Most people know Allen Genkin from the dance floor, but dance was never really the story. In this deeply personal episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with professional ballroom dancer and Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro competitor Allen Genkin, whose family has been family to hers since the day he was born. Behind the television lights and the trophies is a story of extraordinary resilience: losing his mother at just 15, growing up with ADHD and as an ESL kid, and battling cancer as a young adult. Allen opens up about how dance became his therapy, what kept him moving through his darkest chapters, and why he chases the dream instead of the accolades.

Together they talk about grief, identity, perseverance, and what parents raising kids with ADHD, loss, or adversity most need to understand. This one is about turning pain into purpose, dreaming after loss, and finding the courage to keep dancing through it all. If you have ever faced a hard chapter, or you love a child who has, this conversation is for you.

Allen Genkin on Instagram: @allengenkin

Allen Genkin on TikTok: @iamallengenkin

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

01:33 Meet Allen Genkin

02:36 Growing up as family

05:10 From hockey to dance

07:46 ADHD, ESL, and finding his footing

12:35 Losing his mom at 15

14:13 Dance as therapy

19:01 Beating cancer

22:19 Chasing the dream, not the trophies

28:08 Raising resilient kids

30:55 Lightning round + advice to a struggling kid

It's 8:30 at night. Your child spikes a fever, or takes a fall off the playground, and suddenly you are weighing urgent care, the ER, the pediatrician, or waiting until morning. Every parent has stood in that exact spot, phone in hand, unsure which door to walk through.

In this episode, Luba sits down with Dr. Daniel Kogan, owner and founder of MedX Urgent Care, to unpack what urgent care actually handles for kids, from newborns to young adults. Dr. Kogan shares which fevers in young infants need attention right away, what to watch for after a head injury, why so much chest pain turns out to be non-cardiac, and why no family should ever feel embarrassed for getting something checked out. His message lands for every parent. You know your child better than anyone, and a fair, thorough look is always worth it.

Listen in for the clarity to trust your instincts the next time a moment turns scary.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to the Growth Lab

01:42 Meet Dr. Daniel Kogan

04:07 What urgent care actually handles for kids

07:57 The most unexpected cases he has seen

08:55 When scary symptoms turn out to be minor

10:58 Fever guidelines for babies

11:21 Warning signs after a head injury1

2:02 Why you should never feel embarrassed to come in

16:42 Why he chose to open an urgent care

21:04 Where to find MedX Urgent Care

You know you were made for more than a packed caseload and an endless to-do list, but figuring out how to actually build the business can feel like guesswork. In this special business edition of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Ebony Green, owner and CEO of The Speak Center, creator of the SLP Business Suite, and founder of the Made for More movement, for an honest look at what it really takes to grow a speech practice on purpose. Ebony breaks down her three phases of intentional acceleration, from stabilizing as the operator, to building systems that run without you, to stepping into legacy and longevity as a CEO. She shares the client who almost made her quit, why she finally stopped trying to do everything herself, and the shift from delegating tasks to delegating decisions. If you are an SLP who knows there is more but you are figuring it out in real time, this conversation is your permission slip.

Ebony on Instagram: @slpbizqueen (personal), @theslpbusiness_suite (business)

Made for More conference: @madeformoreslp

Ebony Green on LinkedIn

The SLP Business Suite (her online education platform, home of the School Contracting Masterclass): https://theslpbusinesssuite.teachable.com

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:02:52 Meet Ebony Green

00:03:54 From proving herself to leading on purpose

00:10:35 The school job that pushed her to start her practice

00:13:36 The client who almost made her quit

00:18:20 Phase one, stabilizing as the operator

00:21:05 Why school contracts made sense

00:24:38 Did your cash register ring today

00:29:04 Phase two, building the architecture

00:31:52 Delegating decisions, not just tasks

00:46:33 Phase three, leadership, legacy, and longevity

Somewhere between the parenting books, the expert opinions, the evaluations, and the 2 a.m. Google searches, a lot of parents stop trusting their own instincts. In this solo episode of The Growth Lab, Luba explores how that quiet loss of confidence happens and why a parent's gut feeling deserves more weight than it usually gets. Through the story of a mom who sensed something was off with her son years before anyone listened, Luba shows why intuition matters, how confidence is built through small everyday actions rather than certainty, and what it looks like to reconnect with the most important parenting tool you already have. She also opens the doors to The Parent Pathway, her community where parents find honest conversations, real support, and resources without judgment or shame.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:56 Welcome to the episode

