Parenting teens isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, honesty, and learning to let go. In this conversation, Beth welcomes Randi Crawford, a straight-talking parenting coach who brings humor, vulnerability, and decades of life experience to the table. From co-founding a women’s health company with her father to becoming an empty-nester, Randi shares her journey of reinvention and what it taught her about resilience, grit, and independence. Together, they dive into: Why letting kids sit in discomfort is a gift (not punishment) How to practice “tough love” without the toughness The importance of listening without trying to fix Modeling imperfection and apologizing as parents Why communication is the #1 tool for building trust with teens This episode is both refreshing and relatable—reminding us that our kids are not an extension of us, but their own people. If you’ve ever wrestled with how much to guide, when to step back, and how to stay connected through it all, this conversation is for you. 👉 To learn more about Randi, go to Randicrawfordcoaching.com 💛 We need your help! This podcast is funded by Dr. Beth, and we are looking for donations from listeners and potential sponsors. If you’re interested in contributing, you can send donations via Venmo (https://account.venmo.com/u/NeverPerfectPodcast) or email neverperfecteya@gmail.com to find out other ways to donate. 🎧 Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org 📲 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Figs o’Sullivan and his wife Teale are marriage therapists and relationship experts who developed the Empathi method. They are the architects of the Empathi Method and they think of themselves as “wounded healers and fellow strugglers.” Figs takes a casual approach in his work with couples and see himself as “just another wounded person trying to make his own relationships work.” Figs believes that “every person makes sense and every person is worthy of love”, AND if they can get beyond the narrative that one partner is right and one partner is wrong, they can find a neutral place to meet and talk and work through their issues.   He shares a bit about his approach to helping couples, and he believes that “although people are complicated, therapy shouldn't be. “  Figs views himself as a fellow traveler in life and a fellow struggler. He likes to remind couples that many of their conflicts and arguments are just evidence that they care so much about this relationship. O'Sullivan's approach encourages individuals to examine their own emotional responses and vulnerabilities, becoming more self-aware to attract and maintain a healthier relationship dynamic.  He shares the  3 pillars of relationships that he focuses on in couples work:      1    Attachment theory     2    Systems Theory     3    Transformation/Experiences To learn more about Figs and his work, go to empathi.com Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr. Carol Stoney, Beth’s most frequent (and very likely one of the most popular ) podcast guests returns to the show to talk about marriage. She likes to encourage married couples to ask themselves the question regularly: “ Why did we get  married?” Like when things get hard  or when transitions happen, she urges them to sit down and have a conversation “What’s our purpose?” Sometimes couples have change their mission, she said. Dr. Stoney stated “I don’t care what couples are fighting about, I care what they are fighting FOR“ “What is the mission and the purpose and the reason you are staying together?” In essence, it is important for couples to know and remember what it is they are trying to achieve and what stands in the way (or threatens) what it is that they are trying to recover to achieve that goal they never knew they had. She urges couples to consider, why is this so important to me? What is it that we’re fighting for? To hear more episodes with Dr. Stoney, go to your favorite podcast platform and Google Never Perfect Dr. Stoney To learn more about her, you can go to healingforcouples.com Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the difference between unconditional love and conditional love? Does healthy love have to include approval of all choices? Are we showing love to our children or our loved ones even when we don’t approve of their choices, or when we grieve their choices? Is our love for them more selfish or more selfless? Are we wanting them to make choices that are good for US or for THEM? How do we handle it if they have different priorities or make different choices than we want them to? Are we allowing them to be their healthiest best selves or are we trying to control them?  Do we punish people when they don’t do what we want? How can you provide guidance and rules without interfering with healthy development and choices? Today Dr. Beth records a conversation about these topics with a client, honing in on topics related to healthy parenting and unconditional love. This conversation was recorded spontaneously immediately following their therapy session. This client, who has several adolescent and young adult children, shared some great insights and questions, along with examples from her own childhood. Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we need to know about midlife and how to navigate it? How does wellness intersect with women’s experiences of midlife? Today Beth discusses these topics with counselor Elizabeth O’Brien, the author of “The Power in the Middle”. Check out links to her book at sign up for her monthly  newsletter at her website HERE Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Wang, a leadership coach, corporate speaker, Podcast host and book author, is on a mission to empower Asian Americans to break through external and internal limitations in order to reach their full potential professionally and personally. Many of them get overlooked for leadership positions in spite of their brilliance and conscientiousness. John’s book, “Big Asian Energy: An Unapologetic Guide for Breaking Barriers to Leadership and Success” was published this month (May 2025) and can be found, along with information about his coaching and his podcast HERE Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before becoming a high performance relationship coach and gender dynamics social scientist Katarina Polonska struggled in her own relationship journey, calling off her first engagement. And today, this Oxford, trained therapist and relationship coach specializes in helping people figure out when to stay or when to go. She helps individuals as well as couples identify blind spots in their relationships and in their careers. Katarina has a podcast called Successfully in Love and a free 20 minute Masterclass outlining her  “Successfully in Love method”. For more information, check out  her website HERE Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie Baumgardner has spent 35 years helping guide people to create healthy vibrant marriage relationships. Almost 28 years ago, she helped launch First Things First, an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to helping people have healthy relationships. In this episode,  she addresses some common myths about marriage and shares some of her favorite research and advice, for walking through hard seasons of marriage and why building a culture of appreciation in marriage can make all the difference. She emphasizes the importance of individuals building their own happiness as a way to put less pressure on  their spouse to meet all their needs. Also be on the lookout for Julie‘s new project called “Marriage on the Daily” which should be coming in the Fall of 2025. Recommended Resources: - The Mindful marriage (Ron and Nan Deal) - Hold Me Tight and Created for Connection (Sue Johnson) - God, Sex and Your Marriage (Juli Slattery) - Hot Monogamy (Pat Love) - The Heart of Commitment (Scott Stanley) Listen to this episode and more: ⁠neverperfect.org⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr. Beth and her husband Remo experience the benefits of Enneagram coaching with Kat Smith, certified Enneagram teacher and co-host of the Enneagram + Yoga podcast.  Kat gives an overview of the Enneagram test and how it helps us in our journey of self discovery and understanding our loved ones better, and how it can help us reframe narratives. She then shares an overview of Beth’s type, which is 7, “The Enthusiast” and Remo’s type, 8, “The Challenger.” if you want to get a feel for what Enneagram coaching could do to strengthen your connection with your partner or loved ones, check this episode out. It’s full of information, insight, and laughter. Kat recommends reading “The Wisdom of the Enneagram “  or “The Road Back to You” if you’re interested in learning more. To book a coaching session with Kat, go to HERE Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr. Beth and one of her clients (a man in his 70’s) spontaneously record their conversation about nonverbal communication and its impact on relationships. Researchers suggest that nonverbal communication is more important than verbal communication, and comprises 70 to 93% of communication. Today’s conversation stemmed from a comment he made about two tour guides on a trip who didn’t seem to include him. Beth decided to get brave and tell Kim that she had misperceived his nonverbal communication on several occasions, thinking he was angry when he wasn’t… This sparked some soul-searching for Kim and he reflected on his resting facial expression and learned about RBF! Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is what happens when 3 therapists get together for coffee, and spontaneously invite Beth’s dietician friend Ellie Paulauskaite to join them. Today’s episode is a recording of this fun and informative discussion about body image, fat shaming, and nutrition. Things include societal perceptions around nutrition and body image, emphasizing that being thin does not equate to being healthy. It highlights the necessity for a balanced approach to nutrition, acknowledging the impact of modern conveniences on physical activity and the tendency for people to seek quick fixes for emotional and behavioral issues through medication . The importance of motivation to change eating habits is stressed alongside the need for safe spaces to discuss help without shame. Healthy lifestyle, self love and body positivity are highly encouraged by this group as a whole. With Brittanee Estes, MFT, Sharon Ratchford, LCSW and Ellie Paulauskaite, RDN. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr. Beth interviews Jordanne Sculler, a therapist who specializes in relationships, approaching her clients with a “ tough yet compassionate style”.  She challenges her clients to look in the mirror at themselves rather than pointing their finger at others in an effort to “bring the work back to them.” She also challenges the delusion that relationships can be perfect. For her, the heart of effective therapy requires two components: building  a strong bond and challenging clients with pushback. Jordanne says that her hope/goal for her clients (and all people) is 1) to be completely ourselves, 2) to be loved for exactly who we are, and 3) to be healed through this process. Enjoy this conversation with Jordanne and Dr. Beth regarding relationships. Learn more about Jordanne HERE and follow her on Instagram HERE. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In relationships, conflict is universal and unavoidable because we all have different viewpoints, opinions, needs and irritable moods and poor affect regulation often exacerbate these issues. Conflict itself is not the problem, but how we manage it can cause the problems. Today Dr. Beth shares several examples of common everyday conflicts and issues. She also includes several examples, including one with her 15 year old daughter and a client sharing her recent argument with her partner, both illustrating some classic communication issues. Dr. Beth suggests reviewing a previous episode called Straight Talk. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judith Belmont, best selling author of the TIPS series, has been practicing as a psychotherapist for more than 40 years, has recently published her favorite book with 110 cognitive behavioral therapy tips. It’s called 110 CBT Tips and Tools. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an empirically validated treatment for common mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Today Beth and Judith share some clinical examples and stories. Beth also shares one of her favorite metaphors for self-esteem related to varieties of flowers and how they all have their unique traits and beauty. Judy Belmont wellness Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alicia Jones, who developed the program Over Fifty Fit & Fabulous, went through some pivotal experiences with her own mental health and the physical health of her loved ones, which lead her to a life, dedicated to healthy living at any age. In her early adulthood, Alicia was motivated to lose weight because she thought it would make her more beautiful or worthy, but eventually she realized that the main purpose of healthy eating and exercise is mental and physical health.  Alicia is a highly recognized health and fitness expert. Since 2006 she has transformed the health and lives of women over 50 through fitness and weight loss strategies. Her 12 week signature program Over Fifty Fit & Fabulous has helped countless women achieve a wide range of goals, from becoming beautiful and confident mother of the brides (and grooms) to fun grandmas who have the energy and strength to play with their grandkids endlessly. Find the link to her website and her free master class below:  Free Master Class Alicia Jones Healthy Living Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Stephen shares his story of living with cerebral palsy, explaining what it is, and what he wishes “normies” understood about it, such as how much mental energy it takes to simply live with pain or maintain physical balance, in the sense of walking without falling. At a young age, his mother instilled in him the importance of working as hard as possible to stay strong, and he describes how that has benefited him throughout his life. Stephen describes the growing acceptance and peace surrounding his disability, and reduction in worrying about what others think. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After serving as a judge in Los Angeles for 26 years, Anthony pursued his passion for writing and decided to write a book about growing up in a blended family in the 50’s and 60’s, going back-and-forth between his father‘s house and his mother‘s house. He describes “ living in the shadow of two larger than life men”, both of whom mentored and influenced him in distinctive ways. His father was a Hollywood actor, and his stepfather was a successful entrepreneur. Anthony’s book is called “Every Other Weekend: Coming of Age with Two Different Dads.” To learn more about him and his story, go VISIT HERE. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Dr. Beth has a fun discussion with her daughter, Cullie, and Cullie‘s boyfriend Bennett, who were both diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder about a year ago. After sharing some of the strengths and weaknesses of individuals with ADD, Beth asks them to share some a little bit about their experience with getting diagnosed, learning struggles, and reflecting on which traits they can and can’t relate to. They talk a little bit about everything, including the two dogs they gave away to a neighbor, etc. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today relationship expert Dr. Carol Stoney returns to Never Perfect to deliver more phenomenal nuggets on how to improve relationships and communication. She focuses on the importance of developing agreements on the front end rather than expecting your loved ones to read your mind or do guess work (Dr. Stan Tatkins developed this concept of agreements). Carol brings up a powerful exercise from Dr. John Gottman called “dreams within conflict” in which couples discuss core issues and longings that underlie conflicts. She also distinguishes between “actual crimes” a relationship from less serious issues (using the work of Dr. Brent Atkinson.) These crimes include lying/deception, sexual unfaithfulness, breaking clear agreements, bad, mouthing your partner, violating privacy/personal space, making big decisions without consulting your partner, etc.) To register for Dr. Stoney‘s webinars visit HERE. To hear previous episodes with Dr. Carol Stoney, look for the repairing relationships episode from November 2021, Our Body’s Response to Relationships in September 2022, and How to Manage Unsolvable Relationship issues from October 2023. Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are your life and work aligned with your purpose? Are your efforts making a positive difference? These are questions posed by Annette Gulick in her latest book. She states “In a world overflowing with options—from which product to buy, to which job to take, and for how long—it can be overwhelming to figure out what truly matters. And even harder to know if our choices will foster our well-being.” Annette and her husband Tim have devoted more than a decade to training youth leaders and organizations all over the world, specifically those who are investing in the development of young people. After many years of doing this work and writing several books, Annette decided to write “Aligned: Flourishing in a World of Choice”, summarizing the principles that she and her husband Tim had been teaching for so many years. This work helps readers answer the question, "What can I do to fulfill my purpose and become the fullness of what I am designed to be?". The book includes activities to help readers discover what it means to live a more fruitful life.  To learn more about Annette’s book, go to annettegulick.com Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices