Podcasts about adolescent development

We are excited to welcome back guests Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie of the Inclusive Education Project.   Vickie Brett is a bilingual attorney who advocates for families' legal rights via the Inclusive Education Project, with a focus on empowering monolingual Spanish-speaking families. Dedicated to supporting clients facing challenges in the education system, she actively contributes pro bono work via the Los Angeles Superior Court and UCI Law School's Special Education Law Project. Amanda Selogie holds a background in Child and Adolescent Development and law, with a strong focus on civil rights and educational advocacy. Through her work with the Inclusive Education Project and various community roles, she promotes inclusive education and empowers children with disabilities and their families.  They join the show for this episode to discuss the current potential threat to educational equity in the United States. Political pressures are mounting to dismantle the Department of Education and roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and Amanda and Vickie reveal what's truly at risk for vulnerable students and their families. The conversation clarifies how efforts to get rid of the Department of Education gain dangerous momentum via legislation tying special education funding to anti-DEI policies, threatening critical services such as mental health programs, independent educational evaluations, and vocational training, all supports that many schools already struggle to maintain. We even highlight real-world impacts, like a San Diego vocational program losing funding despite the clear needs of its students. We also expose some common misconceptions behind “education returning to the states,” showing how dismantling federal oversight damages protections against discrimination. The episode stresses the fact that federal funds remain a lifeline, especially in states reliant on them, and that cuts will only deepen existing inequities, further widening the gap between students who get support and those who don't. Our conversation also highlights how these changes create anxiety and confusion for families with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 accommodations, and Vickie and Amanda warn that insufficient resources push children away from education and toward the prison system. The episode closes with a clear call to action: please make your voice heard to legislators at every level, as this can help impact the future of education. Vickie and Amanda share some practical tools and strategies for advocacy, stressing that the fight to protect equitable education is ongoing and impacts everyone, regardless of whether you live in a blue state or a red state! Show Notes: [3:33] - Republicans seek to dismantle the Department of Education using bills and budget changes, mostly stalled. [6:55] - Vickie asserts that federal oversight is important because local systems often fail, so families must engage more in IEPs. [9:01] - Criticism of the Department ignores state control and risks losing discrimination protections. [11:51] - Amanda points out that many opponents rely on federal education funds, complicating efforts to cut that funding. [13:57] - Proposed funding changes would allow states to pool IDEA money, risking cuts to mental health and after-school programs. [15:21] - Vickie offers a real-life example of San Diego students facing grants being shifted away from vocational programs. [17:12] - COVID grant freezes worsen teacher shortages while a Supreme Court case threatens public education funding. [20:41] - Vickie laments that the preschool-to-prison pipeline worsens. [23:48] - Amanda assures listeners that everything that the Trump administration has done since January has been to benefit the wealthy. [25:56] - Expelling struggling preschoolers worsens inequity, and dismantling DEI erases protections for neurodiverse children. [28:35] - Head Start funding is sadly insufficient and only partially protected. [31:28] - Learn about an app called 5 Calls, which makes it easier than ever to make phone calls to your representatives. [33:46] - Vickie argues that building parent networks and supporting advocacy groups strengthens efforts against education attacks. [36:25] - Amanda adds that laws require inclusive education and that parents need to advocate locally to protect programs. Links and Related Resources: Episode 90: Why You Need to Review IEP and 504 Plans Over the Summer with Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie Episode 157: What Dyslexia Screening in Schools Means for Your Child with Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie 5 Calls NAACP - “Know the Issues”   Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia    Connect with Vickie & Amanda: Inclusive Education Project - Website Inclusive Education Project - Podcast Inclusive Education Project - Instagram Page  

Youth Scientific Council on Adolescence members Benjamin Olaniyi, Brynn Santos, Madison Cheungsomboune, and Stephany Cartney talk with University of Oregon professor of clinical psychology Nick Allen about how AI is likely to shape education for young people, and why it can be something we embrace… instead of fear. This is the last of three episodes of “Our Youth's Perspective 2025”—an annual youth-led miniseries of the Adaptivity podcast, hosted by Ron Dahl.  

The ALL ME® Podcast Teens on Testosterone – Dr. Rich Auchus Summary In this episode of the ALL ME Podcast, Don Hooton and Dr. Rich Auchus discuss the rising trend of testosterone use among adolescents, particularly without medical supervision. Dr. Richard Auchus, an expert in steroid biology, shares insights on the risks associated with anabolic steroids, including long-term health implications, mental health issues, and the importance of proper medical guidance. The conversation emphasizes healthy lifestyle choices as alternatives to steroid use and addresses the dangers of obtaining testosterone from unregulated sources. The episode concludes with a call for awareness and education on the topic, urging young people to prioritize their health and well-being over quick physical gains.   Takeaways ·        Testosterone use without prescription can lead to serious health issues. ·        Anabolic steroids can impair natural testosterone production in adolescents. ·        Healthy lifestyle choices can optimize hormone levels naturally. ·        The risks of using black market steroids are significant and unpredictable. ·        Withdrawal from testosterone can lead to severe mood swings and depression. ·        Parents should seek medical guidance if their teens are using steroids. ·        Education is key in combating misinformation about steroids. ·        Testosterone therapy should only be prescribed for legitimate medical conditions. ·        Social media influences can mislead young people about body image and health. ·        Professional guidance is essential for safe fitness practices. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Testosterone Use in Teens 03:02 Understanding the Risks of Anabolic Steroids 06:00 The Impact of Testosterone on Adolescent Development 09:09 Healthy Alternatives to Testosterone Use 11:56 Navigating Medical Guidance and Misuse 15:00 The Dangers of Black Market Testosterone 18:00 Withdrawal and Recovery from Testosterone Use 20:55 The Future of Testosterone Research and Regulation 24:00 Final Thoughts on Safe Practices Follow Us: Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Contact Us:  Twitter: @theTHF Instagram: @theTHF Facebook: Taylor Hooton Foundation #ALLMEPEDFREE Email:  Phone: 214-449-1990 ALL ME Assembly Programs:

By fan request, we are diving into the 1997 cult classic, Starship Troopers! We break down how adolescent development is demonstrated with the main characters. We also explore the power of propaganda as this movie is a satirical look on facism and the propaganda that serves it. Buckle up and look out for bugs!!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/popcorn-psychology--3252280/support.

This week on Fostering Conversations, Amy and Heidi sit down with Rachel Garrett, Utah foster parent and founder of Common Thread, a nonprofit serving teens ages 12–18 who've experienced foster care or similar life circumstances. Rachel shares how a small community event grew into a thriving organization that now supports hundreds of teens through joy-filled activities, life skills workshops, mental health resources, and trauma-informed mentorship. We talk about the real-life experiences of teens impacted by foster care, the importance of giving them choice and dignity, and how Common Thread is creating safe spaces where teens can thrive. You'll hear about the stigmas foster families still face, why trauma-informed language matters, and how you can help create lasting change—especially for LGBTQ+ youth in care. Whether you’re a foster parent, youth advocate, or just curious about how to better support teens, this episode is full of heart, hope, and honest conversation. What you'll hear in this episode: Why Rachel founded Common Thread and how it grew What trauma-informed support actually looks like for teens The power of giving teens agency and respecting their identity Common myths and stigmas about teens in foster care How Common Thread fosters inclusive spaces, especially for LGBTQ+ youth Real stories of resilience, growth, and love Resources & Links: Learn more: commonthreadut.com Follow Common Thread on Instagram Get involved with Utah Foster Care: Get Involved Guest Bio: Rachel is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience working with Utah teens both personally and professionally. As a licensed foster parent, trauma educator with Trauma-Informed Utah, certified Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), and former high school teacher, she has gained extensive experience working with youth in Utah. Rachel is the Founder and Executive Director of Common Thread, a nonprofit organization focused on helping teens impacted by foster care and other adverse experiences. Rachel holds a Master's degree in Psychology with a specialization in Child and Adolescent Development. Her thesis explored the effects of trauma on brain function and behavior. With a passion for integrating the latest trauma research into practice, Rachel is committed to fostering healing and connection and building more resources for young people in Utah. Transcript: transcript_ep59_may25

Have you ever felt like you're losing your grip on your teen? Asking yourself: "How do I get my teen to open up?" "Why does my kid seem to shut me out?" "How do I become the steady, trusted leader my teen needs?" If those questions resonate, you're in the right place.  Become the best husband and leader you can: www.thedadedge.com/mastermind Today's guest, Kristin MacDermott is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and creator of The MacDermott Method with over a decade of research in resilience. Her resilience training curriculum has been validated in four studies with researchers from The Duke Clinical Research Institute, published in peer-reviewed journals, and proven to promote clinically-significant improvement in distress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and self-efficacy. Kristin MacDermott shares three crucial insights every father needs to hear: The single most important thing dads can do to support their teen's mental health. The #1 complaint she hears from teens about their parents. How to create a relationship where your teen doesn't feel the need to lie to you. Kristin MacDermott's passion is reconnecting parents and teens, and her methods are backed by rigorous research. Here's what evidence supports her approach: Studies show that strong parent-teen relationships are correlated with a 40% reduction in teen depression and anxiety. Effective communication skills training for parents leads to a 30% decrease in risky behavior among teens. Teens who perceive their parents as trustworthy are 50% less likely to engage in substance abuse. If you're ready for practical tools, real talk, and a new perspective on fatherhood, this is one conversation you don't want to miss. Let's get into it. ---------------------------- Gentlemen, if you're ready to level up, don't miss The Forge: A Gathering of Men—an exclusive event created by leaders like Connor Beaton, Larry Hagner, Matt Beaudreau, and Ryan Michler to help you connect, grow, and become the best version of yourself. Learn more at The Men's Forge. ---------------------------- Transform your parent-teen relationship this May! Use code DADEDGE30 for 30% off he Parent/Teen Relationship Reset program, starting May 2nd, valid within 30 days only. www.thedadedge.com/523 www.themensforge.com | www.thedadedge.com/alliance www.macdermottmethod.com Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

In a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, Pia Rebello Britto, Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development at UNICEF, unpacks the sobering reality of education in the face of accelerating climate change and systemic inequality. Drawing on her extensive global experience and UNICEF's latest report, "Learning Interrupted: Global snapshot of climate-related school disruptions in 2024", she provides a clear-eyed analysis of the intersecting crises that threaten the educational futures of hundreds of millions of children worldwide. At the heart of the discussion is an alarming statistic: in 2024 alone, climate-related disruptions affected a staggering 250 million children. Across 85 countries, extreme weather—floods, heatwaves, storms, and air pollution—upended school calendars, damaged infrastructure, and derailed learning. Yet climate is only one part of the broader learning crisis. Britto highlights three distinct yet interconnected challenges: children being denied access to school altogether; those enrolled but receiving substandard education; and those whose education is interrupted by crises. Each of these systemic failures contributes to the shocking global reality that 7 in 10 ten-year-olds cannot read a simple sentence.  Despite the scale of the challenge, Britto remains deeply committed to transformative solutions. She calls for immediate investment in climate-smart learning environments—resilient, adaptive infrastructure designed to withstand future shocks.  Central to these reforms is the recognition that teachers are the keystone of educational quality. Britto makes a compelling case for a global reboot of teacher preparation and professional development, describing it as one of the most efficient and scalable pathways to improving learning outcomes. At the same time, she warns against the seductive appeal of “shiny” EdTech solutions that lack evidence of impact. Effective integration of technology must be grounded in pedagogy, not novelty. She also highlights two often overlooked groups: girls and children with disabilities. Both face compounded barriers to education, and despite advances in assistive technology, inclusive learning remains vastly under-prioritized. It is here, Britto suggests, that funders and innovators could make some of the most catalytic interventions. For philanthropists, policymakers, and advocates, Britto offers a clear call to action: do your homework, invest in what works, advocate vocally for education as a fundamental right, and act locally as well as globally. Her vision is pragmatic yet optimistic. Education, she reminds us, is not merely a public service—it is a social contract. It is the most powerful instrument we have to unlock potential, and shape a sustainable future. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.  

What if we were content with being content? OK with feeling OK? Searching for happiness prolongs the search. Listen in as Brett and I dive into the big sea of contentment. The one between the high tide of happiness and the low tide of a low mood.Here's a link to Brett's previous interview https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/how-adoptees-change-safety-addiction-more-with-dr-brett-furstHere's some info on Brett and the Center he works at from their website.Dr. Brett Furst holds a B.S. in Child and Adolescent Development from The University of California, Davis, an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University, and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has his Doctorate in Psychology from Alliant International University. Dr. Furst is a fully trained, EMDRIA approved, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist. Dr. Furst, in addition to his focus on the underlying causes of addiction, specializes in academic and educational difficulties, and provides supportive services to those clients pursuing continuing education at PACE, including managing ADHD symptoms, proper study habits, and processing difficulties, from a therapeutic lens. Therapeutically, Brett comes from a Gestalt perspective, placing emphasis on the exploration of the authentic self and how inauthenticity and the negative personas clients create contribute to their unhealthy habits and the disconnection from themselves through substance. Dr. Furst has worked at several local treatment facilities where he has customized several young adult curriculums. Brett has also developed one of the first experiential poetry groups, and finds group work to be some of the most rewarding he has done. He enjoys spending time with his family and dog, and exploring new parts of his native Orange County.https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfurst/https://fursttherapy.com/At PACE Recovery Center, we believe in empowering our clients to fulfill their own particular dreams. We believe that Positive Attitudes Change Everything. Our trained addiction treatment staff will help our clients identify their specific recovery goals, and help them achieve them. From our home base in Orange County, we also provide in-depth mental health services that address the root issues driving addiction and mental illness. Once men leave our program, they have all the tools they need to thrive in recovery.Giving Men the Skills for SobrietyLong-term sobriety is more than simply not using alcohol or drugs, it is about living life. Helping our clients develop life skills, educational aims, or vocational goals not only teaches them about responsibility and accountability, but also helps improve their self-esteem.https://www.instagram.com/pacerecovery/https://www.facebook.com/PaceRecoveryCenterLLChttps://www.pacerecoverycenter.com/ Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Advances in neurological science point to the amazing complexity of our God-made brains. Because their brains are still developing, our children, teens, and even young adults have what is called an underdeveloped impulse control. This makes them less prone to resist behavioral impulses and more prone to engage in risky behaviors perceived to bring some kind of immediate benefit, but which could also bring long-lasting negative consequences. In spiritual terms, this not only means that our kids are likely to lack wisdom and discernment, but more readily fall into sin. We need to teach them that as sinners, their default setting is to follow their sinful hearts more readily than they are to follow God's Word. Which means that we must nurture them into knowing God's good, life-giving Word, helping to expose sin. As their frontal lobes are still developing, they need parents who serve to train them in Godly decision-making and living.