01:25 Why so many parents lose trust in themselves

03:36 The mom who knew something was off at age two

07:53 Parenting has become impossibly loud

10:32 Why Luba created The Parent Pathway

17:08 Your intuition is not magic, it's data

18:35 How comparison destroys your confidence

21:25 Losing her mom and what children actually remember

24:52 How to start trusting yourself again

27:18 An invitation to join The Parent Pathway

In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba Patlakh sits down with Alex Lopiccolo, known as the King of Swings, a certified occupational therapy assistant and sensory integration specialist who has spent the last decade designing sensory gyms and teaching hands on workshops around the world. Alex shares how his own childhood experience with sensory sensitivities shaped his approach to movement based therapy, and the two dig into why regulation has to come before behavior and learning can improve. They talk through practical bedtime strategies, how to balance screen time with movement, and what parents can do at home to help kids get the input their bodies are craving. Alex also opens up about building a mission driven career, avoiding burnout, and what he hopes kids carry with them long after therapy ends.

Check out Alex's website: sensorydigest.com

Alex's Instagram: instagram.com/sensorydigest

Alex's Facebook: facebook.com/SensoryDigest/

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 – Meet Alex Lopiccolo, the King of Swings

04:00 – Growing up with sensory sensitivities and using sports as therapy

05:10 – Finding purpose as an inventor and occupational therapist

09:54 – The role of movement in regulation, learning, and behavior

14:02 – Leading by example as a parent

22:49 – Bedtime routines and calming techniques that actually work

25:12 – Avoiding burnout and building a mission driven career

33:58 – Balancing screen time, video games, and movement

42:15 – Rapid fire questions with Alex

43:30 – Where to find Alex and Sensory Digest

This episode is one of the most personal conversations on the podcast, as host Luba Patlakh opens up about losing her own mom to cancer and how that loss shaped her view of advocacy and leadership. Luba sits down with Katia Conte, founder of the Daniela Conte Foundation, who shares the story of her daughter Daniela's four year battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. Katia walks through the moment everything changed, the years of treatment, relapse, and resilience, and the heartbreaking decision to keep fighting even when answers ran out. The conversation covers what real support looks like for a family in crisis, how the Daniela Conte Foundation helps cover rent, bills, and medical costs for families in active treatment, and how Katia turned unimaginable grief into a mission that has already helped hundreds of families. For anyone who has wondered what genuine support looks like for a family facing a child's serious illness, or who is looking for a way to help, this conversation will stay with them.

Learn more about the Daniela Conte Foundation here: https://www.danielacontefoundation.org

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 - Introduction to the episode and why this conversation is personal for Luba

01:55 - The day everything changed, pumpkin picking and the first signs something was wrong

04:00 - Rushing to the hospital and the diagnosis no parent is prepared for

07:44 - What it feels like to hear the words "your child has cancer"

10:52 - Starting chemo immediately and the realities of treatment

17:21 - The cancer relapses and the family faces a harder road

20:56 - Daniela's final battle and the days leading up to her passing

22:33 - How grief became the spark for the Daniela Conte Foundation

30:36 - How the foundation supports families financially and emotionally during treatment

44:18 - Advice for anyone who feels called to start something meaningful after loss

Is your child a late talker, and are you wondering whether to wait it out or pay closer attention? In this solo episode, Luba breaks down the real truth about late talkers, the version you won't find on social media. She explains what a late talker actually is, why understanding language is not the same as being able to communicate, and how speech delays ripple out into behavior, confidence, learning, and relationships. You'll hear the surprising connection between language and executive functioning, the red flags worth watching for at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months, and how to tell the difference between a child who needs a small nudge and one who needs real support. Most importantly, Luba reminds you that trusting your instincts is enough. You don't have to earn the right to ask questions about your own child.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

