Does your nervous system feel like it’s been in survival mode for a long time?

This episode is for you.

We sat down in person with Melissa Corkum to talk about burnout, blocked care, and why connection can start to feel like a shock instead of a reward.

A few takeaways:

✨ Emotional pain and physical pain activate the same parts of the brain.
✨ Blocked care isn’t a character flaw — it’s a protective response.
✨ You don’t heal it by trying harder. You start by caring for your own nervous system.

If you’ve felt resentful, numb, exhausted, or ashamed for not feeling the joy you “should,” you are not alone.

It won’t always feel this way.
Keep hope. Carry on. We’re with you.

For the Blocked Care Assessment, click here.

On this next part of our mini-series “When You’re Tired”, we reflect on being emotionally tired. It is the quiet exhaustion that comes from caring deeply, showing up consistently, and holding space for others. Dr. Archandria Owens and Jesse discuss naming and expressing emotions, unmet expectations, and explore gentle ways to care for ourselves when we are exhausted in this particular way.

On today’s episode, Jesse and Jill Stockburger dive into a big question: What do we do when we’re living in chronic stress? They talk about how stress, adversity, and trauma impact us on a deeper level, and what it actually feels like to carry these experiences in our bodies. If you’re feeling tired in your body, you are not alone.

In today’s episode, Jesse and Tona take a deep dive into the tension between connection and compliance in everyday parenting moments. Through real-life stories (yes, even dishes), we explore how prioritizing relationship doesn’t mean abandoning expectations and structure. Instead, it creates the foundation for lasting responsibility and trust. Join us for a thoughtful conversation about playing the long game, responding instead of reacting, and why connection is often the fastest path to meaningful compliance.

New semester! Same kids, different needs.

As the second half of the school year begins, routines may get messy, expectations may shift, and those old pain points may resurface. In this episode Jesse, Becca, and Dr. Rachel talk about pausing, noticing what’s not working, and making small, doable adjustments (at home and at school). From the kiddos to adults, we can all find ways to revamp our expectations by staying curious and starting small.

Here’s to a second semester filled with grace, flexibility, and hope!

A quote that we posted, “Your willingness to come back and repair matters more than getting it right the first time” went viral. On this week’s episode of the Empowered to Connect Podcast, we dig into why rupture shows up so often in our families and why it’s completely normal. Rupture happens because we get tired, distracted, overwhelmed, or just out of sync. In our homes, we’re our most unfiltered, exhausted, and real selves, and that means disconnection is bound to happen. But repair is where trust grows, safety forms, and connection deepens. Our kids don’t need perfect parents; they need repairing parents. And honestly? We’re all learning how to come back together, one moment at a time.

It's that time of year again - time to take a deep breath and spend hours and hours with family members you may or may not want to see, eat foods that may or may not be easy for your kids to eat and spend the next month or so with the dull hum of presents and high expectations accompanying your every move. Happy Holidays everyone! In all seriousness, whether you live for this season or loathe this season, it can be a bear to navigate with all of the out of the ordinary that it brings. Have no fear! On this replay episode, Jesse Faris, Becca McKay, and JD talk through all of these things and more with some practical tips and reminders to help get you through what can be a really tricky season to navigate with your family!

In this episode, Becca, Jesse, and Tona dive into a timely topic: gratitude. With the holiday season in full swing, we can’t help but ask, should children be grateful? If not, how do we scaffold gratitude for our kiddos?

Tune in for an honest conversation about expectations, empathy, and what gratitude really means. We share personal stories, a few laughs, and some surprising insights about how gratitude shows up in everyday life. It’s a heartfelt reminder that gratitude isn’t something we demand. It’s something we model and grow in together.

Enjoy this replay of From Trauma and Loss to Healing and Empowerment with Cam Lee Small. One of our favorite Therapists/Adoptee Voices joins us on the pod to talk about lots of things including his book The Adoptees Journey: From Trauma and Loss to Healing and Empowerment. We talk with Cam about everything from how identities are formed in adoptees to things he wishes adoptive parents knew to his own experiences filled with pain and beauty. This is an episode every adoptee and adoptive parent NEEDS to hear.

Find Cam’s work at therapyredeemed.wordpress.com and follow him @‌therapyredeemed on Instagram and YouTube.

Ever wonder why certain behaviors leave us scratching our heads? On today’s Empowered to Connect Podcast, we’re diving into sensory processing. What it is, why it matters, and how it impacts our ability (and our kids’ ability) to regulate and move through the day. We all know the basic 5 senses, right? But did you know there are actually EIGHT sensory systems your brain is managing?

We're breaking it all down:
✅ What is sensory processing?
✅ What happens when our systems get overwhelmed?
✅ How can we support ourselves and our kids when things feel "off"?

We're not Occupational Therapists. Just parents sharing what we've learned. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss!