Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids

How can you make the holiday time less stressful and more delightful? In this episode, we are chatting about the challenges of the holiday season. We will cover some easy to implement strategies that will give you AND your children opportunities to be Perfectlywhelmed & Freakishly Well Behaved even during this time of year. Join our honest informed conversation and leave the constant hustle behind and pause with us for 30minutes. I am joined by Faye Swett again (HOORAY) to get more in depth with becoming PERFECTLY-WHELMED. Faye is a full-time marketing professional with more side hustles than she can count, including her lifestyle & beauty blog, RipCurrent (@ripcurrentblog). Her perspective as a 20-something year old in a fast-paced society will serve to reinforce our conversation around what we COULD do versus what we SHOULD do. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!  

Today I am asking questions about and talking about raising gifted kids with my former student, current friend and colleague Rebecca Marazon. After 12 years as a school psychologist and play therapist working with students 3-21, in 2019 Rebecca became the coordinator of psychological services for Charlotte County Public Schools.  As an administrator, Rebecca encourages her staff to utilize all aspects of their training to support the students in their schools with a heavy emphasis on direct mental health services.  Rebecca will share tips for honoring children, by respecting the unique challenges that being gifted present at home and in the school. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Today I am talking about the parenting principle of saying no. It is one of the 20 I address in the book Raising Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids. I will discuss the benfits for children and YOU when you directly apply this principle to the challenges of the holiday season. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Today I am answering the questions you asked! We compiled the questions you had about children and anger and aggression and today you get the answers! Children need connection when they are angry or acting aggressively, I will share tips for being the best version of your parent-self even when your child's anger and aggression is pushing you to your breaking point. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Our honest informed conversation focuses on becoming perfectly-whelmed through un- overwhelming. Take a break & pause with us for 30minutes. I am joined by Faye Swett again to get more in depth with becoming PERFECTLY-WHELMED. Faye is a full-time marketing professional with more side hustles than she can count, including her lifestyle & beauty blog, RipCurrent (@ripcurrentblog). Her perspective as a 20-something year old in a fast-paced society will serve to reinforce our conversation around what we COULD do versus what we SHOULD do. Today we're talking about: setting personal and interpersonal non-negotiable policies; how to decide what your policies are, how to stick to them, and how to clear out the overwhelm you experience. We will pay special attention to setting non-negotiable policies to improve your parenting practices & overall health. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with  the insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  Fo more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) &  NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Our honest informed conversation will focus on becoming perfectly-whelmed through un- overwhelming ourselves. We may even discuss how to apply some Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids principles to self. Leave the constant hustle behind and pause with us for 30minutes. I am joined by Faye Swett again to get more indepth with becoming PERFECTLY-WHELMED. Faye is a full-time marketing professional with more side hustles than she can count, including her lifestyle & beauty blog, RipCurrent (@ripcurrentblog). Her perspective as a 20-something year old in a fast-paced society will serve to reinforce our conversation around normalizing rather than pathologizing. We're talking about: to-do's that can wait, removing the pressure to get everything done, prioritizing your mental health, under-committing, and Parents- that includes to your children.  Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out  Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Becoming Perfectly-whelmed We are OVERwhelmed. The challenges of finding balance alludes so many of us and impact all the areas of our lives; including parenting! In this podcast, I'll be joined by Faye Swett. Faye is a full-time marketing professional with more side hustles than she can count, including her lifestyle & beauty blog, RipCurrent (@ripcurrentblog). Her perspective as a 20-something year old in a fast paced society will serve to reinforce our conversation around normalizing rather than pathologizing Our honest and informed conversation will focus on becoming perfectly-whelmed through un- overwhelming ourselves. We may even discuss how to apply some Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids principles to self. Leave the constant hustle behind and pause with us for 30minutes. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

The challenges of parenting during a pandemic are for real! We have already talked about how much we love our sons even if sometimes they are really smelly, and often seem kind of weird. We are faced with new challenges during the pandemic because these boys are so- what adults would call- unmotivated. In this podcast, I’ll be joined by Penny Lupo. Penny is a Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, Adjunct Instructor and Mom of a teenage boy. Our honest and informed conversation will stress using Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids principles with special considerations that focus on the challenges of parenting teenage boys during the pandemic. We don’t hold back the authenticity.  Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

