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What if mental health and behavior weren’t just about the brain, but also about the body? In this fascinating conversation, Jeff sits down with Dr. Tamara Bodnar, a biological scientist and researcher at the University of Calgary, whose work is changing how we understand FASD from the inside out.

Dr. Bodnar studies the gut–brain axis — the constant communication between our digestive system and our brain — and how prenatal alcohol exposure can disrupt that balance for life. Her groundbreaking research reveals how gut health, inflammation, and stress all shape behavior, mood, and regulation in ways caregivers see every day.

Together, Jeff and Dr. Bodnar explore how small, realistic shifts like balanced meals, hydration, and consistent routines can support both body and brain. They also talk about what’s next in FASD science, including probiotics, personalized medicine, and new collaborations that bring caregivers and researchers together.

In this episode you’ll learn how prenatal alcohol exposure affects gut health and stress regulation, why inflammation can amplify mood and behavior, and how to make simple, guilt-free choices that help create calm from the inside out.

This episode reminds us that behavior isn’t just communication — it’s biology. When we understand how the body and brain talk to each other, we can replace frustration with compassion and find hope in small, steady changes. Dr. Bodnar’s work validates what families have always known in their gut: small steps matter, and progress starts from the inside out.

You’re not alone. You’re doing better than you think.

Resources and Links

Join our FASD Success Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/FASDforever

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @FASDSuccess

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Follow Jeff on Instagram: @FASDSuccess

Full show notes: fasdsuccess.com/podcast

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Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions around mental health challenges and suicide. Please listen when you feel ready and take care of yourself as needed.

What if everything you thought you knew about mental health and behavior was flipped on its head? In this powerful conversation, Jeff sits down with Dr. Jacqueline Pei, psychologist, professor at the University of Alberta, and senior research lead with CanFASD, to explore how mental health really shows up for individuals with FASD and how reframing what we see changes everything about how we respond.

Dr. Pei explains why up to 90% of individuals with FASD experience mental-health challenges, how anxiety and depression often hide behind behavior, and why understanding the brain through a “nervous-system-first” lens can completely transform care.

Together, Jeff and Dr. Pei talk about what it means to “sit in the frustration,” the danger of misunderstanding in schools and systems, and the power of empathy to calm chaos and restore hope.

In This Episode You’ll Hear

• Why mental health challenges are so common in FASD — and what’s really driving them
•  How anxiety and depression often disguise themselves as “defiance” or “bad   behavior”
•  Why traditional definitions of depression and anxiety don’t always fit
•  How to use the “Pause and Reframe” tool to see behavior through a nervous-   system lens
•  The emotional toll of systemic misunderstanding on caregivers and families
•  Guidance for recognizing mental-health signs and supporting emotional stability
•  A compassionate, science-backed discussion about suicidality and safety   planning

 • Why connection, purpose, and relationships are the strongest protective factors
 • The future of FASD research — and how collaboration between families and scientists is changing everything

Why It Matters

This episode is a reminder that behavior is communication, not defiance — and that healing starts with understanding. Through Dr. Pei’s research and Jeff’s lived experience, you’ll walk away with tools to replace judgment with curiosity, fear with empathy, and burnout with hope.

Dr. Pei’s message is clear: we can’t fix everything, but through connection, compassion, and collaboration, we can help individuals with FASD — and their families — thrive.

👉 You’re not alone. You’re doing better than you think. 

Resources & Links

📘 Join our FASD Success Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/FASDforever

▶️ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @FASDSuccess

🎧 Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow Jeff on Instagram: @FASDSuccess

📝 Full show notes: fasdsuccess.com/podcast

Support the show

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What if you could hear the same family one year apart and actually feel the shift from chaos to connection. In this powerful “before and after” episode, Jeff revisits Angela Freeman and her two kids, Ruby and Elias. Last year, we met them in Toronto when every day felt like triage — school battles, misunderstandings, and constant fires. One year later, everything looks different.

Through sober momentum, the right school fit, and daily co-regulation, the Freemans moved from surviving to thriving. Ruby’s attendance shot up to 97%, she jumped three grade levels in math, and even won a science award. Elias found the right adult in his corner, became a student leader, and learned to love sports again. And Angela — now nearing four years sober — reframed advocacy, focusing on training the teacher in front of her child and protecting routines that bring safety and connection home.

