Connected Families Podcast

By Connected FamiliesReligion & Spirituality Christianity Parenting Kids & Family

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Connected Families Podcast episodes

February 23 A Parent Training Program that Meets You Where You Are
In this special announcement episode, host Stacy Bellward welcomes Chad Hayenga, Connected Families' Director of Education and Equipping, to introduce an exciting new program: The CF Intensive! This new parent training program is a six-session, small-group experience! It’s designed for parents, caregivers, and ministry leaders who want to move from head knowledge to heart transformation using tools from the Connected Families Framework™. Is this for you? Listen to find out…
Key Takeaways:
The CF Intensive accelerates Framework growth through a hands-on, community deep-dive into Connected Families tools
The CF Intensive is about depth, not crisis intervention
Community transforms learning because growth happens together
Mentioned in this Podcast:
The CF Intensive - For One Person
The CF Intensive - For Two People
Book - How to Grow a Connected Family
The Connected Families Framework
Connected Families Certified Parent Coaching
Become a Parent Coach
The Table Monthly Giving Program
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Chad Hayenga joined Connected Families in 2005. He is married to Carma and has three adult daughters and two sons-in-law. Chad oversees coaching and the Parent Coach Certification Program, which continues to grow in its reach across North America and worldwide.
© 2026 Connected Families
13 min
February 16 Strengthening Families Through the Local Church: A Powerful New Partnership
We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Communio! Tune in to hear how Communio is strengthening families through data-informed strategies for local churches. In this episode, host Stacy Bellward and Cindy Wilson, the Ministry Partnership & Research Program Manager at Connected Families, sit down with J.P. DeGance, founder and president of Communio and author of Endgame: The Church's Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America. J.P. shares his personal journey into family ministry, the compelling research behind Communio's approach, and how this partnership will bring Connected Families' parenting resources into churches across the country, equipping more families with biblical, research-informed tools that transform families for generations.
Key Takeaways:
Announcing the partnership with Communio and Connected Families
Learn about the background of Communio and the research study that reduced divorce rates in Jacksonville, FL
Discover the impact marriage has on multi-generational church attendance
Hear how growing in parenting skills can complement our spiritual growth
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Communio
Book - Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America
The Jacksonville Case Study
Matthew 22: 36-38
Contact Communio - [email protected]
Connected Families Small Group Resources
Connected Families Workshop Speakers
The Table - Monthly Giving Program
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio and co-author of "Endgame: The Church's Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America." He leads Communio's work equipping pastors and churches with data-informed strategies to strengthen congregations through relational health. This approach has been proven through a $20 million initiative that reduced the divorce rate among a network of churches in Jacksonville by 24% between 2016 and 2018. Under his leadership, Communio earned the Heritage Foundation's 2023 Innovation Prize for its groundbreaking research and church partnerships. J.P. is a husband and father, and lives in Virginia with his wife and 8 children.
© 2026 Connected Families
30 min
February 09 The Surprising Reason Kids Laugh When in Trouble
Today’s audioblog explores what's really happening beneath the surface when kids laugh when in trouble or get silly during correction. Learn practical ways to use the Connected Families Framework™ to build wisdom instead of shame when kids seem to avoid accountability through humor.
Key Takeaways:
Silliness is often an escape hatch, not disrespect
Check your own heart first
Connect before you correct, try stepping into your child's shoes with playfulness
Build the value of reconciliation in a way that they feel good about
Mentioned in this Podcast:
The Power of Questions online course
Sensitive & Intense Kids online course
Blog Post - Your Child Laughs When in Trouble? How to Build Wisdom, Not Shame
Blog Post - Have You Experienced the Benefits of Child-Led Play?
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
© 2026 Connected Families
14 min
February 04 BONUS Episode | Help Your Child Feel Safe Through Scary Events
In this thoughtful conversation, host Stacy Bellward sits down with Certified Parent Coach Katie Wetsell and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Jody Goldie to explore how parents can help their children navigate fear and find security when the world feels uncertain and scary. Drawing from Katie's personal experience supporting her family through a Nashville school shooting and Jody's clinical expertise in trauma, this episode offers grace-filled guidance for parents walking alongside children through difficult circumstances.
Key Takeaways:
Starting with calm and security in your own heart first
Create space for your child's emotions
Learn how curiosity helps when your child feels unsafe
Pointing your kids to faith and hope in God’s plan in the midst of painful sin
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Episode 124 | Empowering Your Differently-Wired Child
Psalm 46:1
Jeremiah 19:5
Thursday Parenting Tips Emails – Sign up now!
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Katie Wetsell is our online course moderator. She is also a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, pediatric nurse, and mom of four through birth and adoption. She is passionate about encouraging and empowering parents to love their family with confidence and connection. Building on her bedside experience, she has also been trained in SPACE treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) to help parents support their children in overcoming anxiety. Her website is www.parentwithhope.org.
Jody Goldie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and received her Master’s degree in Counseling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She approaches the therapeutic relationship with warmth and the belief that all people have the ability to heal. She works with clients who have experienced complex trauma, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. Her training includes a family systems approach and incorporates that into the understanding of work with individuals and couples. Jody enjoys incorporating spirituality into therapy if that is desired by the client. You can find her at: www.mwtraumacenter.com.
© 2026 Connected Families
44 min
February 02 Consecuencias: ¿Castigar o Restaurar?
¡Escucha este nuevo episodio en español del pódcast de Familias Conectadas! Esther Reich conversa con Luisa Wendt acerca de una de las diferentes formas en las que como padres usamos las consecuencias en la crianza. A través de sus historias reales te sentirás inspirado a usar las consecuencias como medio de restauración y vehículo de paz para tu familia.
Temas mencionados en este podcast:
Marco de referencia para una familia conectada
Blog Post: 3 señales de consecuencias poco útiles y que hacer al respecto.
Descubre más recursos que te apoyarán en la crianza.
¿Te pareció útil este episodio? ¡Por favor compártelo con tus amigos!
*Este podcast fue hecho posible por miembros de La Mesa, cuyo apoyo mensual crea un efecto multiplicador de cambio para futuras generaciones. ¡Nos encantaría que tome un asiento en La Mesa!*
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¿Necesita un recordatorio?
Aproveche el Imán del Marco de Referencia de Familias Conectadas para ánimo en medio de sus desafíos diarios.
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Acerca de Esther:
Esther Reich es Asesora de Crianza Certificada por Connected Families. Ella es enfermera profesional especializada en asesoría de lactancia materna y ella y su esposo, Roberto, tienen tres hijos y sirven como misioneros con Serge en Guatemala desde 2018. A través de enfrentar retos en la crianza de sus hijos acudieron a Connected Families para recibir coaching/apoyo. El apoyo que recibieron de Chad Hayenga y de Lynne Jackson les ayudó a ver cambios significativos en ellos mismos y en sus hijos. Todavía hay mucho espacio para crecer como familia, pero la diferencia de antes y después de la intervención de Connected Families es significativa. Además de servir con otros ministerios en Guatemala (Sigo Vivo y Servant Harts), apoyan a padres e iglesias a través de talleres y coaching/apoyo individual para los que enfrentan retos en su crianza de sus hijos incluyendo los que son muy sensibles o intensos. El correo de Esther es [email protected]
Acerca de Luisa:
Luisa Wendt es Asesora de Crianza certificada por Connected Families nació en Bogotá, Colombia y vive en Iowa con su familia. Luisa y su esposo Jarrett tienen seis hijos, tres en el cielo y tres en la tierra. Dos de sus hermosos hijos llegaron a su familia a través de la adopción. Durante un momento muy complejo en la crianza Connected Families los asesoró y continua asesorandolos y guiandolos en el camino de una crianza basada en la gracia de Dios y la confianza y conexión con sus hijos. Jarrett y Luisa tienen un ministerio que se llama Built on Rock Parent Coaching que nació con el gran deseo de compartir esas enseñanzas con tantas familias como sea posible. Te invitamos a seguir su canal de YouTube, donde todos sus videos tienen subtítulos en español: https://www.youtube.com/@builtonrockparentcoaching Para más información acerca de su historia, ministerio y unas lindas fotos de su familia pueden visitar su página de internet: www.builtonrockparentcoaching.org. En este momento toda la información se encuentra en ingles pero si desean contactarlos para más información o asesorías de crianza en español pueden escribirles a [email protected]
© 2026 Connected Families
0 min
January 26 Moving Beyond Strict Parenting: Balancing Boundaries and Connection | Ep. 285
Strong on correction but struggling to connect? In this third episode of the "Don't Stay Stuck" series, host Stacy Bellward and Certified Parent Coach Katie Wetsell take on a challenge many who value strict parenting face: how to soften without losing structure? If you value obedience but want warmer relationships with your kids, this episode offers hope and practical next steps.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding the God-given strengths of parents who lean toward the top of the Connected Families Framework™
Rethinking immediate obedience
Living out loud and setting an example for your children
Pitfalls of high-demand and low-compassion parenting
Practical tools for getting unstuck and finding balance in your parenting
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Katie Wetsell - Connected Families Certified Parent Coach
Free Parenting Assessment PDF
Blog Post - First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?
Ephesians 6:4
Galatians 6:1
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach.
© 2025 Connected Families
2 min
January 26Moving Beyond Strict Parenting: Balancing Boundaries and Connection
Strong on correction but struggling to connect? In this third episode of the “Don’t Stay Stuck” series, host Stacy Bellward and Certified Parent Coach Katie Wetsell take on a challenge many who value strict parenting face: how to soften without losing structure? If you value obedience but want warmer relationships with your kids, this episode offers hope and practical next steps.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding the God-given strengths of parents who lean toward the top of the Connected Families Framework™
Rethinking immediate obedience
Living out loud and setting an example for your children
Pitfalls of high-demand and low-compassion parenting
Practical tools for getting unstuck and finding balance in your parenting
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Katie Wetsell – Connected Families Certified Parent Coach
Free Parenting Assessment PDF
Blog Post – First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?
