Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On Purpose

Dr. Dan and author Kelly McMasters discuss The Leaving Season, her new memoir about divorce, creativity, the sacrifices of motherhood, and her decision to leave her marriage. This interview explores the many lessons about self, parenting, family, grief, and love Kelly learned while writing her book. Her wisdom will resonate with listeners.

Kelly’s honest story about moving with her husband, a painter, from New York City to rural Pennsylvania, where their children roamed idyllic acres in rain boots and diapers is wrenching and inspiring. Eventually the pastoral landscape and the bookshop she opened — restorative at first —  became the part of her reasons for plotting her escape.

Dr. Dan and Kelly hope that today’s episode will connect listeners, create community, and decrease loneliness.

Kelly McMasters is an essayist, professor, mother, and former bookshop owner. She teaches at Hofstra University and lives in New York. https://www.kellymcmasters.com/

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Dr. Dan interviews Sheila Liming, the author of “Hanging Out,”  about why unstructured time is essential and why she urges us to say no to calendar invites and yes to “chilling.” 

Sheila explains to Dr. Dan how simple acts of casual connection are the glue that binds us together, and how community is the antidote to the disconnection and isolation that dominates contemporary life. With constant digital access and smartphones around 24/7, our lives still aren’t connected in a meaningful way. Loneliness is an epidemic and Sheila Liming offers the cure: we need to hang out more.

Dr. Dan and Sheila discuss what it means  to “hang out”; why modeling “chilling” is important for our kids to see; and how we can help future generations embrace “killing time.”

Sheila Liming is an associate professor at Champlain College (Burlington, VT), where she teaches classes on literature, media, and writing. The author of two previous books, her essays have appeared in The Atlantic, McSweeney’s, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and Public Books. Follow her on Twitter. 

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

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Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

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Welcome to the May episode of Sitting Down with Dr. Dan. Host Dr. Dan and Laura (our podcast producer and girl-boy twin Mom) answer your listener questions about summer and parent relaxation, bullying/body shaming/name calling, Father’s Day and more. PLUS Dr. Dan discusses a powerful new study (released May 14, 2023 from Sapien Labs) that’s everywhere on social media and relates to the finding that the earlier kids get smartphones the worse their mental health is as an adult (study linked here).  

Each month Dr. Dan answers questions listeners submit about parenting (and sometimes adulting, too!) on our Sitting Down with Dr. Dan bonus episodes. Please email your parenting questions to us at [email protected] or DM us on social media. We read every question and we want to consider yours for a future bonus episode.

Our new bonus episodes drop in our regular podcast feed that last Tuesday of every month.

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Wondery, Amazon Music, or wherever you like to listen. Remember you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

For more information:

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Dr. Dan’s expertise and wisdom is not a diagnosis or treatment. The information provided on the Parent Footprint podcast should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Anyone seeking medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Please reach out to your doctor for advice or a qualified health provider regarding medical conditions, questions, or situations. The information provided on Parent Footprint and by Dr. Dan is for entertainment purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Dr. Dan does not know your child, is not your child’s doctor, and has not treated your child.

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In a nod to our favorite true-crime-comedy podcast My Favorite Murder (and podcast network), Dr. Dan interviews journalist Lisa Belkin about her brilliant true crime book Genealogy of a Murder. Lisa’s multigenerational tale of three families whose paths collide one summer night in 1960 with the murder of a police officer is at the core about a true crime in Lisa’s own family (does this qualify as a Hometown Murder Story Georgia? Karen?).

Dr. Dan and Lisa discuss how these family histories affected her own life as a daughter and as a parent. Lisa also talks to Dr. Dan about careers and parenting, her own early struggles as a new Mom, the role of her Dad  during her childhood, and what led to her journalism career focus on life/work. Today’s conversation is riveting, real, enlightening, often surprising, and ultimately about how we become who we are.

An award-winning journalist, Lisa Belkin writes about American social issues. Her many roles at The New York Times included national correspondent, medical reporter, contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine and creator of both the Life’s Work column and the Motherlode blog. She has served as a senior columnist at the HuffPost and chief national correspondent for Yahoo News. Belkin is the author of three books, including Show Me A Hero, which was made into a David Simon HBO miniseries with the same title. A graduate of Princeton University, Lisa teaches narrative nonfiction writing and reporting at the Columbia University School of Journalism. For more information visit Lisa’s website www.lisabelkin.com.