In This Episode You’ll Hear
• What the Freeman family’s “before” looked and felt like when everything was on fire
• How one year of steady sobriety and co-regulation changed the tone of their home
• The power of placement as intervention and why “fit” matters more than label
• How one trusted adult at school can be the difference between crisis and confidence
• Angela’s advocacy reframe: stop fighting systems, start training people
• Real numbers that prove change — better attendance, higher grades, stronger bonds
• Practical home language to keep everyone safe: “cut this, not that”

Why It Matters
The Freeman story proves you don’t need perfect conditions to change a trajectory — just the right fit, one person who gets it, and small daily moves that protect safety and connection. It’s a story of resilience, recovery, and real-world success that reminds every caregiver: you’re not alone, and small changes stack up fast.

👉 You are stronger than you think. Progress starts with fit, relationship, and routine.

Resources and Links
🌐 Angela’s First Appearance (Episode 137): https://www.fasdsuccess.com/blog/podcast-episode-137

📘 Join our FASD Success Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fasdsuccess

 ▶️ Subscribe to the FASD Success YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FASDSuccess

 📸 Follow Jeff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fasdsuccess

📝 Get full show notes and all episodes here: https://www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast

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Teaching, Training and Transformation: Malgorzata’s Journey Forward

What happens when language that works at home starts changing classrooms and systems. What if a one minute demo with an umbrella could stop symptom punishment faster than another meeting. What if a parent advocate was invited to help shape an international conference.

About This Episode

In this Part 2 of The FASD Success Show, I bring Malgorzata back from Poland to share what happened next. Invitations to schools and trainings took off. A new film for students was produced for nationwide use. She ran small room foster trainings that created big shifts. She was asked to moderate in Krakow and evaluate research abstracts. And at home her family kept doing the brave work of healing as her son began building real connections with his birth siblings.

Meet the Guest: Malgorzata

Malgorzata is the founder of FASmisja. What started as one mom searching for answers has grown into a national movement focused on prevention, practical education, and hope for families and professionals.

In This Episode You Will Hear

• How advocacy scaled from kitchen table to schools, conferences, and national prevention efforts

 • The student film project, which will Premiere 10.20.2025,  and why short, clear education can move a whole system

 • Simple teaching tools to borrow now including the umbrella activity and the  chin and cheek demo

 • Why modeling matters for adults and how kids copy what we do more than what we say

 • Choosing school fit over labels and the reality of integration settings in Poland

 • What changed most in a two day foster caregiver training with a small group

 • A powerful home story of grief and connection as her son visited his birth mother’s grave and chose to meet siblings

 • How she moved past imposter feelings by speaking from the heart and letting results do the talking

Why It Matters

Part 1 showed pain turning into purpose. Part 2 shows purpose turning into progress you can feel in classrooms and communities. You will get tools you can show, not just tell. You will see proof that systems can listen. You will leave steadier for hard conversations at home and clearer about small wins you can create this week.

👉 You are not alone. You have words that work. Small rooms change fast. Your modeling sets the tone.

Resources and Links

Learn more about Malgorzata’s work at FASmisja

Join our FASD Success Facebook Group

See Jeff Live in Edmonton Calgary and Toronto: fasdsuccess.com/thefasdsuccessshowlive

Subscribe to the FASD Success YouTube Channel

Follow us on Instagram

Get full show notes here: fasdsuccess.com/podcast

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What if the child you were promised was “healthy” — and the real story didn’t show up until years later? What if the diagnosis you fought so hard to get didn’t open doors but instead left you standing in another long hallway?

In this episode of The FASD Success Show, I sit down with Malgorzata from Poland. Her journey takes us through judgment, grief, and exhaustion, but also resilience and advocacy. From being told by her pediatrician sister that she was a “bad mom” to realizing a diagnosis doesn’t guarantee support, her story is one caregivers around the world will recognize.

