Mindful Motherhood

podcast artwork

Podcast by Dr. Katie Gorham

Mindful Motherhood

Welcome to Mindful Motherhood! As a stressed and overwhelmed mom, do you ever find yourself struggling to understand why your child behaves the way they do? Do you wish you could break parenting cycles and build stronger connections with your kids, even during the toughest moments of child development? If so, this podcast is for you. Join child psychologist and mother of two, Dr. Katie Gorham, as she breaks down the science behind child and adolescent brain development and offers meaningful and practical shifts you can make in your parenting approach. Get ready to gain a deeper understanding of your child and discover effective strategies to build connections and navigate even the toughest family moments.

Latest episodes

episode artwork

26 November 2024

Bonus Episode! Sensory Survival: Holiday Edition

The holiday season can be a magical time for families, but it can also be a source of stress for kids. In this special holiday bonus episode, Dr. Katie dives into the reasons why children often feel overwhelmed during the holidays, including increased social interactions, performance pressure, disrupted routines, and sensory overload. She provides practical tips to help parents manage their child's stress and create a more peaceful holiday experience for everyone.

Happy holidays!

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

00:00

25:29

episode artwork

24 July 2024

Season Finale: Essential Self-Care Practices for Mindful Moms

In the season 1 finale of the Mindful Motherhood podcast, Dr. Katie offers a dive into the essential role of self-care in parenting. She emphasizes understanding child dysregulation and enhancing self-regulatory skills through mindful approaches. Dr. Katie provides practical self-care tips, from morning routines to creating a personalized self-care menu. She also stresses that consistent, small self-care practices can significantly impact emotional well-being, helping parents stay regulated and connected with their children, even amidst daily chaos. This episode is a culmination of season-long strategies to foster better parent-child connections.

Additional Resources:

Meditation Apps: Insight Timer; Headspace

Quick Music-Only Stretches: Mady Morrison

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

00:00

16:21

episode artwork

17 July 2024

Triggers, Ruptures, and Repair

This episode of the Mindful Motherhood podcast delves into the challenging world of parenting and emotional regulation. Dr. Katie explores how parents' emotional triggers, often rooted in past experiences, can impact interactions with their children. She emphasizes the significance of recognizing these triggers to maintain composure during tough moments. The episode provides actionable advice, including identifying physical signs of stress, employing relaxation techniques, and talking openly with partners or support systems. By understanding and managing their own triggers, parents can create a more emotionally supportive environment for both themselves and their children. Dr. Katie also discuss what to do when parents inevitably lose their cool with their kids, including how to repair the relationship by modeling a genuine apology.

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

Timestamps:

00:00

31:47

episode artwork

10 July 2024

Beyond "Happy" & "Sad": Building Your Child's Emotion Regulation Toolkit

In this episode of the Mindful Motherhood podcast, Dr. Katie teaches parents how to distinguish between meltdowns and tantrums and offers practical tips to address each effectively. She emphasizes the importance of approaching children's emotional outbursts with curiosity and empathy, labeling emotions, and validating feelings to foster connection and emotional growth. The episode provides strategies for helping children of all ages to build their emotion regulation toolkit, including how to build their emotional vocabulary, manage their feelings, and develop resilience through everyday interactions, play, and other creative outlets.

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

Resources:

(Books)

First Emotions Series (11 books)

Every Little Thing

Little Monkey Calms Down

My Body Sends a Signal

Listening to My Body

Listening with My Heart

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts)

A Kids Book About Coping Skills

Two Big Feelings; Quiet in my Body; Happy Either Way (LOVEVERY)

Everyone Feels Series

Belly Breathe

Breathe, Think, Do with Elmo

(Visuals)

Calm Strips Visuals

Textured Infinity Breathing Strips

5 Deep Breaths Visual

Timestamps:

1:18 - Tantrum vs Meltdown

5:27 - Introduction to coping skills

6:44 - Building an emotional vocabulary 

14:01 - Building coping skills/regulation tools for ages 5-10

18:10 - Building coping skills/regulation tools for ages 11-18

24:11 - Modeling emotional regulation for our kids

28:57 - Challenge of the week!

00:00

31:41

episode artwork

03 July 2024

Conquering Chaos: The Mindful Approach to Managing Meltdowns

In this episode of the Mindful Motherhood podcast, Dr. Katie focuses on managing children's meltdowns. She covers how physical presence, language, and environment adjustments can help calm the situation. Understanding the brain's role during these intense emotional periods is key. By being aware of our own reactions and employing calming strategies, parents can better support their children through these challenging moments. This episode emphasizes the importance of co-regulation, suggesting that a calm adult presence can help a child regain control. Tips include adjusting body language and maintaining a safe environment.

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

Resources: First Emotions Series (11 books)

Little Monkey Calms Down

My Body Sends a Signal

Listening to My Body

Listening with My Heart

Timestamps:

4:07 - What does a meltdown look like for your child?

6:16 - Counteracting the emotional flood of a meltdown

7:23 - Assessing the physical environment

9:16 - Altering our physical presence to appear less threatening

12:48 - When physical touch registers as a pain response

14:51- Altering the sensory environment

16:03 - Allowing the emotional release

17:48 - Reintegrating the brain by offering choices and validating feelings

22:29 - Resisting the urge to talk through what happened

26:34 - Avoiding statements that bring attention to our emotions

31:36 - Challenge of the week!

00:00

33:43

episode artwork

26 June 2024

Creative Communication: Flipping the Script on Common Parenting Pitfalls (Part 2)

This podcast episode delves into the power of creative communication in the context of parenting. Dr. Katie explores the ways in which effective communication can bridge the gap between adult and child brain development. She discusses strategies such as the 'when / then' method, where requests are phrased in a positive and motivating way, and the use of a 'creative yes' to reframe negative responses. The episode also emphasizes the importance of breaking down tasks into smaller steps, particularly for children who are still developing their executive function skills. By using concrete language and engaging techniques, parents can transform challenging interactions into more positive and connected experiences with their children.

Website: mindfulmotherhoodpodcast.com

Connect with us! mindfulmompod@gmail.com

Timestamps:

5:16 - Communication misfires and why mindset matters

9:15 - The magical “when / then”

15:17 - Overuse of no and shifting to what a child can do

20:01 - Reframing “no” to a creative yes, or yes with conditions

21:55 - Breaking big tasks into smaller parts

27:04 - Challenge of the day!

00:00

29:20

Copyright © Mindful Motherhood. All rights reserved.

Powered by