In this day and age where we are hearing more and more about the declining mental health of our kids, we need to come to an understanding of how changes in the nature of childhood are contributing to this epidemic. One of the clear causes has been the move from kids engaging in what's called “free play,” to kids engaging in only adult-supervised organized sports, or remaining sedentary by spending so much time on screens. The Aspen Institute tells us that the benefits of childhood play are immediate and long term. Kids who physically play are physically and mentally healthier, they perform better in school, they are less likely to engage in drug use and other risky behaviors, and wind up being more productive as they move into the adult years. Additional research tells us that going outside to engage with friends in free play leads to greater resiliency for kids, as they learn how to relate with others and solve problems. Make it possible for your kids to play in this way. 

There's a growing amount of research pointing to the fact that  smartphones and social media are undermining the well-being of our kids when borders, boundaries, and safeguards are not enacted. Recently, the American Psychological Association released a report on the science of how social media affects our youth, specifically looking at the risks associated with content, features, and functions. One of the opening paragraphs of the report says, “Platforms built for adults are not inherently suitable for youth. Youth require special protection due to areas of competence or vulnerability as they progress through the childhood, teenage, and late adolescent years.” The report warns that chronological  age is not directly associated with social media readiness. In other words, just because a platform requires a child to be thirteen in order to download the app, that doesn't mean it is safe and harmless. Parents, are you tracking with the data that will help your parent wisely?

Ron talks with researchers Nick Allen and Jacqueline Nesi about how developmental science could help us design social media and other technology to not only decrease risks, but also amplify new opportunities created by the digital world. Guests: Max, a 17-year-old student from the San Francisco Bay Area Nick Allen, PhD, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oregon and the director of the Center for Digital Mental Health Jacqueline Nesi, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University and author of the popular weekly newsletter TechnoSapiens Topics: What Max learned from his break from social media Three fundamental principles for evaluating social media How digital tech could be designed and used to promote health and wellbeing The main “yellow flags” of digital tech use by adolescents How tech could amplify benefits for young people who are struggling or facing other disadvantages

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Because we have been made for relationships, it's important that our kids develop healthy friendships where they learn how to relate to others, how to play together, and how to solve conflicts. The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health recently asked the parents of six to twelve year old children about their children's friendships. Nineteen percent of parents report that their child either has no friends or not enough friends. In addition, seventy-one percent of parents say that they've taken action over the course of the last year to help their child make new friends, including setting up playdates and befriending other parents. There is an epidemic of loneliness among today's emerging generations, and we need to do what we can to encourage them into positive friendships, especially with those who will encourage them to grow in their relationships to the Lord. Parents, Proverbs tells us that he who walks with the wise, grows wise. 

I recently read an article in Scientific American by Melinda Wenner Moyer, all about the role of unstructured play in setting kids on a course for healthy child development. Moyer cites the story of twenty-five year old Charles Whitman, who back in 1966 climbed to the top of tower on the campus of the University of Texas and proceeded to shoot forty-six people, killing seventeen. The killing sparked an effort to understand why anyone would do such a thing. Mental health professionals interviewed Whitman along with twenty-six other convicted Texas murderers. Most of the killers had two things in common: they grew up in abusive families, and they never played as children. The takeaway here is not that playing as a child will prevent one from engaging in criminal behavior. Rather, further studies since then have confirmed that letting kids engage in free, imaginative play is a crucial factor in health social, emotional, and cognitive development. Parents, let your children play!

Dr. Delaney sits down with acclaimed developmental psychologist David Yeager, Ph.D., to discuss his groundbreaking book, 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People. Together, they delve into the transformative power of adopting a mentor mindset to simplify parenting — especially when tackling tech time challenges. Learn why combining high standards with high support is a game-changer, and uncover the key elements of "wise feedback" that make it so impactful, as shown across various studies. This episode offers science-backed communication techniques on topics like respectful versus disrespectful language, validation, cooperative problem-solving, and more. Parents will walk away with practical strategies to approach screen time struggles with confidence and clarity.   Featured Expert David Yeager, PhD   Books The Science of Motivating Young People, by David Yeager Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides, by Geoffrey L. Cohen   Research References Yeager, D. et al. Breaking the cycle of mistrust: Wise interventions to provide critical feedback across the racial divide. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(2), 804–824, 2014.  Dobson, K. et al. A Transparency Statement Improves Community-Police Interactions. Research Square (Research Square), 2022. Yeager, D. et al. A Transparency Statement Transforms Community-Police Interactions. Research Square (Research Square), 2022. Telzer, E. et al. Ventral striatum activation to prosocial rewards predicts longitudinal declines in adolescent risk taking. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 3, 45–52, 2013.   Time Code 00:00 Introduction to the Screenagers Podcast 00:23 Meet David Yeager: Growth Mindset and Mentor Mindset 02:34 The Mentor's Dilemma: Balancing Criticism and Support 04:23 Wise Feedback: The Key to Motivating Youth 10:17 Transparency and Benevolent Intentions 12:45 Understanding Adolescent Motivation: Status and Respect 17:42 The Role of Testosterone in Adolescent Development 20:47 Respectful Communication: The Vegemite Experiment 24:15 Testosterone and Behavior 25:50 Parenting Challenges and Mentor Mindset 27:04 The Science of Nagging 29:25 Effective Communication with Teens 32:45 Collaborative Troubleshooting 34:41 Balancing Screen Time and Life Goals 36:53 The Enforcer vs. Mentor Mindset 41:30 Concluding Thoughts and Resources  

Precocious puberty, also known as early puberty, takes place when a child's body begins to change into an adult body too soon. In today's world, puberty usually begins for girls around age eight, and around age nine for our boys. In recent years, there has also been research showing that in general, our kids are reaching puberty at earlier and earlier ages. There have been lots of different theories put forward regarding what's causing this. Researchers tell us that one factor which triggers early puberty in girls are the fragrance producing chemicals that are in the commercial beauty and skin-care products that flood the market, and that have become especially popular among pre-teen and younger girls in recent years. Research indicates these fragrances have the potential to stimulate parts of the brain that trigger early puberty, risks of psychological problems, heart disease, and breast cancer associated with early puberty. Parents, keep an eye on the products your kids are using.

The spirit of collaboration is needed now more than ever, and it is up to us to explore how we can all benefit, in order to thrive in an ever changing society. In this week's final episode of Our 4th Annual Divine 9 Series, we are joined by Randy Becton, Jr., Upsilon Omega Chapter Initiate of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Known to many as the Slauson Activist, Randy is a dedicated community outreach coordinator and child development specialist from South Central Los Angeles. Currently, he is majoring in Education Technology at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). As the Program Coordinator for Black Scholars Matter at CSUN, find out why he believes alternative online curriculums will serve as an engaging and productive alternative to the K-12 school system, and why it is time for everyone to reflect on a personal mission statement that will benefit all communities, as a result of the recent election. ⁠ Randy will soon complete his M.Ed. in Education Technology at CSUN, where he also completed his Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development. This proud Fall 2023 Initiate of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and John Muir Middle School alumnus began his career there in 2012, teaching Black and Chicano History, Life Skills, and Enrichment activities through the TYME Foundation. During the 2020 pandemic, he taught Black American History at Augusta Hawkins High School African American Academy via Zoom. Driven by the need for positive role models, he launched impactful initiatives: Fatherhood: The Best Hood, Journaling for Teens, and Put the Youth in the Booth. A former public speaker with Sandy Hook Promise, Randy now runs Slauson Ave Activist LLC, a media company creating educational products and media to inspire change. To learn more about Randy, connect with him on IG @slausonaveactivist or visit him on LinkedIn. ⁠

How easy it would be if adolescence were an overnight phenomena. But the process of moving from childhood to adulthood takes time. In today's world, the assumption that the adolescent years cease and a teen becomes an adult at the age of 18 is no longer valid. New discoveries regarding the human brain, along with a host of cultural forces, like later marriage, extended college education, massive debt, living at home, and delayed maturity have fueled things like extended adolescence and emerging adulthood. Some are even wondering if adolescence extends to the age of 30! This process can be grueling and frustrating for those parents who desperately want to see their kids make good choices on the road to adulthood, and arrive at the destination sooner rather than later. The tables turn and we become the ones asking over and over, “Are we there yet?!?” Remember, God is at work and the process may take some time. Be patient with your children as God is at work in their lives.

If you remember back to your own adolescent years, you probably remember how your emotions were at times like a roller-coaster. One minute you were happy. The next minute you were sad. Sure it differs from person to person and day to day, but those of us who work with or are raising kids know that teenagers can be up and down. A new survey from the Gallup organization has looked at the emotions of today's ten to eighteen year olds, specifically asking them about the emotions they felt during the prior day. Overall, ninety-four percent say they had experienced happy emotions at some point during the prior day. Forty-five percent said they had felt stress. Thirty-eight percent report feeling anxiety, and twenty-three percent experienced sadness. Not surprisingly, these percentages were all higher for our girls than for our boys. Parents, be aware that your kids are experiencing a spectrum of emotions, and before giving them guidance and direction, take time to listen and to understand.

In this solo podcast episode, #JodiCarlton delves into the intricacies of dating for both #autistic individuals and #neurotypicals dating someone on the spectrum. Drawing from my experiences with long-term couples, she emphasizes the importance of recognizing red flags early on in relationships. Key topics include the dangers of not being your authentic self, patterns of harmful behavior, boundary issues, and intimacy misalignments. She also addresses the concept of capacity and developmental stunting in autistic partners and how these can manifest in relationships. Additionally, she explores common justifications for staying in unhealthy relationships and the critical mistake of falling for someone's potential rather than their current reality. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the dating world, particularly in neurodiverse contexts, and provides valuable insights for setting up future generations for success in their relationships. 00:00 Introduction to Dating and Relationships 00:58 Recognizing Red Flags in Relationships 01:40 You've Become a Different Person 02:25 Understanding Codependency 04:03 Behavioral Patterns and Apologies 05:54 Communicating Boundaries Effectively 07:45 Intimacy and Alignment in Relationships 10:52 Emotional Availability and Capacity 12:49 Adolescent Development and Responsibility 18:27 Justifying Staying in a Relationship 28:00 Concluding Thoughts and Advice . . . .

As a dad, I remember the concern I felt as my daughters started to enter puberty and transform according to God's good design, from little girls into women. I knew that with the shift through adolescence they would face new pressures in a world that puts a premium on body image, sexuality, and appearance. We worked hard to prepare them, buffer them, and guide them through this stage, all the while endeavoring to lead them more deeply into a relationship with Jesus Christ. According to the latest research, those of you raising girls need to be on high alert at earlier ages, as the new data shows that puberty is starting earlier, with girls developing breasts as young as age six or seven. While not all the reasons are known, researchers have seen links with childhood obesity, exposure to environmental chemicals, and stress. While it might make you uncomfortable, we need to be having conversations about Godly sexuality and body image at younger and younger ages.