01:13 The truth about late talkers, the real version 01:50 What a late talker actually is

02:24 The biggest myth, "as long as they understand, they're fine"

03:43 Why speech delays turn into behavior challenges

05:48 The hidden connection to executive functioning

07:41 What gets missed most, your child's confidence

11:13 Red flags to watch at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months

13:06 A true delay versus needing a little nudge

14:13 Why early support prevents problems, it doesn't create them

Most of us were raised on "clean your plate," "that's a bad choice," and "you're so lucky you can eat that." Then we grow up and wonder why food feels so loaded. In this episode I sit down with Lea Rifkin, a non-diet registered dietitian and founder of Kindred Nutrition Co., to talk about how early food messaging shapes our kids, and how we can rewrite that story while we heal our own relationship with food.

We get honest about the comments that slip out without us realizing it, why labeling food good or bad tends to backfire, and what it actually looks like to guide your child around food without controlling it. Lea shares the difference between always foods and sometimes foods, why sitting down together matters more than any perfect plate, and the signs that it's time to reach out for support instead of waiting it out.

If you have a picky eater, a snack grabber, or a little one already picking up messages about their body, this conversation will help you feel steadier at your own table.

Want to work with Lea? Check her out here: https://kindrednutritionco.com

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

00:00 Welcome and meeting Lea Rifkin

02:52 Why our food stories start in childhood

06:09 What non-diet really means

13:09 How the words we use shape the way kids eat

18:14 The phrases parents don't realize are harmful

27:50 Bodies are like trees, and guidance versus control

37:41 Family meals and modeling around the table

42:36 When to seek help and why not to wait

When childcare falls apart, everything falls apart with it, work, stress, and the whole rhythm of family life. In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Beth Heyer, founder of Babysitting Connection and mentor to women building service-based businesses across the country. Beth shares how a frustrating search for trustworthy sitters turned into a vetted, membership-based network now serving families in five cities, and why she's so passionate about ending the "mommy martyrdom" that tells parents asking for help is a weakness. Together they get into what makes childcare reliable rather than just available, how to protect both the families and the caregivers in any care system, and what families consistently misunderstand about the real value of trusted support. For any parent trying to build something meaningful while raising a family, this conversation reframes childcare as what it really is, the infrastructure that lets everything else hold together.

Check out Babysitting Connection: https://babysittingconnection.com

Follow Beth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebethheyer/

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

02:07 How a frustrating sitter search became a business

05:10 Ending the mommy martyrdom, why asking for help isn't weakness

06:02 Turning childcare into a business and pivoting through COVID

08:00 The biggest challenges families face finding reliable care

11:37 What families misunderstand about good childcare

13:07 How Babysitting Connection actually works, membership and vetting

16:15 Protecting both the families and the caregivers

21:23 Starting a service business without shrinking yourself

28:23 Where Beth sees the future of childcare heading

Long before children can use their words, they communicate through behavior, their play, their reactions, and the patterns parents and teachers notice but can't always name. In this solo episode, Luba walks through the everyday signs that quietly signal a child may need more help, from delayed speech and frustration-driven meltdowns to sensory red flags, feeding challenges, rigid routines, and motor concerns. She explains why these cues so often get dismissed with "wait and see," why waiting rarely makes things easier, and what actually happens when a family reaches out for support. Most of all, she reminds parents that their intuition is powerful, that there is nothing wrong with them or their child, and that they don't need a diagnosis or anyone's permission to start advocating right now.

Connect with Luba: Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

00:01:09 The everyday behaviors that signal your child needs more support

00:01:36 Why behavior is your child's first language

00:02:33 Your gut is data too

00:03:05 Speech and communication signs to watch for

00:04:58 Meltdowns, biting, and shutting down

00:06:23 Sensory needs and when OT can help

00:07:57 Feeding challenges that aren't just picky eating

00:09:14 Rigid routines and hard transitions

00:10:22 When your child just seems different

00:10:54 Why waiting doesn't make it easier