Parenting Shrink Wrapped

By Samantha Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner

Parenting Shrink Wrapped is your all-access pass to the wild and wonderful journey of raising kids! Hosted by Dr. Melissa Wellner, a double board-certified psychiatrist and child and adole

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FAQs about Parenting Shrink Wrapped:

How many episodes does Parenting Shrink Wrapped have?

The podcast currently has 72 episodes available.

Parenting Shrink Wrapped episodes:

July 07, 2025#32 ADHD Unwrapped Part 2: Why “Just Try Harder” Doesn’t Work (and What Actually Might)
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In Part 2 of our ADHD series, Sam Straub, LCPC, and Dr. Melissa Wellner, MD, dive deeper into the lived experience of parenting—and being—a kid with ADHD. This episode moves beyond the textbook and into real family dynamics: the misunderstandings, the emotional toll, the parenting pitfalls, and the opportunities for growth (yes, even when there’s an ice cream bowl in the sink. Again.).
If you’ve ever been tempted to call your kid “lazy,” wonder why reward charts don’t work, or question whether you’re failing as a parent because things feel so hard—this episode is a must-listen.
In this episode, we cover:
Why “lazy” is the most damaging (and inaccurate) label we give ADHD kids
The connection between ADHD, anxiety, and depression—and what often gets missed
How to use structure without relying on complicated reward systems
Why weekends off ADHD meds may not be working for your family
Executive function delays—and how to support them without nagging
What ADHD kids really want their adults to understand
The importance of celebrating effort, not just achievement
And how raising a child with ADHD might just be sculpting you, too
Resources & Mentions:
ADHD Part 1: Superpowers, Symptoms, and the Stuff Nobody Talks About
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
36min
June 30, 2025#31 ADHD Unwrapped: Myths, Superpowers & Real Struggles Parents Miss
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In this insightful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, hosts Sam Straub and Melissa Wellner dig into the many dimensions of ADHD—busting myths, exploring emotional highs and lows, and celebrating the often-overlooked strengths that come with it.
They unpack what ADHD really looks like (spoiler alert: it’s not just about being “distracted”), highlight the emotional rollercoaster that many families experience, and share practical ways parents can better support their children—and themselves—through it all.
Whether you're parenting a child with ADHD, navigating your own symptoms, or just trying to understand the condition more deeply, this episode is full of honest, heart-centered insight.
Takeaways:
ADHD is a spectrum that involves more than just inattention—emotional dysregulation and time blindness are often at play.
The term “ADHD” can be misleading; many kids can focus—but only on what grabs their interest.
ADHD brains are wired for creativity, humor, and out-of-the-box problem solving—these are real strengths, not just quirks.
Empathy and tailored strategies are essential for parents to support children (and themselves) living with ADHD.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
35min
June 23, 2025 #30 Trauma Is Real, Healing Is Possible: Understanding ACEs and Resilience with Laura Reagan, LCSW-C
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In this powerful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Laura Reagan—somatically oriented trauma therapist, founder of the Trauma Therapist Network, and host of the widely acclaimed podcast Therapy Chat (over 8 million downloads!).
Together, they explore how trauma shows up in childhood and parenthood, how it hides in plain sight in the form of chronic stress responses, and why healing is not only possible—but essential.
Whether you’re a parent, a professional, or a human who’s ever had a hard thing happen (so… all of us), this conversation offers compassion, education, and hope.
About Laura
Laura Reagan, LCSW-C is an integrative and somatically oriented trauma therapist based in the greater Baltimore area. She is the owner of a trauma-focused group psychotherapy practice called The Baltimore Annapolis Center for Integrative Healing which serves teens and adults. Laura is also the host of a top-rated podcast, Therapy Chat, which has more than 8 million downloads, and its sister show, Trauma Chat. She founded Trauma Therapist Network, a website platform for learning about trauma and finding a trauma therapist, in 2021. As a trauma survivor, Laura is passionate about spreading the message that trauma is real, healing is possible and help is available.
Resources
Laura's podcasts and all the resources of Trauma Therapist Network are found at: http://www.traumatherapistnetwork.com/.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
40min
June 16, 2025 #29 Trauma Doesn’t Have to Define Your Parenting with Kristen Keuleman
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In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner engage with Kristen Keuleman, a licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma therapy, particularly EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). They explore the nature of trauma, its impact on parenting, and how EMDR can help individuals process traumatic memories. Kristen shares her journey into counseling, the mechanisms of EMDR, and its effectiveness in treating both adults and children. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding trauma beyond just significant life events and highlights the therapeutic process of EMDR in fostering healing and resilience.