In this episode, we continue talking about the challenges of dealing with fertility issues. Penny Lupo will join Dr. Mullen, again for this episode. We will be sharing an authentic conversation about what happens when there are fertility problems and how that impacts the day to day lives. We also will discuss grief and loss and offer some ideas about support and coping. We are confident that raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids is possible even during stressful times in families.  Penny Lupo is a licensed Mental Health Counselor & Play Therapist. Penny specializes in counseling people going through the fertility process, miscarriage, pregnancy loss or infant loss. She has an informed perspective as she and her husband went through years of fertility treatments, multiple miscarriages and the adoption process. Check out her blog embracinghealing.comAuthor, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children. You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

In this episode we are talking about the challenges of parents & parenting when dealing with fertility issues. Penny Lupo will join Dr. Mullen, again for this episode. We will be sharing an authentic conversation about what happens when couples learn that there may be a fertilitiy problem and how that impacts their lives. We also will discuss grief and loss and offer some ideas about support and coping. We are confident that raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids is possible even during stressful times in families.   Penny Lupo is a licensed Mental Health Counselor & Play Therapist. Penny spreicializes in counseling people  going through the fertility process, miscarriage, pregnancy loss or infant loss. She has an informed perspective as she and her husband went through years of fertility treatments, multiple miscarriages and the adoption process. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Jodi Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We love our sons. Now that they are taller than us, sometimes really smelly, and often seem kind of weird we are faced with new challenges. In this podcast, I’ll be joined by Penny Lupo. Penny is a Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, and Mom of a teenage boy. Our honest and informed conversation will stress using Freakishly Well-Behaved Kids principles with special considerations that focus on the challenges of parenting teenage boys. This will be fun! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

What's is parenting like when your a stay-at-home Dad? Today we will find out from our special guest Rory. Here's what his partner says about him and their family  "...I pursue my career full-time and Rory is a stay-at-home Dad. This arrangement works well for us as we both prioritize our children and family and feel grateful that we have the resources. Rory works hard to take care of the kids and our home, acting as a wealth of support to all of us. As a working mother it is a huge relief to not have to worry about childcare. Rory facilitates much of the domestic tasks so that I can focus on my demanding career . I couldn’t do this without his generous contribution to our family. His time at home has strengthened his relationships with both of our children, a privilege that we don’t take for granted." In this episode we get Rory's inside perspective- what are the benefits, the challenges and how to handle them! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We're talking about the rollercoaster ride of new parenting and reving up the challenge by adding the in the experience of being a new parent who works outside of the home. We have talked to you about our experiences and knowledge about children that have come from being mental health counselors trained in play therapy and as credentialed play therapists. In this episode, we will talk about how to manage the stresses of being a new parent, work, and other interesting experiences that life throws at us from an insider’s perspective.  My special guest will be Kristen M. Melcher, LMHC, CCPT who works as a Clinical Director providing direct counseling to clients and families. With over 35 years combined clinical experience with children (not to mention 19 as working-moms) we can help you be the parent your child needs We will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too, for more practical and thought-provoking ideas check out parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs  (for the ebook click here) Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

In this episode, we will talk about how bullies and bullying impacts all kids.  My special guest will be Lisa Cavallaro, Marriage & Family Therapist, Life Coach, author, Mom and creator of BullySpin, an online confidence-building program for kids. In this show, we'll cover several strategies that can help you help your children deal with bullies & bullying. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too. If you want more specific and personalized help check out the parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs. Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids the Parenting book inspired by this podcast Thank you Thank you for helping me develop my ideas and write a very unique parenting book! In this episode, I am the subject of the interview. My friend and colleaugue, Kyle Dzitars, mental health counselor and credentiialed play therapist will ask me all about my newest book (you can win a free copy through this link), Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 Principles for becoming the parent your child needs. I am so excited to talk to you about this book, parenting and children. As an author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- I have learned from the thousands of children that I worked with and have gained insights about parenting that I love to share. These insights developed into 20 simple parenting principles that will lead to the relationships you crave with you kids as well as behavior and attitude changes that seemed unachievable. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We frequently discuss listening and communication. We have talked to you about our experiences and knowledge about children that have come from being mental health counselors trained in play therapy and as credentialed play therapists. In this episode, we will talk about how to listen when your kids talk back. We will also give you an insider’s perspective.  My special guest will be Bailey Smith, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and former kid who talked back! We know how difficult it can be when your kids are fresh or sassy; we believe we can help. With over 30 years combined clinical experience with children we can help you, help your child. In this show, will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too & look for the parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs later in 2018! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We are talking about communication between parents and children again today with a focus on early communication and attachment. We want to help you be the parent your child needs. My guest today, Jahleh Mohammadi, is a Mental Health Counselor, Credentialed Play Therapist and Circle of Security facilitator. In this episode, we will talk about how to respond to children when your buttons are getting pushed and your emotions are running so high they get in the way of you making the parenting choices you would be proud of. With over 30 years combined clinical experience with children we can help you, help your child. In this show, will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids.