In the education world “IEP” stands for Individualized Education Plan. IEP also stands for the Inclusive Education Project. In the latter case, the IEP is a boutique law firm started by two women, Amanda Selogie and Vickie Brett, who decided to devote their lives to helping parents of children with disabilities and the children themselves to get the best possible education. While there are special education teachers and others who help facilitate the education of “children with special needs”, they can't do it alone. The education system tends not to know much about special education in specific and disabilities in general. In the United States, one of the basic ways “special education” is monitored and controlled is through the initialization of what is called an Individualized Education Plan for each child with a disability. This plan is something that must be agreed upon by representatives of the education system, the parents of children with disabilities and, when possible, the children themselves. The process can often be somewhat acrimonious and daunting especially for the families. Vickie and Amanda work to represent their clients and help get the services and equipment their children require to get a full education. This episode is quite informative especially if you are a parent of a child with a disability. Even if this is not the case, you well may know of someone who can take advantage of what Vickie and Amanda offer. On top of everything else, this is clearly an inspiring episode about two women who are doing very important work. About the Guest: Amanda Selogie received a bachelor's degree in Child and Adolescent Development, specializing in Education from California State University, Northridge and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where she served as a Fellow in the prestigious Center for Children's Rights Fellowship Program and served in the school's pro-bono Special Education Legal Clinic. Amanda immersed herself in the world of civil rights and educational advocacy through her work in education, empowerment and advocacy with the Inclusive Education project, supporting inclusion in early education through her appointment to the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council and their Inclusion Collaborative Committee, previous work serving as a supervising attorney for UCI Law School's Education Rights Pro-bono project and coaching of AYSO's VIP (Very Important Player) program coaching players living with disabilities and creating an inclusive soccer program. Vickie Brett was born and raised in Southern California and through the Inclusive Education Project she focuses on advocating and educating families about their legal rights. Vickie is committed to strengthening her clients who come to her disheartened and beaten down by the current education system. Because Vickie is bilingual, she represents and empowers many monolingual Spanish-speaking families. She is a dedicated pro bono attorney for the Superior Court of Los Angeles's Juvenile and Dependency 317(e) Panel and in the past was a supervising attorney for the UCI Law School's Special Education Law Project. Ways to connect with Amanda & Vicki: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusiveeducationproject/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IEPcalifornia/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education-project About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! 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Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and today we get to really deal with all of those. Our guests are Vickie Britt and Amanda Selogie, and if I were not a nice person, I would really have a lot of fun with saying they're both lawyers, and we could start into the lawyer jokes, but we won't get there. We won't do that, but they are. They're very special lawyers, very seriously, because what they do is spend their days dealing with helping to get students in California the services and the support that they need. A lot of times, working with what's called the IEP, which they'll explain and representing parents and students when it's necessary to work with school districts to get the districts to do the things that they should, there are laws, and unfortunately, all too often, the districts aren't aware of the laws, or choose to ignore the laws because, oh, that would be too expensive for us to do, and they're going to talk to us all about that. So Amanda and Vicky, I just want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. Thanks for being here.   Vickie Brett ** 02:34 Thanks for having us.   Amanda Selogie ** 02:35 Thanks for having us.   Vickie Brett ** 02:36 So I'm Vicky Brett, and we have   Amanda Selogie ** 02:41 Amanda Selogie I didn't   Vickie Brett ** 02:43 know if you wanted me to say your name or not. And we are from we are special education attorneys in Southern California, and we have our own nonprofit law firm called the inclusive education project, for those people in the know. The acronym is IEP, which also shares the same acronym for the students with disabilities that we represent. They have individualized education plans which lovingly go by IEP, so that's how people can remember us. We're the IEP gals, right? And we've been doing this for, oh my goodness, for like, 12 plus years now as attorneys and advocates, obviously, Amanda and I started in law school as special education advocates, and that's actually how how we met. Amanda, do you want to talk about what other things our nonprofit does before kind of get into how we met?   Amanda Selogie ** 03:40 Yeah, of course. So the Inclusive Education Project provides kind of a number of services. One of the primary services we provide is legal services. So because we are a nonprofit, we provide both pro bono, so free services, legal services, and what we call low Bono, which are low cost, flat rates for families, our representation is a little bit different than what you would think of as a normal, traditional attorney. Traditional attorneys file lawsuits, and that's the primary purpose of their practice. And while there are lawsuits to be had in special education, we call them filing for due process. It is not the only thing that we do. A lot of what we do is advocating and collaborating, both for and with students living with disabilities, their families and the school team. Most of the time when families come to us, there's already conflict, things going on that there's disagreements. So we try to come in and bridge that gap, if we can. We love when families come to us at the beginning of their journey, because then we can help guide them through that process to avoid a lot of problems that fall and get to you. Know due process. So along those lines, the reason we have this as a nonprofit not just to provide low cost services and free services, but our mission is really to educate and empower parents on their legal rights, but also provide more education and have a better conversation around disability rights and education between service providers and parents and families and school districts and teachers and administrators. So along those lines, we do trainings for schools and parents, and we also have a podcast where, you know, we kind of touch on any topic under the sun relating to Education and Disability Rights and special education, and really trying to make this world a little bit smaller in terms of getting families and schools a little bit more knowledgeable about the resources available and just the different techniques we could be using to help better educate These kids   Vickie Brett ** 05:58 well, and going beyond just acceptance to understanding and inclusivity. I think that's that's really the, the cornerstone of our nonprofit, and like, why we have the podcast, the Inclusive Education Project podcast, the mentality is just to start those conversations. I think a lot of people have those conversations, but they're very surface, and so whatever we can share in our experiences of the clients that we fight for, the students, we try to do that and and it's been a nice way to kind of blow off some steam as well, because a lot of administrators and parents who actually reach out, and we've had some of them, which, which is so wonderful, because it really is, you know, it just shows that we're all kind of, we're all humans, and we could always be doing better. But when we see that administrators, you know, listen to us, it really, it makes us feel that, you know, we're not just shouting into a void, or we're just not preaching to the choir, where we are actually being able to have these tough conversations and have people from from the district side, really receive it and then provide us feedback, which, which has been nice. Yeah, like Amanda said, Oh, go ahead.   07:27 Oh, you go ahead. Oh, I   Vickie Brett ** 07:30 was just gonna say, Yeah, we, you know, we, we do our, our bread and butter is special education. So that would be issues that children with special needs are encountering in school districts. We also do a bit of probate. We do try to provide kind of a one stop shop for our clients in that if they have their child, because when their child becomes an adult and they need assistance with getting a limited conservatorship or certain powers to help that child transition into adulthood, we can with the limited conservatorships, and then we also provide special needs trust, which come into play when the parent wants to kind of set up a trust. You know, their will to leave their the child, their inheritance, and to be sure that their disability is protected, we we help create special needs trust for those families. So you some, I mean, now we've had the firm 10 years, and I feel like, yeah, Amanda, you've had your clients starting from, like, kinder to, like, High School, which is, like, phenomenal. I know I've had clients you know that I got, you know, in the fourth grade, and they've already graduated, and it's just it really warms our heart to be able to kind of discuss what it is that we do, because not a lot of people know, I think you would think that other attorneys know, but they really don't know. It's just a very small percentage of us in in the nation. But then, just let alone in California, you know, compared to Arizona, where there might be only a few special education attorneys, you know, maybe three in the whole state, California obviously will have a little bit more because of our our state is so big, but compared to family law attorneys or personal injury attorneys, we are very small percentage. So it's nice to be able to kind of speak to that, and what it is that we, we do do, well, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 09:38 well, go ahead. Oh, I   Amanda Selogie ** 09:40 was just gonna say a lot of a lot of people think attorneys, and they think, Oh, it's just lawsuits. And everyone thinks like, Oh, our country is too happy. And like, what we love to say is, like, we are counselors in every sense of the word, like we, we try not to have lawsuits. Like we really try to encompass so much more. I mean, our practice, and that's part of just what special education is and why. Some families have been with us for so long is it's more than just the legal side, sure.   Michael Hingson ** 10:06 And I thought the reason I wanted I started this one, I should say, differently than I've done a lot of podcasts. And the reason because I think that what you guys do is really so unique, and that you have done so much to address the issue of disabilities and so on. I really wanted to give you an opportunity to really, kind of explain it, but tell me if you would a little bit more about why you chose to go into the field of dealing with disabilities.   Amanda Selogie ** 10:44 Amanda, I can start. Oh, you can start.   Vickie Brett ** 10:50 This is Vicki, you know, it's, it's really funny, because Amanda and I a lot of the special education attorneys in the field, it's it's changing. We, I feel like we were like, that first tide of changing. But a lot of them were attorneys in business litigation, district attorneys, and then they had a child with special needs, and then they, like, stumbled across this area of the law, Amanda. And I really, or I'll let Amanda go into hers, but I did actually kind of stumble, stumble into it very early on in law school. Amanda and I were a year apart. I was a year ahead of her, and we both decided to study abroad in Spain and hit it off. And she was like, we should have a class together. I'm I'm taking this clinic, the special education clinic, you should do it too. And I thought, oh, okay, I was kind of already set on my path of environmental law, dating myself a little bit. I wanted to be like Aaron Brockovich, you know, my dad was in environmental science, and so I, you know, I really wanted to take it up for the environment. And I had a internship with Coast keepers, and really was kind of on that path. And once I joined the clinic, I realized that being bilingual, I could help Spanish speaking families, and I really kind of fell in love with this area of the law. It was really just, you know, being a people person, and getting involved and seeing how you could advocate on behalf of these, these children with unique learning challenges. And I had, I have a cousin on the spectrum, and at the time, I kind of known, oh, he had a plan and things like that, but I really didn't know the intricacies of it. And after I graduated, I actually was hired by the professors that ran the clinic. So Amanda and I never got our class together. She was in the LA, and they pulled me from LA to the Orange County sector because I spoke Spanish. So we didn't even get the class together, but we did keep in contact, and while I kind of worked at this boutique law firm that did special education and then also did family law. And then once Amanda graduated and passed the bar A year later, and she started working for a separate just special education law firm, we would always get together and talk about our cases and like how we could do things differently. And what's so funny to think is we thought 10 years from now, which would be right now, right would be ridiculous, but like 10 years from now, we're gonna open up our own firm, but we really quickly realized that we could just do it ourselves. And so I'll let Amanda tell how she got into Yeah, because it's completely different.   Amanda Selogie ** 13:40 Yeah, yeah. I went to law school specifically, knowing that I wanted to practice special education law. I fought going to law school for a very long time. It wasn't my plan. I had a very young age, thought I was going to be a teacher, and I dabbled in costume design for theater. Changed a lot, and then I kind of got back to teaching, and my or, or the plan of teaching. My aunt is a special education teacher in LA and has been for like, 25 years. And I had worked with kids with disabilities on and off, different capacities, summer camps, tutoring, that sort of thing in high school. And when I was getting a degree in child development, I started working as a one on one a for a child in a charter school. And the charter school was a full inclusion school. So one of those schools that was is kind of one in a million, where full inclusion is done very well, and works very well. And so I had the benefit of seeing that while I was in college, and I worked primarily with this little boy who had Down syndrome, but I worked with a few other students as well, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I fell in love with working with the kids, and I was just so inspired by. Not only the kids that I've worked one on one with, but the other kids in the class and the whole school, that just the dynamics and the vibe and just the collaborative nature of the school, everyone working together, everyone was on the same page. Everyone was treated the same like things. And it wasn't. It wasn't, unfortunately, what we see in a lot of school. And I, I thought, this is this is right, I'm going to be a special ed teacher. But then that kind of shifted, because as I worked more and more with the school and with certain families and learned how just what an anomaly this one school is, and that that that was not the case in 99% of schools, and that families really had to fight tooth and nail to get services even a fraction of what I saw in this school. And I learned about due process. I learned about some of these families having to fight for the legal system. And you know, I had this thing in the back of my head of being told, as a kid, you should be an attorney, because I like to argue, I guess, and talk. It's something that I never wanted. I never wanted to go to law school. English was not my subject. I was a math kid, but I just I felt in my gut that I would be one of those teachers that would speak up and get fired, or I would push too many buttons, and it would be very challenging for me to sit on my hands and not say anything. And so it kind of just fell together, like I kind of fell into it as, like an awful moment of this is the way that I can support and work with these kids and do something that I was kind of pushed to do. And I found out a little bit more about the theory of law and how there's very few attorneys that do it, and I was really intrigued by the fact that it was very individualized and new, and it wasn't something that was very cookie cutter. And I liked that I could be creative and have that creative side to it. So went to law school, and, you know, Vicki shared our story of how we met, and was fortunate enough that I did go into this field, and I absolutely I continue to fall in love with it and the kids that we work with. And you know, when Vicki and I started our practice, a big part of it was because we saw the way things were being done with other firms, and the focus was on cases and lawsuits and getting the case law and pushing for changes in legislation. And while that's important, it's it takes a toll on families, and it's not something that is a quick resolution. And so while these cases go through the court system, these kids are getting older and older, and next thing you know, they're out of school. And while the system may have been impacted by their case, they haven't been and we just felt like this. This wasn't what we were meant to do. We were meant to help a different way, similar to how I felt when I was in undergrad. And so when we started our firm, we had this, this, this goal of having a bigger impact than just one case at a time. And I think that's why, like, we have clients, Vicki mentioned that we've had for a very long time. I have some that started in kindergarten that are now in high school. Because our goal isn't to file lawsuits. Our goal isn't to hide things and prepare for a hearing or prepare for litigation, which is what a lot of attorneys do. That's their focus. Our goal is, how can we help this child right now? How can we help the school right now? Because a lot of what we're doing is help the teachers get more services and more support into the classroom, to get teachers and school staff trained to keep environments safe and so our and that's why, you know, we love what we do, because we can be very creative, and the law allows us to be because everything is supposed to be individualized, and the law is there to protect kids. And unfortunately, one of the biggest problems we see is that enforcement is just not there, because it does take attorneys like us coming in to enforce the law. It takes parents fighting to enforce the law, choosing to fight to enforce the law. So yeah, you know, we do things just a little bit differently,   Michael Hingson ** 19:09 okay? And I can appreciate that how much of your caseload deals with disabilities and and special services like what we've been talking about,   Amanda Selogie ** 19:20 100% because all of our clients have a disability, even our small sector of probate still deals with it's not traditional probate, it's only the conservatorship special needs trust. But I'd say about 5% is probate. The rest of it is dealing with schools and school districts, so just about all of our cases.   Michael Hingson ** 19:41 So the I'm familiar with IEPs, and actually, when I was growing up, I don't think we had an IEP if we did, I never knew about it, but I've been a staunch advocate, and love to help people when they have questions about IEPs and so on. So again, it's. Virtual, individualized education plan. But what are some of the biggest challenges that parents face when dealing with the whole special education and educational process?   Vickie Brett ** 20:13 Yeah, I mean, sometimes it ebbs and flows, but I would say the biggest challenge is not knowing what they don't know. And when you have a child that maybe you know, has some type of disability, right, if it's if it's outward, you know, they'll they're diagnosed with cerebral palsy once they're born, and you kind of have some time to really be able to kind of digest that information, I think that parent will come to the school district a bit more prepared to say, Hey, this is my child. This is what I think my child needs, and they'll be able to speak to it when we have parents that have their child go into the school system and they don't know that their child has some type of learning challenge. That is where I think it kind of gets sticky. So the child may have dyslexia, the child may have some of these disabilities that you wouldn't necessarily know until your your child really started learning things. And of course, you know, here in California, we always talk about zero to five and the push to, you know, read to your children and all this stuff. But you know, unless you have a child development background, sometimes it's and you know your child best, but sometimes you don't really understand what their challenges are until they're in the school system. And so oftentimes will get parents that have maybe had IEPs for a couple years, and they've had a great team, but some of those team members change, and then they start to feel not heard. They feel that their child is not seen, and then they get mad, and they Google, you know, attorney and so and so. That's why, you know, we we feel that some of these challenges, and what our podcast really tries to focus on, at times, are these different issues that come up. What is it that you have to look for if you believe that your child should be eligible for an IEP, how do you request that? What is an IEP? What are present levels? But yeah, I think the biggest challenge, because even if you know your child inside out, it's sometimes really hard to navigate the politics, if you will, of these individualized education plan meetings I have, for instance, like one case where the child very clearly needs a One to One aid. Everybody has said it, but the administrator, for whatever reason, has not put it in the IEP that the child has said it, the the general education teacher says he needs one. The RSP teacher says he needs one. His speech and language pathologist says he needs one. But, you know, we just haven't gotten there. And that to me, just seems wild, right? That that this child has not put it in, they haven't put it in the IEP, and it's because, and they even said it, well, you know, we're in an age shortage. We don't have an aid that we can provide them. Oh, well, if we try to hire one, it's going to take forever. These are not excuses that, you know, you should be standing on. The law is very clear about it, but yes, do we understand that there are some things that we need to kind of push in order to get it done. It just because you can't hire an aide that would just work exclusively for the district doesn't mean you can't go with a private agency that could provide an aid, right? But that's going to cost more. So that's what I mean about, like, the politics of it. Amanda, what big challenges do you think? And like I said, it ebbs and flows, so it just depends on our caseloads. That was one that just came to my mind. But what about you? Yeah, yeah,   Amanda Selogie ** 23:54 I think that training and experience plays a big role. You know, whether we're dealing with a child who's in a general education class and that general education teacher has a general education credential, they do not have a special education credential. The majority of times, they have not received any training. Maybe they've had a few kids on IEPs, maybe they haven't. And the reality is, is that a general education credential doesn't come with specialized training for special education. They may be a bit knowledgeable about there may be a child with a disability. You know, I my degree was at a school where a lot of students were getting their teaching credentials at the same time, so I took the majority of the same classes as the students that were going to get their credentials. They just had one extra year. And I can tell you, based on my course load, and based on the course load of all my friends that were in the teaching credential program, there was one class that had anything to do with special education. And it was very minimal, and it wasn't a guarantee that even everyone took it. And I took that class, and I can tell you that it's very minimal. It doesn't really it doesn't really train you on how to implement an IEP, or how to understand the why behind a lot of what's in the IEP. And while a general education teacher may come to an IEP meeting, an IEP meeting isn't training, it's, you know, development of the accommodations and the goals, and they may get a fraction of the information about that child's disability, but they're not an expert on autism, they're not an expert on ADHD. They're not an expert on sensory processing deficit or and so a lot of perceptions occur. We have a lot of teachers that make assumptions. They may have had one child with ADHD, and they think they're all doing the same, and this worked for them so that not there's a lot of perceptions that they seem fine if they would just and then fill in the blank, right? If they would just do their work, if they would just show up to class, if they would just pay attention. The assumption is that they should be able to do all these things, just like every other child. When   Michael Hingson ** 26:10 you say they, who are you referring to as they?   Amanda Selogie ** 26:14 A lot of times the teachers because they don't, yeah, they don't have that specialized training, and frankly, even a special education teacher has a specific credential, but it's, there's so many vast different abilities and disabilities out there, and there's spectrums, there's, you know, not all kids that have one diagnosis to be the same. There's comorbidities, there's there's even, when you look at, like, if you analyze and review an assessment report for an individual child, there's, there's a lot of numbers in there right of low scores or average scores or below average and but there's not a lot of times an analysis of, how does This impact the child in the classroom? And so a lot of teachers have kind of a variety of knowledge and experience and training on kids. And IEPs are developed in a way that are supposed to be individualized that child. And so if that teacher isn't given training on that child's needs. A lot of times, like I mentioned, we have these assumptions about what a child should be able to do or shouldn't. But then we also have, how do we implement the accommodations that are there? How do we implement the services? And if we have speech therapy, are we really collaborating between the speech therapist and the special education teacher and the general education teacher and the parent, so that we're using a lot of the same strategies and implementing and so a lot of times we get families that come to us and the IEP on its face looks okay. A lot of times the IEP doesn't look okay. But in many circumstances, we can fight and we can make sure the IEP looks okay, but if it's not implemented appropriately, because there's not a lot of training, or not the right training, or we don't have ongoing analysis of these different factors, then it's going to cause problems. And there's not really a mechanism for the school district to sit there and say, let me analyze each of these IEPs and make sure that everybody involved has the proper training. There's nobody doing that.   Michael Hingson ** 28:28 Yeah, it's it's not even just the teachers. It's also the administrators who get no training in this at all. How do people find you? So it's not like your Jacobi and Myers or those kinds of things. So the reality is that there are so many people who probably aren't even familiar with the whole IEP process and what their rights are, what their children's rights are, or the parents rights, or the children how? How do they find you?   Vickie Brett ** 29:01 Most of the time it's word of mouth. So you have parents that either you know, like I said, Google us right, and are able to find us that way, or hear us on our podcast or even on our social media, they're able to find us and are able to kind of contact us that way, but for the most part, yeah, it's word of mouth. So one parent, you know, starts talking to other parents, and then, you know, our name comes up. We also do a lot of presentations for nonprofits, and have in the past done for schools, private schools, and really have tried to just kind of be out in the community and do pre covid. We had done a lot of panels and discussions. And really, just like I said, start, start those conversations, we network with a lot of professionals that are not Attorneys. Other attorneys usually get referrals from other attorneys. Potentially we could get and we've done conferences like family law attorney conferences and personal injury attorney conferences. They might be the ones more often than not, that come across a family with a child with some type of unique learning challenge or disability, but yeah, I would say the majority of our cases come from a parent that was talking to a parent in the hospital on the way to a physical therapy appointment or even just during pickup, which is great, because that's the, you know, it's, it's always easier to refer someone that you know, to somebody that you know hasn't has a problem that they need help, especially at a legal level with so   Michael Hingson ** 30:49 So one question that comes to mind is, who pays for your services and how does that all work out? Because I got to imagine that a lot of the parents can't really afford any kind of substantive legal fees.   