Podcast
Mastermind Parenting Podcast
Hosted by Randi Rubenstein · EN
Welcome to Randi Rubenstein’s Mastermind Parenting Podcast. So, the big question is this - How do parents like us know that we aren’t messing up the biggest role of our lives, especially when we happen to have a strong-willed kiddo that is constantly pushing our buttons? We’ve all heard that kids don’t come with a manual, so how can we know for sure that we are saying the right things or that we’re getting this parenting thing right. On this podcast for parents of toddlers to teens, we’ll be giving you real tools you can use right away so that your kids will feel like they can talk to you about absolutely anything and everything. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe when your thoughts grow, the conversations in your home flow. This podcast will help you make a crucial shift in your home from the old lecturing style to convos that feel collaborative, connecting and most importantly…PRODUCTIVE.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Is Big Tech the New Big Tobacco?
Mar 1900:40:06Tap to summarizeIf you’re a human with a phone in 2026, you know how addicting social media can be. Most of us struggle to keep from scrolling too much. I mean…all those doggy reels are just hilarious! Now imagine how hard it is for vulnerable young brains to keep from getting hooked?New lawsuits against the social media giants are confirming what so many of us parents have been saying for years. Big Tech companies have known how dangerous their “just keep scrolling” algorithms are for kids, but they’ve chosen lining their pockets over keeping our kids safe.Of course “their kids” are protected. Did you know that many Silicon Valley giants don’t give their own kids phones until 16? On the podcast this week, I’m talking to Free Press reporters, Maya Sulkin and Frannie Block, authors of the article Is Social Media The New Big Tobacco, about the harmful effects of social media and how brave families are stepping up to hold Big Tech accountable for targeting our kids.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-338About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Maya Sulkin and Frannie BlockMaya Sulkin is a reporter for The Free Press, covering breaking news, politics, education, Gen Z, and culture. Before that, she served as the company's Chief of Staff. Frannie Block is an investigative reporter at The Free Press, where she covers the forces shaping American life—from foreign influence in U.S. politics and national security to institutional overreach and due process failures. She began her career covering breaking news at The Des Moines Register. Guest LinksArticle Is Social Media The New Big Tobacco? https://www.thefp.com/p/is-social-media-the-new-big-tobacco Maya Sulkin https://www.thefp.com/w/maya-sulkin Frannie Block https://www.thefp.com/w/frannie-block Resources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Better Talking Leads to Better “Other Things” with Jeff Hittner
Mar 401:08:34Tap to summarizePack leadership definitely involves reading the room and using your spidey senses when it comes to giving feedback. When your kid or frankly, anyone, acts out of line - how do you talk to them and let ‘em know what’s what?Timing, tone and intention are key!If you try to “teach lessons in the moment, it’s a lecture and the other person absorbs nothing. Plus, when things are heated, it’s really hard not to shame or act scary because after all, you have a nervous system too and it’s most likely activated.Guess what? These skills are just as important (and maybe even harder to remember) in conversations between adults.I’m happy to welcome back Jeff Hittner, leadership and fatherhood coach, and host of the Ambitious Dads podcast. This time we’re talking about how moms and dads talk about things after they go a little sideways.It can be confusing for moms and dads to understand our roles and how to work together in leading the pack. We may feel beyond the traditional roles of yesteryear and yet, things do seem to run more smoothly if we define who does what.Jeff and I break down how invisible blind spots cause friction between parents/partners, and how we can have more productive conversations with each other.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-337About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Jeff HittnerJeff Hittner is an executive coach, leadership expert, entrepreneur and father to two amazing boys that are the light of his life. This was only possible because Jeff learned how to disassemble a lifelong definition of what fatherhood was, in order to reimagine the possibilities. Jeff believes that all of us have the capacity to transform, even around our longest-held beliefs.Jeff’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/Podcast: https://ambitiousdads.transistor.fm/Substack: https://ambitiousdads.substack.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDadsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousdads/Resources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Getting Real About Kids and Screens (with Ash Brandin)
Feb 1701:06:47Tap to summarizeParents have questions about phones, tablets, video games…essentially all the screen time things.You might ask yourself: What age is too young to give them their own device? How do I get them to turn it off without fighting? How much time is too much?Am I a bad mom if I not only allow, but sometimes even encourage, rotting on a screen when I just need some time to get shit done or be “on break”?It’s so tempting to think about screens as a black or white issue. They’re either evil brain rot, or essential for human development in this digital age of AI and robots taking all our jobs?!? But neither extreme sounds quite right, does it?That’s why I’m so happy to bring you this convo with Ash Brandin. Ash is the bestselling author of Power On. This book is such a helpful resource for this neverending battle with screens.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-336About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Ash BrandinAsh Brandin, EdS, known online as TheGamerEducator, empowers families to make screen time sustainable, manageable, and beneficial for the whole family. Now in their 15th year of teaching middle school, they help caregivers navigate the world of tech with consistent, loving boundaries, founded on respect for children, appreciation of video games and tech, and knowledge of pedagogical techniques. Ash has appeared on podcasts including Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, and Culture Study with Anne Helen Petersen, and has contributed to articles featured on Romper, Scary Mommy, Lifehacker, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and NPR. Their bestselling book, Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family, debuted in August, 2025. In their free time, Ash loves to hike, bake, play video games, and spend time with their family.Ash’s Web and Social LinksInstagram.com/thegamereducatorsubstack.com/thegamereducatorResources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