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

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Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

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Dr. Dan speaks to writer and mother Tanya Frank about her new book ZIG-ZAG BOY: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood.  Tanya and Dr. Dan discuss Tanya’s compassionate, heartrending memoir about her quest to understand her son’s journey through psychosis. 

One night in 2009, Tanya Frank finds her nineteen-year-old son, Zach—gentle and full of promise—in the grips of what the psychiatrists would later label a psychotic break. Suddenly, Tanya is thrown into a parallel universe: Zach’s world, where the phones are bugged, his friends have joined the Mafia, and helicopters are spying on his family. In the years following Zach’s various and changing psychiatric diagnoses, Tanya struggles to find support while navigating broken mental healthcare systems, first in California and then in her native London during lockdown.

Dr. Dan and Tanya discuss this compelling story about mental health and the power of a mother’s love. This episode is an important listen for May and Mental Health Awareness Month because the discussion will help families dealing with many diverse and difficult parenting experiences and circumstances. 

Today’s show is a powerful and provocative exploration of love, acceptance, mental illness, and fear.

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Wondery, or wherever you like to listen!

Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

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Dr. Dan interviews children’s entertainment and music superstar Laurie Berkner on today’s episode. Laurie is beloved by parents, children, and families worldwide. Kids and grownups love her music and they will surely adore her even more after listening to this personal interview.

With more than 1 billion total streams, an average of more than 22 million monthly streams, and millions of CDs and DVDs sold, People magazine calls Laurie “the queen of kids’ music,” and the Los Angeles Times says, “Laurie Berkner does what Fred Rogers did: respect, validate and reassure young children.”  Laurie’s YouTube channel has received more than 350 million views.  Laurie’s passion and creativity are singular and special - just like this episode!

Dr. Dan and Laurie discuss how her classroom experience with young children informs all of her music as well as the choices she has made throughout her career. During this conversation, Laurie talks about the important role of music in the life of the young child (and all children).  She notes, “We are all born with music inside of us – from the beating of our hearts and the melodies of our voices to the intrinsic rhythm in our movements. The natural musicality of every child opens the door to playfulness, joy, and creativity.” Laurie’s work is focused on engaging the whole child, inspiring children to sing, move, and express their feelings. Dr. Dan and Laurie dive into a compelling discussion about singing, movement, feelings, and how music connects and heals us.

***Be sure to listen to the full episode because Laurie treats us to a musical performance!

Discover more about Laurie and her music (as well as her tour schedule) on her website www.laurieberkner.com.

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Wondery, or wherever you like to listen!

Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

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www.drdanpeters.com

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Dr. Dan welcomes back parenting expert Debbie Steinberg Kuntz to discuss screen time, mental health, and the effects screens have on children and teens. A licensed family/marriage therapist, Debbie explains how we can help our kids reset their screen time to avoid negative health impacts like depression, craving, addiction, and loneliness. This is an important episode for May and Mental Health Awareness Month.  

Dr. Dan and Debbie talk passionately about how we are all living during a child and teen mental health crisis of epidemic proportions. The impact of excessive screen use (including social media) on kids and families includes anxiety, depression, social atrophy, poor sleep, and much more. They answer and explore such questions as what can parents do? What should parents do? and more.

Finally, Dr. Dan and Debbie discuss Debbie’s Bright & Quirky 6th Annual Summit because the 2023 summit focuses on Screen Time & Mental Health. Parent Footprint Podcast listeners can register for free and watch the summit live May 15-19, 2023.

Debbie Steinberg Kuntz is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Bright and Quirky. Her work and mission statement is powerful:  “Ease the struggle for bright and quirky kids and parents, help them self-actualize with the help of experts in the fields of mental health and education, and inspire the hope that new ideas and possibilities bring.” For more information visit www.brightandquirky.com.

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Wondery, or wherever you like to listen!

Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

For more information:

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www.drdanpeters.com

For podcast merch:

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National Foster Care Awareness Month is May and over the years Parent Footprint listeners have asked us for more shows about foster care, foster parenting, adoption, and foster-to-adoption. Today on the podcast, Dr. Dan interviews adoptive parent and advocate Jenell Jones about foster care, adoption, and the foster-to-adoption journey as well as her personal experiences chronicled in her book Shattered.

Jenell Jones is an early education entrepreneur specializing in providing high quality learning experiences for children who have experienced trauma in low-income areas. In addition, Jenell provides advice and experience to foster and adoptive parents based on her own experiences as an adoptive mother.

In today’s interview with Dr. Dan, Jenell shares the joy and pain navigating the foster-to-adoption system for her daughter, Mercy. By the time she found a place in Jenell's family at 8 years old, Mercy had been bounced around with more than 20 placements, and her history of abuse and mental illness was not disclosed. 

Jenell is a biological, adoptive, and foster mother, and these experiences shaped her ideas of motherhood and her parenting journey. Her honest reflections on the adoption and foster care system, mental health, and non-traditional families will help and inspire others  navigating this journey.

For more information about Jenell please visit her website www.jenelljones.com.

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Wondery, or wherever you like to listen!

Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

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On this Sitting Down with Dr. Dan bonus episode, host Dr. Dan and Phil (our podcast audio engineer and Dad of two daughters) answer your listener questions about April and Autism Acceptance Month (April is also Stress Awareness Month), sensory disorders, a parent’s cancer diagnosis, and more.

Each month Dr. Dan answers questions listeners submit about parenting (and sometimes adulting, too!) on our Sitting Down with Dr. Dan bonus episodes. Please email your parenting questions to us at [email protected] or DM us on social media. We read every question and we want to consider yours for a future bonus episode.

Our new bonus episodes drop in our regular podcast feed that last Tuesday of every month.

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Wondery, Amazon Music, or wherever you like to listen. Remember you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

For more information:

www.exactlyrightmedia.com

www.drdanpeters.com

For podcast merch:

www.exactlyrightmedia.com/parent-footprint-shop

Dr. Dan’s expertise and wisdom is not a diagnosis or treatment. The information provided on the Parent Footprint podcast should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Anyone seeking medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Please reach out to your doctor for advice or a qualified health provider regarding medical conditions, questions, or situations. The information provided on Parent Footprint and by Dr. Dan is for entertainment purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Dr. Dan does not know your child, is not your child’s doctor, and has not treated your child.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Dan interviews the beloved Instagram star Pie Lady Books Stephanie Hockersmith on today’s episode about her pie art, her inspiring journey to health, mental wellness, chronic illness, and finding joy.

Listeners will instantly love our guest today Stephanie Hockersmith, a viral sensation beloved by thousands and known as Pie Lady Books on Instagram and other social media. Stephanie is a Mom, wife, and booklover and she was diagnosed over a decade ago with Celiac Disease, with neurological implications that put her in a wheelchair. At that time looking for solace and healing, she turned to her two favorite things: reading and gluten free baking. Today she is beloved by authors and readers and the media for her incredible pie art. Recently, Stephanie Hockersmith posted a moving Reel on Instagram telling her followers about her heath journey and how she took her therapeutic pastime and healed herself in the process.  

Dr. Dan and Steph talk about her pie art (featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and all over national media), love of books, parenting, and her chronic illness journey with celiac. Steph’s health struggles, mental health battles, and family story will inspire anyone who has dealt with or loves someone with a chronic illness. Steph’s honest and real story  – and her stunning pie art – will bring a smile to every face, give you hope that you can overcome difficult challenges, and make you crave a big slice of pie!

Follow Stephanie Hockersmith on Instagram www.instagram.com/pieladybooks and on Facebook www.facebook.com/pieladybooks. 

Email your parenting questions to Dr. Dan [email protected] (we might answer on a future episode).

Follow us @parentfootprintpodcast (Instagram, Facebook) and @drdanpeters (Twitter).

Listen, follow, and leave us a review on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Wondery, or wherever you like to listen!

Don’t forget, you can hear every episode one week early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery+ in the @WonderyMedia App.

For more information:

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www.drdanpeters.com

For podcast merch:

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