Amanda Selogie ** 31:03 Yeah, so it depends, depends on what kind of services we're providing. We do have a portion of our services that are pro bono, so they're free to the families. There's a section of the legal statute that says parents should be entitled to legal representation because of the way the system was set up. So if you go through due process, through litigation, and you go to hearing and you win, then you are entitled to get your attorney's fees paid for. So whether the family pays up front or they don't, and it's pro bono, the if you prevail in hearing, you can get attorney's fees paid that way. 95% of Special Education cases settle. They don't go to hearing. So part of the negotiations in this settlement is for attorney's fees, because the school district recognizes that parents are entitled to that, and you know, the settlement wouldn't happen if not, but for the attorneys involvement, and because they are entitled to it, settlement funds do get part, get included as part of the settlement agreement. And then there are circumstances that don't involve litigation, and families want our help to either help coordinate or walk them through serve this the system of IEPs help them kind of manage it. And so those services we do offer a flat rate so we don't charge by the hour. We do low flat rate services, and typically, our clients retain us for an entire year that allows us to follow them through that IEP process, because it's not just one two hour meeting, it's a lot of follow ups and a lot of making sure that IEPs are being implemented and things need to be tweaked and follow up meetings. And so in those cases, families do pay, but we do have a sliding scale, so it's really based on how income and size, the complexity of their case. But they're all lower rates, and they're they're flat fees, when,   Michael Hingson ** 33:10 when you say lower rates. I'm just curious, can you give us an example, or is that something you can easily   Vickie Brett ** 33:15 Yeah, so, I mean, you know, because some of those attorney we know, I mean, obviously we're really transparent with our colleagues, but you know, the boards have to, at times, the school boards have to have meetings where they are approving the attorneys fees. So our attorneys fees, compared to some of those in Southern California, they if they charge hourly, it can be anywhere from about 678, $100 an hour out in LA if you're getting the cream of the crop, it's similar pricing as well. If they are charging hourly that there are very few that will take a majority of the cases as the pro bono cases as a man explain that we do they do then, because the statute does indicate that we can get some of our attorneys fees. But something that I think parents don't necessarily understand is that, you know, because it is, it's a negotiation tactic of the districts to not pay all attorneys fees, right? So if you're the parent and you're paying an attorney $10,000 and they've resolved everything at mediation, your child's getting everything that you wanted, but then the district comes back and says, Well, we're only going to pay you $5,000 that puts the attorney in a weird position, because you as a parent want all your 10,000 back, right? But this is a negotiation, and so then that's not likely going to happen. And we just, we, we just take that out of the equation, like we're going to be the ones that are going to be deciding what we are going to accept. We're. Not putting that on you, because we have had colleagues where over a couple $1,000 the parent had to go to hearing and then ended up ultimately losing on several issues that technically the settlement would have resolved for them very easily, simply because they they wanted all of their attorneys fees, and that was the client's decision, right? And so, yeah, we just, we just delete that from the equation. And if anyone's going to be making that decision, it's Amanda or I, especially knowing that a lot of these districts use it as a as a tactic to keep attorneys from providing these services for free to many families, what I was   Michael Hingson ** 35:39 thinking of more when I asked the fee question was not so much the cases that go into litigation, but more in the cases where you're helping someone go through the IEP and so on. And so I'm not really looking at it in terms of since I understand not all cases go to litigation, but yeah, yeah, other cases that don't go through litigation. How does that work? Yeah,   Vickie Brett ** 36:02 not a lot of attorneys will do like the yearly care maintenance package that we do with a flat rate. They will still charge hourly. So there are advocates that that will advertise that they can help at IEP meetings. So maybe this was a former school psychologist turned, you know, educational consultant, and they can walk you through the IEP process. And so some of them can be just as expensive as an attorney in Southern California. But yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, some of them are charging four or $500 and the the problem that they get into is that that's okay to help navigate. But when it comes to a point where you're you're leaving things on the table. For instance, let's say the child has needed speech and language services for two years, and you finally secure it as an advocate, but you are not. You know, going back to the district. They can't, because they can't sue them, but if you're not turning that case over to an attorney so that the child can be made whole by being provided compensatory education in the form of speech and language for them not having it for the past two years, I think that's where it kind of gets sticky. But, yeah, I mean a lot of but   Michael Hingson ** 37:19 if you got a lot of attorneys, if you were doing a flat rate kind of thing, sort of, what's the range of that over? Let's say you're, you're, you're going to be helping someone say, for a year, kind of, what's the general range of that for you guys?   Amanda Selogie ** 37:33 That kind of changes, um, year to year, obviously costs increase and stuff like that. But I mean, it can really go from a couple $1,000 up to 10 or more 1000. Just it really, really depends.   Michael Hingson ** 37:47 That's what I was. Just curious. Our   Amanda Selogie ** 37:48 board kind of lays out some guidelines. We do it based on, you know, income, so we try to keep the fees low. But some, some families, the case is fairly simple, and what we're looking to do is just kind of help and give them advice other times, like we possibly have to file for due process. So in those cases, it could be more, it could be less, it really depends. But of course, if you look at the amount of time that Vicki was explaining, it's nowhere near the hourly rate that most attorneys No.   Michael Hingson ** 38:25 And I understand, yeah, and I understand that. So here's another question regarding that, are there ever times when, again, let's, let's not go to a due process litigation kind of thing, but where you're helping a parent, and essentially, you're helping the school district as well, because typically, there isn't a lot of expertise. Do you ever find that when that kind of thing occurs, that the school district will help pay any of the fees? Or is that really always going to be on the parent alone?   Amanda Selogie ** 38:56 Usually, the only time the school district will pay for fees outside of litigation is if there's a settlement agreement. So there are times where we're working with the school team, and both sides recognize that there's a conflict that needs to be resolved. The school district maybe wants to provide something, but they want to be confidential. They don't want other families to know they're providing a service and but they don't want to go through litigation. They don't want to have to deal with a lawsuit. So we will negotiate settlements, sometimes outside of litigation, and usually included in that is attorneys fees, because if we're avoiding litigation, that's similar so, but usually not through just the IEP process. They don't say, like, hey, we'll, we'll, you know, throw you a couple bucks for these services. Unfortunately, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 39:44 it'd be nice, but unfortunately, that kind of funding isn't there, and so it, it is difficult, but what? What kind of advice would you give to parents who may. Disagree with an individualized education program, if I could talk, I'd be great. But what kind of things might you suggest for a parent who disagrees with a plan to to at least deal with the process? And I mean, obviously at some point they have to call in someone like you. But what are some things that a parent can do up front if they say, No, I really don't agree with this. Yeah,   Vickie Brett ** 40:27 so, I mean, you know, make that known, especially at the IEP. You know, get a copy of the IEP and if, for instance, let's say they're taking away occupational therapy your child's had it for, you know, 30 minutes a week for forever. And, you know, they do an assessment and they say, Oh, well, we don't think he needs it anymore. The parent can initiate stay put. And so essentially, what that says to the district is, I don't agree with taking this away, and so I'm not going to agree for you to take it away, and the services that we've had in the past are what's going to stay put right? That we're not going to change that. That also signals to the district that they either need to hold another IEP, and you can try to compromise at that IEP, oh, well, you know, maybe let's do a fade out plan. Or maybe, you know what, instead of 30 minutes a week, maybe we're willing to do every other week, right? Of course, they're going to have their own say in why they don't, you know, think that they need these services anymore, but at least it kind of gives them an indication like, oh, okay, there's something wrong here if the district doesn't do another IEP, maybe, you know, it's time for you to kind of raise the flag a little bit and say, you know, go to the the principal or the director of special education and ask for maybe a confidential meeting. Maybe you guys can resolve this outside of the IEP, the only thing that we would kind of advise as well is that we've had some districts that work really great with the parent and make changes to the IEP, even though the meeting was confidential. But more often than not, what the district will try to do in that confidential meeting is have you sign a confidential settlement agreement, and that is now a legal document, and you may be giving up rights that you didn't even know that you had. So if you were to do that, you know, always have an attorney, you know, review that information, but at least, you know, starting at the starting point would be, hey, let me see if we can informally resolve this by either having another IEP, you know, I'm staying put, or maybe having a separate conversation with with somebody higher up, like the direct special education for the district. And what we see a lot   Amanda Selogie ** 42:51 of times, I   Michael Hingson ** 42:52 think one of the important things that people really need to understand is that an IEP isn't just something that the educational system can say, this is it negotiable. It it is up to the parent to bring in whoever they feel they need to bring in to rep, to help, if they need to represent their rights. And the reality is that the child and the parents do have rights, and this school system does not have the right to just say, This is it. This is why it's an individualized education program or plan. It is a plan, and everyone needs to agree to it. And the reality is, many times you know what's really going on, it's a game of, I and the school district don't want to spend money, and the parent is saying, You gotta, it's the law, but, but a lot of parents really don't understand what their rights are regarding IEPs, and that is what is so unfortunate, because they can, can be waylaid in so many ways. How do they learn what they need to know about the whole IEP process, I realize, and I would say right off the bat, my answer to that would be, in part, fine you. But beyond that, how do parents learn? Because I would think that the smarter they are about the IEP process, the quicker it might be that they will bring you in, because they know what you can do. But how do they learn about the process? Yeah,   Amanda Selogie ** 44:26 I mean, there's certainly a lot of resources online. I mean, if you just Google terms, like, you know, my rights with an IEP or, you know, help with IEPs, there's, you know, tons of websites and articles out there. Certainly there's a lot of information on social media as well. We are very active on social media, providing tips and tricks, and you know the basics of what you know, parents, legal rights are, and that sort of thing. And then, of course, we have our podcast where. We do just that, try to provide some information for families and educators on things that they can be doing most of the time to avoid a litigation. So there are a lot of resources out there, I think. And one thing that we love that when parents find is that there's a lot of parent groups out there, both like that meet in person and then, as a consequence of covid, a lot of Facebook groups have popped up. So for families who are looking for like local support on their school district, a lot of times, they can find a Facebook group of parents within their school district or their geographic region, because there are some things that vary state to state, and so sometimes that can be really helpful is talking to other parents about, you know, what their experiences have been, and what they've done and things like that.   Michael Hingson ** 45:53 So what advice would you have for parents who really want to develop a good, collaborative and working relationship with their school district and their school assuming that the school district or school also wants to really develop a good, positive collaborative relationship. And I'm sure that there are some who don't, because they feel we know all there is to know and that's it. But what's the advice for parents who want to really establish a good relationship,   Vickie Brett ** 46:24 I think, is for the parent to have confidence in that they are the expert of their child. I think that kind of gets lost a little bit when you have 10 people on one side, you know, kind of describing a different child than than you see, you, you are the expert. And I think having the confidence to say that and and to really bring the room back to, hey, it's not me against you, it's us against the problem. I think being collaborative in the sense of, you know, if your child has diagnoses, you know, being able to provide that information to the school. You know, sometimes we'll get parents that, you know, for for privacy, you know, don't want to share, but if that diagnosis is impacting the child and how they're accessing the curriculum, and it's not something that's, you know, going to be on their forehead, right? And it's something to help the district kind of see, oh, yeah, I can see why she would need this as an additional accommodation. We, you know, you need to be as transparent as possible. We oftentimes get parents that have, you know, information that they're holding on to because they think it's going to negatively affect the child, but they don't really know, right? It's just them kind of hiding the ball. And while the district shouldn't do that, they do do that. I think people kind of pick up on that. But I think at the end of the day, being able to, you know, if you need to have an IEP meeting, you know, why are we having the IEP meeting, asking the district to provide documents, even draft documents, before the IEP, there's no set law in California that that mandates that they have to provide it to you. But one of the reasons that we ask for drafts of, you know, an assessment, or even the draft IEP is is not because we want to see what the district is going to do and say no. And say, No, we know it's a living document, but let's get it beforehand so that I can read it and come prepared to the IEP meeting to ask whatever questions or make any corrections. And I think just these few kind of tips and tricks of of and having that in your back pocket has helped a lot of our clients when when they no longer need our services, right? That's kind of like the baseline we're coming to open arms to this meeting. We want to know as much information beforehand so we can make the best use of everybody's time,   Amanda Selogie ** 48:54 and then to like, along the lines of trusting your gut, like, don't be afraid to ask for things. Don't be afraid to ask for information. So using our wh language, who, what, where, why, when we want to ask details, a lot of times we get information, and parents are afraid to ask more questions. But if you don't truly understand what's being told to you or the why behind it, you're not going to get the answers. And often by parents asking, Well, why do you think this is or why do you think this isn't working? Or why do you think this this does work by asking those questions, often it gets the team to have a better communication. And sometimes we just need to ask for more we need to get more data. We need more information. And it's from those questions that the team realizes we need more information. But then also, don't be afraid to ask for things they're never going to give you things you don't ask for. No,   Michael Hingson ** 49:51 I remember growing up very much pre IEP, don't, don't tell and I. Um, I remember, we moved from Chicago after I was in kindergarten, and here in California, they start kindergarten the year after Illinois. So I ended up with two years of kindergarten. The second year was pretty boring because they had no facilities. In the first year, when I was in kindergarten, Illinois, they actually, because there were so many preemie babies who became blind, they actually, with the encouragement, sometimes pretty strong, of the parents, they actually developed a kindergarten class for blind kids. And I learned braille and so on, and all that went away coming out to California, when, when we I was in school. I remember one afternoon, there was an incredible shouting match between my father and the principal of the school because they wanted to ship me off to the California School for the Blind. Oh, now the reality is, I think academically, CSB was still pretty decent at that time in terms of dealing with blind kids, certainly earlier it was, but still, they wanted to ship me off to the California School for the Blind, and my parents would have nothing to do with that, and they did eventually, just plane put their foot down and said, No, we're, we're not going to allow him to be sent away. But it, it does happen, and it's, it's unfortunate that there had to be such a battle over it, but that's the way it went. And ever since then, I've had a few times where in the past, the educational system tried to discriminate against me. In fact, when I was a freshman in high school, the superintendent of the district didn't want my guide dog on the school bus, which was an incredibly gross violation of state law, but his position was, it's local school rules superseded state law. Well, he lost that   Vickie Brett ** 52:07 rightly so. My goodness, he   Michael Hingson ** 52:09 lost that battle when my father kind of accidentally wrote a letter to the governor of the state of California. You know, so parents do have to be advocates and shouldn't be afraid to be advocates, but make sure you you're advocating for something that makes sense to advocate for learn, and that's something you know in discussing this whole thing, it is also something it seems to me that that parents Need to really understand what their children are capable of. I've seen so many times that Parents of Blind kids, for example, didn't think a blind kid could do anything, and they've been part of the problem and not part of the solution.   Vickie Brett ** 52:55 And that, and that's that's hard. And I think, you know, we we come across that. And I think one of the reasons why it's helpful if the parents come to us early on in their journey of getting an IEP is because having the thought of who your child was going to be before they were born, and it not match, and then having the child be born and it not match that ideal kid that you had is very hard for a lot of parents, and there's grief that's involved that sometimes even at 12, when, when we're seeing the parent, you know, they've been a parent for 12 years of this child, and they they're still grieving. And some people get there quicker than others, and that that is difficult, because if you have one sort of mentality, you're You're either part of the solution, right, or you are part of the problem. And so we've seen that as well. And you know, if you are searching for help, I think that's why Amanda had said, not just running to an attorney, but talking to other parents is completely beneficial,   Michael Hingson ** 54:07 yeah, and it's not all about running to an attorney by any means. I mean, a lot of reasons to bring an attorney into it for the expertise that they bring, but at some point, and you and we've talked about this a little bit in our original call, we've got to change how we view disabilities. And in this my position, disability does not mean a lack of ability, and that everyone has disabilities. And the problem is we've got to get over this feeling that someone is less than someone else just because they're different. And I'm so glad, earlier in our conversation today, that you talked about inclusion and you didn't use diversity, because diversity typically doesn't involve disabilities. Anyway, people exclude us, and that doesn't work with inclusion, and so I'm glad. Add that you use that term. But we've got to get beyond this idea that disability truly means a lack of ability   Vickie Brett ** 55:07 absolutely and like I said, it goes beyond just acceptance, right? And that's what we're pushing the limits of it. I forget. I think I had heard, oh my gosh, Trevor Noah, give this as an example. You know, it's wonderful when you build a house and then you think, oh, you know what, I need to have a wheelchair access ramp here. I That's wonderful. I think it's another thing. And this, this is the best part. When, before you even build that house? You think I want this to be accessible for all, and truly all. So let me go to all these people to see how I can create that house that will truly you know, having that person in mind before you even start is a wonderful thing.   Michael Hingson ** 56:02 Yeah, right. Where are some places people can go to learn that kind of thing?   Vickie Brett ** 56:08 Oh, goodness. You know, we have come across a couple great institutions that actually reach out to districts and provide this type of training. What our current fight is, is to try to get this to the teachers right to be part of their curriculum, and so that they have those tools to but a lot of teachers also already are doing you know, as long as you know and connect with your student and you can think outside the Box and be afraid, you know, not be afraid of not knowing what you don't know. Then, as long as you are paying attention, you're you're fine. But there are a lot of pro or the curriculums. Like, I can't think of any names off the top of my head, but let me there are people doing it. Let   Michael Hingson ** 56:58 me help. Um, oh yes, kind of, one of the things I was thinking of when you were talking about building houses and so on is things like Centers for Independent Living. Oftentimes, they've got a lot of expertise. There's certainly a lot of resources that one can Google like you talked about the big problem with building houses for people is that architects are mostly very clueless about dealing with anything regarding accessibility. In fact, when we built this home in 2016 and my wife was a paraplegic her entire life, we were the main experts that guided the construction of the house from an accessibility standpoint. But even then, when the house was all built and we thought everything was going to be fine, the R the builder, would not put a ramp at the front door, nor the back patio. And he said, Well, you're in a flood zone. And so we can't two points about that, because we contacted and unfortunately, the builder still wouldn't address it, so we had to do it. But we contacted the county, and went to the people down in San Bernardino who are involved with this, and they said, it's ridiculous to say, even if you were, you know, we, first of all, we're not in a flood zone. But even if we were, it doesn't matter, water's still going to travel the same whether it's up a step or up a ramp. Reality is there is only one specific way that there would be a problem in putting in a ramp and at a front door or whatever, and that is if there isn't what's called a weep screen or whatever to to deal with the water going under the house, that could be an issue. But that wasn't the issue with with our situation, and the builder wouldn't do it, so we had to spend the money to do it, and it shouldn't have had to be that way and grossly expensive. But it's it's now done, of course, and yeah, that was the only thing that they didn't do. But the reality is, there are a lot of resources. The architectural industry and the building industry is oftentimes just not overly good about dealing with excess themselves. You're right. The fact is that when people are constructing something new, it would be so wise if right from the outset, they would look at all the possible options. And, you know, we we thought about it when we built this house as well. This is now a home that's available for anyone who who might need a home when we build our home in New Jersey in 1996 the. The same thing there. We had a great builder. His biggest frustration was that the count of the city of Westfield gave them great grief at putting in the elevator that we needed to have, because the only kind of home we could build back there was a two story home. That's what the the associate, not Association, but that street was all about was two story homes, and there was a ranch style, and the county and the city just gave our builder great grief, which he finally worked through. But again, it was a completely accessible house, as it should be,   Vickie Brett ** 1:00:39 absolutely, absolutely. And you know, this is kind of our small area of the world that we are trying to make better. But you know, we, we're just so grateful for the opportunity to be able to have these conversations and to be able to put it out there and and we're just so grateful for this opportunity. Michael, thank you for having us well,   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:04 and I know that we are scheduled now to come on your podcast a little Yes. So tell me what's the name of the podcast?   Amanda Selogie ** 1:01:12 It's the Inclusive Education Project podcast. We just took our name. We weren't super creative. Make it easy for people to find us.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:19 So there you go. And if people want to reach out to you and well, engage you, or talk to you, learn more and so on. How do they do that?   Vickie Brett ** 1:01:29 Yeah,   Amanda Selogie ** 1:01:29 the best way is through social media or emailing. Going to our website, inclusive educationproject.org, and our handle on all social media is inclusive education project. We're pretty easy. If you Google us to find us,   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:43 and if people want to email you, how do they do that? It'll be   Amanda Selogie ** 1:01:48 admin at IEP california.org   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:52 admin at IEP california.org Do you just do work in California, or do you ever consult outside the state.   Amanda Selogie ** 1:02:02 So our legal work, we're licensed to practice only in the state of California, but of course, we do trainings and presentations and consulting work for high schools and whatnot across the country, because the law is the federal law. Yes,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:18 we are dealing with federal on it. So it does make sense to be able to do that? Well, I want to thank you both Amanda and Vickie, for being here. This has been fun, but here's the term educational as well. I really want to thank you both for being here with us, and I think telling us a lot and teaching us a lot, and for parents listening, reach out to Amanda and Vickie, and they will be very happy to speak with you, and can probably help in so many ways. But remember, ultimately, parents, you have the power don't give it up. Yep, don't, don't underestimate your child, and because of that, make sure that what you do really creates an IEP that works for the child. That's ultimately what we're all about.   Vickie Brett ** 1:03:09 Absolutely. Thank you so much. Michael. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:11 thank you all, and I want to thank you all for listening. I hope you enjoyed it. I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to email me if you would. At Michael, H, I M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I, at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I, B, E.com, which reminds me, we met you two through Sheldon Lewis, how did that come about? How do you guys know Sheldon? Yeah, you   Vickie Brett ** 1:03:31 know what? We were looking to cut. We were making these small changes to our website. And I got connected to him because we are a nonprofit, and it's just, it's, it's been just such a wonderful breath of fresh air to find a community. So he's always asking us to put our input on on blogs and always promoting us and we the same. It's just, it's nice to be part of the little AccessiBe community. It's   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:01 great. And you guys have access to be on your site now. Yes, you do, you do? There you go. Well, thank you very much for doing that. And if you want everyone, I gave you my email address, Michael h i@accessibe.com or go to our podcast page, www dot Michael hingson.com/podcast and Michael Hingson is M I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, S O, N, wherever you're listening, please give us a five star rating, and also, as many of you know, ever since September 11, 2001 after escaping from the World Trade Center, I have been a public speaker. If you ever need a speaker, would love to chat with you about speaking at events and for engagements that you might need. So please feel free to email me at speaker@michaelhingson.com that's the quickest way to get immediately noticed. But please, again, give us a five star rating wherever you're listening. We value it, and for all of you, including Vicky and Amanda. If you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on unstoppable blind set, please let us know. Love any any suggestions for guests that you can possibly give us, and with that, I want to just thank you both Vicky and Amanda one last time for being here. This has been great.   Amanda Selogie ** 1:05:16 Thank you.   Vickie Brett ** 1:05:18 Thank you. You better.   Michael Hingson ** 1:05:24 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommen

Helena Vissing, PsyD and Erin discuss the critical role of somatic therapy in maternal mental health, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach that considers societal and cultural contexts. They explore the tension between public and private spheres in motherhood, the challenges of modern motherhood, and the journey towards empowered, authentic motherhood. The conversation also examines the impact of social media on motherhood perceptions and the importance of reflection and connection in navigating these complexities. Helena Vissing, PsyD is a Licensed Psychologist certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) in private practice in California. She practices trauma-informed somatic psychotherapy as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Dr. Vissing is experienced as Adjunct faculty at several graduate institutions, has taught Child and Adolescent Development, Treatment of Children and Adolescents, Psychodynamic Theories, and Maternal Mental Health. As Training Faculty for Maternal Mental Health NOW, Dr. Vissing also provides trainings and consultations for providers.  Learn more about Dr. Helena Vissing: www.helenavissing.com Follow Helena on Instagram: www.instagram.com/helenavissing Follow Erin on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/feminist.mom.therapist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about Erin Spahr:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠erinspahrtherapy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Introducing the Inclusive Provider Directory! It is free for families to search. Providers can become a member and create a profile, as well as accessing a number of additional benefits. Support the podcast with a monthly donation:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/feministmompodcast/support⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please note: The information provided on this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content shared here is not intended to be professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This page may contain affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/feministmompodcast/support