  We frequently discuss listening and communication. We have talked to you about our experiences and knowledge about children that have come from being mental health counselors trained in play therapy and as credentialed play therapists. In this episode, we will talk about how to listen when your kids talk back. We will also give you an insider’s perspective.  My special guest will be Bailey Smith, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and former kid who talked back! We know how difficult it can be when your kids are fresh or sassy; we believe we can help. With over 30 years combined clinical experience with children we can help you, help your child. In this show, will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too & look for the parenting book Raising Freakishly Well Behaved Kids: 20 principles for being the parent your child needs later in 2018! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

You certainly cannot parent an 18 year old the same way you parent an 8 year old. You already KNOW that. What throws us for a loop as parents is just how to parent an 18 year old especially as they transition to college. In this episode, I interview one of my favorite teenage people (Hooray for Doug!) to get his perspective on what has worked and what has not from the perspective of an older teenager in his freshman year of college away from home. I am going to check in with him about some of the insights on parent-teenager relationships that he has observed and experienced. I have always believed that children (even teenager ones) are the best teachers when it comes to parenting. It’s my hunch that Doug, the special guest on this episode, will help us understand and maybe even remember what teenagers transitioning to college need from us as parents. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

I am going to brag… I have a teenage daughter who likes and respects me. Crazy, right! In this episode, I interview my very own teenage daughter to get her perspective on what has worked and what has flopped in terms of how she has been parented especially during these teenage years (she’s 17). I am going to check in with her about some of the insights on parent-teenager relationships that she has talked about with me in the past. For instance, she said I was strict, but she likes it that way and she shared that most of her friends don’t like being with their parents, but she does. I have always believed that children (even teenager ones) are the best teachers when it comes to parenting. My daughter has taught me many incredible lessons, perhaps you can benefit from her wisdom as well. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We frequently discuss listening and communication. We have talked to you about our experiences and knowledge about children that have come from being mental health counselors trained in play therapy and as credentialed play therapists. In this episode we will talk about what the most important listening skill: Reflection and why it is helpful and necessary for creating remarkable relationships with your children. We will also give you an insider’s perspective of making reflections part of your listening on a day to day basis, improving ALL your relationships. We know how difficult it can be to connect even your own children; we believe we can help. With over 25 years combined clinical experience with children we can help you, help your child. In this show will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on Reflective Listening. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

We frequently discuss Play Therapy and our experiences and knowledge about children that have come from being trained in play therapy and as credentialed play therapists. In this episode we will talk about what Play Therapy is and why it is helpful. We will also give you an insider’s perspective of what to look for in a ply therapist as well as what questions to ask to make sure your child is getting quality care. We know how difficult it can be to connect with mental health professionals about children; we believe we can help. With over 25 years combined clinical experience with children we can help you, help your child. In this show will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on Play Therapy. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE www.integrativecounseling.us  an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

How to talk to children about anxiety? How can we support kids who have a anxiety? In this podcast I will talk with Jake Hedges, a Mental Health Counselor at Integrative Counseling Services, who is currently pursuing a certification for Child Centered Play Therapy. He has experience counseling adults, children, and adolescents. He earned his Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2015, and has focused his studies on psychological trauma. He is a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, and is interested in how individuals can find resilience in response to trauma and anxiety. He will help us understand how we can help children be Freakishly Well-Behaved. There might even be some things we can learn and use too. BONUS! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

As Child Mental Health Counselors and Play Therapists and parents we know how difficult it can be to discipline your child. Although there is no one size fits all discipline strategy that works with all children, we do want to share some basic strategies for discipline that are likely to work. What we definitely do know is what does not work and we are going to share that in this podcast too. With over 25 combined clinical experience with children we can help you craft discipline that improves rather than strains your relationship with your child. In this show will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on discipline. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

As Child Mental Health Counselors and Play Therapists we have heard many parents wonder about their child lying. It’s concerning, disappointing, sometimes embarrassing and even infuriating when our children lie. With over 25 combined years in children’s mental health we have some ideas we want to share with you about why children lie and what you can do when they do. We also will be talking about some things you can do to minimize this behavior in your kids.  In this show will cover several strategies that can help you help your children to become Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on lying. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