Malgorzata turned pain into purpose by founding FASmisja, a national organization that is shifting awareness across Poland. She speaks in schools, prisons, and communities, using relatable tools like the flu analogy and diamond activity to reframe FASD and build self-esteem for kids. And in one of the most moving moments, she shares how her son once dismissed as “angry and difficult” saved a stranger’s life.

Meet the Guest: Malgorzata

Malgorzata is the founder of FASmisja, an advocacy and training initiative that grew out of her personal journey as a parent. What began as searching for answers in isolation has grown into a national mission that is opening eyes, training professionals, and giving families hope.

In this episode you’ll hear

• The grief of false expectations when adoption and reality don’t match
 • How judgment from family, teachers, and professionals adds to the pain
 • Why a diagnosis doesn’t always open doors and what actually makes the difference
 • Simple teaching tools — like the flu analogy and diamond story — that shift understanding and self-esteem
 • How personal advocacy grew into FASDmisja and a national movement
 • A powerful story of hope: Malgorzata’s son saving a stranger’s life
 • Breaking News: The U.S. Senate has passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, which includes the FASD Respect Act. This legislation authorizes $12.5 million annually through 2030 for FASD prevention, awareness, diagnosis, and services.

Why It Matters

Malgorzata’s story is one of courage and purpose. She reminds us that grief and judgment are real, but so is hope. Knowledge reframes behaviors, advocacy ripples out beyond our own homes, and kids with FASD can shine in ways nobody expects.

👉 You are not alone. What you’re doing matters. And there is hope — for change, for connection, and for more good days.

Resources and Links

🌐 Learn more about Malgorzata’s work at FASmisja

📘 Join our FASD Success Facebook Group

🎟️ See Jeff Live in Edmonton Calgary and Toronto: fasdsuccess.com/thefasdsuccessshowlive

▶️ Subscribe to the FASD Success YouTube Channel

📸 Follow us on Instagram

📝 Get full show notes here: fasdsuccess.com/podcast

Support the show

Send us a text

Relationships and Resilience: Reinier & Kate on Love and FASD

What does love look like when FASD is part of the story? And how do you play the long game when milestones come later than expected?

In this episode of The FASD Success Show, I sit down with my friends Reinier deSmit and Kate Kristiansen for a real and vulnerable conversation about partnership, conflict, and resilience.

Reinier was diagnosed with FASD at 56. Now in his 60s, he describes that diagnosis as a gift  finally giving him language to replace a lifetime of confusion. Kate, his partner, brings two decades of communications and marketing experience, plus a heart for boundaries, structure, and connection. Together, they model what it means to live and love interdependently.

Meet the Guests: Reinier & Kate

Reinier is a photographer, life counsellor, and lived-experience advocate with Fetal Alcohol Nova Scotia, where he helps create clearer language and kinder systems.

Kate has led national campaigns for Cirque du Soleil and DreamWorks Live, teaches marketing at St. Lawrence College, and runs Hummingbird Studios, a creative retreat space in Ontario. In their relationship, she brings the communication chops and the perspective of being a partner, not a caregiver.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Kate’s line “I don’t want to be his caregiver, I want to be his partner” is a game-changer for caregivers thinking about their kids’ futures.
• The simple but powerful conflict strategy they use when things get heated (and why it’s transferable to parenting).
• How Reinier describes transitions as “motion sickness” — and why sameness and structure afterward help stabilize life.
• What interdependence really looks like in adulthood, and why it’s healthier than chasing complete independence.
• Why their relationship itself offers hope and a “sneak peek” of what’s possible for individuals with FASD.

Why It Matters

Milestones are milestones no matter the age. Whether it’s buying a house at 65, learning to ride a bike at 25, or mastering a new daily living skill later in life — late wins still count. This episode shows that progress looks different, takes longer, but always matters.

👉 You are not alone. What you’re doing matters. And there is hope — for connection, for resilience, and for more good days.

Resources and Links

🎧 Understanding Life With FASD Podcast (with Reinier & FANS Nova Scotia)
🌐 Fetal Alcohol Nova Scotia
 

Join our FASD Success Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FASDFOREVER

See Jeff Live in Edmonton Calgary and Toronto
https://www.fasdsuccess.com/thefasdsuccessshowlive

Subscribe to the FASD Success YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@FASDSUCCESS

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/fasdsuccess/
Get full show notes here: www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast

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Awareness isn’t just hashtags or red shoes. It’s what we do with that awareness that counts.

