbs and flows of their relationship. Whether you're navigating the complex landscape of adult relationships or just looking to make new connections, this episode offers valuable insights into fostering meaningful bonds that truly last.  Today’s topics include:  Navigating personal needs and emotions while exploring friendships  The role of friendships in the lives of parents – an essential component often overshadowed by other commitments  Cultivating strong friendships, acknowledging that genuine connections take time to develop  The challenges faced by mothers striving to build adult friendships and sharing their vulnerabilities  The pivotal role parents play in teaching their children about the essence of friendship  Recognizing the reality that not every person will form a connection with you, and getting comfortable with it  Understand the value of recognizing individual strengths within a friendship and remaining flexible  Building resilience by embracing rejection and understanding that it's often not a reflection of personal worth    Be sure to follow Cat and Nat on Instagram @catandnat and listen to their podcast Cat and Nat Unfiltered. Be sure to also check our their business the Common Parent for resources for parenting teens and tweens.  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week is episode 1 of Dr. Tracy's exciting new mini-series, where she sits down with real couples to unravel their untold stories beneath the surface of their relationships. In this episode, Dr.Tracy sits down with Shaun and Rini Frey, parents to a 2.5-year-old daughter with another baby on the way. They share how their relationship felt more than solid for so many years and how the arrival of their daughter brought on new challenges in their relationship that they didn’t anticipate. From passive-aggressiveness to scorekeeping and doubts, they share the struggles they faced and the steps they took as a couple to strengthen their relationship again.  Topics of today’s episode include:  The unexpected challenges faced by new parents and the impact on relationships  The importance of leaning on resources like couples therapy to help you navigate the difficult periods of your relationship  How childhood experiences can shape your approach to resolving conflicts  Exploring the differences in expectations placed on partners versus children  The significance of discussing important topics before becoming parents  Prioritizing connection through shared activities, date nights, and quality time  Embrace challenges, prioritize one another, understand each other's love languages, and maintain open communication   Be sure to follow Rini and Shaun on Instagram @ownitbabe and @ownitdad!  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy is joined by Deja Riley, a renowned dancer, Lululemon global ambassador, podcast host, and trainer. Deja has had an extraordinary career, having danced alongside global icons including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears. She is now a trainer in the fitness space and serves on the Lululemon ambassador advisory board. Together, they discuss establishing personal boundaries and finding the connection between the mind, body, and soul. Deja shares her own experiences, from her artistic upbringing to her transformative shift from her dancing career to the fitness industry, and shares her path to self-acceptance and self-care. She also sheds light on the unpublicized moments that shape us.  Topics of today’s episode include:   Navigating unsolicited advice on parenting and setting personal boundaries  Deja's upbringing in the arts, its influence on her open and fluid nature, and adapting to change  Recognizing the significance of internal work alongside external achievements  The pressures of societal expectations on appearance and self-worth  The unity of mind, body, and spirit in wellness  You can find Deja on Instagram @dejariley and be sure to listen to her podcast Dose of Duality.  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy explores the complex emotions of anger and shame and how they shape our relationships and upbringing. She discusses the responses she received when asking how her audience learned about anger growing up, how anger was handled at home, and what anger meant. Additionally, she discusses the powerful impact of shame, especially on highly sensitive children, and the struggles it poses in embracing and understanding our emotions. Dr. Tracy, offers insights on how to navigate these emotions in our relationships and provides valuable tips on expressing anger constructively and how to let go of those shame-based parenting patterns.  Today’s discussion includes:  The fear of anger and the impact of childhood experiences on our relationship with this emotion  Common beliefs about anger that lead to emotional suppression  Tips on expressing anger constructively and fostering open communication with partners  The detrimental effects of shame and its link to depression and social anxiety  Breaking free from shame-based parenting patterns to create a nurturing emotional environment for children   You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy sits down with Eli Weinstein, a therapist specializing in relationships and parenting with a private practice in New York and Nevada. He is the host of The Dude Therapist Podcast, where he aims to modernize mental health discussions and offer relatable views. Together, they discuss communication patterns in relationships, renegotiating the expectations we hold in our relationships, and some of the things we should consider early on in a partnership. Eli discusses parenting and the idea that often arises that each parent has to parent the same, and when it’s important to recognize that each person in a partnership brings something unique to the table when it comes to parenting. Lastly, they discuss parenting challenges and boundaries, along with understanding the core needs in relationships and how addressing these core needs can positively impact relationship dynamics.  Today’s discussion includes:  Communication patterns and renegotiating relationship expectations  Exploring partnership dynamics and the significance of vulnerability in difficult moments  Navigating social media as a therapist and managing personal/professional boundaries  Embracing differences in parenting, using the "import/export list" to assess family values  Recognizing the importance of evolving together in marriage and embracing individual growth  Understanding core needs in relationships, such as connection and respect  Eli's personal challenges as a parent, including managing expectations and communication   Episode Links:  You can find Eli on Instagram @eliweinstein_lcsw and on his website eliweinsteinlcsw.com. Be sure to also listen to his podcast The Dude Therapist Podcast!  