Parenting Shrink Wrapped

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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.

Contact: [email protected]

Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped for the latest episodes.

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Work with Us:
Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching
Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry

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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. 

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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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

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

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

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

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

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.

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

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

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Melissa Wellner and co-host Sam Straub tackle three of the most common and harmful myths they hear from parents about kids and mental health. From the idea that “teens are just moody” to the belief that “my kid would tell me if something was wrong,” Melissa and Sam break down why these myths persist—and what parents can do instead.

They also take on one of the biggest fears in child psychiatry: the myth that medication will change a child’s personality. Through clinical insight, personal experience, and compassion, this episode offers a clear-eyed, practical approach to supporting your child’s mental health at any age.

If you’ve ever second-guessed whether your child is truly okay, this conversation will help you feel informed, empowered, and less alone.

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam are joined by Maria Alessandri—mom of five, natural horsemanship coach, and founder of the Horse and People Project. Maria shares how training rescue horses taught her profound lessons about parenting, presence, boundaries, and communication.

From teenage pushback to tattoo negotiations, Maria reveals how showing up with intention and releasing pressure can transform the way we connect with our kids. Through powerful stories—both in the horse ring and at home—she reminds us that what we bring to a relationship, energetically and emotionally, matters more than what we say.

Whether you’re feeling unheard, struggling with boundaries, or just craving a more connected way to parent, this episode is full of wisdom (and a few laughs) to guide you back to what matters most: the relationship.

About Maria

With over 20 years of experience in corporate project management, Maria combines her business expertise with a deep passion for personal growth. As a mom of five, Maria has a unique perspective on balancing family, career, and personal development. A knowledgeable horse enthusiast, Maria founded the Horse and People Project, an initiative that partners horses with individuals to foster self-awareness and personal development, especially with regards to parenting. Her work is rooted in self-help principles, empowering others to find clarity and growth through connection with horses.

Connect with Maria

Website: https://www.horseandpeopleproject.com/

Instagram: @horseandpeopleproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064009806562

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and co-host Sam Straub sit down with special guest Vanessa Kellner, a registered play therapist and founder of Wholesome Healing in Severna Park, Maryland. Together, they explore the true nature of play therapy—how it offers children a language beyond words to process deep emotions and experiences. Vanessa breaks down how play therapy works, why it’s far more than “just play,” and shares fascinating insights on how children express anxiety, trauma, and healing through toys, art, and imaginative worlds. 

Whether you're a curious parent or a professional working with kids, this episode offers a warm, eye-opening look at how play becomes a powerful path to connection and transformation.

About Vanessa

Vanessa Kellner is a licensed clinical counselor and the owner of Wholesome Healing, a private practice specializing in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), located in Severna Park, MD. She is an author, play therapist and play therapist supervisor, credentialed as a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) through the Association for Play Therapy (APT), and certified as a Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCPT) through the University of North Texas Center for Play Therapy (UNT) and a Child-Centered Play Therapist Supervisor (CCPT-S) through the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement (NIRE). Vanessa was honored to receive the 2024 Play Therapist of the Year Award from the MD/DC Association for Play Therapy branch.

Connect with Vanessa

Website: https://www.wholesomehealingforall.com/

Facebook: Wholesome Healing

Instagram: @wholesomehealingmd

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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. 

Send us Fan Mail

An autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming for families—but what if there was a better way to navigate it? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Dr. Taylor Day (Dr. Tay), a licensed psychologist specializing in neuroaffirming care for autistic kids and their families.

Dr. Tay shares her personal journey of growing up with a younger brother on the spectrum, how that shaped her approach to autism care, and why she created her whole-family model to support not just autistic children, but their parents and siblings as well. They also discuss early signs of autism, common misconceptions, concerns about ABA therapy, and how to create affirming environments for neurodivergent kids.

If you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver looking for a more compassionate, informed approach to autism support, this episode is packed with expert insights and practical strategies.

About Taylor

Dr. Taylor Day is a licensed psychologist specializing in neuroaffirming care for autistic children and their families, including very early diagnosis and early intervention. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is the CEO and founder of Dr. Tay Concierge Clinical Care. Her practice integrates The Whole Family Approach, a process she created utilizing evidence-informed principles after seeing a gap in autism care. Her passion for child psychology and her focus on autism is in many ways tied to her own personal experience growing up with a brother who was diagnosed at 23 months of age.

Connect with Taylor

Website: drtaylorday.com

Instagram: @the.dr.tay

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

Save your spot in the next FREE Teen Savvy Parenting Masterclass.

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.