Researcher Ellen Galinsky has released a brand new book about teenagers. It's called “The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens”, and it includes five things teens wish their parents and other adults knew about them. All this week, I want to look at what Galinsky heard from teenagers. First, teenagers say they want parents to “Understand our development.” I agree. We need to understand the different stages our kids go through as they grow. As Christians, we can see God's grand and glorious design for human growth and development as amazing sequence of stages where kids mature physically, emotionally, cognitively, relationally, and spiritually. Gaining a working understanding of each stage gives us the ability to set realistic expectations for our kids, informs our approach to discipline, and gives us insights into how to most effectively nurture them in the Christian faith in age-appropriate ways. 

Youth Scientific Council on Adolescence members Dallas Tanner, Talya Soffer, and Kobe Wood talk with Professor Leslie Leve about parenting styles, and how we're affected by our relationships with our caregivers during adolescence. This is the second of our three annual "Our Youth's Perspective" episodes—an annual youth-led series of Adaptivity, hosted by Ron Dahl.

In the first of three youth-led episodes of "Our Youth's Perspective," a special miniseries of Adaptivity, Youth Scientific Council on Adolescence members Becker Chaaban, Brandon Molina, and Namrata Poola, who talk with UCLA CDA Co-Executive Director Andrew Fuligni about how our cultural upbringing impacts development during our adolescent years.

The third and final episode of our 2024 "Our Youth's Perspective" miniseries of Adaptivity is about our relationships with our siblings. Youth Scientific Council on Adolescence members Andrea Rodriguez, Faith Veenker, and Kaelyn Morales talk with Professor Kimberly Updegraff about the important role our sisters and brothers play in our development during adolescence.

After today's episode, head on over to @therapybookspodcast to learn about the latest book giveaway.   If you are enjoying these episodes and would like to support the podcast, please leave us a review.   *The information shared in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only.   In this weeks episode, Jessica Fowler interviews Helena Vissing, PsyD., SEP, PMH-C about her book Somatic Maternal Healing: Psychodynamic and Somatic Trauma Treatment for Perinatal Mental Health.   During this episode, we take a deep dive into Dr. Vissing's work that she presents throughout this work. We explore somatic experiencing, maternal mental health and trauma.  About the author: Helena Vissing is a Licensed Psychologist certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) in private practice in California. She practices trauma-informed somatic psychotherapy as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Dr. Vissing is experienced as Adjunct faculty at several graduate institutions, has taught Child and Adolescent Development, Treatment of Children and Adolescents, Psychodynamic Theories, and Maternal Mental Health. As Training Faculty for Maternal Mental Health NOW, Dr. Vissing also provides trainings and consultations for providers.

This episode features a conversation with Jason Sacks, President of Positive Coaching Alliance. For more than 25 years, PCA has worked to instill research and best practice in positive youth development into youth sports. There are more than 30 million young people participating in youth sports in the United States, although there are significant differences in access across communities, which is why a big part of PCA's work is to advocate for greater equity in youth sports. PCA also offers training and resources to coaches, officials, parents, and youth to overcome the significant gaps in knowledge and capacity around positive youth development in youth sports. In part one of their conversation, Jason and Jason talk about the origins of PCA and its founder, Jim Thompson, who began the program out of Stanford University more than 25 years ago, the state of youth sports today for more than 30 million young people, including issues of equitable access, the pressures of winning cultures on youth and adults alike, the gap in training for coaches and the evidence-based workshops and resources PCA has developed and delivers to build knowledge and capacity of coaches in positive youth development.In part two, they talk about the range of content PCA offers in its training and resources for a variety of audiences, including not just coaches but also officials, parents, and youth athletes themselves, the work PCA is doing to assess and provide solutions for local communities to provide greater access to positive youth sports experiences, articularly in under-resourced communities, the partnerships PCA engages in - from community organizations, to school districts, to large, national youth sports associations, the results PCA is seeing in changes in behavior among adults, the sense of confidence and self-worth among youth, and for communities, how many young people stick with positive youth sports programs over time. They also talk about connecting positive youth sports experiences to other important outcomes we care about for youth, such as engagement in school, attendance, and even academic performance. And they discuss PCA's plan to scale to reach seven million coaches over the next five years through advocacy, technology, and more partnerships. Additional Readings and ResourcesPositive Coaching AllianceJim ThompsonTraining & WorkshopsPartnershipsResults & ImpactGood Morning America segment: “Parenting playbook on how to handle bullying”Northwestern University Masters of Sports Administration Program

In a shocking case that has garnered national attention, 13-year-old Derek Rosa stands accused of brutally stabbing his mother to death as she slept beside her newborn baby, leaving a Florida community grappling with questions of juvenile justice, mental health, and the capacity of young offenders to understand the consequences of their actions. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting apps: https://talkmurder.com/subscribeSupport us on patreon: https://patreon.com/talkmurderSee our technology: https://talkmurder.com/gearContent warning: the true crime stories discussed on this podcast can involve graphic and disturbing subject matter. Listener discretion is strongly advised.Fair use disclaimer: some materials used in this work are included under the fair use doctrine for educational purposes. Any copyrighted materials are owned by their respective copyright holders. Questions regarding use of copyrighted materials may be directed to legal [@] Talkocast.com

Besides warning our kids about the spiritual and legal issues related to underage drinking, we must also warn them about the damage that underage drinking does to their still not-fully-formed brains. In today's world, more and more kids are engaging in binge drinking. That is, consuming five or more drinks in a period of two hours. Researchers have now found conclusive evidence that drinking during adolescence can lead to structural damages in the brain that can easily result in memory and cognitive deficits that can persist into adulthood. In other words, drinking as a child or teen can effect the brain even if the person stops drinking as they go through life. Parents, talk to your kids about the dangers of drinking, and encourage them to be good stewards who care for their God-given bodies. Warn them about the dangers of exposure to high doses of alcohol during their adolescent years. What they choose to do now can and will affect them for the rest of their lives.

As a dad, I remember the concern I felt as my daughters started to enter puberty and transform according to God's good design, from little girls into women. I knew that with the shift through adolescence they would face new pressures in a world that puts a premium on body image, sexuality, and appearance. We worked hard to prepare them, buffer them, and guide them through this stage, all the while endeavoring to lead them more deeply into a relationship with Jesus Christ. According to the latest research, those of you raising girls need to be on high alert at earlier ages, as the new data shows that puberty is starting earlier, with girls developing breasts as young as age six or seven. While not all the reasons are known, researchers have seen links with childhood obesity, exposure to environmental chemicals, and stress. While it might make you uncomfortable, we need to be having conversations about Godly sexuality and body image at younger and younger ages.

In our 69th episode, we delved into a crucial topic with Cai Graham, focusing on bridging the generational gap in the realm of mental health. As we navigate the evolving landscape of parenting and adolescence, Cai shared invaluable insights into addressing the challenges exacerbated by the aftermath of COVID. From the shifting dynamics of the parent-child relationship to the importance of active listening, we explored practical strategies to support teenagers facing anxiety. Join us as we unravel the nuances of modern parenting and gain a deeper understanding of the internal struggles teens face in a world marked by change, uncertainty, and a heightened awareness of social and environmental issues.   Here are the key takeaways from the podcast interview: Cai helps parents and teenagers navigate mental health issues like anxiety, especially in the wake of COVID's impact.  Many parents struggle to support kids based on their own youth experiences - times have greatly changed. ⁠Adolescence brings a rocky road. As kids grow more independent, the parent-child dynamic must shift from manager to mentor.   Listening without always advising is key but very difficult. Teens need to feel heard and understood. Cai's "3 Questions" exercise builds communication without interrogation: 1) Number rating day 2) Descriptor word 3) Want to talk? Getting the minimal information opens the door for teens to dictate if, when and how to share more based on their comfort. ⁠What parents see as issues can differ from what really troubles teens internally. Fixing grades won't help until mindset shifts. Today's youth have more conscience about planet, people and purpose - not just chasing high paychecks in undesirable jobs. ⁠With more options comes more uncertainty, contributing to anxiety as teens question where they fit in the future.   Links: Cai FB - www.facebook.com/thecaigraham  Cai Twitter - www.twitter.com/caigraham Cai IG - www.instagram.com/caigraham Cai Website - https://www.caigraham.com/ The Parent & Teen Toolbox Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/the-parent-teen-toolbox/ Show Notes: Parenting and mental health support for teenagers. 0:00 Supporting teenagers through listening and guidance. 4:02 Parent-child communication techniques. 7:58 Personal responsibility and school policies. 14:22 Anxiety and its impact on young people. 18:15  

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODETeach Your Kids: LinkedIn | Website | X | Instagram | Substack | Facebook | TikTokManisha:  LinkedIn | X | Instagram | FacebookHeather Corinna: Scarleteen | X | Instagram | FacebookJoin our premium community with expert support and adviceRelated ResourcesWait, What?: A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up - Heather CorinnaS.E.X., second edition: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties - Heather Corinna Time Codes00:00:00 — Introduction to Heather Corinna, founder of Scarleteen.00:01:50 — Heather discusses Scarleteen's evolution from an adult platform to a youth resource.00:08:06 — Core values in sex education for adolescents: respect, inclusivity, and evidence-based info.00:11:04 — Tailoring sex education to diverse backgrounds and cultural contexts.00:16:20 — Discussion on age-appropriate introduction to sex education.00:21:33 — Challenges in providing comprehensive sex education and societal barriers.00:31:14 — Debunking myths about sex education promoting early sexual activity.00:35:36 — Influential figures and resources shaping Scarleteen's approach.00:40:37 — Adapting sex education for neurodivergent children.00:46:45 — Heather's advice for parents/educators on sex education: open communication and trust. This podcast was recorded on Riverside and is made possible through a generous grant from the Vela Education FundVELA Education Fund is catalyzing a vibrant alternative education ecosystem. VELA provides trust-based funding to entrepreneurs, fosters community-building and knowledge-sharing, and increases visibility through storytelling that promotes cultural awareness and acceptance of the out-of-system space. Today, VELA serves the largest community of out-of-system education entrepreneurs in the country, with over 2,000 community members. About half of VELA's community members operate small learning environments, and the other half are ecosystem and community builders offering direct services and support across the out-of-system space. Learn more at velaedfund.org.

