World-renowned trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry joins us to explain how our emotions flow within families. When we understand how we’re connected by these invisible bonds, we can start to help each other regulate and feel just a bit better. We meet single dad Lovey, who’s been taking classes on emotional regulation as he raises his son. Lara Wilson explains how we can all be aware of small moments of emotional connection within our families every day.

What kind of future can we imagine when it’s all we can do to get through today? Psychologist Dr. Chris Willard tells us about the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth, and we’ll catch up with some of the parents we’ve visited throughout this season, to find out how they’re doing now. It’s inspiring to see the ways we can all grow through what we go through.

Navigating the medical maze or the special education system often means speaking out. To become an effective advocate for your kids and yourself, you have to master the elevator pitch; setting aside visceral emotions and building a powerful case for what you need. Hear from parents who’ve found meaning and purpose in advocacy, and one who even made a movie about her life!

If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to support that child’s parents – but who has a village any more? Explore some ways to connect with other parents who really get it. We have a laugh with the refreshingly frank Shut Up Sisters who offer advice on how to deal with people who say or do insensitive things, follow Erin on her journey to build her own support network, and talk about the joys and perils of social media.

Kids with challenges often come with siblings, and those brothers and sisters need some TLC too. Not to mention your marriage or parenting partnership. We’ll give advice for nourishing family relationships as you all navigate difficult terrain. Mom Jeniece shares how she makes time for all of her children, and Emily Holl explains how her identity as a sibling led her to a career.

Join pastor, author, and dad Mantu Joshi and hear how he learned to find his best self while raising kids with exceptional challenges. Mantu explains what penguins have to teach us about resilience, and how to navigate the traffic circle of parenting, especially when kids are neurodivergent or highly sensitive. Plus we’ll explore the “parent mindset” and how it can shift our own experience, with Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart.

A bonus episode to help get you through the holidays! 5 helpful tips to manage crises and

Are you the worst parent in the world? Of course not! But sometimes it’s hard to ignore your inner critic and outside pressures to realize actually, you’re doing ok. We’re here to remind you that it’s not you – parenting is hard! Mindfulness expert and psychologist Dr Susan Pollak joins us to talk about the power of self-compassion, and mom Amy tells us how she managed to let go of other people’s judgment.

We hear all the time that we have to put on our own oxygen mask first… but we’re really bad at taking that advice! When burnout isn’t an option, you need to find ways to care for yourself in the midst of the swirl. Incorporating life-giving options for self-care into your day will help you show up for your kids. We’ll take a deep dive into mindfulness and learn the technique of ‘stapling’ from Caroline Welch. We’ll also poll some of our parents on their favorite self-care moments—it can be as simple as a glass of sweet tea!

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re taking this week off to do a little resting, digesting, and catching up on old episodes. We’ll be back next week!

Sometimes it’s tough to understand why we (and our kids) behave and react the way we do. It all becomes a little clearer when you know more about how your brain and body interact. We’ll step into Dr. Chris Willard’s kitchen to get a masterclass in co-regulation, and Dr. Mona Delahooke will explain ‘brain-body parenting’. Mom Michelle gives us a peek into how she copes with an outburst from her son.

If you’re stuck in a loop of relentless and overwhelming stress, you might be on the road to burnout. Kendra shares what happened when she burned out, and author Amelia Nagoski joins us for a spin around the stress cycle. She’ll explain all the ways you can get rid of those toxic stress hormones to support your wellbeing – some of them are actually fun! Hear how Joanna found creative expression as a painter to reduce her stress, and why Lisdaly relied on having a good cry.

”What if I don’t enjoy parenting?” Many parents and people who raise child have the same question. And that’s okay. In this episode, Yale University expert Dr. Marc Brackett gives us permission to feel and we’ll hear from a parent how she processes her kids’ anxiety, ADHD, autism and learning differences.

Parent well-being matters; it ripples to our kids. In Episode 1, we hear about the impact on parents and understand how diagnoses get made and why they sometimes aren’t helpful.

More parents than ever are burning out, and more kids are struggling too. After host Kendra Wilde burned out herself, she sought stories of resilience from other parents and science from experts in neuroscience and mindfulness on how to make things a little easier. Here they are.   Episodes drop November 1. Visit ALittleEasier.org for more.