About Kristen
Kristen Keuleman is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor working in private practice in Annapolis. Kristen has experience working with adolescents and adults struggling with a variety of challenges including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, low self-esteem, adjustment to life transitions, parenting issues and other family-related concerns. Kristen approaches working with clients from a Strengths-Based perspective, fostering client’s natural ability to heal themselves. In this effort, she integrates a variety of evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral therapy & Acceptance and Commitment therapy. Kristen is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients process and heal from trauma in order to thrive. As a midlife career changer and lifelong learner, Kristen believes it’s never too late to grow and transform.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
34min
June 09, 2025 #28 Winging it Like a Pro: Real Talk with Dad's Dr. Charles Parmele and Bryan Levy
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In this heart-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub sit down with two thoughtful dads, Charles Parmele and Bryan Levy, for a conversation that’s equal parts real talk and reflection. Together, they dig into what it means to be a father in today’s world—from the pressure to “have it all together” to the power of being vulnerable.
The discussion goes deep into topics like equitable parenting, emotional health, and the need for strong dad-to-dad support systems. You'll hear about the importance of open communication, navigating grief as a parent, and how redefining masculinity can lead to more meaningful relationships and healthier families.
Whether you're a dad, parenting alongside one, or just curious about the changing landscape of modern fatherhood, this episode offers rich insight and a reminder that connection and authenticity are key.
About Chip and Bryan
Chip heads up a blended family, raising 4 children in total. As a pediatrician he's also had the privilege of caring for thousands of families, in the process seeing what tends to work. Bryan has 3 children, one of whom was a special-needs child, one of whom was adopted. Together we have navigated many of family life’s biggest adventures: birth, death, marriage, divorce, special needs children, tornadoes, and boating in hurricanes to name a few. We've learned a thing or two along the way, and later this year we'll roll out our new podcast, GOOD HOOLIGANS, to help real parents with our insights and humor.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
35min
June 02, 2025#27: Surviving the End of the School Year
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Feeling crispy-fried by May? You’re not alone. In this short and real-talk episode, Sam and Melissa break down why everyone’s burnt out—from teachers to teens to you—and how to make it to summer without losing your mind.
We cover:
End-of-year burnout (it’s not just “senioritis”)
Helping teens through finals without melting down
Low-lift summer ideas (Alphabet Summer, anyone?)
How to avoid the screen-time vortex
Why it’s okay to phone it in (really)
Set the bar low, pour the cereal, and join us for a dose of perspective and permission to do less.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
19min
May 26, 2025 #26: Hormones & Mental Health: What Every Parent Should Know About Mood Shifts Across the Lifespan with Dr. Milena Smith
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In this eye-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub welcome psychiatrist Dr. Milena Smith to talk about the emotional and mental health impacts of hormonal changes—from the postpartum period to perimenopause and beyond. Dr. Smith, an expert in reproductive psychiatry, breaks down how hormonal transitions can trigger mood and anxiety symptoms, what signs to watch for, and how to get help that actually works.
They discuss the realities of postpartum depression (including in dads!), why perimenopause can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, and how medications like SSRIs help increase neuroplasticity and create space for healing. With practical tips, personal stories, and science-backed insight, this episode is a must-listen for any parent navigating—or anticipating—a hormonally charged life phase.
About Milena
Dr. Smith attended medical school at UCSF, then completed her psychiatry residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she remains a part-time Instructor. Dr. Smith specializes in reproductive psychiatry, treating women with mood and anxiety disorders at times of hormonal change such as during and after pregnancy, premenstrually and through perimenopause.
Connect with Milena
Website: https://milenasmithmd.clientsecure.me/
Resources mentioned in the episode
Postpartum Support International
womensmentalhealth.org
The Menopause Society
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: Book rec from Dr. Smith
What No One Tells You: A Guide to Your Emotions from Pregnancy to Motherhood: Book rec from Dr. Smith

Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
40min
May 19, 2025 #25: Shots, Swabs & Stress: Helping Kids Cope with Medical Anxiety with Dr. Missy Hendricks
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Why does your usually sweet kid turn into a full-blown meltdown in the doctor’s office? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam talk with pediatric health psychologist Dr. Missy Hendricks about how to help kids manage anxiety around medical visits—from vaccines and blood draws to chronic illness and everyday checkups.
Dr. Missy shares her expertise on how to prepare kids for tough medical moments, the power of validation and honesty, and how to build coping skills that can serve them not just in the clinic—but in life. She also explains how to support older kids living with long-term health conditions, and why helping them feel seen often leads to better self-care and resilience.
Whether you're navigating your toddler’s first shots or supporting a teen through chronic illness, this episode is packed with practical tools, deep insight, and a whole lot of heart.
About Missy
Dr. Hendricks is a pediatric health psychologist with over 20-years of specialized experience, and she is owner of Cornerstone Health & Wellness, which is a private practice in AA county that offers specialized behavioral and health psychology services for individuals and families who face medical conditions, health concerns, or injury. Before transitioning to private practice, Dr. Hendricks spent 10-years at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where she was the director of interdisciplinary clinic development and consultation-liaison psychology services to medical subspecialties, and was heavily involved in interdisciplinary care, research, and the the training of future pediatric health psychologists.
Connect with Missy
Website: www.cstonehealth.com
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
42min
May 12, 2025 #24: The Sandwich Generation: Parenting While Being Parented
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In this deeply personal episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam explore what it means to parent your own children while still navigating the lifelong role of being someone’s child. From generational expectations and emotional triggers to unresolved childhood wounds and the pressure to “do it better,” this conversation sheds light on the complex web of relationships many of us are trying to untangle in midlife.
Sam shares a moving story about her evolving relationship with her late mother—and how an unexpected visit to a psychic offered her peace, perspective, and even a little healing. Melissa opens up about the academic pressure she felt growing up and how it shaped her own parenting philosophy today. Together, they reflect on how old dynamics resurface when you're in the thick of raising kids—and why making space to process your own story can help you show up more fully for theirs.
Whether you're juggling parenting, caretaking, or simply trying to break old cycles, this episode will leave you feeling seen.
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
32min
May 05, 2025 #23: More Than a Game: Building Life Skills Through Youth Sports with Courtney Parfitt
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What if sports weren’t just about winning—but about raising resilient, self-aware, and confident kids? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam sit down with Courtney Parfitt, founder of Thrive Gym in Annapolis, to explore how youth sports can become powerful spaces for growth, failure, leadership, and self-discovery.
Courtney shares how parents and coaches can support—not sabotage—the athlete experience, and why things like emotional regulation, goal alignment, and even silence from the sidelines matter more than medals. Whether your child is a toddler in tumbling or a teen in competitive athletics, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the delicate balance between support and pressure in sports parenting.
About Courtney
Courtney Parfitt is the owner of Thrive Gym, a company that operates children's activity centers offering gymnastics, tumbling, ninja, team sports, and camps to families in the Greater Annapolis community. Courtney has grown her business with the mission of teaching 'Life Lessons Through Sport'. She strives to provide everyone who interacts with her business - customer, employee, and student alike - with a space where they can connect, belong and be inspired. Courtney lives in Arnold, MD and has two children. In her spare time you can find her running, reading and hanging out with friends.
Connect with Courtney
Website: www.thrivegym.org
Instagram: @thrivegymmd
Get expert support, fresh strategies, and a judgment-free parent community—so you can stop feeling stuck and start parenting your teen with more clarity, confidence, and connection.
Contact: [email protected]
Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.
Follow:
Sam – Instagram & Facebook
Melissa – Facebook
Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry
Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework for handling tricky convos.
Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.
...more
37min

FAQs about Parenting Shrink Wrapped:

How many episodes does Parenting Shrink Wrapped have?

The podcast currently has 72 episodes available.

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