Our external senses— smell, sight, touch, and taste—along with lesser-known internal ones like balance and location— are constantly working to help us make sense of our world around us. This intricate process, often known as ‘sensory processing,’ is the foundation of many daily tasks. For some children, navigating this sensory processing can be more challenging.  In today’s episode, our hosts chat with Tammie, a parent who shares her personal story of supporting her child with sensory processing challenges, and Courtney Hall, BCCH Occupational Therapist. Together they: Talk about diffe ..read more

With four seasons of the podcast under their belts, our hosts reflect on episodes that have resonated with them.  Bryn, Char and special guest Michelle Horn look back at topics including sleep, feeding and eating, concurrent disorders, when parenting gets tough, and more. Together, they discuss some of the gems shared by our many amazing guests including: How to focus on your child’s strengths to help them manage their difficulties in life Things parents and caregivers can do when their child is struggling with mental health challenges  Connection and why showing up can be meaningfu ..read more

When it comes to supporting children and youth through trauma there are things that parents can do to help. In this episode our hosts are joined by Lynne, a parent and grandparent who shares her personal story of navigating trauma within her family and Dr. Linda Uyeda, family physician with expertise in neuroscience, trauma and attachment. Together they discuss: · What trauma is, how it can show up for kids and it’s impact on mental health · The impact of trauma across generations · How parents and caregivers can talk to their child about these experiences; and · What parents and caregivers c ..read more

We are hard at work on upcoming episodes and sharing one of our Season 3 episodes that really stuck with us. In this episode, hosts Michelle and Bryn are joined by Kelly, a parent of a youth diagnosed with an eating disorder, and Dr. Jennifer Coelho, Psychologist at BC Children’s Hospital’s Provincial Specialized Eating Disorder Program, to answer questions we often hear from families about supporting a youth with an eating disorder. The conversation covers how to support your child at home, managing meal times, what to do if your child refuses help, tips about how parents can play an active r ..read more

Changes and transitions are part of life. We know this as parents and caregivers. However, we don’t always know how to support our kids through these big life events - such as starting a new school, moving, the arrival of a new sibling, or loss of a loved one. In this minisode, hosts Bryn & Char discuss this topic with Dr. Ashley Miller, child psychiatrist and family therapist.  Questions include:  What is it about transitions and big life changes that can be hard for kids? What effects can major life changes have on my child’s mental health? What are some strategies I can s ..read more

In the last few years, we have had no shortage of disturbing news and big, scary world events, be it pandemics, social injustices, wars, climate change issues like wildfires, floods, and more.   In this minisode, Bryn and Char bring questions from BC parents and caregivers to Dr. Ashley Miller, child psychiatrist and family therapist. They dig into questions including: How can I talk to my child about disturbing news and scary events without inciting worry or fear? How much information should I share when I talk with my kids about scary news, how honest should I be? Are there skills ..read more

Parenting a kid with OCD can be difficult because you often have to go against your natural instincts. In this episode Michelle and Bryn are joined by Jen, a parent of a youth struggling with OCD, and Dr. Evelyn Stewart, Psychiatrist at BC Children’s Hospital and the founding Director of the Provincial Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic. They discuss what OCD is and isn’t, how to know when to reach out for help, approaches parents can use to not ‘feed the OCD’ and practical strategies to help you best support your child with OCD at home.   Listeners, help us improve our podcas ..read more

For our final episode of Season 3, Bryn & Michelle bring questions from BC parents and caregivers to two leading child and youth mental health experts at BC Children’s Hospital, Dr. Ashley Miller and Dr. Amrit Dhariwal. Together they dig into questions including: How can I connect my teen when they won’t even talk to me? How can I best support my child through tough situations like the loss of a loved one? How do I set limits when my child really pushes my buttons? And much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information ..read more

We are sharing this great episode from Anxiety Canada’s Podcast, #OurAnxietyStories. As hosts of Where You Are, we know how powerful hearing mental health stories can be. This episode, released in October 2021, follows Botswana born and Canadian raised, 14-year-old Malia Baker. Her journey with anxiety peaked in Grade 4. Malia offers great strategies that she has learned to manage her symptoms, with the support of her mother, little sister and friends. A ‘must listen’ for parents and caregivers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information ..read more

It’s important to talk openly with your child about substance use from an early age, but as parents and caregivers we don’t always know where to start. Michelle and Bryn sit down with Cindy Andrew and Art Steinmann, both parents and professionals with 30+ years of experience working in the field of youth substance use within BC schools and communities, to discuss how to talk about substance use with your child, how to prevent problematic substance use, and how you can help your child develop the knowledge and skills they will need to make decisions about vaping, alcohol and other drugs as they ..read more