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m joined by the incredible Janine Halloran—a licensed counselor with over 20 years of experience supporting children and families as they build their coping toolkits.

Janine has dedicated her career to developing accessible, effective resources for families, from workbooks and activity cards to evidence-based strategies you can use at home. In our conversation, she shares her personal journey into counseling, why healthy coping skills are so essential, and how every child's way of managing emotions is unique. We dig into what parents can expect at different developmental stages, how the digital age is changing the way kids regulate emotions, and why having a variety of coping options is so important.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or therapist, you'll walk away with practical insights on helping kids handle life's stresses in healthy, safe ways—and maybe even a few new ideas for yourself! Stay tuned as we explore the colorful world of coping skills with Janine Halloran.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Janine's journey to becoming a counselor
• Experience as a school counselor and focus on coping skills
• Development of resources (checklists, workbooks, card decks)
• Core mission: teaching coping skills to kids, teens, and adults
• Defining Coping Skills
• Janine's definition: strategies for dealing with big feelings, thoughts, and stressful situations
• Healthy vs. unhealthy coping skills
• Example for children: handling frustration during play without harming others
• The Individual Nature of Coping
• Emphasis on the need for personalized coping strategies
• Importance of finding what's helpful for each individual
• Developmental and Cultural Norms in Emotional Regulation
• Children's first experiences with emotions
• Emotional intensity in young children and its developmental trajectory
• Brain development periods: toddlers and teens
• Variability in emotional regulation based on age and development stage
• Variability in Coping from Day to Day
• Reasons for inconsistent coping ability (e.g., sleep, stress, environment)
• Parental expectations vs. daily reality
• Helping Kids Identify and Label Emotions
• The importance of naming and talking about emotions from a young age
• Using books and media (e.g., Bluey, Mo Willems books) as conversation starters
• The Digital Age and Changing Coping Skills
• Impact of growing up in a digital era (in-person vs. online interactions)
• Learning and managing social skills in virtual environments
• Emotional regulation during digital activities (e.g., video games, social media)
• Recognizing when digital engagement becomes unhealthy
• Family Communication and Screen Time
• Importance of open communication about screen habits
• Understanding each child's unique interaction with screens
• Aligning digital habits with family values
• Practical Example: Screen Fasting
• Host's experience with family "screen fasts"
• Observations and outcomes from time off screens
• Children's awareness of their own emotions and self-regulation post-fast
• Developing and Choosing Coping Skills Strategies
• Janine's process for developing resources
• Iterative development based on real-world results
• Challenges of implementing coping skills in the heat of the moment
• Importance of practice and early intervention
• Using visuals and making concrete plans for expected stressors
• Post-challenge reflection: what worked, what didn't

Links and Resources From Today's Show

• Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy?
• Connect with Sarah Collins on IG
• The Homeschool OT Teachers Pay Teachers
• Executive Functioning For Teens Course
• Social Skills & Executive Functioning
• Coping Skills For Kids Website
• Janine's Website
• Connect with Janine on Instagram
• Connect with Janine on Facebook
• Follow Janine on Youtube
• Episode 2: Decoding Behavior in homeschooling- sensory overwhelm, emotional control, perseverance
• Episode 15: From Morning to Night: Incorporating Social Emotional Learning in Homeschool
• Episode 17: Neuro Affirming Homeschool Environments with Keisha Berry
• Episode 19: Understanding Screen Time Effects on Children's Development and Relationships
• Episode 31: Cultivating Calm: Understanding Nervous System Dysregulation in Children and Practical Solutions for Parents
• Episode 53: Redefining Rest: An approach to Spiritual, Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Rest
• Episode 59: Translating OT Concepts: Creating a Children's Book for Sensory Processing Awareness
• Episode 60: Tackling Childhood Anxiety: How Occupational Therapy Can Help
• Episode 61: Mindful Moments: Supporting Focus and Calm in Children

Connect With Our Guest, Janine Halloran

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has been working with children, teens, and their families for over 20 years. She has been helping children and teens build their coping skills throughout her career in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health clinics and in her private practice. She founded Coping Skills for Kids to help children and teens learn healthy and safe ways to manage big feelings. She has written several books, including the bestselling Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook and the Social Skills for Kids Workbook. She is also the host of the Calm & Connected Podcast and the founder of the Coping Skills Community Hub. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, CNN, Huffington Post, and The Skimm Newsletter. Janine lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.