As Child Mental Health Counselors and Play Therapists we have a few tricks about communicating with children. These “tricks” promote healthy communication and healthy communication leads to better relationships and better behavior. In this show we will cover 3 strategies that can help you connect with children and set the stage for becoming Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on how to communicate with children so that before acting out behaviorally they feel connected enough to talk it out or share with adults. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

What can you do to support children with a deployed parent(s)? How can we support kids who have a deployed parent or parents? In this podcast I will interview Dr. Laura Johnson. Laura is a Licensed Psychologist and the Chief of Behavioral Health at Ireland Army Community Hospital at Fort Knox. Dr. Johnson served on active duty as a Military Police Officer,  Reserve Component (IRR/IMA) Soldier, and is married to a career Soldier who has deployed to Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. She will help us understand how we can help children with deployed parents be Freakishly Well-Behaved. Dr. Johnson extensive experiences make her the perfect person to have this conversation with. Dr. Johnson holds a MS in Counseling and Child-Centered Play Therapy Certification. She earned her doctorate from Florida State University in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology in 2007.    She began her career as a civilian psychologist for the United States Army in 2009 when her husband, US Army Colonel Fred Johnson, was assigned to Fort Knox.  The Johnson’s have one daughter, Madelyn.   Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

How can we help kids calm down, chill out and relax? In this podcast I will interview Penny Lupo, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, and Yoga Instructor. She will help us understand how we can help children be Freakishly Well-Behaved. There might even be some things we can learn and use too. BONUS! Penny comes from an early childhood education background as a curriculum coordinator/pre-k teacher. Penny is certified in Kid Power Yoga by Mariam Gates which is a Vinyasa yoga or flow yoga.  Penny uses all of the skills that she learned in education, mental health and yoga to create classes for children using their mind and bodies through music, movement and storytelling to help create coping skills and self-awareness at an earlier age. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

It's not easy to stand on the sidelines and watch your child play sports. Perhaps even more challenging is coaching youth sports particularly your own child's team. How can you support your child? How can you support the coach? What are the lessons that children can learn being involved in a sport? We will tackle (HA PUN intended) these questions and many others in our focus on youth sports and coaching in this epidsode of Freakingly Well Behaved Kids! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- I have learned from the thousands of children I have worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  In this episode I will be joined by my partner, Michael Mullen. We will demystify the strategies we have used that have worked (and tell some funny stories about the ones that have NOT!) Michael is also a counselor and professor.  He does consulting work for businesses and coaches professionals.  He has also coached high school and college basketball and currently works coaching in youth sports for over 20 years. Join us for our down to earth conversation! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too. And make sure you check out our book NAUGHTY NO MORE-- give your kids the tools to be their best!

Strategies that will Help Children when they’re Angry In families anger can be contagious. As parents and caregivers, it is upsetting to when you children react with anger towards you, siblings, others and even themselves. In this show will cover some easy strategies that can help children when they are mad and set the stage for becoming Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on how to help your children manage their anger before acting out behaviorally and before it spreads through the household. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

How can the elements of YOGA practice benefit kids? Is it just hype or does it really help? In this podcast I will interview Penny Lupo, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, and Yoga Instructor. She will help us understand how yoga practice can help children be Freakishly Well-Behaved. Penny comes from an early childhood education background as a curriculum coordinator/pre-k teacher. Penny is certified in Kid Power Yoga by Mariam Gates which is a Vinyasa yoga or flow yoga.  Penny uses all of the skills that she learned in education, mental health and yoga to create classes for children using their mind and bodies through music, movement and storytelling to help create coping skills and self-awareness at an earlier age. Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!

It's so difficult to see children dealing with the disappointment and grief from losses. As parents and caregivers, we frequently wish we could take their pain away.  In this show will cover some easy strategies that can help grieving children and lay the foundation for Freakishly Well Behaved kids. This episode will focus on the little losses associated with childhood. In a future episode we will address pet deaths and other death losses. Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! Remember to check out NAUGHTY NO MORE an activity book to help kids make better decisions. When kids feel good, they behave that way!  

This may seem like a strange thing to say, but here it goes: Children LOVE to help! You may be thinking, not my children or the children in my classroom, but they do!!! In this episode we will discuss how totease out the inner helper in children. You CAN get kids to help, even with chores! It's the HOW you get them to help that is the tricky part. We want to share the HOW with you because it will help you and the chiildren you are connected with. In this show will cover some easy strategies for parents and children to engage in together to create an atmosphere for Freakishly Well Behaved kids.Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about or call in and share! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!  And make sure you check out our book NAUGHTY NO MORE-- give your kids the tools to be their best!

