Send us a text

Ken and Michelle are joined by Kayla Gaffney, LMSW: Therapist, former Idaho Children's Trust Fund Intern, and dedicated Guardian ad Litem volunteer for The Third District Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program, also known as CASA of Southwest Idaho. CASA of Southwest Idaho is a non-profit organization that trains volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect. 

GALS (Guardian ad Litem), also known as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers, support families by advocating for a child's best interests in the child welfare system, which includes helping parents secure services and housing for family reunification, connecting family members, and providing resources for a child's long-term well-being. 

These volunteers work with parents and other community members to identify barriers to family stability and advocate for appropriate services and resources that strengthen families and lead to positive, permanent outcomes for children. Volunteers are appointed by judges to represent children in the child protection system, ensuring they don't get lost in the process. 

RESOURCES:

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle for the first Resilient Parenting 101 episode of 2025. Michelle introduces a wealth of information from Dr. Kate Truitt, PhD Author of Healing in Your Hands-Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience.

Meet Amy the Amygdala, our very own Super Hero! Amy's job is to keep us safe and she does it with rapid speed. But what do we do when Amy jumps into action when there isn't a real threat? 

Learn some simple mindful touch practices to add to your coping/calming toolbox to support regulation.

RESOURCES:

Dr. Kate Truitt Website: 

https://www.drkatetruitt.com/

Amy the Amygdala:

https://drtruitt.com/calming-the-fear-brain/

FREE Resources:

https://www.drkatetruitt.com/freeresources

Resilient Parenting 101: Our Bodies as an Engine:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/14752043-resilient-parenting-101-our-bodies-as-an-engine.mp3?download=true

Resilient Parenting 101: Put Your Mask on Before Helping Others:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/14870939-resilient-parenting-101-put-your-mask-on-before-helping-others.mp3?download=true

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle as they visit with Vashti Summervill – Educator, PCI Certified Parent Coach ®, Therapeutic Consultant, Musician, and Author. Vashti is the founder and owner of Family Healing Pathways and contracts with Educational Connections. 

Vashti shared:

It’s a hard time to grow up. The challenges our kids face are very different from those we faced just thirty or forty years ago – or even five years ago. Parents are navigating a “wild west,” facing challenges past generations have not faced. I am on a journey to combine my background as an educator, my lived experience, and continual learning to help support parents—especially those struggling in their relationship with teens and young adults. 

The question I am continually asking is “What can we as parents do to cultivate resilience in the world we find ourselves in?” 

RESOURCES:

Family Healing Pathways:

http://www.familyhealingpathways.com/

Educational Connections:

http://www.educationalconnections.com/

Book: "Letters From the Wilderness of Modern Parenting"

https://showingupbetter.com/

"Author Vashti Summervill (Educator, PCI Certified Parent Coach ® and Therapeutic Consultant) and illustrator Wendy Blickenstaff (Illustrator, Educator, Activity Therapist, Behavior Intervention Specialist, Graduate Student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling) have collaborated to create this fictional amalgamation of personal, professional, and cultural experiences and observations—situations that are relatable and real for countless parents and children. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are encouraged to reach out to mental health professionals for support."

Youth Mental Wellness Alliance 

https://www.youmeweall.org/

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle as they take a trip to beautiful Coeur d' Alene Idaho to chat with Keith Orchards, LCSW. Keith is an author, speaker and the Mental Health Coordinator for the Coeur d' Alene public school district. Keith is also the founder and owner of Orchard Consulting. Keith shared working with challenging students can be overwhelming and can lead to fatigue, low satisfaction and burnout.  Keith and his team have created educator trainings that are foundational, relatable and, most importantly, practical.  Educators of all levels leave with real world strategies that can be applied directly to their practice.

Keith also has an upcoming book! 

The Fostering Resilience Workbook:  Strategies and Steps to Support our Learners

Authors: Kristin Souers, Keith Orchard, Pete Hall

RESOURCES:

The Fostering Resilience Workbook:

https://www.ascd.org/books/the-fostering-resilience-workbook?variant=125020

Orchard Consulting:

 https://www.coachorchard.com/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-orchard-lcsw-54bb556/

Trust-based Relational Intervention (TBRI)

https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/#sthash.EsFKqyun.dpbs

TBRI Practitioner Directory:

https://myols.net/kpicd/user-directory/practitioner

Coeur d' Alene public school district

https://www.cdaschools.org/

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle as they take a stroll down memory lane to celebrate the 50th episode of The Resilient Parenting Podcast! 

The Resilient Podcast is supported by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund. Every episode is packed full with parenting information, personal stories and lot's of humor and heart. In addition each episode includes links to resources all across the State of Idaho. 

Are you new to The Resilient Parenting Podcast? 

This episode is the perfect sample of what the Resilient Parenting Podcast is all about. Want to hear the full featured episodes? We got you! 

Update since recording:

Charlye may be technically retired, but she is not done yet. She's going to volunteer with a new nonprofit focusing on supporting kinship families, "4 the Love of Kinship". (link below) 

Featured Episode Links:

The 5 Protective Factors with Amanda Mills from the AEYC.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/14905916

Brown Like Me with Founder Shari Baber

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/15830539

Healthy Masculinity and Fatherhood with Jeff Matsushita

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/16679757

Kinship Parenting with Charlye Hahn

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2312741/episodes/15374892 

https://4theloveofkinship.org/

Want to check out ALL of the amazing episodes?

https://theresilientparentingpodcast.buzzsprout.com

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle Bass as they visit with Sarah Gornik, Program Coordinator and Parent Educator Coordinator for Idaho Parents Unlimited.

What is Idaho Parents Unlimited?

Founded in 1985, Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. (IPUL) is a statewide organization which houses the Idaho Parent Training and Information Center, the Family to Family Health Information Center, Idaho Family Voices and IPUL Arts.

IPUL Education: The Parent Training and Information Center ensures that parents of children with disabilities receive training and information on their rights, responsibilities, and protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in order to develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively participate in planning and decision making relating to early intervention, educational, and transitional services.

IPUL Health: As the State Family Voices Affiliate and the Family to Family Health Information Center, IPUL assists families in making informed choices about health care; provides training, information, and resources to families of children with special health care needs.

IPUL Arts: Artist in Residence Program and Work of Art.  IPUL empowers and engages people with disabilities in the creative process through opportunities which are fully inclusive, educational. and participatory. IPUL Arts connects teaching artists with students both with and without disabilities in Idaho schools and community centers through our Creative Access Artist in Residence program ensuring children and youth have access to high-quality arts education. IPUL Arts also houses the Work of Art program in partnership with the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to provide pre-employment skills to youth with disabilities through a unique and collaborative design thinking process.

Idaho Parents Unlimited’s programs fulfill a mission to educate, empower, support and advocate for individuals with disabilities and their families.

RESOURCES:

Idaho Parents Unlimited:

https://ipulidaho.org/ 

Donate to Idaho Parents Unlimited:

https://ipulidaho.org/donate/

Self-Guided Trainings:

https://ipulidaho.org/ipul-productions/isgt/

The Infant/Toddler Program:

https://ipulidaho.org/health/iitp/ 

Find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/IdahoParentsUnlimited/ 

Idaho Parents Unlimited Resource Page:

https://ipulidaho.org/res-links/

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

This week Ken and Michelle are joined by Julie Meek, LCSW to talk about SELF-COMPASSION. 

What is Self-Compassion and why is it important? 

How do you teach Self-Compassion to your child?

It starts with YOU. 

Julie has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on a variety of topics, particularly on provider self-care and movement/dance-based interventions. Her work is published in two peer-reviewed journals: Australian Social Work and Intervention in School and Clinic. 

RESOURCES from Julie:

-About Tara Brach’s RAIN Meditation: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/

-You Tube Upload of the RAIN Meditation Practice:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8e_tAEM80k

-Kristen Neff’s Work:

Website: https://self-compassion.org/   

TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvtZBUSplr4  

 Practices: https://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-practices/

-Example Loving Kindness Meditation:  https://youtu.be/sz7cpV7ERsM?si=V3Dn8hQNRMamaX_F

-Julie Meek's Embodied Self-Compassion Meditation: https://on.soundcloud.com/5a5WH0AgFHFaVYv2rf

-Post on "Good-Enough" Parenting: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/full-catastrophe-parenting/202208/why-good-enough-parenting-is-better-perfection

-Thich Nhat Hanh's book on compassion for self and others: https://www.shambhala.com/true-love.html?srsltid=AfmBOoru-f_iVUCvpPm1kmHJcie43B6dx3DijqsSU3cwegVV68AUr7NE

Communities for building Self-Compassion into your life:

-Elizabeth Gilbert's "Letters from Love" Substack: https://elizabethgilbert.substack.com/

-Parent Cafes in Boise, ID: https://www.bestrongfamilies.org/blog/parent-cafes-take-root-in-idaho

-Codependents Anonymous: https://coda.org/meeting-materials/welcome/

-USC Mindful Self-Compassion 8-Week Course: https://mindfulusc.captyn.com/find/cmbfm3lup00oolq0w805eyty8

Some of Julie's other favorite links:

-Why Self-Compassion is Revolutionary for Neurodivergent BIPOC People: https://www.neuroqueer.org/post/why-self-compassion-is-revolutionary-for-bipoc-neurodivergent-people#:~:text=Choosing%20self%2Dcompassion%20as%20a,you%20are%2C%20fully%20and%20freely.

-Adrienne Maree Brown and Sonya Renee Taylor's Journal for Radical Permission: https://adriennemareebrown.net/book/journal-of-radical-permission/

-Kim McMillen'

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Ken and Michelle are joined by Beth Markley, Executive Director of NAMI Idaho. NAMI stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Did you know 1 in 5 people nationwide have some form of mental illness and in Idaho it is closer to 28%?  

NAMI Idaho works to improve the quality of life for all those affected by mental illness through support, education, advocacy and research. One of NAMI’s main goals is to ensure that people get help early. Since mental health conditions typically begin during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood.

NAMI Idaho offers a variety of classes for individuals, families, significant others, and friends of people with mental health conditions. These classes teach the basics of mental health conditions, increase coping skills, and empower participants to become advocates for themselves or loved ones.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. There are many supports, services and treatment options that may help. A change in behavior or mood may be the early warning signs of a mental health condition and should never be ignored.

In Crisis?

Call or text the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline:
and Crisis Hotline at 988

RESOURCES:

NAMI Idaho: 

https://namiidaho.org/.

Idaho support groups for individuals and family members/caregivers:

https://namiidaho.org/calendar/

https://namiidaho.org/support-and-education/support-groups/

Local Resources:

https://namiidaho.org/resources/local-resources/

NAMI-National Website:

https://www.nami.org/

Warning Signs and Symptoms:

https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/warning-signs-and-symptoms/

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Join Ken and Michelle as they visit with Trace McKellips, Early Childhood Program Expansion Manager and leader of the West Central Mountains Early Learning Collaborative. (There are 20 collaboratives across the State of Idaho). 

"Raising awareness and building partnerships to help improve the lives of educators and working families in the West Central Mountains."

After moving to McCall in 2019, Trace served on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Forest Service daycare while working in the hydrology department. It was here he realized just how complex the challenges are for both caregivers and parents in making quality childcare a reality. Trace lives in McCall with his wife Katrina and two boys, Clem and Cassius.

RESOURCES:

West Central Mountains Early Learning Collaborative:

https://www.idahoaeyc.org/west-central-elc

https://wcmedc.org/early-childhood-education/

Resource Portal:

https://wcmedc.org/portal/

Head Start:

https://www.idahohsa.org/

Idaho Association of the Education of Young Children:

https://www.idahoaeyc.org/ 

National Association of the Education of Young Children:

https://www.naeyc.org/

Tamarack Child Care:

http://44.232.135.250/services/childcare 

Roots Forest School:

https://rootsforestschool.com/

Helping Rural Communities Access Child Care:

https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2021/09/21/usda-and-hhs-launch-resource-guide-help-rural-communities-increase-access-child-care-services 

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/

Send us a text

Ken and Michelle are learning all about empathy with Jane Zink, Deputy Director of the Idaho Association of the Education of Young Children located in Boise, Idaho. 

What is Empathy? 

Empathy involves actively understanding and sharing the feelings of another person. 

Learn how you can model empathy with your child. And remember to also give yourself empathy when you miss the mark. You can always circle back and try again. 

Learn how do be an active listener...simply asking "Tell me more" can open up communication with your child. And be prepared to listen to understand and not to respond. 

RESOURCES:

Idaho Association of the Education of Young Children:

https://www.idahoaeyc.org  

Brené Brown on Empathy vs Sympathy: "Want a sandwich?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBTYViDPlQ

What is Emotion Coaching?:

https://www.emotioncoachinguk.com/what-is-emotion-coaching

Sponsored by the Idaho Children's Trust Fund
https://idahochildrenstrustfund.org/