Calm and Connected Podcast

I’m so excited to welcome Dr Lynne Kenney on to the Calm & Connected Podcast this week. We chat about all things executive functioning and how sessions differ with children in comparison to teenagers. We kept the conversation on the lighter treatment side rather than all the science-lingo heavy side. I hope you enjoy it!! The topics we cover in this episode are;What actually is executive functioning?How young you can start teaching children executive function skillsHow slowing down for kids can make them achieve and learn moreDifferent types of mindfulness practices How mantras can helpHow little questions can have a big impactHow things differ from children to teenagersTeenagers are human too - they want love, affection and to feel masterfulThe importance of thinking about what other people needAnd remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!Dr. Lynne Kenney is the nation’s leading pediatric psychologist in the development of classroom cognitive-physical activity programs for students grades K-8. Dr. Kenney develops curriculum, programming, and activities to improve children’s cognition through coordinative cognitive-motor movement, executive function skill-building strategies, and social-emotional learning. Dr. Kenney is a pediatric psychologist on the Language & Cognition Team at Wellington-Alexander Center, Scottsdale, Arizona. She has advanced fellowship training in forensic psychology and developmental pediatric psychology from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and Harbor-UCLA/UCLA Medical School. Dr. Kenney holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Physical Education from the University of Southern California. In 1992, she earned her Doctorate in Psychology at Pepperdine.Dr. Kenney’s books include Brain Primers, 2020 (Kuczala & Kenney); 70 Play Activities for Better Thinking, Self-Regulation, Learning and Behavior (Kenney & Comizio, 2016); the Social-Emotional Literacy program, Bloom Your Room™; Musical Thinking™; and Bloom: 50 things to say, think and do with anxious, angry and over-the-top-kids (Kenney & Young, 2015). ​​Website - www.lynnekenney.comTwitter - @drlynnekenney Instagram - @drlynnekenney About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

In this episode, I invited Dr. Dawn Huebner, child psychologist and parent coach back on the show to talk about her mini book series called Mini Books about Mighty Fears. Alongside that we learn about what phobias really are, how to combat them plus…How parents tend to react to their child's fearWhy comforting and reassuring can be so damagingThe brain’s alarm systemThe best first step to take with a new fearWith fears, practice is key!The old school methods of dealing with fearsAnxiety is uncomfortable but not dangerous The most common childhood fearsAbout The Guest - Dr Dawn HuebnerDawn Huebner, PhD, is the award-winning author of 14 books for children selling over 1 million copies in 23 languages. A child psychologist, parent coach, and popular speaker, Dr. Dawn translates the latest research into actionable strategies to free young worriers from anxiety. She has been featured on a host of news and information outlets and is frequently interviewed by popular parenting magazines with the aim of helping children live happier lives. Dawn’s Website - dawnhuebnerphd.comDawn’s mini book series - https://www.dawnhuebnerphd.com/books-by-dawn/Dawn’s Facebook pageMini Books about Mighty FearsGet 15% off the books until 6/30/2022Visit us.jkp.com to use the Discount Code: MIGHTYFEARS15About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

In this episode I discuss resting and resetting as we all head into summer. Recently I took a business class and from that I have picked up a habit of asking myself two questions every single day; What do I get to enjoy today? And an evening question which is - If I could relive this day, what would I do differently? I noticed I would get to the end of the day, and the tasks I wished I had completed were, call my mom or talk to my sister… the common link? Connection! I had been missing connection with those around me so I set about changing that! And I want this episode to focus on that for you. How can you and your family connect this summer? If you’re stuck for ideas then be sure to listen to this episode as I share ways you can reconnect and energize with different activities. And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!—About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

In this week’s episode I talk to child and adolescent psychotherapist, Katie Hurley about her brand new book ‘The Stress-Buster Workbook for Kids’ which I have absolutely loved reading and learning from. Stress and anxiety isn’t something just adults experience, children do too, so the earlier we can educate them on useful coping skills and techniques, the better! In this episode we discuss the following; The importance of fresh and engaging ideas to reel in kidsThe different types of stress - good stress, toxic stress, mini stressOur window of tolerance, our emotions always go up and down everyday How picturing someone's grandma can help children understand how to be kindThe ‘Take 5’ grounding techniqueMindfulness and multitaskingWhat is a dream disc? And how does it help kids at night?The truth behind creative brains having trouble at night timeHow to set boundariesNo is a complete sentenceHow the pandemic made us lose our boundariesHow Katie rests and rechargesAbout The Guest: Katie Hurley, LCSWKatie Hurley, LCSW, is a child and adolescent psychotherapist and the author of five books, including her award winning No More Mean Girls and her latest release, The Stress-Buster Workbook for Kids.​​Website - www.practicalkatie.comTwitter - @katiefhurleyInstagram - @katiefhurley And remember, don’t forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

In this episode, I discuss some ways you can practice problem solving using creative prompts. As we all know, social skills are key to interacting well with others - skills such as listening, working together, being kind, watching your own personal space versus others personal space and taking turns. They all need to be learned in childhood to have a successful and fulfilling adult life.I share how to use things around your office or home as a social skills building activity. You can use any items you have lying around, like paper straws, cotton balls, yarn, paper cups, clothes pins, duck tape - all lots of weird and wonderful materials.The group then goes on to choose what problems to solve. It works great with different ages of kids. If you're doing this as part of a group plan, it's good to debrief at the end, and find out what they think worked and what didn’t, etc. Take a listen to learn how to use these items to practice social skills.And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!—About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

