As we enter this month of transition from the school year to the summer break, we honor parents and caregivers of children of all ages; whether your school-aged children are in currently in daycare, summer camp, or home from college, this episode is for you! Pod-host Vanessa Durrant is both a mother and a licensed clinical therapist with over fifteen years of supporting children, parents, and families. She brings her expertise and empathic perspective on the things that get in the way of parents relating to our children, one another, and ourselves, and getting back to easeful connection.

In this episode, Vanessa shares from a pragmatic perspective how adults and parents experience stress as well as how children experience stress. Vanessa guides listeners through the process of truly being with parent stress. Only when we spend time on identfying the stressors can we tackle how to problem-solve around it. Vanessa provides insightful interprentation of statistics on parent stress, spending time sitting with the feelings that come up around helping children navigate their very real stress reactions. She discusses the weight of the sometimes heavy responsibility we owe to our little ones while dealing with our own stress, and the collective stress related to the atrocities impacting anyone tuned into what’s happening on a global scale.

Vanessa shares practical suggestions for parents looking to reconnect with themselves, their partners, and children. She highlights the importance of caring for the self in small, practical ways, and cultivating support systems with partners, friends, and even therapists. Tune into this episode to reflect, feel seen, and take stock of the ways you might be experiencing and coping with stress as a parent or caregiver!