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The Play Base episodes
- Ep. 22 - From Overwhelmed to Empowered: How to Navigate Your Child’s Needs
In this honest and empowering conversation, Frances sits down with Yael Samuel of Kid Quest Consulting to talk about ADHD, assessments, early intervention, and the emotional journey parents go through when trying to understand what their child needs. Yael shares her personal experience parenting identical twins with ADHD, why getting answers felt relieving rather than frightening, and how support becomes most powerful when it is individualized, collaborative, and rooted in compassion.
Together, Frances and Yael explore why diagnoses do not define a child, why early support matters, and how parents can move from overwhelm to clarity one step at a time.
Show Notes:
What happens when a parent senses something is going on, but does not know where to begin?
In this episode, Frances is joined by Yael for a heartfelt conversation about navigating diagnoses, understanding ADHD, finding the right services, and supporting the whole child rather than focusing only on a label. Yael shares her own journey as a parent of identical twins with ADHD and explains how assessment brought not fear, but clarity.
This episode is a reminder that every child is different, every family needs a unique path, and asking for help is not weakness. It is wisdom.
In this episode, we talk about:- What it felt like to receive an ADHD diagnosis as a parent
- Why an assessment can bring clarity, not fear
- The difference between a label and truly understanding a child
- Why identical twins can still present very differently
- The importance of emotional regulation, maturity, and impulsivity
- How to break overwhelming recommendations into manageable next steps
- Why early intervention matters
- How parents can trust their intuition while also seeking guidance
- The value of individualized therapy and meeting each child where they are
- Why children are never defined by their struggles
Key takeaways:
- A diagnosis does not define a child. It provides information that can help guide support.
- Every child experiences the world differently, even siblings with the same diagnosis.
- Parents often know when something feels off, and that intuition matters.
- The goal is not perfection. The goal is helping children build tools, confidence, and independence.
- Asking for help is not something to fear. It is often the first step toward relief and clarity.
Memorable quote:
“Your child’s struggles are not their definition. There is no such thing as a bad kid.”
Connect with Yael Samuel and Kid Quest Consulting
🌐 Website: https://www.kidquestconsulting.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidquestconsulting/
Connect with The Play Base
🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
59 min - Ep. 21 - Strip It All Away: Identity, Healing, and Humanity with Rev Anava
In this deeply human, soul-stirring episode of The Play Base Podcast, Frances sits down with Revital (Rev) Anava- a gifted designer, a grounded truth-teller, and one of those rare people who feels like home the moment you meet them.
What begins as a “how have we never met?” story becomes something much bigger: a conversation about divine timing, intuition, identity, healing, and the quiet power of being fully yourself. Frances and Rev explore what it means to live beyond conditioning—beyond perfectionism, fear, and the roles we’ve been assigned and how real growth often arrives through the very moments that feel like getting “punched in the gut.”
Rev shares pieces of her journey as a builder and designer, navigating major transitions, losing trust, rebuilding from scratch, and living through a literal home rebuild after black mold turned life upside down. Frances ties it back to what she knows best: the nervous system, regulation, resilience, and the way our inner world shapes every experience we have.
This episode is funny, raw, spiritual, and practical all at once, full of metaphors you’ll carry with you (the empty boat, the oak tree, the moon, the caterpillar to butterfly) and reflections that feel like a mirror.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:- The unexplainable feeling of meeting someone who feels like a sister
- Divine timing, soul recognition, and “nothing is by accident” moments
- Rebuilding a life after betrayal, business stress, and major transitions
- The difference between self-regulation and dissociation
- Why we bargain with fear instead of listening to intuition
- Holding space for others without carrying their pain
- The ripple effect of kindness and being fully human in a numb world
- Why life is never “either/or” it’s the gray, the yin/yang, the whole self
- How parenting mirrors our healing and why our kids have their own path to live through
Closing question (Rev’s mic-drop):Rev leaves listeners with a powerful invitation:
“If I asked you who you are, but you couldn’t use your job, your upbringing, your nationality, your religion, or any label, who would you be?”
A reminder that beneath everything we’ve been taught to identify with… there’s still you.
Connect with Revital Anava🌐 Website: https://www.bonstudioinc.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonstudioinc/?hl=en
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 1 min - The unexplainable feeling of meeting someone who feels like a sister
- Ep. 20 - Roots to Rise: Whole-Child Speech Therapy with Marina Aronin
In this episode of The Play Base Podcast, Frances sits down with Marina Aronin, a powerhouse speech-language pathologist and practice owner who brings a whole-child, root-cause approach to therapy.
Marina shares how her work goes far beyond “speech sounds” and into the real-life foundations that impact communication and behavior: sleep quality, mouth breathing, nutrition, food intolerances, screen time, stress, emotional regulation, and family routines. With a background in psychology and additional training as a functional nutritional counselor, Marina explains how small shifts—like a short elimination trial for dairy, building healthier routines, or teaching kids diaphragmatic breathing—can create meaningful changes not only in speech, but also in attention, regulation, and overall wellbeing.
Frances and Marina also dive into the bigger parenting topics many families wrestle with today: technology boundaries, food overwhelm, guilt/shame, and how to create structure without losing compassion. This is a grounded, practical conversation for parents, educators, and clinicians who want to support children in a way that’s both evidence-informed and deeply human.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:- Why Marina believes therapy should address the whole child, not just one skill area
- The connection between food sensitivities (like dairy), mucus/voice quality, and throat clearing
- How Marina supports selective eating with systematic desensitization (smell → touch → taste → expand)
- The impact of screen time on attention, patience, and social communication
- Regulation tools Marina uses in sessions: breathwork, movement, yoga, and sensory supports
- Parent coaching, boundaries, and why “structure” is often the missing ingredient
- Baby steps families can start today without getting overwhelmed
Closing reflection:Marina leaves listeners with a powerful New Year prompt:
“What is your resolution—and what will you give back to the world?”
Connect with Marina and Roots To Rise🌐 Website: https://roots2risetherapy.com/
📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roots2risetherapy/
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
41 min - Why Marina believes therapy should address the whole child, not just one skill area
- Ep. 19 - No Mud, No Lotus: Raising Resilient Kids with Joy Badler
In this episode of The Playbase Podcast, Frances sits down with longtime friend and educator Joy Badler—a passionate advocate for children (especially within the ADHD community) who has spent years building what many schools are only now realizing kids desperately need: regulation skills before academics.
Joy shares the work she’s been developing for over a decade—an approach that blends mindfulness, social-emotional literacy, movement, breathwork, and resilient skill-building to help children understand their brains, regain control of their nervous systems, and navigate life with more steadiness and confidence. Frances and Joy also reflect on why the science is finally catching up to what many educators and therapists have felt for years: when the nervous system is dysregulated, learning can’t land.
You’ll also hear about Joy’s school-based “regulation room” concept (a supervised space that includes movement, games, creativity, and connection), why it should never be used as a reward or punishment, and how movement can unlock expression for kids who struggle with traditional writing or classroom demands. Together, they explore the bigger parenting and education conversation around resilience—how it’s built, how it’s lost, and how we can help kids “fail forward” without rescuing them from every discomfort.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:- Why Joy believes regulation must come before academics
- What “mindful neuroplasticity” looks like in real classrooms
- How breathwork, movement, and mindfulness become tools kids can use anywhere
- The difference between a movement break that helps vs. one that escalates
- A school “hangout/regulation room” that supports both high-energy and low-energy needs
- Why removing recess, sports, or movement as punishment often backfires
- Strength-based school culture: Joy’s Kindness Ambassadors program
- The resilience gap: why some kids fear discomfort—and how to rebuild that muscle
- The tension every parent feels: protecting kids vs. letting them grow through hard moments
Closing reflection:Joy leaves listeners with a powerful reminder:
“No mud, no lotus.”
Sometimes growth requires discomfort—because the lotus only blooms after the mud.
Connect with Joy Badler📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/getitdonewithjoy/
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
56 min - Why Joy believes regulation must come before academics
- Ep. 18 - From New York to South Florida: Dana Weiss on Building an SLP Practice, Connection Before Progress, and Intrinsic Motivation
In this episode, Frances sits down with Dana Weiss, an incredible Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who recently made the transition from New York City to South Florida and quickly realized: the pace, the culture, and the clinical landscape are a whole different world.
Dana shares what it was like training and working across Manhattan and the Bronx in a large, cohesive clinic model… then moving to Florida, where many roles are independent and pay-per-client, which ultimately pushed her to take a brave leap: starting her own private practice.
Together, Frances and Dana explore what it really means to be both a clinician and a business owner, how to separate your identity from your work, how to build confidence when you don’t have a supervisor to “phone a friend,” and how life (and nature!) can regulate your nervous system when everything feels like it’s crumbling.
They also dive deep into the heart of Dana’s clinical philosophy: connection comes before progress.
Because if a child doesn’t feel safe, regulated, and comfortable, learning can’t land.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:- The difference between New York’s clinic culture and Florida’s more independent model
- Why starting your own practice can be terrifying… and wildly empowering
- What it’s like to be “the one” responsible for clinical decisions, creativity, and outcomes
- The importance of not taking your work home emotionally (and why so many clinicians struggle with it)
- The “Wild West” reality of South Florida therapy and how integrity stands out
- Dana’s approach: meeting the child where they are (even during a screener)
- Why play isn’t “not therapy” it’s the foundation of therapy
- A powerful conversation about assent, consent, and making therapy something kids want to join
- Intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic rewards and why internal pride creates real carryover
- What speech therapy really includes (it’s so much more than sounds!):
- AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication)
- expressive + receptive language
- comprehension + classroom impact
- executive functioning + regulation
- Why OT + Speech + ABA collaboration changes everything for kids and families
- How Florida helped Dana slow down, reflect more, and grow her confidence personally and professionally
Moment to rememberDana describes building motivation from the inside out so kids leave sessions feeling:
“I did it.”
And Frances reflects on how that pride is one of the most powerful reinforcers there is.
What Dana wants parents to sit withYou are doing great.
If your child is receiving services like speech, OT, ABA, anything- take a breath and give yourself credit. You’re doing everything you can… and it will unfold the way it’s meant to.
Connect with Dana Weiss🌐 Website: https://www.bocaspeechsolutions.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bocaspeechsolutions/
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
45 min - The difference between New York’s clinic culture and Florida’s more independent model
- Ep. 17 - The Space Is Speaking: Sensory Design & the Nervous System with Lauren Henry
In this episode of The Play Base Podcast, host Frances Fishman is joined by Lauren Henry, a sensory design consultant whose work challenges how we think about interior design, regulation, and well-being. What begins as a conversation about “sensory rooms” quickly expands into a deeper exploration of how color, lighting, sound, scent, texture, and space directly impact the nervous system, often without us realizing it.
Lauren explains how sensory design goes far beyond aesthetics, helping individuals, families, and communities create environments that actively support focus, regulation, sleep, productivity, and emotional safety. From children with autism and ADHD to adults with trauma, PTSD, or chronic stress, this episode reveals how our environments can either dysregulate us, or help us heal.
A powerful conversation for parents, educators, clinicians, designers, and anyone curious about why certain spaces feel calming, overwhelming, or “off,” and how small, intentional changes can make a profound difference.
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
Connect with Lauren Henry🌐 Website: https://laurenhenrysensorydesign.com/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1 hr 9 min - Ep. 16 - "Coby Shark: Self-Control, Heart, and the Game He Loves "
In this heartfelt episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her middle child and sweet “angel boy,” Coby Fishman - an eight-year-old who lives and breathes sports (especially hockey).
Coby shares what he loves most about the game - the speed, intensity, and the joy of scoring, but also opens up about the part that makes it harder: when his family can’t make it to his games. From there, the conversation becomes something deeper: confidence, perseverance, self-control, and what it takes to stay grounded when life (or the ice) gets tough.
Together, Frances and Coby explore:
- What hockey teaches kids about strength, resilience, and standing up for themselves
- The difference between playing “for the puck” versus “for the body” and why sportsmanship matters
- How Coby “clicks in” and hyper-focuses when things get intense
- What happens when stress hits (fight/flight/freeze) and how Coby works through it
- Protecting teammates, loyalty, and having a big heart in a competitive sport
- The quiet confidence that comes from not giving up when things are hard
- Why self-control is a superpower at home, at school, and on the ice
Coby also shares something incredibly powerful: how focusing on the next right move helps him tune out the noise and how letting stress take over can make your body feel like it’s “driving the car.”
Before the episode ends, Coby leaves listeners with an important question to reflect on:
“What do you think you should do when your body starts to take control of you?”
And in a tender, tearful moment, Coby asks Frances two beautiful questions that every parent will feel in their chest:
- “Do you think it’s fun working with the kids you work with?”
- “Do you like being a parent?”
This episode is a reminder that kids often understand far more than we realize and that emotional regulation, empathy, and strength can exist in the same heart.
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
17 min - What hockey teaches kids about strength, resilience, and standing up for themselves
- Ep. 15 - Kindness Is My Superpower: A Gentle Conversation with My Youngest, Jojo
In this deeply heartfelt and gentle episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her youngest daughter, Jojo (Jordyn), a seven-year-old old soul with a powerful heart and an extraordinary capacity for kindness.