Transcribe →When Your Kid Is Heading Down A Dark Path (with Lisa Katona Smith)
Jan 2701:05:24Tap to summarizeFinding out your child is heading down the path of drugs or alcohol are some of the darkest days imaginable. What do you do when the person you love the most is self-destructing?My guest this time is Lisa Katona Smith. She’s a teacher, author, and mom who knows all about the fear of seeing a child in the grip of addiction. Fortunately for all of us, when she found the usual advice failing her, Lisa decided to find a better way. Her book Parallel Recovery is a raw, honest, empowering read. It combines Lisa’s perspective as an educator with her up-close experience as a mom. If you’ve ever worried about how you’d show up for your kid in that situation, this is the convo for you.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-335About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Lisa Katona SmithLisa Katona Smith, M.Ed., is a TEDx speaker, educator, and author of Parallel Recovery—a family-centered model that empowers loved ones to heal alongside someone facing mental health and substance use challenges. Known for her clarity, compassion, and systems-level insight, Lisa helps families and professionals build sustainable, connection-based recovery through consulting, training, and transformative conversations. Lisa’s Web and Social LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/parallel_recovery/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-katona-smith-985b48212/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@parallel_recoveryWebsite: lisakatonasmith.comResources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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How a Dedicated Dad Helped His Son Transcend A Diagnosis (with Leland Vittert)
Dec 2100:59:45Tap to summarizeWe’ve come a long way in understanding how neurodivergence expresses itself in kids, compared to when I became a new mom. But even now, an Autism diagnosis can feel like some of the most dreaded words imaginable to a parent.Can you fathom what it was like for parents in the 1980s?Leland Vittert can. And even though his parents chose not to share his diagnosis with him until his early 20’s, he now knows the whole story of what they went through for him.Leland is a successful journalist with his own nightly news show. But when he was a kid, Leland struggled to relate to his classmates. He was bullied by other kids, and at times, by teachers as well. After Leland was diagnosed with Autism, (now considered level 1, formerly known as Aspergers), his father made it his mission to help Leland learn the skills he’d need to function in a world that would not understand or mold to his differences.Leland tells the whole inspiring story in his new book Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism. He’s here to share his gratitude to his dad, and offer hope to parents who are anxious about how to best support their neurodivergent kids.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-334About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Leland VittertLeland Vittert is the host of On Balance with Leland Vittert and serves as NewsNation’s Chief Washington Anchor. A veteran journalist, Vittert joined NewsNation in May 2021, where he has been pivotal in covering national affairs and delivering special reports across the network’s primetime weeknight newscasts. Before joining NewsNation, Vittert worked for Fox News from 2010 to 2021, starting as a foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem and later anchor and correspondent in Washington.Leland’s Web and Social LinksBorn Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism: https://www.harpercollinsfocus.com/9781400254750/born-lucky/On Balance with Leland Vittert: https://www.newsnationnow.com/on-balance-with-leland-vittert/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lelandvittert/X: https://x.com/LelandVittertResources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Thanksgiving and Having an Attitude of Gratitude
Nov 2700:24:41Tap to summarizeIn this episode I discuss what gratitude really means to me as a mom and a person. I believe the ultimate gratitude practice is believing your strong willed child happened “for” rather than “to” you and I walk you through an exercise about how to do that.Topics: Hedonic Adaptation Gratitude is a practice that can be cultivated and directly links to happiness Gratitude affects many areas of your life in positive ways - personality, health, emotional, social and career Strong willed kids happen “for” not “to” you “Future You” exercise to get you into a gratitude practiceSomething clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-333About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/Resources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Being a Better Dad is Sexy! (with Jeff Hittner)
Nov 1900:54:35Tap to summarizeLet’s be real. Lots of dads aren’t ready (or willing) to take on their share of responsibility in their families. And for the dads who do want to step up, where are the role models of dads doing their part and showing up as strong and loving pack leaders?Enter Jeff Hittner, leadership and fatherhood coach, and host of the Ambitious Dads podcast.Jeff spent years teaching executives how to lead and inspire teams in the workplace. But when it came to his lifelong dream of fatherhood, he was shocked to realize how hard it was to not repeat unhelpful patterns of the past.Now, Jeff is using his skills as a coach to help educate dads who want to lead in their families, and pass on a new definition of fatherhood to their kids.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-332About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Jeff HittnerJeff Hittner is an executive coach, leadership expert, entrepreneur and father to two amazing boys that are the light of his life. This was only possible because Jeff learned how to disassemble a lifelong definition of what fatherhood was, in order to reimagine the possibilities. Jeff believes that all of us have the capacity to transform, even around our longest-held beliefs. Jeff’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/ Podcast: https://ambitiousdads.transistor.fm/ Substack: https://ambitiousdads.substack.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousdads/ Resources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Why Sex Might Feel Like a Chore (with Dr. Rebecca Eudy)
Nov 1300:54:49Tap to summarizeIt’s no secret that kids can put a real damper on your sex life. Kids just have so many needs - the feeding, bathing, playdate coordinating…and let’s not forget all the freaking paperwork. Those school forms nearly about killed me with three kids. It seems like a small miracle if there is still desire for your partner after a long thankless day involving all that. My guest, Dr. Rebecca Eudy, has spent over a decade helping couples navigate the complex realities of intimacy during the parenting years. Now, she’s written a book to share her insights and help with this tough topic affecting so many of us.If sex secretly feels like another chore in your life, you won’t want to miss this convo!Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-331About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Dr. Rebecca EudyDr. Rebecca Howard Eudy, LMHC, is an AASECT-certified sex and couples therapist and author of Parents in Love: A Guide to Great Sex After Kids (2025). She blends cutting-edge research with 15 years of clinical experience to help couples navigate sex, desire, and connection in the whirlwind of parenting, even when life (and kids) make it feel impossible. Dr. Eudy’s Web and Social LinksBook link: https://a.co/d/8RcMcYJ Website: rebeccaeudy.com Instagram: @rebeccahowardeudySubstack: @parentsinloveResources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
Transcribe →Why Play And Joy Can Feel So Hard For Adults (a convo with Dr. Shawn Hondorp)
Oct 2101:02:27Tap to summarizeDon’t you just love how little kids play so completely? They experience fun and joy without any self-consciousness or worrying about what others might think.But for many of us, this concept can feel elusive and far away as adults. If you grew up in a house where you walked on eggshells, you may not be conditioned for joy and play. I know this has been perplexing for me to think about in my own life. It’s even been a source of shame. I often struggle with the thought, ”What kind of person doesn’t know how to play or identify joy!?”A person that got through childhood in a mostly survival state, that’s who. I’m diving into this with psychologist and podcaster, Dr. Shawn Hondorp. Shawn has been taking dance lessons recently. She’s a mom with a full plate who often juggles the demands of work and raising kids. And yet she makes time several times a week for her play and joy through reconnecting with her love for dance.Her experience around a recent recital showed how hard it can be to purposefully work toward reclaiming joy. I was so lucky to be a fly on the wall of her experience (which involved terrible neck pain leading up to the performance). And now you get to hear us unpack what Shawn has learned, and what she’s gained, through this process.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-330About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Dr. Shawn HondorpDr. Shawn Hondorp is a clinical psychologist whose goal is to create safe learning environments for those who want to explore innovative approaches to healing, one authentic conversation at a time. Learn more about her work, and subscribe to The Innovative Therapist Podcast, at https://drshawnhondorp.com/ Resources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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Want Confident Kids? Growing Resilient Kids with Dr. Kate Lund
Sep 2400:49:44Tap to summarizeDisappointment. Rejection. Failing to meet their goals. It’s so tough to watch our kids struggle when they’re feeling the discomfort of disappointment. I often call myself “a fixer in recovery that QUITE often relapses”. I have a joy agenda for the people I love. Sometimes my own discomfort over their discomfort leads to a relapse. I jump into full on fixer mode and forget that the growth mostly happens because of the messy human moments. Pain and uncertainty are as much a part of the human experience as success and happiness. It’s called the Law of Polarity. Life involves both the good and the bad. What if the real goal of parenting is to help our kiddos build resilience, so they can handle the hard things without losing hope?My guest this time thinks so, and I think she’s onto something huge. Dr. Kate Lund is an expert on how to build resilience in ourselves and our kids. Her experience of growing up in a supportive family helped her deal with a painful chronic illness. Now, she teaches parents how to model resilience and prepare kids to navigate the world with confidence.Something clicked while listening?We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-329About Randi RubensteinRandi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades.Randi’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: https://mastermindparenting.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparentingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/About Dr. LundDr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist, resilience expert, author, and host of The Optimized Mind podcast. With specialized training from three Harvard Medical School–affiliated hospitals and more than two decades of clinical practice, she helps parents, athletes, students, and entrepreneurs thrive within their own unique contexts. Dr. Lund is the author of Bounce: Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports, and Life, and Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting. Through her writing, speaking, and clinical work, she empowers people to build resilience, manage stress, and unlock their potential.Dr. Lund’s Web and Social LinksWebsite: http://www.katelundspeaks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_kate_lund/Step Away e-book: https://www.amazon.com/Step-Away-Keys-Resilient-Parenting-ebook/dp/B0FN8D4KBTResources Discussed/LinksOur 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/
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