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy is joined by Dayna Abraham, a bestselling author and parenting expert. She is the founder of Lemon Lime Adventures, and her unique, out-of-the box perspective and workshops have been used by 200k+ parents, teachers, therapists, and pediatricians to get control of their child’s most difficult behaviors. Together, they will discuss Dayna’s Calm the Chaos Framework and roadmap, consisting of five key steps that everyone experiences at their own pace. Dayna provides practical insights on diffusing challenging situations, emphasizing the impact of fatigue on our patience.   EPISODE LINKS:  You can learn more about Danya on her website and pre-order her book Calm the Chaos: a Fail-Proof Road Map for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids. You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok.  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy is joined by Dr. Vanessa LaPointe, a clinical psychologist, author, international speaker, and mother, and together they discuss the effects of social media on children in this digital age and the importance of guiding conversations around it within the household. She shares the importance of fostering genuine connections, the stages of brain development in children, and the crucial role parents play in co-creating a healthy digital experience. Dr. LaPointe also shares valuable insights on maintaining discipline with a balance of firmness, compassion, and kindness and highlights effective tools and resources, such as the Dove Confidence Kit, to empower parents in guiding their children through the complexities of social media.  In this episode we discuss:  The desire for social connection and the surface-level engagement provided by social media  Concerns about the mental health of youth and the role of social media in isolation  Co-creating a positive online experience for children by teaching and modeling wise consumption  The Dove Confidence Kit as a tool for meaningful conversations about social media and resources for parents on self-image and self-esteem discussions  Balancing firmness, compassion, and kindness in disciplining children without shame or blame  Prioritizing family connections and moments of quality engagement over screen time   Episode Links:  You can find Dr. Vanessa LaPointe on Instagram and be sure to learn more about her work on her website!  Learn more about the Dove Confidence Kit HERE!  Stand up for #KidsOnlineSafety HERE.   You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dr. Tracy is joined by Dr. Taylor Arnold, a kids nutrition expert, nutritionist, PhD, pediatric dietician, and mom of three. Dr. Arnold specializes in helping parents shape healthy relationships with food, and she offers valuable insights on how to raise the next generation of eaters who love and nourish their bodies. Together, they discuss generational patterns related to food, high-pressure eating environments, and the importance of allowing children to learn about how different foods affect them, enabling them to connect feelings in their bodies with the foods they eat. We also address the challenges posed by well-meaning grandparents who may overstep boundaries and inject diet culture into conversations at mealtime. Lastly, Dr. Arnold discusses setting boundaries at mealtime and exploring alternative ways to minimize waste beyond forcing children to eat everything on their plates.  In this episode we discuss:  Generational patterns: the clean plate club and high-pressure eating environment  Managing children's relationship with sweets and food in general  Helping children connect feelings in their bodies with the foods they eat  Dealing with well-meaning grandparents and their influence on kids' eating habits  Setting boundaries at mealtime  Avoiding food waste and finding alternative ways to minimize waste  Food neutrality and creating a healthy and respectful mealtime environment.   You can find Dr. Arnold on YouTube where she offers 3 free courses along with Instagram, and her website Growing Intuitive Eaters!  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Tracy sits down with Mr. Chazz, a parent coach, consultant, and conscious discipline practitioner who is dedicated to helping adults truly understand and connect with children. Together, they discuss several topics including the challenges men face in expressing emotions and ways to create an environment that promotes emotional openness. They also delve into breaking free from generational patterns, embracing conscious and gentle parenting techniques, and effectively differentiating between attention-seeking and connection-seeking behaviours. Mr. Chazz shares the importance of redefining discipline and consequences, empowering parents to respond in new ways during conflicts, and promoting effective communication to understand and meet children's needs.  In this episode we discuss:   Breaking free from generational programming and embracing conscious, gentle parenting  Understanding the distinction between attention-seeking and connection-seeking behaviours  Rethinking discipline and consequences: natural consequences, logical consequences, and punishments  Empowering parents to respond differently in moments of conflict  Teaching effective communication and understanding children's needs   You can find Mr. Chazz on Instagram, TikTok and be sure to check out his podcast Mr.Chazz’s Parenting and Teaching Podcast  You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Tracy sits down to discuss bids for connection in a relationship and what these bids can look like. She provides valuable insights on how to effectively respond to these bids and offers tips specifically for individuals who tend to be people pleasers. Dr. Tracy also unveils details of her new book, "I Didn’t Sign Up for This", which is now available for pre-order and will launch on September 12th. She shares a glimpse into the lives of four real-life couples that she will be discussing in her book, all of whom she has personally worked with as their couples therapist.  In this episode, we discuss:   Defining bids for connection in relationships   Understanding what bids for connection can look like  Types of people pleasing and how to respond in relationships   People pleasing as a subconscious form of safety and connection  Acknowledging the presence of a bid without sacrificing everything  Tuning in and practicing active engagement in bids for connection   You can pre-order my new book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” here Looking for more? Join me in my online teachings so you can feel like a team again. Get intentional with your partner and reconnect with small actions every day with 28 Days of Love   Ready to learn how to repair? Take my FREE masterclass      Looking to improve your relationship? Join me in my online program, Be Connected     Deepen your Connection with your Partner: 100 Questions to Connect  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices