Your Zen Friend

Send Lauren a text!

I am SO EXCITED to have an interview with author Lian Dolan to discuss her latest novel, The Marriage Sabbatical. Lian is the author of 5 novels, and the creator and host of the award winning podcast, Satellite Sisters.

The Marriage Sabbatical is a fun and insightful read about an x generation couple who has been married for over twenty years and decide to take a one year sabbatical from their marriage.

After twenty three years of building careers and raising children together both Jason and Nicole are ready for a break from their daily life. While Jason bikes his way across a continent Nicole rediscovers herself in Santa Fe as she confronts temptations and gains a new perspective on her partnership.

Spoilers will abound! Lian and I talk about the plot of this book, the characters and the outcome, which I found to be a satisfying conclusion.

Lian's Bio: Lian Dolan is a writer and talker. She is the author of Lost and Found in Paris, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena, and Elizabeth the First Wife, and is a regular columnist for Pasadena Magazine. She's written regular columns for O, The Oprah Magazine, Working Mother Magazine and Pasadena Magazine. She is also the co-creator and producer of Satellite Sisters, an award-winning podcast and online community for women, which she hosts with her four sisters. She graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California with a degree in Classics and now lives in Pasadena with her husband and grown sons.

• Connect with Lian: linktr.ee/liandolan
• Find Lian on instagram: @liandolan
• Listen to Lian's podcast, The Satellite Sisters: https://satellitesisters.com/podcast/

***Get the FREE handout, "How to Get Your Teen (or Tween) Talking to You:"  yourzenfriend/tips

I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend

Email me at: [email protected]

Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/

For information on Lauren's counseling services for kids, teens and families check out: https://www.laurencounseling.com/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short mediation designed to help you offer yourself some self-compassion. 

We all have a critical part of us that is often saying not very nice things to us in our heads. This meditation is a lovely way to offer yourself some gentle, loving kindness to help decrease the critical voice. 

You deserve this time for yourself and these encouraging words. Enjoy! 

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this episode I will tell you how to recognize your critical part and how you can use self compassion to make it smaller. 

You might be surprised to find out that your critical part isn't always easy to recognize. But have no fear, I will help you to get better at noticing it and combatting it. 

In the segment, Connection Over Correction, I'll tell you how I had some fun while connecting with my 18 year old son recently. And I'll tell you how you can do the same with your tweens and teens.

Finally, in the segment, What's Bringing Me More Zen, I have an app to tel you about. You can get a totally free version or pay $2.99 for a version you can customize. I'll tell you how I am using it and how you can use it to bring you more zen.

Mentioned on this episode:

Richard Schwartz and Internal Family Systems:  https://ifs-institute.com/about-us/richard-c-schwartz-phd

Lotus Bud App:
https://lotusbudapp.com/

***Get the FREE handout, "How to Get Your Teen (or Tween) Talking to You:"  yourzenfriend/tips

Join me in reading Lian Dolan's book, "The Marriage Sabbatical," and send in your questions or comments to me. They could be read during my interview with Lian which will air on May 14, 2024.
https://a.co/d/dpuCcw0

I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend

Email me at: [email protected]

Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/

For information on Lauren's counseling services for kids, teens and families check out: https://www.laurencounseling.com/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short mediation designed to help you tune in and identify what you need. 

This meditation is a lovely way to start your morning or take a mid day break. 

It's important to listen to ourselves and tend to ourselves throughout the day. I hope this mediation helps you to do that. 

Enjoy! 

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

It's that time of year when many college aged kids are returning home to live with their families for the duration of the summer. This is often a time of excitement for many parents and also a time of transition for both parents and college aged kids. 

On this episode I will have my twenty one year old daughter, Leena here withe me. She will tell us what she is looking forward to as well as what is tricky for her as she prepares to move back in with me, her dad and younger brother for the summer. 

Some of the topics covered in this episode include: 

• Why both college kids and their parents find the transition home for the summer tricky
• What often causes friction between parents and college kids in the summer, including night time curfews and how parents and kids see curfews differently
• How parents and college kids can work through differing expectations in a way that keeps their connection
• How parents often worry about their kid in a way that is different when they are at school
• How parents and college kids feel differently about the pile of stuff that has been brought home and left all over the house ~ LOL! 