In this special episode of The FASD Success Show, I sit down with Kathy Unsworth (the new Executive Director of CanFASD) and Audrey McFarlane (who has been a champion of mine since day one).

We talk about the new Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) report, the leadership transition at CanFASD, the National FASD Framework Bill, and the 2025 National Conference in Toronto. Plus — I share some brand-new stats that put FASD in perspective globally, not just in Canada.

And if that wasn’t enough  I’m taking the FASD Success Show LIVE this fall in Edmonton, Calgary, and Toronto.

Meet the Guests: Kathy & Audrey

Kathy and Audrey need no introduction if you’re in the FASD community. But what makes this episode special is hearing both of them together  the new boss and the former boss talking openly about transition, challenges, and what it takes to keep pushing this movement forward.

Audrey reflects on the CAHS report and why having everything consolidated matters. Kathy shares honestly about stepping into a big, overwhelming new role something caregivers know all too well.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why the CAHS report isn’t about surprises, but about validation and leverage.
• The seven big stats that show how massive FASD really is, in Canada and worldwide.
• How Kathy relates her new leadership role to the reality of caregivers becoming the “CEO” at home.
• Updates on the National FASD Framework Bill — and why advocacy can’t stop now.
• A preview of the 2025 Toronto National FASD Conference: where science meets the street.
• Details on the FASD Success Show Live in Edmonton, Calgary, and Toronto.

Why It Matters

Awareness isn’t confetti it’s clarity. This episode is about naming what’s real, telling the truth, and pairing it with solutions. From global stats to personal stories, from research reports to lived experience, the message is the same:

👉 You are not alone. What you’re doing matters. And together, we can keep pushing for more good days.

Resources and Links

• Read the full CAHS Report on FASD
  
  
• Join our FASD Success Facebook Group
  
  
• See Jeff Live – Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto (Oct 2025)
  
  
• Subscribe to the FASD Success YouTube Channel
  
  
• Follow us on Instagram

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In this follow-up episode of the FASD Success Show, Jeff reconnects with Barb Clark three months after she received her official FASD diagnosis.

When we first spoke, Barb had just gotten the news, and she shared the raw relief and validation of finally having a name for her lifelong struggles. Now, with time to process, she reflects on what has actually changed in her daily life, her work, and her relationships.

Barb opens up about the accommodations she’s put in place, the reactions she’s received from family, friends, and colleagues, and how her diagnosis continues to shape the way she coaches and trains caregivers. She’s not grieving — she’s integrating.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• What living with a diagnosis looks like three months in — day-to-day insights and strategies.
• Why boundaries and accommodations aren’t avoidance, but brain-based supports.
• How Barb’s experience as both an adult with FASD and a parent of kids on the spectrum gives her a unique perspective.
• The reactions she’s gotten from people in her life curiosity, disbelief, and support.
• Why diagnosis isn’t defeat  it’s direction.

We also dig into:

• Barb’s professional shift toward focusing full-time on FASD training and advocacy.
• How she uses her own experience to build bridges of understanding with caregivers.
• The message of hope she wants parents to hear: the struggles now don’t mean there’s no future.

Barb’s honesty, humor, and insight make this a must-listen. Whether you’re a caregiver, a professional, or even wondering about diagnosis for yourself, her story is proof that naming it isn’t doom — it’s clarity, hope, and a path forward.

Show Notes: Stay Connected and Empowered

• Join our Facebook community: FASD Caregiver Success Group
  
  
• Follow us on Facebook: FASD Success
  
  
• Subscribe to the YouTube Channel: @fasdsuccess
  
  
• Get all show notes and resources here: www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast
  
  

Connect with Barb Clark

• 📖 Raising Kids and Teens with FASD: Advice and Strategies to Help Your Family to Thrive! (October 21, 2025)
• 🌐 Website: FASDmosaic.com
  
  
• 📧 Email: [email protected]

Support the show

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In this raw and powerful episode of the FASD Success Show, Jeff sits down with his friend and colleague Barb Clark just hours after she received her official FASD diagnosis.

Barb has coached, trained, and supported caregivers for years, but this time she’s on the other side of the story  talking openly about what it feels like to finally have confirmation of something she always suspected.

She shares the shock, the relief, and the validation of putting a name to her lifelong struggles — and how her neuropsych report revealed both surprising strengths and challenging weaknesses.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• Why diagnosis brings relief, not doom  even in adulthood.
• What a neuropsychological report actually looks at and why it matters.
• The reality of a “scattered profile” and why uneven abilities can make FASD so hard to spot.
• How harmful character labels (“lazy,” “defiant”) get replaced with accurate ones through diagnosis.
• Why naming FASD changes the conversation  at home, in schools, and in relationships.

We also dig into:

• Barb’s reflections on her mom, and why we need more compassion and less judgment for birth moms.
• The hope a diagnosis brings for individuals and their caregivers.
• How making it official has already changed the way Barb understands herself and the families she works with.

Barb’s story is brave, real, and exactly the kind of conversation caregivers need to hear. Whether you’ve wondered about diagnosis for your child, or even yourself, this episode will show you why naming it matters  and why it’s never too late.

So whether you’re deep in the struggle or standing at a crossroads, this episode is packed with relatable moments and real-world insight you can carry into your own journey.

Show Notes: Stay Connected and Empowered

Connect with Barb!

PRE OREDER HERE: 

• 📖 Raising Kids and Teens with FASD: Advice and Strategies to Help Your Family to Thrive! (October 21, 2025)
  
  
• 🌐 Website: FASDmosaic.com
  
  
• 📧 Email: [email protected]
  
  
• Join our Facebook community: FASD Caregiver Success Group
  
  
• Follow us on Facebook: FASD Success
  
  
• Subscribe to the YouTube Channel: @fasdsuccess
  
  
• Get all show notes and resources here: www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast
  
  

Support the show

Send us a text

In this powerful episode of the FASD Success Show, Jeff sits down with Cornelia Fornefeld, a fierce and funny foster mom from Germany who's turning personal adversity into national impact.

Cornelia opens up about the whirlwind journey of raising her daughter Dana, who came into her home at just five weeks old. Despite being a trained social worker and early childhood educator, Cornelia quickly discovered that parenting a child with FASD meant learning a whole new playbook. From chaotic daycare days to total school refusal and aggressive behaviors, she shares what life was like before they knew what they were really dealing with.

After years of misdiagnosis and confusion, Cornelia and her husband pushed for clarity and finally received an FASD diagnosis. But even then, support was hard to come by. So, like many caregivers, Cornelia rolled up her sleeves and built the resources she wished existed.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• The real story of Dana’s early red flags, and how they were misunderstood for years.
• How Cornelia handled aggressive behaviors at home and what finally helped things shift.
• The importance of finding the right school environment, and how one change gave Dana purpose and pride.
• Cornelia’s tips for regulating your child (and yourself!) when things get hard.
• How she used coaching and training to move from reactive to proactive parenting.
• Why Cornelia created "Flausen im Kopf," a business focused on changing the conversation around FASD in Germany.

We also dig into:

• What FASD advocacy looks like in a country with limited diagnosis centers.
• The growing grassroots movement in Germany and Cornelia's major role in it.
• Her upcoming event bringing together 15+ orgs and advocates for a day of training, networking, and community.

Cornelia’s story is raw, inspiring, and full of those lightbulb moments that help you feel less alone. Her honesty about the burnout, the frustration, and the eventual breakthroughs is exactly what so many caregivers need to hear.

So whether you’re deep in the struggle or trying to find your next right step, this episode is packed with relatable moments and real-world strategies.

Tune in and get ready to feel seen, supported, and maybe even a little fired up.

Show Notes: Stay Connected and Empowered

• Join our Facebook community: FASD Caregiver Success Group
• Follow us on Facebook: FASD Success
• Subscribe to the @FASDSUCCESS YouTube Channel

Support the show