The Parenting Lab (Help for the Healing Parent)

Parenting isn’t black and white - but most of us were taught to believe it is. We think we have to pick a side: calm or chaotic, grateful or overwhelmed, loving motherhood or struggling through it. This “either/or” thinking is a lie - and it’s quietly sabotaging our ability to be present, connected, and compassionate parents.

In this episode of The Parenting Lab, I share why contradictory feelings aren’t a flaw to fix, but a gift to embrace. We’ll talk about the difference between true opposites and emotional contradictions (including a story from my own preschool classroom), why our nervous systems are built for nuance, and how living in the “AND” space can transform the way you show up for your kids - and yourself.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing because you feel joy and resentment, love and frustration, or pride and fear all at once… this conversation will set you free.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The dangerous myth of “either/or” thinking in parenting

• How to teach kids the difference between opposites and contradictions

• Why contradictory feelings can coexist — and make you a stronger parent

• Four simple ways to practice “living in the AND” every day

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

Download the ⁠FREE Surrender & Boundaries Toolkit⁠

Lab Four: Connected

Lab Five: Regulated

Surrender is one of the hardest - and most transformative - skills we can learn as parents, partners, and humans. But let’s be clear: surrender is not the same as giving up or giving in. It’s an intentional choice to release our grip on control, pride, or old survival rules so we can respond from a place of strength, connection, and trust.

In this episode, we explore what surrender really means in the context of healing in parenting, how it differs from passivity, and why it’s essential for healthier relationships. You’ll learn how surrender can coexist with strong boundaries, how to identify the unhelpful scripts that make letting go feel impossible, and how to rewrite them so they serve you and your family today. We’ll also talk about how this work ripples out beyond parenting - into our marriages, partnerships, and the way we show up in every relationship.

I’ll share practical tools, research insights, and a guided practice you can use right away to begin softening your grip without losing yourself. By the end, you’ll see how surrender isn’t weakness - it’s the gateway to deeper trust, calmer communication, and stronger connections.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

We were never meant to parent alone.

In this episode, we’re talking about the power of community - and why having a village matters more than ever in the parenting journey. From the historical roots of shared caregiving to the modern-day reality of parenting in isolation, we explore how to build (or rebuild) a support system that truly sustains you.

I share personal stories of what my village looked like during different seasons, why not everyone we love belongs in our inner circle, and how vulnerability is key to real connection. You’ll also get five practical steps for finding your people - those who help you feel more grounded, more regulated, and more like yourself.

Whether your village is thriving or you’re still figuring it out, this episode is an invitation to let yourself be held. Because when we find our people, we don’t just parent better - we become more whole, more human, and more connected.

Thank you for being part of MY village!

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

Ever wondered how to actually repair after you mess up with your kids? In this episode of The Parenting Lab, we’re exploring one of the most essential (and overlooked) skills in parenting: how to say “I’m sorry” in a way that truly heals.

You’ll learn why the typical “Say you’re sorry” approach falls flat, and get a step-by-step guide to meaningful repair - the kind that builds trust, models emotional intelligence, and strengthens your relationship with your child.

We’ll talk about:

• • Why perfection isn’t the goal - but connection is
  • 8 powerful steps to real repair
  • The problem with asking for forgiveness too soon
• • What forgiveness actually looks like in kids (it’s not always verbal!)
  • A real example of a bad apology - and what it sounds like when you get it right
    

If you’ve ever felt guilt after a rupture and wanted to make things right but weren’t sure how, this episode will give you both the tools and the mindset shift to make your next repair more meaningful.

Let’s move beyond performative apologies and into deep connection - one honest moment at a time.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

As conscious parents, it’s easy to spiral into guilt after a hard moment with our kids - especially when we’re trying to break generational cycles.

In this episode, we explore

• How to tell the difference between trauma and everyday parenting stress.
• What trauma actually is (from a nervous system and attachment perspective)
• How to recognize when repair is enough, and
• How to stop parenting from fear.

If you’ve ever asked, “Did I just mess them up?” - this episode will bring clarity, compassion, and tools for healing.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

Ever feel like your child has shut down on you - giving you nothing but “I don’t know,” shrugs, or total silence? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Parenting Lab, we’re diving into why kids pull away, what well-meaning things parents do that accidentally shut down communication, and how to open the door again.

You’ll learn:

• What’s really going on when your child stops talking to you

• 5 common communication habits that create disconnection

• Why nervous system safety matters more than the “right words”

• 3 powerful phrases that build trust and invite your child to open up

If you’re ready to stop feeling like the enemy and start feeling like your child’s safe place again, this episode is for you.

🎧 Press play and discover how small shifts can lead to big breakthroughs in your parent-child connection.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

Parenting is more than managing behaviors or getting through the day - it’s a profound invitation to heal. In this episode, I'm explaining the cyclical process of healing through the lens of parenting, guiding you through three core stages: awareness, healing work, and transformation.

You’ll learn:

• What real awareness looks like (and how it often shows up through our children)

• What the “work” of healing really involves - from nervous system regulation to parts work and inner child care

• How transformation unfolds in everyday parenting moments

• Why this process is not a luxury, but a necessity for raising emotionally healthy, connected children

This episode is a reminder that healing isn’t linear, and it’s not about perfection - it’s about presence, growth, and choice.

Whether you’re in the thick of awareness, navigating the messy middle of healing, or beginning to taste the fruits of transformation, this episode will meet you where you are - and offer tools, insight, and encouragement for the road ahead.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

This week, I'm sitting down with Rachel - a real client and parent! She shares her journey through the messy, transformative work of healing - and what it really looks like to grow alongside your child.

You’ll hear about:

• What led her to seek support in the first place

• How coaching is shifting her patterns and perspective

• The impact of this inner work on her relationship with her children, partner, and self

• The myths she is learning to release - especially around being the “good parent”

• And the honest, vulnerable moments that are changing everything!

Whether you're deep in your own healing, feeling stuck in survival mode, or just curious about what parent coaching can really offer, this episode is a window into what’s possible when we stop trying to be perfect… and start getting real.

This is a real, raw, honest conversation (the audio isn't great - sorry about that!), and one I know will leave you feeling hopeful in the power this work can have in your life.

To access the workbooks that Rachel is referencing, please visit theparentinglab.org

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

Follow on Instagram @theparentinglabpodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

In this episode of The Parenting Lab, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most damaging - and invisible - beliefs so many of us carry: the myth of the “good parent.”

We’ll explore where this ideal comes from, how it quietly impacts our self-worth, our relationships, and our mental health - and most importantly, how we can begin to let it go.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough… if you’re tired of performing, comparing, or second-guessing yourself… this episode is for you.

We’ll talk about what it means to trade perfection for presence, and performance for connection - and I’ll share 5 powerful strategies to help you shift the story, redefine success, and start parenting from a place of honesty, compassion, and growth.

Because you don’t need to be a “good parent” - you just need to be a real one.

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]

We often hear about breaking generational cycles - but what if the real power lies not in what we leave behind, but in what we build? In this episode, we explore the shift from being a cycle-breaker to becoming a cycle-maker: someone who creates new legacies with intention, love, and vision.

Join me as we talk about releasing the past with gratitude, embracing the power of creation, and planting seeds for a future our children will thrive in. If you’re ready to stop focusing on what you’re undoing and start celebrating what you’re building - this episode is for you!

♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney 

For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit theparentinglab.org

Follow on Instagram @TheParentingLabPodcast

Email Brittney: [email protected]