This episode explores how cognitive dissonance — the tension we feel when our beliefs collide with reality — plays a crucial role in helping children and parents move toward healthier choices. Although being contradicted feels threatening, this discomfort is often the first step toward meaningful change.

We cover:

• Why being corrected triggers an instinctive defensive response
• How the strength of a person’s conviction affects their openness to new ideas
• What classic research reveals about who is most willing to consider alternative viewpoints
• How parents and children bring their own (sometimes incorrect) illness beliefs into the consultation
• Why challenging misconceptions requires trust, safety, and emotional intelligence
• How cognitive dissonance becomes a tool for empowering families to participate in treatment

Key takeaway:

One step toward change is through cognitive dissonance. When handled with empathy and trust, this discomfort helps pediatric patients and parents shift from fixed assumptions to genuine partnership in care.

Tune in for a thoughtful look at how to use dissonance not as confrontation, but as a catalyst for cooperation.