Podcast
Empowered to Connect Podcast
Hosted by Empowered to Connect · EN
The Empowered to Connect Podcast a place where we come together to discuss an attachment rich, healing centered approach to engagement and well being for ourselves, our families and our communities.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
[E239] Replay Let's Talk About Lying with Robyn Gobbel
5d ago00:48:34Tap to summarizeWhy do kids lie, even when the truth would have been easier? This week, we’re replaying an oldie but a goodie: Let's Talk About Lying with Robyn Gobbel. Lying is usually about fear and felt safety, not character. This one will change how you respond.
Transcribe →
[E238] Replay Understanding the Brain, Body, Behavior Connection with Mona Delahooke
3w ago00:40:56Tap to summarizeCatch the replay! Mona is a Pediatric Psychologist and the author of Beyond Behaviors, among several other books. If you've ever read Beyond Behaviors, you know how brilliant she is! In this episode, we talk about the Brain - Body - Behavior connection and why it is absolutely essential for parents and caregivers to understand. Struggling with perplexing behavior in your home? This may be the episode you've been waiting for. We also talk about Mona's book that was published in 2022. Wanna learn more from Mona? Buy her book Beyond Behaviors here, sign up for the Beyond Behaviors course Mona teaches here or head on over to her website to learn more about her there!
Transcribe →
[E237] When You’re New to Supporting a Foster or Adoptive Family
May 500:48:00Tap to summarizeEpisode 237 is live! ️ If someone you love is in the middle of a new placement (whether that's a newborn, a toddler, or a teenager), this one is for the people standing beside them. Tona, Becca, and Jesse get practical about what it actually looks like to show up well for foster and adoptive families. Not just in the first week, but in the long haul. What's the most meaningful thing someone did for you (or that you did for someone else) during a new placement?
Transcribe →
[E236] When You're New to Walking Together as Adoptive/Foster Parents
Apr 2100:56:50Tap to summarizeCommunity can feel different when your parenting journey looks different. Sometimes your circle shifts. Sometimes it shrinks. And sometimes it stretches you in ways you didn’t expect. But here’s what’s true: you are not the only one figuring it out as you go. Ask for help. Say the honest thing. Find people who truly get it, and hold onto the ones who love you even when they don’t fully understand. Your community might not look how you imagined, but it can still show up for you, support you, and grow with you. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, check out our website, follow us on social media and YouTube!
Transcribe →
[E235] When You’re New to Parenting through Adoption & Foster Care
Apr 700:59:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode Becca, Jesse, and Tona walk us through what it looked like for them at the beginning of their parenting journey. Starting foster care, adoption, or any new parenting role can feel disorienting and overwhelming. It won’t always feel natural or easy, and you may not feel an instant connection. That’s normal! There will be stress, uncertainty, and moments where you question yourself, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. What matters most is showing up consistently, being willing to learn, and creating a sense of felt safety over time. You don’t have to be perfect to make a real difference. Your steadiness and presence is what builds trust. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, check out our website, follow us on social media and YouTube!
Transcribe →
[E234] When Protection Becomes a Prison: Breaking Down the Wall Between Us with Sherry Varughese
Mar 2400:40:46Tap to summarizeLet’s talk about the “Wall Between Us”, the invisible, protective bricks we build from past hurt that quietly block connection with the people we love most. Our snapping, withdrawing, overreacting, and people-pleasing once protected us. But what if they’re now keeping us stuck? Healing doesn’t start with fixing our kids. It starts with noticing our own “shark music;” noticing what is keeping us from connection. This conversation is about compassion over shame. Curiosity over judgment. And small, daily shifts that break generational cycles. Every brick you take down builds something better for the next generation. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, check out our website, follow us on social media and YouTube!
Transcribe →
[E233] Why the Best Teachers Lead with Connection with Marti Smith & Amie Huggins
Mar 1000:57:29Tap to summarizeWhat if connection is one of the most powerful tools in the classroom? In this episode, Marti Smith and Amie Huggins join us to share about their new book The Connected Classroom and what they’ve learned working with educators inside real school systems. They talk about why building trust with students matters so much—and how connection creates the safety kids need to engage, learn, and grow. If you’re a teacher, caregiver, or anyone who cares about helping kids thrive at school, this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope for creating classrooms where students feel safe, seen, and ready to learn. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, check out our website, follow us on social media and YouTube! Suppoort Amie and Marti by ordering their book. https://a.co/d/098ZnA1F To reach Amie, check out the information below. Website: www.amiehugginsconsulting.com Email: Amie.arhllc@gmail.com Instagram: teacher_amie49 To reach out to Marti, check out the information below. Website: www.creativetherapies.com
Transcribe →
[E232] When You're Tired Of Trying with Melissa Corkum
Feb 2400:33:08Tap to summarizeDoes your nervous system feel like it’s been in survival mode for a long time? This episode is for you. We sat down in person with Melissa Corkum to talk about burnout, blocked care, and why connection can start to feel like a shock instead of a reward. A few takeaways: ✨ Emotional pain and physical pain activate the same parts of the brain.✨ Blocked care isn’t a character flaw — it’s a protective response.✨ You don’t heal it by trying harder. You start by caring for your own nervous system. If you’ve felt resentful, numb, exhausted, or ashamed for not feeling the joy you “should,” you are not alone. It won’t always feel this way.Keep hope. Carry on. We’re with you. For the Blocked Care Assessment, click here.
Transcribe →
[E231] When You're Tired in Your Heart with Dr. Archandria Owens
Feb 1000:45:31Tap to summarizeOn this next part of our mini-series “When You’re Tired”, we reflect on being emotionally tired. It is the quiet exhaustion that comes from caring deeply, showing up consistently, and holding space for others. Dr. Archandria Owens and Jesse discuss naming and expressing emotions, unmet expectations, and explore gentle ways to care for ourselves when we are exhausted in this particular way.
Transcribe →
[E230] When You're Tired in Your Body with Jill Stockburger
Jan 2700:47:00Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, Jesse and Jill Stockburger dive into a big question: What do we do when we’re living in chronic stress? They talk about how stress, adversity, and trauma impact us on a deeper level, and what it actually feels like to carry these experiences in our bodies. If you’re feeling tired in your body, you are not alone.
Transcribe →