Dr. Howard Liu, M.D began focusing on the effects of social media quite early on in his career after watching how his own personal life was being affected by various platforms. Following a child psychiatry fellowship, he saw the need for both parents and children alike to have guidance in the face of an ever-growing sprawl of social media usage.  This episode of Menninger Clinic's Mind Dive Podcast features Dr. Liu, accomplished psychiatrist and professor, joining hosts Dr. Kerry Horrell  and Dr. Bob Boland for a conversation on how social media can affect the mental health of adolescents and how parents can be proactive in fostering a positive relationship with technology as their children grow. Dr. Howard Liu, MD, MBA, is a nationally recognized psychiatrist, educator, workforce expert, social media innovator, and equity advocate at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). He serves as the chair of the UNMC Department of Psychiatry, a tenured professor in the UNMC College of Medicine, and as the immediate past president of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP). He is a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and a member of the American College of Psychiatrists (ACP). “... Sometimes you use filters to change how those look and sometimes to look slimmer, look different, change different features, remove areas that you feel like you're less comfortable with. It's very highly edited,” said Dr. Liu, “When you put those pieces out there, it can sometimes warp your own sense of self and then your sense of what your peers are looking like every day, which clearly is a highly filtered look and different than normal.”  Follow The Menninger Clinic on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to never miss an episode of Mind Dive. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu.  Visit www.menningerclinic.org to learn more about The Menninger Clinic's research and leadership role in mental health.  Follow The Menninger Clinic on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email podcast@menninger.edu. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform! Visit www.menningerclinic.org to learn more about The Menninger Clinic's research and leadership role in mental health.

Our first episode in our brand new mental health series kicks off with Dr. Deborah Offner. This series is sponsored by Money Pickle, learn more about ways to connect with an advisor today: https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools Our special guest Dr. Offner is here to help us think more specifically about ways to support the mental health of our school community. We also explore her brand new book: Educators as First Responders: A Teacher's Guide to Adolescent Development and Mental Health, Grades 6-12 Ready to learn more about Dr. Offner? Dr. Deborah Offner is an adolescent psychologist with twenty-five years of experience working in schools, colleges, and clinical practice. She is Consulting Psychologist at an innovative school in Boston that prepares students from communities with limited resources to attend competitive private high schools. She works with adolescents, young adults and their families in her private practice and consults to middle and secondary schools about student mental health.  https://www.deborahoffnerphd.com/ Want to tell us more about how your school will action ideas from this episode? Reach out to Jeff and Tricia at info@shiftingschools.com Learn more about our work and opportunities to learn with us at www.shiftingschools.com Thanks again to our series sponsor Money Pickle for supporting our entire series on mental health! https://www.moneypickle.com/shiftingschools  

In this insightful and compassionate episode, we navigate the challenging yet crucial world of parenting in the digital era. Our expert guest, Katey McPherson, with her rich background in counseling and education, brings over 20 years of experience to the discussion. Her deep understanding of the adolescent mind and the influence of technology on young lives offers invaluable insights for today's parents.Host Tanya, a mother of four, joins Katey in a conversation that resonates with every parent grappling with the digital age's complexities. They share personal stories and experiences, highlighting the importance of understanding and adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of raising both boys and girls. The dialogue emphasizes the need for emotional intelligence, empathy, and active listening in fostering strong, healthy family relationships.The episode addresses the profound impact of smartphones and social media on teen behavior. It explores the challenges of cyberbullying, online safety, and the pressure of digital identity with sensitivity and depth. Katey stresses the importance of parents being actively involved and informed about their children's digital lives, advocating for setting healthy boundaries around technology use.A significant focus of the discussion is on the development of conflict resolution skills in the digital context. Katey and Tanya offer expert insights into guiding teenagers through the complexities of online interactions. They provide practical, compassionate strategies to strengthen family connections, such as shared meals and creating tech-free zones.This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for parents navigating the digital challenges of raising teenagers. Katey's expertise, combined with Tanya's relatable parenting journey, offers a rich source of knowledge and practical advice. It's an empathetic and thoughtful discussion, filled with actionable tips, empowering parents to confidently guide their young adults in today's connected world.Connect with Katey here: https://www.kateymcpherson.com/The Queen Creek Police Department is getting help on the high-profile case from the FBI, which set up a portal at: www.fbi.gov/prestonlord where video, photos and other media can be submitted.Follow Tanya Here:InstagramFacebookTikTokYouTubeLinkedInTwitter

With a new dyslexia screening law coming into effect next year in the state of California, parents need to know what to expect and what the rights of their children are. To help educate us on what this screener is and what it means for our children, educational attorneys Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie join the podcast again. Vickie and Amanda are both attorneys and founders of the Inclusive Education Project, which includes an IEP Learning Center and a podcast. As educational attorneys, they focus on advocating for and educating families on their legal rights, especially when it comes to the services their child is entitled to through public education. Today, we're discussing what this law means and how it impacts all students in Kindergarten through second grade in the state of California. You'll learn what to expect and how you can be prepared for pushing for a comprehensive evaluation in the event that your child is found to be at risk for dyslexia.   Show Notes: [1:49] - Welcome back, Vickie and Amanda! They were previously on during the COVID-19 pandemic discussing legal rights of students needing services. [4:00] - October is specifically a busy month for IEP meetings and initial assessments. [6:42] - Because of holidays and the busy season, there are a lot of things to accomplish in a short amount of time. [8:08] - It is so important for parents to understand the rights their children have. [9:31] - In 2024, California will have funding for universal screening for dyslexia in students from Kindergarten through second grade. [11:34] - Schools are supposed to implement these screenings in 2024. The goal with this law is it uses a universal screener. [13:23] - Interventions being provided through RTI and reading groups are not enough. [16:46] - The timing in California also coincides with the universal pre-Kindergarten program. [18:18] - Screening is not the same thing as intervention or assessment. They identify kids who are at risk for dyslexia. But then what? [20:30] - Vickie explains how the law works and the requirements it outlines. [23:03] - For a screener to really work, it needs to be done for all students. [24:30] - One common trait of children with dyslexia is that they are able to compensate in the early years of school and tend to be overlooked. [26:47] - Being at risk should be enough of an alert to proceed with a comprehensive evaluation. [29:19] - There are certain things that the school will take care of, but parents need to be vigilant in requesting more if it's needed. [30:52] - With a universal screener, there should be a universal intervention. [34:59] - Amanda thinks that implementation will be left to each county and school district. [37:04] - Is every county going to be able to train and implement this screener? [40:15] - You can find more information on the Inclusive Education Project website.   About Our Guests: Vickie Brett Vickie Brett was born and raised in Southern California and through the Inclusive Education Project she focuses on advocating and educating families about their legal rights. Vickie is committed to strengthening her clients who come to her disheartened and beaten down by the current education system. Because Vickie is bilingual, she represents and empowers many monolingual Spanish-speaking families.  She is a dedicated pro bono attorney for the Superior Court of Los Angeles's Juvenile and Dependency 317(e) Panel and in the past was a supervising attorney for the UCI Law School's Special Education Law Project.   Amanda Selogie Amanda Selogie received a bachelor's degree in Child and Adolescent Development, specializing in Education from California State University, Northridge and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where she served as a Fellow in the prestigious Center for Children's Rights Fellowship Program and served in the school's pro-bono Special Education Legal Clinic. Amanda immersed herself in the world of civil rights and educational advocacy through her work in education, empowerment and advocacy with the Inclusive Education project, supporting inclusion in early education through her appointment to the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council and their Inclusion Collaborative Committee, previous work serving as a supervising attorney for UCI Law School's Education Rights Pro-bono project and coaching of AYSO's VIP (Very Important Player) program coaching players living with disabilities and creating an inclusive soccer program.   Connect with Vickie and Amanda: Inclusive Education Project Website @inclusiveeducationproject on Instagram Email admin@iepcalifornia.org    Links and Related Resources: Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses with LIVE AMA Sessions Inclusive Education Project Podcast Dr. Karen Wilson on the Inclusive Education Project Podcast   Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Check out some amazing schools for incredible students   The Diverse Thinking Different Learning podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or legal advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Additionally, the views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are not considered treatment and do not necessarily reflect those of ChildNEXUS, Inc or the host, Dr. Karen Wilson.

A researcher from Baylor University reminds us just how important sleep is for our developing children and teens. Dr. Sonal Malhotra, professor of Pediatrics who works in sleep medicine at Texas Children's Hospital says this: “A good sleep schedule is one that has good quality, quantity, and consistency. At this age, kids are trying to learn as much as they can while doing extracurriculars and being social, so their sleep time is important for their bodies to relax and reset from the day.” Dr. Malholtra not only reminds us that teens need eight to ten hours of uninterrupted sleep during the night, but that they should avoid any caffeine consumption or screen time before bed. They need time to wind down. Parents, God has made us for a rhythm of work and rest. Too much busyness at the expense of rest compromises our physical, mental, relational, and spiritual health. Take stock of how much sleep your child is getting, and where changes need to be made, make them! 

“What were we thinking?!?” I've heard more and more parents ask that question as they look back on their willingness to get their child a smartphone. Parents are increasingly coming to understand that even though smartphones are a helpful tool, too much technology too soon can undermine the mental, spiritual, physical, and relational growth and development of our kids. Researchers continue to study the dangers of smartphone use among our kids. Parents, we need to pay attention to what's being discovered. Canadian researchers have recently confirmed the link between screen time use and anxiety and depression in kids. But here's what's really important for us to hear: Researchers found that parent stress is a key predictor of screen time. In other words, we try to manage our parenting stress by putting phones in our kids hands. We need to manage our stress in more God-honoring ways. Let's put ourselves in God's hands when we are stressed, rather than putting phones into our kids hands.

Statistics tell us that each and every day here in the United States, around sixteen hundred children and teens under the age of eighteen try their first cigarette. Statistics also tell us that each and every year, almost half a million Americans die prematurely as a result of health conditions related to smoking, or from exposure to second-hand smoke. This is why we need to be engaged in ongoing efforts to help kids steward their God-given bodies by avoiding smoking of any type. British researchers are now pointing to new findings that teens who had started smoking by fourteen years of age had significantly less grey matter in the section of the brain known as the left frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain linked to impulse control, decision making, and rule breaking. Parents, God has given us the responsibility to raise our kids in ways that lead to a physically healthy adulthood. Yes, they will make their own decisions, but we need to educate them from a young age regarding smoking's dangers.

The National Kidney Foundation reports that about ten percent of people in the united states will have to deal with a kidney stone at some point during their lives. While I've been spared the agony myself, some of you have firsthand knowledge of just how painful a kidney stone can be. The data suggests that kidney stones are most common among middle-aged, Caucasian men. But doctors are now reporting that they're seeing a marked increase in kidney stones among teenagers, especially among our teenaged girls. While researchers are still trying to figure out what's causing this, they are speculating that it's a combination of diets high in ultra-processed foods, the increased use of antibiotics early in life, and dehydration. Some hospitals are even opening pediatric stone clinics to deal with this issue. Parents, since we have given the responsibility by God to serve as stewards  of our children's health, make sure your kids are drinking enough water, and eating foods that are healthy.

Guest: Devorah Heitner, AuthorOn Twitter | https://twitter.com/DevorahHeitnerWebsite | https://devorahheitner.com/On TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@devorahheitner1On Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/devorahheitnerphd/____________________________Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society PodcastOn ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli_____________________________This Episode's SponsorsBlackCloak

With the use of cannabis on the rise and increasingly accepted in our culture, it's important that we reckon with the fact that its use does have an effect on one's cognitive and psychological processing. A variety of recent studies found that in relation to cognitive processes, cannabis users showed significantly lower performance on memory tests than those who are non-users or occasional users. These results were consistent, even when the subject being tested  was clean on the day of testing. Users were also reported to have a tendency to engage in making riskier decisions, with this tendency even being evident in mild users of cannabis. Other effects of cannabis use include a greater incidence of psychotic episodes, an inability to feel pleasure, and schizophrenia. Cannabis use does have an effect on the brain's chemistry and circuitry. Parents, if your kids are using cannabis, get them the help they need. And point them to the freedom that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Amidst a global youth mental health crisis, is it possible that many young people are experiencing adolescent development challenges but are using mental health language to describe their distress? Even to the degree of experiencing crises that include self-harm like nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal thoughts and behaviors? In this episode, Drs. Maria Papadima and Rachel Acheson share observations from their clinical work with youth, consider trends such as self-diagnosing through TikTok and Instagram, discuss how they walk parents and youth through these mental health crises, and offer a psychoanalytic perspective of current trends. Learn more about Dr. Papadima and her work at www.mariapapadima.com, and read her blog about "Self-diagnosis via TikTok" here. Below is the reference and link to their paper discussed in this episode:Acheson, R., & Papadima, M. (2023). The search for identity: Working therapeutically with adolescents in crisis. Journal of Child Psychotherapy, 49(1), 95-119.Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS).The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #1 by Feedspot  in their list of "10 Best Self Harm Podcasts" and #5 in their "20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts." It has also been featured in Audible's "Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal."If you or someone you know should be interviewed on the podcast, we want to know! Please fill out this form, and we will be in touch with more details if it's a good fit.

It's no surprise that so many of us have been struggling with our mental health for all the reasons you already know. Growing up today is no joke and we are all navigating a generation of kids who have never not had a device, access to the internet or social media.  My guest is Dr. Deborah Offner, a child psychologist and author, provides valuable insights and strategies for parents and teachers. Our conversation highlights the importance of understanding children's perception of parental stress, the significance of parental involvement during the adolescent years, and the need for collaboration between parents and teachers. Additionally, the episode addresses the challenges faced by teachers, including secondary trauma and compassion fatigue, and emphasizes the role of teachers as first responders in children's lives. This episode is all about recognizing that we have been impacted and what we can do about it.  For Deborah's parents cheat sheet for understanding and connecting with your teenager, “How Can I Talk with My Teenager?”- you can download it from the Parent Toolbox. www.parent-toolbox.com About Dr. Deborah Offner Dr. Deborah Offner is a clinical psychologist who has worked in schools and colleges as a counselor and educator for 25 years. Currently, she serves as Consulting Psychologist at Beacon Academy, a one-year, full-time preparatory program for students from low-income households in the Boston area who plan to attend independent day and boarding schools. Deborah's first book, “Educators as First Responders: A Teacher's Guide to Adolescent Development and Mental Health,” Is available now. Social Media: Website: www.deborahoffnerphd.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-offner-07a634148/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deboffnerphd/   Thanks for listening! For more on Robbin, her work and free resources, keep reading! READY FOR YOUR FAMILY CHECK UP CALL? If you're feeling burnt out by bad behavior, worn down from constant battles and bickering and you've struggled to get the cooperation, respect and obedience you want from your kids, I've been there too. It might be time to learn new tools (that you've never been taught) to help you get your kids to listen to you, build teamwork, and grow the harmony in your home. https://parentingforconnection.as.me/Checkupcall FREE GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF STRONG-WILLED KIDS: “How to Turn a NO into Cooperation” go to www.strongwilledkids.com About Robbin Robbin is a Certified Parent Coach, author, podcaster and speaker. Robbin's work focuses on building and strengthening the parent child relationship so that children grow up with resilience, confidence and strong emotional intelligence. She works with parents to help them understand their own emotions and frustrations in parenting, so they can help build their children's sense of self without losing themselves in the process! Robbin's award-winning podcast, Parenting our Future, is ranked in the top one percent of all podcasts globally. And she is recognized as one of the “Top Moms in Podcasting” by Podcast Magazine in 2020 & 2022.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to get home from school, to change from my school clothes into my play clothes, and get outside with my friends to play. In fact, my mom would almost push me out the door since she knew that time spent outside with my friends was important. Don't come home until dinner time, she would tell me. In our neighborhood, our afternoons, weekends, and summer days were filled with games of pick-up sports, hiking through the woods, riding bikes, or just hanging out at a neighbor's backyard swingset. In those days we called it play. In today's world, we now call it “independent play,” and it's happening with diminished frequency. A new study suggests that the rise in mental health disorders in children and teens is attributable to a decline in opportunities for kids to roam, play, and engage in activities without adult oversight and control by adults. You see, independent play fosters healthy growth and development. Parents, let your kids play independently. 

Vote for Jacqueline Baird to win the title of Super Mom 2023  and help support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals! You can vote for FREE daily and/or place a donation vote here: https://thesupermom.org/2023/jacqueline-bairdOn the last episode of Season 1, Jacqueline is joined by Dr. Deborah Offner, a psychologist and education expert who brings more than two decades of experience in mental health, K-12 and higher education to her work with individuals, families and institutions. She is also the author of the new book, Educators as First Responders: A Teacher's Guide to Adolescent Development and Mental Health, Grades 6 – 12  which is a comprehensive, hands-on guide for teachers and other educators of students in middle school and high school. Her expert commentary has been featured in outlets such as The Boston Globe, Bustle, SHAPE, Fatherly, and more.You can connect with Deborah and find her book here!THAT'S A WRAP ON SEASON 1! We would love your input on the show. Help us produce the content you want by answering a few questions!Want to join like-minded women who are getting real about what it takes to be a mom? Join the Motherhood Intended Community. It's completely FREE and we're talking all about mom life beyond the highlight reel! Vent, get advice, make some mom friends, stay up to date on the podcast... we're your people.Follow @motherhood_intended on Instagram and tag us in your posts to let us know you're listening. We love to give out free coffee when we get a shoutout :)Support the showLoving the podcast? Then we would love YOUR support with the continued production of this show! With the help of our audience, the podcast will be able to bring you the best content, most interesting guests, fun events, and helpful resources for women everywhere. Show some love here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/motherhoodintended

"Usually people think of a telos as an endpoint, but what if we think of telos as a dynamic process that sustains a thriving trajectory for the individual and the world around them? The imago Dei, which is deeply and inherently relational and social—we image God by being our unique selves in unity. So there is the particularity of personhood and the relatedness with other persons, God, and all of creation. And so that was what the reciprocating self was. It's 'How do I grow as a fully differentiated person in relationship and increasing intimacy, increasing contribution with the world around me?' To thrive then is to pursue that fullness of self in the context of intimacy and accountability and relationships—not just with those closest to me ... that's essential—but also in contribution to the world beyond the self.How does our faith, how does our devotion, fuel us to want to continue to reciprocate when life is hard? When there's a pandemic? We need something beyond ourselves, a power beyond ourselves, an orientation beyond ourselves to fuel that interrelatedness between our particularity and the greater good." (Pamela Ebstyne King)IntroductionAt the bedrock of our being as persons is relationality: our ability to be known, to be loved, and to know and love in return. But whoa whoa whoa. Wait a minute. What kind of claim is that? Is that theology or psychology? We're used to hearing that from the likes of the Jewish existential philosopher and theologian Martin Buber—he's well known for his suggestion that an intimate I-Thou relationship is what makes for our conscious personhood. It'd be impossible to become an “I” without coming into direct contact with a “You” and seeing it as a “You.” But how interesting that research studies in developmental psychology find just that. You can for instance turn to John Bowlby and the beginnings of attachment theory to find that this theological claim holds up once you start testing it with the tools psychological. But more than holds up, the claim that relationality is fundamental to personhood starts to expand and develop nuance by examining the most universal by application in the unique, particular circumstances. Famous psychological experiments like the “Still Face” show how central the reciprocal response of our earliest attachment figure is for our mental health, even as babies. (Check below for an excruciating video example of the Still Face Experiment.)But this is just one way that developmental psychology might offer some interesting tools to theological reflection. And today we're continuing a new series of episodes on For the Life of the World all about “Bringing Psychology to Theology”—we're exploring the tools of psychological sciences that might contribute to a deeper, greater, more nuanced theological understanding of the world. Last week we introduced the series with a conversation between Miroslav Volf and experimental psychologist Justin Barrett. Justin evokes the image of erecting a giant cathedral of theology—and how the task must be done with a variety of tools and subcontracted skills.Well, whether theology is the grand architect of a cathedral of human knowledge or the benevolent and humble Queen of the Sciences—either way we hope this series highlights the prospects of a science-engaged theology and how it might contribute to the most pressing matters for how to live lives worthy of our humanity.My guest in this episode is Pamela Ebstyne King. She's the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology and is Executive Director of the Thrive Center for Human Development. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, her research has focused on the intersections of developmental and positive psychology, human thriving, and spirituality.In this episode, we discuss developmental psych as the observational study of human change and plasticity in the midst of a whole complex life; relational attachment for the sake of intimacy and exploration and ultimate purpose or meaning; the proper place of self-love; God's enabling and loving presence as the ultimate secure attachment figure; the importance of learning, gaining skills, and the pursuit of expertise; The prospects of regaining emotional regulation through relationships; the game changing impact of deliberate psychological and spiritual practices to move us well beyond surviving to a life of thriving.About Pamela Ebstyne KingPamela Ebstyne King, Ph.D. joined Fuller Theological Seminary as assistant professor of Marital and Family Studies in 2008, after serving in the School of Psychology for eight years as an adjunct and research professor. She was installed in 2014 with a professorship named for her mentor, Peter L. Benson. In 2021 she was promoted to the position of Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science. Dr. King is also executive director of the Thrive Center for Human Development.Dr. King's academic and applied efforts aim to promote a movement of human thriving that contributes to flourishing societies. Her primary academic interests lie at the intersection of thriving and spiritual development. She is passionate about understanding what individual strengths and environments enable humans to thrive and become all God created them to be. She holds particular interest in understanding the role of faith, spirituality, religion, and virtues in this process. To this end she has led in building an empirical field of study of religious and spiritual development within developmental psychology that provides a psychological scientific perspective of spiritual formation.She has extensively studied and written on conceptualizations of thriving and positive youth development. Her work on telos is noted to provide an interdisciplinary framework for human thriving and flourishing from different philosophical, theological, and cultural perspectives and to provide a structure for understanding practical concepts like purpose, vocation, and joy. Her work combines theology, empirical research, and community engagement to further understand what contexts and settings enable people to thrive. She has conducted research funded by Biologos Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation, the Fetzer Institute, Compassion International, and Tyndale House, among others. In addition to her scholarship, she finds deep joy in teaching and mentoring students at Fuller.Dr. King is coauthor of The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective and Thriving with Stone Age Minds: Evolutionary Psychology, Christian Theology & Human Flourishing, coeditor of The Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, and coauthor of the inaugural chapter on research on religious and spiritual development in the seventh edition of the Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science. She has served on the editorial boards of Developmental Psychology, Journal of Positive Psychology, Applied Developmental Science, the Encyclopedia of Applied Developmental Science, and the Encyclopedia of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence. She has also published articles in the Journal on Adolescent Research, Journal of Early Adolescence, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, and Journal of Psychology and Christianity. King is a member of the Society for Research on Adolescents, Society for Research on Child Development, and Division 36 of the American Psychological Association.In addition to her studies at Fuller, Dr. King completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University and a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford's Center on Adolescence; she was a visiting scholar under the divinity faculty at Cambridge University. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she has led high school and college ministries, and regularly speaks, preaches, and consults for various community organizations and churches. She lives in Pasadena with her husband and three children.Show NotesMartin Buber's I and ThouJohn Bowlby and Attachment TheoryTrolick's Still Face Experiment (Video)Justin Barrett & Pamela Ebstyne King, Thriving with Stone Age Minds: Evolutionary Psychology, Christian Faith, and the Quest for Human FlourishingDevelopmental psych as the observational study of human change in the midst of a whole life of complexityPlasticity of the human speciesRelational attachment for the sake of intimacy and explorationThe Impact of environment on genetic expressionLaw if reciprocityFullness of creation, redemption and consummationTheology as establishing ends, and psychology as developing towards gods purposesHow psychology aids in the process of becoming our full selves as selfhoodThe proper place of self-loveGod's enabling and loving presenceThriving as psychological, vs Flourishing as philosophicalMeaningful life in eudaimonic and hedonistic termsImago dei“Back to the future”—understanding the end toward the beginningReading psychology through a teleological lensLinear stage theories of developmentLife as a series of cyclesWe can have a telos as a dynamic processThriving as pursuing the fullness of selfReciprocity beyond ourselves when life is hardColossians and Jesus as the perfect image of GodConformity is not uniformityParenting as helping children to become their unique selvesTelos as inhabiting the self, the relational, and the aspirational—purpose is found at the intersection of all threeWilliam Damon on purposePurpose as enduring actionable goal, meaningful to the self and contributing beyond the selfLearning, gaining skills, and pursuit of expertiseMeaning making as a dynamic life-long projectOrienting life in the present moment by tethering to a consummate vision of the futureSociality as inherent to human natureGoals: self, expertise acquisition, and what we aspire toRoles: who we are in our social networksSouls: what ideals are most dearly held and most meaningfulThe fundamental rejection of pre autonomy and independence; embrace of our relational selvesHow malleable our brains are through intentional practicesMaking meaning can change your brainsSurviving vs thrivingAttachment and regulationRegaining emotional regulation through relationshipsThe game changing impact of deliberate psychological and spiritual practices—intention, motivation, and goalsPossible cutoff point — The relation of psychological science and theologyPsychology as a God-given tool to enable thriving and flourishingKnown, loved, and loving othersThe role of suffering and loss as part of the thriving processFor the cynical and jaded: thriving that is real to loss, grief, vulnerability, and daring to thriveProduction NotesThis podcast featured Pamela Ebstyne KingEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Macie Bridge and Kaylen YunA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/giveAcknowledgementsThis episode was made possible in part by the generous support of Blueprint 1543. For more information, visit Blueprint1543.org.