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A fan favorite — back for the summer!
But first...
🌟 Get your free printable meltdown guide at parentingwithconnection.com/guide
Can kids form secure attachments in single-parent families? Or are they..."screwed"?
In this compassionate conversation, I chat with therapist, mediator, and award-winning author, Aurisha Smolarski, LMFT, to unpack attachment theory and resilience (without the jargon!), and how to help kids feel safe and seen, even when co-parenting is hard or non-existent.
You’ll hear us explore:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
⭐️ Dr. Gila's step-by-step guide to modeling the art of apology and repair with your kids.
⭐️ Aurisha's "What's Your Communication Style?" Quiz
Connect with Aurisha Smolarski, LMFT:
Aurisha Smolarski, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified co-parenting coach, mediator, and mother, with a clinical practice in Los Angeles, CA. She is the award winning author of Cooperative Co-Parenting for Secure Kids: The Attachment Theory Guide to Raising Kids in Two Homes.
As a co-parent herself, Aurisha is very familiar with the challenges faced by parents raising kids in two households. For more than 15 years, she has drawn on attachment theory and other modalities to help clients move from conflict to cooperation, make child-centered agreements, and create a secure co-parenting two-home family system. She has been featured in Vogue, Newsweek, Huffington Post, Parents, and the Divorce and Beyond Podcast among many other media outlets.
WEBSITE: http://www.cooperativecounselingcenter.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/coop
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CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
A fan favorite (and with good reason!).
But first...
🌟 Get your free printable meltdown guide at parentingwithconnection.com/guide
Encore episode:
Stressed about screen time? (Who isn't?!) What you're about to hear might surprise you...and make this topic feel a lot less scary.
In this episode, I'm joined by Ash Brandin, EdS, aka TheGamerEducator and author of the bestselling book, "Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family," for an eye-opening conversation that may just change how you think about screens.
You'll hear:
Resources:
⭐️ Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family, by Ash Brandin
⭐️ The Burnt Toast Guide to Division of Responsibility, by Virginia Sole-Smith
About Ash Brandin
Ash Brandin, EdS, known online as TheGamerEducator, empowers families to make screen time sustainable, manageable, and beneficial for the whole family.
Now in their 15th year of teaching middle school, they help caregivers navigate the world of tech with consistent, loving boundaries, founded on respect for children, appreciation of video games and tech, and knowledge of pedagogical techniques.
Ash has appeared on podcasts including Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, and Culture Study with Anne Helen Petersen, and has contributed to articles featured on Romper, Scary Mommy, Lifehacker, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and NPR.
Their bestselling book, "Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family" debuted in August, 2025.
👉 WEB: thegamereducator.com
👉 IG: @thegamereducator
👉 SUBSTACK: thegamereducator.substack.com
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
A fan favorite — back for the summer!
Tantrums, and meltdowns, and rages...oh my! Big behaviors mean big stress for the whole family.
If you’re tired of walking on eggshells, wondering when and why your kid is going to "lose it," this episode is for you.
Dr. Gila breaks down what’s really happening beneath the surface when kids have big reactions, and how understanding those moments can transform the way you respond. You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of what your child’s behavior is trying to tell you, and what you can do to help when emotions run high.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
👉 Download the free companion guide: The Single Parent's Guide to Understanding Challenging Behaviors.
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
Different schedules, new settings, and a whole lot of "are we doing enough?" Summer has a way of turning up the volume on everything.
In this solo episode, Dr. Gila shares her top five tips for minimizing meltdowns and maximizing connection this summer break.
You'll hear...
Related resources:
⭐️ Free guide to understanding meltdowns: parentingwithconnection.com/guide
⭐️ Episode 31: Summer Planning with Neurodivergent Kids (with Debbie Reber)
⭐️ Episode 13: 10 Tips for the Winter Holidays and Break
⭐️ Episode 12: Screens: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything, with Ash Brandin
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❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
If you can't reach 'em, you can't teach 'em. That's true whether we're talking about math class or tying shoes.
No one knows this more than Dr. Emily King, a school psychologist, child psychologist, and author of the upcoming book The Neurodivergent Learner.
In this episode, we dig into why the system was never really designed for kids like yours, and what that means for you at home and at school.
You'll hear...
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
👉 The Neurodivergent Learner (available for pre-order)
👉 Learn with Dr. Emily, on Substack (30-day free trial)
RELATED EPISODES:
🎙️ 25. Strength-Based Parenting & Schooling for Gifted and Neurodivergent Kids (with Sam Young)
🎙️ 28. Executive Functioning: The brain skills behind your kid's "lazy" or "difficult" behavior (with Carrie Bonnett)
ABOUT DR. EMILY
Dr. Emily King is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for over 20 years. Dr. Emily hosts the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack, and is the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom®, a professional development curriculum for educators. Dr. Emily’s new book, THE NEURODIVERGENT LEARNER, is available for pre-order.
👉 www.learnwithdremily.com
👉 Substack | Podcast
👉 Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
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❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
No solutions today. Just me, Dr. Gila, saying the quiet parts out loud.
This episode is for anyone whose had a rough morning, or wondered how it's even possible to single-parent in our broken systems.