Do you want to see your children smile more? Would you like more cooperation? Would you like to help kids become good decision makers? In this podcast we will discuss our NEW BOOK, NAUGHTY NO MORE, a book that helps children make good decisions. Naughty No More was written for kids to help them develop the necessary skills to make smart decisions.  This show will cover the back story behind the story,  Children who are good decision makers are also Freakishly Well Behaved!!! Join us becaue that is what we will be talking about!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  In this episode I will joined by my partner, Michael Mullen. We will demystify the strategies we have used that have worked (and tell some funny stories about the ones that have NOT!) Michael is also a counselor and professor.  He does consulting work for businesses and coaches professionals.  He has also coached high school and college basketball and currently works coaching in youth sports. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too.And make sure you check out our book NAUGHTY NO MORE-- give your kids the tools to be their best!

In this episode you will learn how to help children deal with the challenges of moving and/or relocating. This show will cover some easy to implement strategies that will give your children opportunities to be Freakishly Well Behaved even during this crazy, stressful, and even FUN. How can you make parenting during the move Blissful? Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too! AND check my new book that I wrote with my kids Naughty No More: A workbook to help kids make good decisions Order your copy easily at 1315-342-9255 or www.integrativecounseling.us

As a mental health counselor and play therapist over the past 20 years there is one thing that is a common factor among all of them—their lives are unstable. Children who lack stability in their lives struggle to behave well. In this episode you will get an opportunity to see the  perspective from childhood regarding stability and how greatly children crave it. Listen in as we discuss ways to create stability in even the most chaotic of situations so your kids can be FREAKISHLY WELL-BEHAVED! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

Let's go! Whether going to grandma's for an overnight or a week long family vacation out of town, traveling with kids can be challenging. There are some things we can do as parents that make it more likel that our children to be freakishly well-behaved even when they are away from home. As always we will share some simple strategies (and creative ideas) so you can create an atmosphere for kids to be Freakishly Well Behaved. Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about or call in and share!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  In this episode I will be joined by Jessica Coonors. Jessica obtained her Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling at SUNY Oswego In May 2011. She is a Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCPT) through the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement. Jessica obtained her Bachelor of Arts with Honors from Hamilton College in 2002 and had been working in the educational field prior to resuming her education at Oswego. She is the Mommy to two little ones. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

There are so many different ways to connect with children. Music is one of our favorite ways to enhance child:adult relationships. You don't even need an aptitude for music, (Jodi is living proof). The benefits of engaging children in music are numerous. In this episode I am joined by Mental Health Counselor and Credentialed Play Therapist Kyle Dzintars. We will discuss many of the opportunities that happen when adults and children connect through music. As always we will share some simple strategies (and creative ideas) so you can create an atmosphere for kids to be Freakishly Well Behaved. Music can be the back drop or the focus and can make Parenting Blissful. Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about or call in and share!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  Kyle Dzintars is a certified Child- Centered Play Therapist & Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. Kyle completed his Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at SUNY Oswego in the summer of 2011. He earned a certificate for the Play Therapy Program along with his M.S. In his free time, Kyle enjoys being active, reading, and watching movies. He is passionate about music and often creates various types of music. He loves writing and uses it often in his daily life. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

Start the New Year off right with your children. You CAN start over with kids (kids love Do-Overs!) In this show we will cover some easy strategies for parents and children to engage in together to create an atmosphere for Freakishly Well Behaved kids throughout the year. Newness and change can be exciting and can make Parenting Blissful. Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about or call in and share!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

In this special episode we will be discussing how parents can help their child or teen deal with the impact of the unspeakable acts in Newtown CT. We will specifically address what to listen for so you can assess your child's level of fear and anxiety. We will discuss the questions our child clients and own children have asked us about the incident and give you some ideas about how to respond to the tough questions about death and grief. Additionaly, we will give ideas for parents to manage their own fears and regain a sense of saftey and hope. With approximately 20 years in the field of child counseling and authoring several articles, book chapters, and co-authoring an award winning book dealing with children's grief (Counseling Children & Adolescents through Grief & Loss, Fiorini, J. J. & Mullen, J. A., 2006, Research Press), Dr. Mullen is well-versed in answering your questions and talking  about how children and teens experience loss and what can help as they struggle. Please join us, you are invited to call in with your questions.