Leena is a great sport doing this interview with me! As you will see we have differing opinions on some of the above topics. But we start some discussions on how we can find harmony over the summer. And we make a plan for what we can discuss more when Leena returns home.

I hope this conversation will help you to have a more harmonious summer with your college aged child too!

If you would like to follow Leena's new instagram page dedicated to delicious food: @lunchinwleena

Join me in reading Lian Dolan's book, "The Marriage Sabbatical," and send in your questions or comments to me. They could be read during my interview with Lian which will air on May 14, 2024.
https://a.co/d/dpuCcw0

***Get the FREE handout, "How to Get Your Teen (or Tween) Talking to You:"  yourzenfriend/tips

I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend

Email me at: [email protected]

Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/

For information on Lauren's counseling services for kids, teens and families check out: https://www.laurencounseling.com/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a three part breath often used in the yoga tradition. 

This three part breath work will help you to feel more calm, grounded and peaceful. 

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

Have you ever gotten up at the crack of dawn to get your child to a sport's game on time? Have you stood outside in the burning heat or the freezing cold to cheer them on? Have you taken vacation time in order to attend games or tournaments and used porta pottys that have given you nightmares? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then this episode is for you!

There are many valuable benefits to tweens and teens participating in sports. Whether your child is the MVP of their team or the underdog they will learn valuable life lessons while playing a team sport.

This episode is broken into a short segments that contain content on the benefits that kids get from participating in sports as well as tips for you and your child to have more zen during a hectic sport season.

From how you can support and encourage your child when they are in a slump to what you can stash in your car to make outdoor games more comfortable for yourself, I've got your covered!

Join me in reading Lian Dolan's book, "The Marriage Sabbatical," and send in your questions or comments to me. They could be read during my interview with Lian which will air in early May. Get your questions to me by April 20, 2024!
https://a.co/d/dpuCcw0

***Get the FREE handout, "How to Get Your Teen (or Tween) Talking to You:"  yourzenfriend/tips

I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend

Email me at: [email protected]

Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/

For information on Lauren's counseling services for kids, teens and families check out: https://www.laurencounseling.com/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you offer yourself compassion and gentleness on difficult days. 

We all have moments or days when we feel  emotions that are umpleasant. I hope this mediation will help you to be kind and nurturing to yourself when you are feeling low. 

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

Whether you feel stylish and trendy or have no idea where to start when it comes to putting outfits together, you are in for a big treat! I am super excited to have an interview with Jennifer Mackey-Mary. Jennifer has been styling women for over twenty years and is here to share her wisdom on:

• how you can be comfortable while also looking great
• how understanding your body shape can make shopping easier and help you to feel more confident
• how to keep connection with your teens while helping them look and feel their best
• what to look for in wearable trends in spring 2024
• how to easily look current each season 
• how to update your wardrobe without breaking the bank

And of course stay tuned to the end of the episode when Jennifer tells us what's bringing her more zen!

Check out this special offer from Jennifer as well as how to connect with her:

Website- https://youreverydaystyle.com/  

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/everydaystylewithjen 

Special Offer for Zen Friends: Style Circle- https://youreverydaystyle.com/zen/

Podcast- listen wherever you find your podcasts or here: https://youreverydaystyle.com/podcast-01/

Jennifer Mackey-Mary's Bio:
Jennifer Mackey-Mary helps women have easier mornings and better days. Her business, Everyday Style, is on a mission to inspire women to love the way they look, and give them the tools to make style easy. She’s the host of the Top 10 podcast, The Everyday Style School, that teaches you everything your mom never did about getting dressed.

After styling women for over two decades, there isn’t a body shape she hasn’t seen, or a style struggle she hasn’t heard–and she knows the solution is easier than you think!

Jennifer is passionate about raising confident daughters, female entrepreneurship, and getting every woman in a better bra.

Join me in reading Lian Dolan's book, "The Marriage Sabbatical," and send in your questions or comments to me. They could be read during my interview with Lian which will air in early May. Get your questions to me by April 21, 2024!
https://a.co/d/dpuCcw0

I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend

Email me at: [email protected]

Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/

For information on Lauren's counseling services for kids, teens and families check out: https://www.laurencounseling.com/

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health. 

Send Lauren a text!

On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you feel more calm, relaxed and peaceful. 

This is a great mediation to do anytime but especially nice to do during a hectic or busy day.

Enjoy!

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.