CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 169

Every child needs 3 to 5 people to be part of their orbit to help shape their world and will have a significant influence on them. Whatever role you have, you could be that key person in a teenager’s life to discuss the more stressful moments in their lives. There are signs and symptoms we can look out for in our teenagers. Stress is a normal reaction for anybody in different situations. But what if these reactions are taking over our young people’s lives? 

In today’s episode:

The importance of relationships and connections

The negative effects disconnection can have 

Understanding our child stress baseline and the normal behaviours

How to recognize depression 

How stress can affect our body’s physical response as well as mental health 

What signs we should be looking for in our adolescence, if they last for longer than a 2-week period. 

Spending 1-1 time with our teenagers to develop the space to talk

How to not overreact to your teenager sharing something important and validate what they’re feeling

How Dr. Chinwé likes to rest and relax 

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

About The Guest - Dr Chinwé Uwah Williams

Trauma therapist, Best-selling Author, and Speaker, Dr. Chinwé is an expert at simplifying the complexities of our human experience. She is a sought-after speaker trusted by corporate and ministry leaders, educators, and parents to deliver messages that inspire individuals and teams to better connect with the individuals they lead and support. From managing anxiety, despair, and burnout, to highlighting the benefits of equity and empathy-centered leadership, Dr. Chinwé helps individuals, teams, and organizations accomplish their goals through the power of connection.

An avid researcher and life-long student of wellness, Dr. Chinwé presents scientifically-sound information with the utmost professional care. She has spoken or facilitated workshops at several national and international gatherings and conferences. Dr. Chinwé is frequently invited to be an expert guest on blogs, podcasts and other media programs.

Dr. Chinwé offers tailored keynotes and workshops on different levels for different occasions. She offers real-life case examples that help audiences cultivate a greater depth of understanding and spark insight. Her messages are rooted in evidence and solution-based practices, but she always applies her own experience from the field (which brings boring research to life!). She blends research and inspiring stories with VERY practical tools that are immediately actionable!

Website: https://drchinwewilliams.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.chinwewilliams/

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

Today, I’m highlighting one of my favorite coping skills to use: Take a mini mental vacation wherever you are. You’ll hear an example of what a mini mental vacation can look like and how to practice this method. 

This is a coping skill that is in the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook. I’m excited to share that I’ve recently recorded and launched the audiobook version of the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook. If you’re someone who connects better with audio than sitting down to read a book, this resource could be a huge help to you or your teen. 

You can download the audiobook now from Amazon. 

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

—

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 167

What is social anxiety and how big an impact does this have for a child and the difference for an adult? How can you tell the difference between social anxiety and being an introvert? These are just some of the questions Janine speaks about with Natasha Daniels as she also talks about her memoir Out of My Shell. 

They also speak about:

What the definition of Social Anxiety actually is

What does it look like in children compared to adults

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway

The potential to lack other social awarenesses 

The difference between introversion and social anxiety

How Natasha likes to rest and relax

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

About The Guest - Natasha Daniels

Natasha Daniels has been an anxiety & OCD therapist for over two decades. She combines both her clinical expertise with her lived experience, raising her own three kids with anxiety and OCD.

She is the creator of the website AT Parenting Survival, As well as the host to the show AT Parenting Survival Podcast and the Youtube channel, Ask the Child Therapist. She also gives in-depth support to thousands of parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD through her books, courses in the AT Parenting Survival Online School and in her online membership AT Parenting Community. Her latest books include Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids and her memoir, Out of My Shell: Overcoming Social Anxiety from Childhood to Adulthood.

Website: www.socialanxietyreality.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialanxietyreality/  

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 166

How do you encourage your kids to be more independent? When do you as a parent step back to give them the space to step up?

Lenore Skenazy joins Janine today to discuss some of these questions. They discuss: 

The importance of play and how it relieves stress

Bodily reaction to fear and avoidance to fear

Playing across mixed age groups

The skills you learn when you play 

The Let Grow Program

Setting tasks for your kids to do on their own without a parent there 

Passive kids and problem solving 

Kids having the concierge life

How Lenore likes to rest and relax 

About The Guest -  Lenore Skenazy

After her newspaper column “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone” created a media firestorm, Lenore got the nickname “America’s Worst Mom.” (Google it!) She went on to write Free-Range Kids, the book-turned-movement that says our kids are smarter, safer, and stronger than our culture gives them credit for! 

Lenore has lectured everywhere from DreamWorks to Microsoft to Harvard Med School, Yale Child Study Center -- and the Bulgarian Happiness Festival! (For real.) On TV, you may have seen her on The Today Show, The Daily Show or her own reality show, World’s Worst Mom. 

In 2017 Lenore co-founded Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence, with three others, including Jonathan “The Anxious Generation” Haidt. She is its president. 

Lenore lives in New York City with her husband and beloved computer. Her children are gainfully employed. (Phew!) And, for the record, she used to write for Mad Magazine. Yep. MAD. But now she's so serious that here is her piece on "Independence as Therapy" in The New York Times. 

Website - https://letgrow.org/

For parents: https://letgrow.org/program/parents-and-families/

For schools/teachers/admins/counselors: https://letgrow.org/program/educators/

For therapists: https://letgrow.org/program/independence-therapy/

Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/759938234394061

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 165

What does it mean to be a tech intentional family? Now phones, ipads and other forms of technology are in most areas of life. There’s no size that fits all and what works for you and your family will look so different to your next door neighbor and the other parents you meet at the school gate. So where do you begin? 