In this week’s episode I talk to educator, parent and founder of FeelLinks; Marcelle Waldman. FeelLinks is a hands-on resource for kids that has plush emotion dolls and a journal. We had such a great conversation about how we can support social and emotional learning at home, through listening to what our kids are saying. The topics we cover are:Benefits of social and emotional learningHow working on your own emotions helps you understand societies emotionsThe importance of listening to our emotionsHow social and emotional learning doesn’t just take place at schoolListening to your kids and learning from themHow to model identifying your emotions and dealing with themMaking plans when emotions are calmWhen emotions are high, realizing why that’s not the teachable momentHow journalling can be beneficialAbout The Guest: Marcelle WaldmanMarcelle Waldman lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. She is a certified K-5 elementary educator, which means having the incredible opportunity to teach some of their youngest learners in kindergarten and preschool. She has also served as the preschool director. Marcelle has completed extensive coursework in psychology, child development, youth mental health and she is Youth Mental Health First Aid trained. Being a community educator - she is focused on children, brain development, behaviors, emotions and overall emotional intelligence. Alongside this, she is an avid community volunteer, having served on the school’s PTA board as vice president and president, contributed to many School District committees, currently sit on the Issaquah Schools Foundation programs committee, and volunteers for the Ladybug House, an end of life hospice and palliative care program. Marcelle’s company FeelLinks is a hands-on resource for children. It promotes growth in lifelong skills in emotional intelligence; self-awareness, social-awareness, self-management, and relationships skills. ​​Website - Myfeellinks.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/myfeellinksInstagram - @myfeellinks You can find the FeelLinks Journal and dolls here - https://myfeellinks.comAnd remember, don’t forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

A lot of times, anxiety comes from feeling out of control so in today's episode I want to discuss the way I teach kids to understand what they do and don’t have control over in their lives. This is such a great skill to learn for any age to hone in the ability to keep anxiety at bay.I first learned about this strategy when I was in therapy as a teenager. It was such an eye opener for me to recognize I didn't have control over other people and their actions. And to go through life with that lens, I believe has majorly benefited my life. So take a listen to empower your child.And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!—About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

Please note: On this podcast episode, we mention the topic of suicidal ideation, and there are a couple of swears in this episode. I wanted you to be aware of this in case this is hard for you to listen to, or there are younger ears listening. Enjoy the interview!Music is so amazing! There’s a good chance you’ve experienced music changing your mood from being grumpy to feeling full of life. Listening to music has a range of benefits but on this episode, my guest Sophie Garner shared how creating music can be therapeutic too. In this episode we cover a range of topics such as;The power of musicHow music connects us allThe connection between music and mental healthHow singing can improve your healthThe creative songwriting journal Finding your target audience when writing a bookDifferent relaxing techniquesAbout The Guest: Sophie GarnerSophie Garner changes lives through singing and songwriting. She is an accomplished singer, performer, and an educator.  She's also an author 'The Creative Songwriting Journal' for children ages 7-12, and has published her 2nd book 'If you can't say it sing it!’. Sophie is a natural educator and full of energy, her passions and goals stem from believing in the true, holistic and deep effects of music, and sharing the gift of music, as a therapy and a life skill, to help others learn to comfortably express themselves, allowing her students to grow in confidence and develop socially.​​Website - www.sophiegarner.comFacebook - SophiegarnerauthorTwitter - Sophiegarner1About The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

This week’s episode is all about recess and movement. In my opinion, we don’t value the power of movement enough; it’s so vital to help kids focus, work on social skills, be more ready to learn, and manage big emotions. In this episode of the podcast, I talk about two pieces of research that focus on the power of recess:The LiiNK project where children get 4 periods of recess per day. LiiNK students typically decrease their off-task behaviors by 25-35% in the first year, their reading and math scores go up, plus they were observed smiling and laughing more.A position paper named ‘A Research-Based Case for Recess’ which looks at the social, academic, and physical effects of having more recess.Resources Mentioned in the PodcastA research based case for recess - https://www.playworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/US-play-coalition_Research-based-case-for-recess.pdfLIINK project - https://liinkproject.tcu.edu/aboutMarvelous Movement Activity Book and other Movement Coping Style Resourceshttps://store.copingskillsforkids.com/collections/movement-coping-styleAbout The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/

Have you ever spotted an Instagram post of smiling parents who are having the most perfect life with their child and then felt shame and guilt that you aren’t nearly as perfect as them? Well you’re definitely not alone on that one! Today’s episode is all about us… the parents. I discussed with my guest, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Parent Coach; Nicole Schwarz about what happens around the shame spiral and how we can talk to ourselves in a kinder way to be more content with being an imperfect parent. We always need to remember that real life is messy, it's not great all the time, sometimes we mess up and guess what?… That’s okay!Take some time for yourself, embrace those imperfections and take a listen to this episode. About The Guest - Nicole SchwarzNicole Schwarz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Parent Coach with over fifteen years of experience working with families and children in various settings. She is the owner of Imperfect Families, LLC and author of "It Starts With You," coaching parents to use positive, respectful parenting strategies. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and three daughters.Website & Book - https://imperfectfamilies.com/it-starts-with-you/Facebook - facebook.com/imperfectfamiliesInstagram - instagram.com/imperfectfamiliesAbout The Host - Janine HalloranJanine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletterThe Coping Skills Hub has everything you need to teach kids coping skills, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hubIf you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkidsConnect with Janine on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinehalloranlmhcInstagram @janine_halloran and @copingskillsforkidsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JanineHalloranLMHCPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/encourageplay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-halloran-43787b7b/