Ephesians 6:4
Galatians 6:1
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach.
© 2025 Connected Families
Dare to dream of peace again.
It’s not hopeless. You can ENJOY YOUR KIDS AGAIN.
CONNECT WITH A PARENT COACH
30 min
January 19 Kind and Firm: Setting Boundaries with Kids | Ep. 284
In this second week of our Don’t Stay Stuck series, we’re shifting our focus to parents who are “stuck” at the bottom of the Connected Families Framework™. Being naturally bent toward compassion is a God-given superpower, but what happens when parents are consistently overly permissive? Setting boundaries with kids can be challenging at times. Listen in as Stacy chats with Katie Wetsell, a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, to encourage you to be kind and firm.
Key Takeaways:
How our parenting defaults can actually come from God-given gifts
What does it look like to get stuck at the bottom of the Framework: Am I too soft?
How balance helps kids build wisdom and resilience in their long-term relationships
Concrete examples you can use to add more firmness to your parenting
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Free Parenting Assessment
Helpful Truths and Hurtful Beliefs PDF download
Katie Wetsell - Connected Families Certified Parent Coach
Ep. 98 - Can You Parent Well When You're Anxious?
Ep. 99 - How Can I Identify Anxiety In My Child?
2 Timothy 1:7
Blog Post - Am I Too Soft? Finding The Strength To Be Both Kind and Firm
Blog Post - First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?
The Table Monthly Giving Program
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach.
© 2025 Connected Families
32 min
January 12 Don’t Stay Stuck: Hopeful Change in Your Default Parenting Habits
Ever wonder why you keep defaulting to the same old parenting habits? Stacy Bellward and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Lori Menikheim explore what causes parents to get stuck, and how to find their way forward. Join us as we begin this 3-part series, Don’t Stay Stuck, and gain some practical insights for developing balance in your parenting journey.
Key Takeaways:
Hear stories of what getting stuck looks like
Learn about the 4 messages of the Connected Families Framework and how it helps to move forward
Learn how developing balance transforms the parent-child relationship
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Free Parenting Assessment
My Child Refuses to Listen: A Compassionate Approach to PDA | Ep. 282
Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Program
Luke 1:17
Power of Questions Online Course
Ebook - What Kids Need: 4 Messages That Build Identity
Lori Menikheim - Connected Families Certified Parent Coach
The Table Monthly Giving Program
Book - How to Grow a Connected Family
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Lori Menikheim is a wife, mom of two strong-willed teenage girls, and Kids Ministry leader with over 15 years of experience. When she discovered Connected Families, she finally found the language, tools, and hope to parent well and lead ministry well. Now she loves connecting with parents and ministry leaders who want to partner with God in reaching the next generation.
© 2025 Connected Families
33 min
January 05 My Child Refuses to Listen: A Compassionate Approach to PDA
Happy New Year! Welcome back to another year of exciting content that we pray will leave you equipped and ready for the unique calling of parenthood you’ve been gifted with this year.
You may be wondering, “What is pathological demand avoidance (PDA)?” When your child refuses to listen, it may not be defiance but rather a dysregulated nervous system. In this most-downloaded episode of 2025, hear from Connected Families Content Manager, Laura Way, and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach and homeschooling mom, Lydia Rex, as they unpack PDA. Learn how to partner with your child through these challenging moments, using a graceful approach and practical tools from the Connected Families Framework.
Key Takeaways:
How the Connected Families Framework applies to parenting a sensitive or intense child
Simple things you can do now to support your child
Discover ways to shift your perspective and view your experience as a gift
Mentioned in this Podcast:
Connected Families Sensitive & Intense online course
Connected Families Power of Questions online course
Hebrews 4:15
Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!
This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!
Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!
Guest Bio:
Lydia Rex is a registered nurse turned Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) practitioner and parent coach to families with young kids, especially those who have sensory needs or developmental trauma. No stranger to the challenges of parenting, Lydia offers empathy, encouragement, and a deep commitment to walking alongside parents through the Connected Families Framework. It’s her joy to see God’s grace healing the hearts of parents and children. Lydia, her husband Kyle, and their two kids live in Iowa, where they enjoy homeschooling, outdoor activities, and reading lots of books.
Laura Way felt like she was drowning as a young mom overseas. She thinks that God provided Connected Families for her when she needed it most. She’s thrilled to be on the team, offering hope & help to others! Laura and her husband live in Florida with their two elementary-aged daughters. In her free time, Laura loves to read in her hammock or have coffee with friends.
© 2025 Connected Families
37 min