In today’s episode Janine speaks to Emily about:

How to get a balance of technology in our homes

How to talk to your child about tech

Mental health and bullying through tech

Talking our life out loud when we’re using our tech

Texting your child at school

Being a role model with how you use tech

The ‘I forgot’ technique 

What Emily does to rest and relax

About The Guest -  Emily Cherkin

Emily Cherkin, M.Ed., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional. As a mother of two (12 & 16) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world. 

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, was published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-screentime-consultant-llc/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thescreentimeconsultant/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thescreentimeconsultant/

Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/ScreentimeLlc

Resources mentioned in the podcast episode:

The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

Amazon book page: https://www.amazon.com/Screentime-Solution-Judgment-Free-Becoming-Tech-Intentional/dp/B0CB9JS5KB

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

Play is such a powerful way for kids you learn ANYTHING including coping skills. Games can also be a way to help us learn and identify the feelings we have. Plus being a lot of fun along the way!  

In this episode Janine discusses 3 specific examples: 

Playing Jenga® - The use of jenga as a way of discussing feelings or getting to know you or your child better

Make your own board game - Using questions and ice breaker questions to make your own games. Whether that's using poster board or a piece of software online called Genially.

Create a Cube - Print out a cube, build it, and write a coping strategy on each side. When you roll it, you have to do the coping strategy or activity you land on. 

There are lots more games and activities you could try that are available in the Coping Skills Hub. Learn more by visiting copingskillsforkids.com/hub

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

—

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

Friendships are such a wonderful and special part of life. From memory making to going through the highs and lows with your peers makes life so much richer. As a child, learning social skills and how friendships fit is a huge learning curve as they go through their childhood and find their ‘people’. As a parent, how do you connect and how do you teach your kids basic social skills and about what a great friendship can be? 

Today Janine is joined by Caroline Maguire and in this episode they discuss:

The importance of friendship 

How as a parent you connect with your child

Talking about your friendships as part of teaching social skills 

Being a social spy 

What you want out of a friendship

The power of role play games

Resilience and friendship

The myths around best friends

How Caroline rests and relaxes

About The Guest - Caroline Maguire

Caroline Maguire, ACCG, PCC, M.Ed., is an award-winning author, coach, teacher, and keynote speaker whose work has inspired important conversations about social skills, friendship and belonging. She earned her undergraduate degree at Trinity College and her Masters of Education at Lesley University. Caroline has been a rock for thousands of people who struggle to make friends. Her book “Why Will No One Play With Me?” has won several awards, including the Best Book Award from American Book Fest, Mom’s Choice Award for Honoring Excellence, and Book Authority’s award for Best ADHD Books of All Time. 

carolinemaguireauthor.com

https://carolinemaguireauthor.com/strengthen-executive-function-skills-early-childhood/

Caroline Maguire - YouTube

Caroline Maguire - Facebook 

Caroline Maguire - Instagram 

—

Resources mentioned in the podcast episode:

Why Will No One Play with Me? By Caroline Maguire

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘gratitude’? Is gratitude something you display or practice each day? Practicing and looking for what’s gone well in the day is a great routine to get into in order to get past the tougher moments. 

In this episode we discuss:

What emotions we display when we aren’t practicing gratitude

Saying the things we’re grateful for out loud 

The power of Journaling

Looking at the small things beyond the ‘To Do List’ including:

Nature 

Our friendships 

Pets

Writing thank you notes to the people who you’re thankful for 

Coping Skills for Adults: https://copingskillsforkids.com/coping-skills-for-adults

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

—

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

During the week what physical exercise do you do? Or which would you like to do? Today Janine looks at movement coping styles, specifically big body movement and how exercise helps your mental health and not just your physical and cognitive functioning. Did you know that those who exercise have fewer days of poor mental health than those who don’t exercise. But what is the best activity for you and your lifestyle?

This episode discusses:

Thinking about the exercise type that makes you feel relaxed, something that you want to do and is sustainable in the long term. 

The small day to day moments of movement, like kitchen dance parties 

Group exercise and the social side that can come from being with people

How exercise needs to bring joy to the person

Other examples of physical exercise you could try. 

Coping Skills for Adults: https://copingskillsforkids.com/coping-skills-for-adults

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

—

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay

We don’t always have the time to relax and stop during a busy day when we head to work or school. Today Janine encourages us to take mini mindful moments and use our senses to create some pause points. 

In this episode Janine discusses:

Sight - noticing things around you that you wouldn’t usually notice and look for

Taste - taking a mindful sip, whether that's your first sip of coffee in the morning or a bite at meal time

Listening - creating playlists for different moods and choosing when to put these on. Listening to audiobooks or podcasts

The book the Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Thinking about what overwhelms you via your senses and how to mitigate overwhelm

Coping Skills for Adults: https://copingskillsforkids.com/coping-skills-for-adults

And remember, do not forget about yourself, take a few minutes for you and have a little fun!

—

About The Host - Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play!

If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit:

https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter

If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids

Connect with Janine on Social Media

Instagram: @copingskillsforkids

Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay