Authentic Parenting

Lauren Gassner dives into the concept of "Wonder Hell"—that emotional space between success and uncertainty—and explores how it affects us as parents. She unpacks the importance of reframing fear and anxiety as growth opportunities, embracing failure, and modeling a growth mindset for children. Gain practical tools for handling impostor syndrome, fostering risk tolerance in kids, and building true confidence rooted in competence.  New to the podcast? Not sure where to start? Download our free TRAUMA KIT — a curated guide with live links to 10 powerful, handpicked episodes to get you started. Explore how trauma shapes your body, brain, nervous system, and relationships — and discover pathways to healing and transformation. Featuring world-renowned experts like Gabor Maté, Deb Dana, Thema Bryant, Paul Conti, and more. LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

Are you a people pleaser? Do you often put your own needs aside to make others happy? Do you find yourself in the role of the helper, feeling underappreciated or taken advantage of? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Join us as we explore the complexities of people pleasing and how to reclaim your voice, meet your needs, and stop that tendency once and for all. New to the podcast? Not sure where to start? Download our free TRAUMA KIT — a curated guide with live links to 10 powerful, handpicked episodes to get you started. Explore how trauma shapes your body, brain, nervous system, and relationships — and discover pathways to healing and transformation. Featuring world-renowned experts like Gabor Maté, Deb Dana, Thema Bryant, Paul Conti, and more. LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

What you’re about to hear is a 16-minute conversation generated by AI between a female and a male, discussing six specific episodes of my podcast. Here are the episodes that were included in the AI conversation: Why Self-Compassion is Essential for Every Parent's Mental Health with Kristin Neff, PhD 3 Ways to Prevent Parental Burnout with Kate Gawlik Are You a Controlling Parent? Here’s What You Need to Know! How to Make Parenting Less Intense with Laura Froyen, PhD Parenting through Connection Instead of Coercion with Pam Leo The Harms of Gentle Parenting with Laura Froyen I’d love to hear your thoughts! Did you enjoy this episode? I value your feedback, and I’m eager to know what you think. Feel free to share your thoughts in the Authentic Parenting FB group and let me know if you found this AI experiment interesting! LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

This is the final epsiode of the year where we share the highlights from 2024, challenges we faced, how we overcame them and what goals we have for 2025. Also, best books, podcasts, movies and shows of 2024.  Happy Holidays! 

Join Jen Singh, a passionate listener and previous guest known for her insights on core values and AI, as she discusses her top five favorite episodes from the year. They explore themes like anxiety management, vulnerability in healing, and the importance of self-worth in parenting. The conversation reveals their shared favorites and dives into the impact of meaningful dialogues on personal growth. Additionally, Jen and the host uncover the top ten most downloaded episodes, providing a great listening guide for fans.

In this episode, we explore the different types of stress we face during the holiday season, including the stress we consciously choose versus the default stress we often fall into. We’ll share practical tips for making the holidays less stressful, from simplifying gift-giving to lowering expectations and creating space for what truly matters. We also dive into the importance of questioning old customs and traditions, and how to create new ones that fit where we are in life—especially when our kids are at different ages or we’re navigating a new season. One of the key takeaways is the power of setting an intention for the season—whether it’s choosing a word to guide us or simply deciding how we want to feel. We’ll also discuss the emotional side of the holidays, including post-holiday blues and how we can help our kids process feelings of loss or disappointment. LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Kristin Neff on the importance of self-compassion for parents, why self-kindness is not enough and how to become better at practicing self-compassion. How self-compassion is not self-pity, how it can give you strength to navigate the challenges of parenting and life and avoid burnout. OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE {Best of} The Art and Science of Self-Compassion with Kristin Neff, PhD How To Cultivate Self-Compassion How to Practice Self-Compassion with Marissa Knox, Ph.D The Benefits of Compassion for Yourself and Others with James Kirby LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

Yoga teacher, family constellations facilitator, and author of an upcoming book on healing the inner child, Nina Mongendre and a philosophical counselor and professor emeritus of Philosophy at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York Samir Chopra on isolation, not feeling alone, the spirtual meaning of home, opening our hearts, living with loss and much more.  Nina and Samir are returning guests, here are their previous epsiodes:  Ep: 403: How Changing Your Story Can Change Your Life with Nina Mongendre Ep: 363: Who We Are and How We Heal with Nina Mongendre Ep: 401: A Philosophical Understanding of Anxiety with Samir Chopra, PhD Get Samir's book: Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services. 

World-renowned trauma treatment expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Frank Anderson on navigating difficult family dynamics and conversations, managing conflict, and dealing with emotional triggers. He discusses how to shift the focus from having the 'perfect' holiday to managing expectations, embracing all emotions, staying present with feelings of loss and grief, and challenging old family narratives.  LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services.   

Support for Authentic Parenting comes from listeners like you. Since 2015, this podcast has been fully listener-supported, and we rely on your donations to continue bringing you valuable content. You can make a one-time or monthly donation at authenticparenting.com/support, or join us on Patreon at patreon.com/authenticparenting Returning guest, Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing, and family nurse practitioner at The Ohio State University Kate Gawlik on 3 ways to prevent parental burnout. We talked about adjusting our expectations, lowering demands, simplifying, the importance of free play, the downside of over scheduled lives, and more. May 2022 Report on Working Parental Burnout  May 2024 Report on Working Parental Burnout  CNN’s article, “Parents Are Not OK Right Now. Here’s What They Can Do LINKS AND RESOURCES Support the podcast by making a donation (suggested amount $15) 732-763-2576 call to leave a voicemail.  info@authenticparenting.com Send audio messages using Speakpipe. Join the Authentic Parenting Community on Facebook. Work w/Anna. Listeners get 10% off her services.  OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE Parental Burnout: Causes, Signs and How to Cope With It with Kate Gawlik The Consequences of Parental Burnout with Moïra Mikolajczak, PhD Mommy Burnout: How To Reclaim Your Life and Raise Healthier Children in The Process with Sheryl Ziegler Living Well with Stress with Elissa Epel, PhD Mind-Body Tools to Develop Stress Resilience