Related resources:
⭐️ Feeling overwhelmed? Download Dr. Gila's short, guided meditation: parentingwithconnection.com/meditation
⭐️ Questions or need support? 👉 [email protected]
About Dr. Gila
Dr. Gila (she/her) is a certified parenting coach, a psychologist and neuropsychologist, a speaker and educator, and the host of the "Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection)" podcast. But her most important role is as single mom to an incredibly awesome and beautifully neurodivergent tween. She specializes in supporting single parents, and parents of "strong-willed" or neurodivergent kids, with a focus on parenting with connection, not control or perfection. Her motto is: Even if you're on your own, you don't have to do it alone!
____________
❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
"You love my brothers more than me!"
These prickly thoughts are hard! They're hard for you to hear, hard for them to feel, and hard to know what to do.
In this week's episode, Dr. Gila walks through how to handle this and similar situations in response to a listener whose daughter's recent meltdowns seem to be related to sibling jealousy.
You'll hear...
Resources mentioned:
⭐️ Grab Dr. Gila's free guide on what's really underneath big behaviors: parentingwithconnection.com/guide
⭐️ Questions? Email Dr. Gila directly: [email protected]
About Dr. Gila
Dr. Gila (she/her) is a certified parenting coach, a psychologist and neuropsychologist, a speaker and educator, and the host of the "Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection)" podcast. But her most important role is as single mom to an incredibly awesome and beautifully neurodivergent tween. She specializes in supporting single parents, and parents of "strong-willed" or neurodivergent kids, with a focus on parenting with connection, not control or perfection. Her motto is: Even if you're on your own, you don't have to do it alone!
____________
❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
Summer is coming! And the pressure to plan it is already here.
This week I'm talking with Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting, host of the Tilt Parenting Podcast, and author of Differently Wired, about setting ourselves and our neurodivergent kids up for success during the long summer break.
You'll hear:
ABOUT DEBBIE REBER
Debbie Reber, MA, is a parenting activist, author of Differently Wired, and founder of Tilt Parenting, a top resource for families raising neurodivergent kids. Through her Full-Tilt Parenting podcast (10M+ downloads), bestselling books, and speaking, Debbie champions a strengths-based, inclusive approach to parenting. A three-time TEDx speaker and certified Positive Discipline trainer, her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on NewsNation. Debbie lives in the Netherlands with her husband and two cats, while her neurodivergent young adult attends university in Scotland.
👉 Website: https://tiltparenting.com
👉 Podcast: Full-Tilt Parenting
👉 Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
👉 FREE resource from Debbie
ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
👉 Screenwise, by Devorah Heitner
👉 The Self-Compassion Institute, with Kristin Neff
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❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
It's the situation every parent dreads: Your child or teen is hurting themselves. Or, worse yet, wants to kill themselves.
What do you say? What do you do? And how do you not fall apart in the process?
This episode is for parents in the thick of it...and for the ones who want to be ready before they get there.
Licensed therapist and author Katie May joins Dr. Gila to talk about self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and high-risk behaviors in kids and teens: What's driving them, how to respond, and what parents can start doing now.
In this episode:
RELATED RESOURCES:
⭐️ Get the first chapter free of You're on Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors at youreonfireitsfine.com/chapter
⭐️ Episode 26. Does Attention Reward the Tantrum?
ABOUT KATIE K MAY
Katie K. May is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and group practice owner. She founded Creative Healing, a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area, and wrote the #1 Amazon best-seller, You’re On Fire, It’s Fine. With lived experience as a teen who turned to self-harm, Katie is one of only 11 Linehan Board Certified DBT Clinicians in Pennsylvania, the gold standard treatment for self-harm and suicidal behaviors. She equips parents and clinicians with practical, trauma-informed tools to decode behavior as survival and create lasting change.
👉 Website: youreonfireitsfine.com
👉 Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
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❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
Boundaries! Parents talk about this A LOT. But are we actually talking about the same thing?
In this episode, Dr. Gila breaks down the three distinct concepts that get lumped together into the term "boundaries," and why getting clear on the difference isn't just semantic.
In this episode:
Related resources:
⭐️ Episode 7. Why Kids "Lose It": What's Beneath the Big Behaviors
⭐️ Episode 9. Power Struggles with Neurodivergent Kids: Beyond the Battles, with Dr. Danika Maddocks
____________
❤️ Enrollment is open for Coaching Circles! Only 3 spots per Circle. 👉 parentingwithconnection.com/circles
❤️ FREE guide: Tantrums, & Meltdowns, & Rages...Oh My! The single parent's guide to understanding challenging behaviors
____________
CONNECT WITH DR. GILA
👉 Join the newsletter for practical parenting tips and a hefty dose of empathy, delivered straight to your inbox.
🔗 Website: www.parentingwithconnection.com
✉️ E-mail: [email protected]
____________
©️ 2026 Dr. Gila Parenting | All rights reserved
DISCLAIMER: All episodes of Single-Parenting with Connection (NOT Perfection) are for educational and informational purposes only. Although Dr. Gila is a licensed psychologist and certified coach, this podcast and the information discussed within the podcast do not constitute therapy, counseling, coaching, or other professional service, and are not a substitute for professional services including medical or psychological advice. Moreover, the views expressed on the podcast are those of the host and guests. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content.
Any use of this intellectual property owned by Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA) may not be used in connection with the sale or distribution of any content (free or paid, written or verbal), product, and/or service by you without prior written consent from Dr. Gila Parenting (DBA).
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