What unfolds is a slow, meaningful conversation about love, bravery, emotions, mistakes, friendship, and trust. Jojo shares what makes her feel calm, what her perfect day would look like, what it’s like to be the youngest in the family, and why kindness matters more than anything else.
Together, mother and daughter reflect on:
- What it means to be kind and why kindness is a true superpower
- Facing fear and choosing bravery (even when it’s scary)
- Making mistakes and believing you can do better next time
- Friendship, trust, and how we know who feels safe
- Big feelings in little bodies
- The beauty of being perfectly imperfect
This episode gently explores emotional awareness, empathy, self-reflection, and resilience all through the honest and thoughtful lens of a child. Jojo’s questions, insights, and quiet wisdom serve as a reminder that sometimes the most profound truths come from the smallest voices.
✨ A must-listen for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone who wants to reconnect with what really matters.
Before signing off, Jojo leaves listeners with a powerful question to sit with:
“How many friends do you have and how do you know you can trust them?”
💛 This episode is a love letter to gentleness, connection, and leading with your heart.
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
20 min - What it means to be kind and why kindness is a true superpower
- EP. 14 - Sunshine Girl: Creativity, Courage & Big Feelings with My Daughter Chloe
In this incredibly special birthday episode of The Play Base, Frances is joined by her firstborn daughter, Chloe Fishman, for a heartfelt, funny, and deeply insightful conversation that only a child could lead.
Chloe shares her many passions, from baking, comedy, music, dance, theater, and art, to making friends and (lovingly) annoying her siblings. She talks about finding her voice on stage, overcoming fear in auditions, learning to persevere through big transitions, and what it was really like moving to a new country at a tender age.
This episode is filled with laughter, original jokes, imaginative ideas (including a reimagined Pokémon game), and powerful reflections on empathy, creativity, and emotional awareness. Chloe opens up about being an empath, connecting deeply with animals, sensing others’ emotions, and how that can feel both like a gift and a challenge.
Frances reflects on watching her daughter grow into herself - a beam of light, a “sunshine girl,” and a child whose courage, compassion, and curiosity leave a lasting impact on everyone she meets.
✨ This episode is a celebration of:
- Perseverance and growth
- Creativity and imagination
- Emotional intelligence and empathy
- Finding your voice, even when it feels scary
- Honoring what makes you uniquely you
Whether you’re a parent, an educator, a therapist, or someone who simply loves hearing the world through a child’s lens, this episode will leave you smiling and maybe tearing up just a little.
🎂 Happy Birthday, Chloe. Thank you for sharing your light with us.
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
19 min - Perseverance and growth
- Ep. 13 - Kindness Matters: Building Emotional Strength, One Tool at a Time
Frances Fishman sits down with Laura Waldorf Reiss, founder of Kindness Matters, to explore how kindness, emotional awareness, and nervous system regulation can reshape the way we parent, lead, and live. Laura shares how Kindness Matters began, how the programming evolved, and why the work must be consistent and repeated to create lasting impact.
This episode is an invitation to see emotions as signals, build tools for regulation, and practice kindness intentionally, toward ourselves and others.
In this episode, we cover:
- How Kindness Matters was born
- Why the nervous system is at the center of behavior and connection
- Naming emotions and choosing tools like reframing, grounding, and communication
- Why children respond so powerfully to emotional education
- The ripple effect of kindness and the impact we cannot always see
- Partnering with others to expand a mission beyond one person
Find Kindness Matters:
Kindness Matters 365 dot org (KM365 dot org)
Note: Any event dates mentioned in the episode reflect what was said during the recording.
Connect with Laura Waldorf Reiss & Kindness Matters🌐 Website: https://kindnessmatters365.org/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindnessmatters365/?hl=en
OR https://www.instagram.com/laurawaldorfreiss/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessmatters365org/
Connect with The Play Base🌐 Website: www.us.theplaybase.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplaybase/
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theplaybase
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
50 min - How Kindness Matters was born
About The Play Base
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to The Play Date - a podcast where heart meets science, play meets purpose, and conversations build connection. I’m your host, Frances Fishman, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, educator,…
mom of three, and founder of The Play Base.
Each week, we invite you to pull up a chair and join us for real conversations with experts, parents, therapists, and educators who are passionate about helping children thrive. From mental health to ABA, from the classroom to the therapy room—we’re here to learn, laugh, and grow together.
Whether you're a parent, professional, or just someone who cares deeply about kids, this podcast is your invitation to explore, understand, and support the beautiful complexity of childhood.
So grab your coffee... and let’s have a play date.