When a single hypnotherapy session halted a lifelong finger picking habit, Alexandra Janelli knew this method was powerful and effective for many people seeking lasting lifestyle changes. Today on the Mama Mode podcast certified hypnotherapist and life coach Alexandra Janelli joins Emily to demystify hypnotherapy and its applications for individuals across the lifespan, including parents and children. After a successful career as a spa owner and environmental consultant, Alexandra’s experiences with hypnotherapy served as her motivation to return to school to become a hypnotherapist herself. Alexandra spent years working one-on-one with clients before developing the Go burble app, a mobile app designed to bring her most successful wellness practices and strategies to a wider audience. Join us to learn more about Alexandra’s professional and personal journey with hypnotherapy and her favorite practices to incorporate into her own family life. To try Go burble for free, visit for a 7 day trial or connect with Alexandra on Instagram @iamalexandrajanelli .

Part of parenting is realizing that there are things you’ll handle differently than your own parents did, and sometimes what seemed normal to us as children may not be the healthiest path forward. Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and relationship specialist Alyssa Scarano is the founder and owner of The Collective Therapy and Wellness. She joins Emily on the podcast today to discuss how our own early social learnings impact our parenting and how growth from our individual healing supports ourselves and our children. We’ll also touch on the importance of breathing for everyone- including those of us who have never set foot in a yoga class. Our conversation today breaks down moments of conflict and overstimulation step by step to help listeners recognize how to be the parent their child needs in that moment. Learn more about Alyssa’s work at The Collective at https://collective-therapy.com/ or visit them on Instagram @live.collective.wellness on Instagram

There’s no avoiding tough topics with little ones, but it can feel nearly impossible to explain serious illness or death to children, especially if the caregiver is grieving as well. As Certified Child Life Specialist and Fellow in Thanatology Ashleigh Schopen explains, using age-appropriate, concrete language to build understanding in kids lays the foundation for healthy processing and grieving as time goes on. Today on the podcast, Emily and Ashleigh discuss her work as a Child Life Specialist and the importance of her profession, as well as the critical role she serves in helping families mitigate trauma as they endure incredibly difficult experiences. She’s sharing more about her formal education, training, and clinical experiences that have positively impacted countless children and families facing a range of challenges. Even if you haven’t had to navigate these conversations with your kids, Ashleigh’s insight is invaluable for any parenting toolbox.

As a pediatric orthopedic nurse practitioner, Alicia McCarthy loves the fulfillment that comes from helping patients and families. Alicia’s work on a spine team involves assisting kids of all ages and activity levels and the many conditions, injuries, and challenges related to children’s developing spines. Today on the podcast Emily and Alicia discuss the ins and outs of pediatric spine health and how motherhood and Alicia’s career path continually influence each other. With 2 kids of her own and a husband who also works in medicine, this episode is packed with Alicia’s perspective on helping families advocate for their children, her unique role as an NP, and the balance of career and parenting.

Even as a kid, Victoria felt called to nursing and caring for moms and babies. Today she’s working her dream job as a labor and delivery nurse with her own little one (who was on the way during recording, but is now here!) and she’s giving us all the details expecting mamas want to know. From packing lists and birth plans to support people and pain management, Victoria is sharing her tips and insight with Emily, who has three different delivery experiences of her own to unpack. Join us as we demystify some of the moments before and after birth and leave with some encouragement for the journey ahead.

For many parents planning to start a family, the first few months of pregnancy can be both exciting and nerve-racking. When first-time mom-to-be Caitlin learned that her baby would likely be born with Down Syndrome, a rollercoaster of emotions followed her through months of prenatal appointments and testing. Learning her daughter’s diagnosis early in her pregnancy, though, allowed her to let go of what could have been and prepare to welcome her beautiful baby girl. Today, Caitlin and her family count themselves among “The Lucky Few” to have a child with Down Syndrome as she shares the highs and lows of her pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience. Join us to hear more about Caitlin’s perspective, her adorable daughter Emmie, and her encouragement for moms facing an unexpected diagnosis.

When therapist Natasha Davalt married her college sweetheart, she didn’t picture having to navigate divorce while raising an infant just years later. As a single parent, Natasha rebuilt a life for herself and her son while balancing her career and establishing a new support system, carving out pockets of time for herself and a string of less-than-stellar dates. A COVID-era walking date changed everything, though, and Natasha knew that she’d met the one. Fast forward to today and join us on the Mama Mode podcast for her journey to blended family life, the challenges of starting over, and the mindfulness practices that have helped along the way.

Erin Wahler-Cleveland, founder of Roots and Wings Math, is an educator and mom on a mission to create a positive, enduring math learning experience. Erin joins us today on the Mama Mode podcast to reflect on our own math learning as adults and discuss the importance of conceptual understanding as it relates to math learning for toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. As a veteran teacher and school leader, her professional experience helped her to identify areas of improvement for educators and families to encourage more reasoning and conceptual understanding beyond the “illusion of mastery.” Erin talks us through both sides of the equation to understand the student and educator perspective on math learning and how families can support confidence and curiosity in math from a young age. Press play for more insight from Erin, simple and powerful ways to incorporate math into everyday play, and a discount code for 50% off her toddler math foundations course!

https://www.rootsandwingsmath.com/math-building-blocks-for-toddlers-sales-page/?mamamode

Whether you meticulously researched and planned your child’s toilet training or played it by ear, you probably encountered a few bumps in the road. But when those hang-ups become a bigger stressor, the anxiety for kids and families often builds. Today on the Mama Mode podcast Emily sits down with clinical child psychologist Dr. Lauren Fussner to discuss her work with children facing GI conditions and other health challenges and how families can encourage a positive potty training experience. Press play for insight on accidents, regression, and managing the emotions of kids and adults throughout the process.

Learn more at https://comprehensivepedspsych.com/

Former university professor Kelly George had a routine familiar to many, with early mornings, school runs, full work days, and then a scramble to get the family fed and off to bed. When a struggle with long COVID brought to light a chronic illness, life changed dramatically and Kelly found herself reliant on her support system in many areas of her life. Kelly’s experience and recovery journey inspired her to start Kelly George Coaching, where she helps clients to make more room for themselves in the midst of their busy professional and personal lives. Today on the Mama Mode Podcast, Kelly shares more about the diagnosis that changed the course of her career and family life- and offers some on-the-spot perspective as Emily experiences a bit of brain fog, too! Join us for Kelly’s incredible story and a larger conversation on career, identity, and the mental load of motherhood. For more about Kelly, visit https://kellygeorgecoaching.com/ or find her on Instagram @kelly_george_coaching