Chad and Nikki welcome back special guest Natasha Daniels, Anxiety and OCD Child Therapist https://childocdtherapist.com/ for a conversation about Caregiver Fatigue, something many people caring for children or other family members experiencing mental health concerns may experience. Clinical and personal perspectives are shared along with self-care strategies for caregivers.

Nikki and Chad dive into the beautiful chaos of adolescence — the brain changes, big emotions, shifting behavior, growing independence, and the parental worry that comes with it all.They unpack why teenagers suddenly feel like entirely new people, how parents can stay connected without hovering, and what really matters when guiding them through relationships, safety, and decision-making.

Chad and Nikki discuss defiant and manipulative behavior as a form of communication for children and provide suggestions for uncovering the causes and solutions to these less than desirable behaviors. 

Nikki and Chad discuss how to model and teach emotional language to help kids build a strong emotional vocabulary to express themselves from an early age.

Chad and Nikki talk with Lynnae Glascock, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, about the many ways that OT’s can help children with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living.

Nikki and Chad discuss intrusive thoughts...what they are, how to cope with them, and when to seek professional help.

Dawn Whitcomb, a parent who lost a child to suicide, joins Chad and Nikki for a conversation about losing someone to suicide and the work she has done in her community for suicide prevention. We talk about risk factors, warning signs, and resources are also shared. 

988 is a lifeline for those who are struggling. It's free, it's a phone call, text message, or website: https://988lifeline.org/

In this episode, Chad discusses a five part TV series he did in 2016 on suicide prevention. Dawn is featured in part 2 of the series. You can watch those segments here: https://khqa.com/news/local/shattering-the-silence-the-full-story#

This episode includes discussion of self-harm. We know this can be difficult to hear, so please use your judgment and pause if you need to. Remember, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.

Chad and Nikki talk about self-harm, or non-suicidal self-injury. They talk about causes, warning signs, and actions parents or adults can take if a young person in their life is engaging in self-harming behaviors. 

www.trevorproject.org

www.988lifeline.org

Nikki and Chad discuss how and when to build independent skills at each level of child development. They share their own struggles with this critical but challenging aspect of raising children. 

In this episode, both Nikki & Chad talk about a time they blogged about giving their children independence. Read them below:

Chad and Nikki talk about the concept of peer pressure, how this evolves as we age, as well as guidelines for parents to help their kids navigate the impacts of digital and interpersonal peer pressure during the adolescent years.