Does your role as a parent lack peace? In this special episode Dr. Mullen is joined by her special guest and friend Dina Proctor. Dina and Jodi will discuss how parents can bring peace into their lives. Peaceful parents have peaceful children... a foundation for having FRAKISHLY WELL BEHAVED KIDS!! Dina is a mind-body connection expert, speaker and author of the book "Madly Chasing Peace: How I Went From Hell to Happy in Nine Minutes a Day." Dina has taken her journey from hitting an emotional rock bottom to having now found a consistent happiness and turned it into a simple, practical method for others to change their lives.  By accident she discovered what she calls "3x3 Meditation." From weight loss and banishing addictive cravings to reconstructing relationships, this easy and effective method has caught the attention and support of Jack Canfield (creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul) and cell biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton. Dina has enabled countless others to begin on the path to wellness in their own lives. Jodi Mullen is an Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom!    

You CAN communicate with kids (even if they seem to be from another planet!) In this show will cover some easy  strategies that lead to enhanced adult:child communication and lay the foundation for Freakishly Well Behaved kids. Better communication can make PArenting Blissful. Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

In this episode parents who are trying to deal with the challenges of the Holidays will join Dr. Mullen. This show will cover some easy to implement strategies that will give your children opportunities to be Freakishly Well Behaved even during this crazy, stressful, and even FUN time of year. How can you make parenting during the Holidays Blissful? Stay tuned that is what we will be talking about!! Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Kids too!

Dr. Mullen shares another secret of BLISSFUL PARENTING  in this episode. She has learned the inside scoop of how to Pick (and win!!!) Parent-Child Battles directly from children. Listen in to get straight talk about parenting from a different perspective-- the perspective of children. Change your perspective of parenting and improve your parenting and your relationship with your child! It's BLISS! Dr. Mullen an Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Parent Coach, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for BLISSFUL PARENTING that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  Dr. Mullen will chat it up with parents just like you who have felt stuck, challenged, and disconnected from their kids. In a down to earth and often humorous way with real life examples and respect, this episode covers some simple changes you can make in your relationships with children to improve your relationships with children as well as inspire kids to be freakishly well-behaved. BLISSFUL Parenting developed from counseling experiences with children and consultations with parents over the past 20 years. Understanding that parenting is the most difficult  AND MOST IMPORTANT job in the world. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Children too!  

Dr. Mullen shares another BLISSFUL PARENTING principle in this episode. She has learned the principle of Let Me Try directly from children. Listen in to get straight talk about parenting from a different perspective-- the perspective of children. Change your perspective of parenting and improve your parenting and your relationship with your child! It's BLISS! Dr. Mullen an Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Parent Coach, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for BLISSFUL PARENTING that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  Dr. Mullen will chat it up with parents just like you who have felt stuck, challenged, and disconnected from their kids. In a down to earth and often humorous way with real life examples and respect, this episode covers 1 of 20 Principles for BLISSFUL Parenting that developed from her counseling experiences with children and consultations with parents over 20 years. Understanding that parenting is the most difficult  AND MOST IMPORTANT job in the world. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Children too!

This show will focus on RESPECT in the child-parent relationship. Dr. Mullen will share how the give and take of respect can be used in parenting so that your kids are freakishly well-behaved. In this show Dr. Mullen will chat it up with parents just like you who have felt stuck, challenged, and disconnected from their kids. In a down to earth and often humorous way with real life examples and respect, this episode covers #2 of the 20 Principles for BLISSFUL PARENTING that developed from her counseling experiences with children and consultations with parents over 20 years. Understanding that parenting is the most difficult  AND MOST IMPORTANT job in the world. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Children too!

Author, Professor, Mental Health Counselor, Play Therapist, International Speaker, & Mom-- Dr. Mullen has learned from the thousands of children she has worked with insights and actions necessary for parenting that will lead to the behavior and attitude changes you are looking for with your children.  In her PREMEIRE show Dr. Mullen will chat it up with parents just like you who have felt stuck, challenged, and disconnected from their kids. In a down to earth and often humorous way with real life examples and respect, this episode covers 1 of 20 Principles for Parenting that developed from her counseling experiences with children and consultations with parents over 20 years  Understanding that parenting is the most difficult  AND MOST IMPORTANT job in the world. If you are willing to learn, listen, grow, and work hard at this, your results will be nothing short of miraculous! You can have Freakishly Well Behaved Children too!