Compassionate Heart Parenting

How to Repair with Your Kiddo (Emotionally Focused Family Therapy Tools) — with Stephanie Chimient

Do you love your child with everything you have — and still lie awake wondering if you're the reason they're struggling? That guilt is one of the heaviest things a parent can carry. And in this episode, Stephanie Chimienti is going to help you put some of it down. Stephanie is a Registered Psychotherapist trained in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, play therapy, and parts work — a rare and powerful combination that allows her to work with families at multiple levels simultaneously: the cycles between parent and child, the internal parts the parent carries from their own history, and the healing that happens through play and connection. In this warm, honest conversation, Stephanie and Michelle explore what actually breaks down in the space between a parent and child, what keeps families stuck in the same painful loops, and what repair genuinely looks like — not the big dramatic conversation most parents imagine, but something more ordinary and more profound. In this episode you'll learn: * What Emotionally Focused Family Therapy reveals about the attachment signal underneath your child's most challenging behavior — and how that reframe changes everything * How the parts of you shaped by your own childhood history show up in your hardest parenting moments — and what to do when you recognize that's happening * Why play is one of the most underestimated tools parents have for rebuilding genuine connection at home * What the negative family cycle looks like from the inside — and the first thing that has to shift to interrupt it * What repair actually looks like in EFFT — and why it is always possible, even after years of disconnection * What Stephanie would say to the parent who is lying awake tonight convinced they are messing up their child Topics: Emotionally Focused Family Therapy · EFFT · EFT for families · parent guilt · parenting shame · parts work and parenting · IFS parenting · play therapy at home · child attachment · parent-child reconnection · family cycles · parenting triggers · emotional regulation for parents · repair after yelling · gentle parenting · peaceful parenting · conscious parenting · attachment parenting · parenting burnout · connection over correction Guest: Stephanie Chimienti, RP, MA — Registered Psychotherapist, Counselling & Co. Trained in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, play therapy, and parts work 🎓 Ready to go deeper? Yelling to Connecting — Michelle's 7-week online parenting course helps you find and uproot the real blocks keeping you stuck so you can respond to your kids with more calm, connection, and less shame. ✨ Free Guided Pause + Regroup: [your link] 🌐 compassionateheartmindfullife.com This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services. Where to reach Stephanie  https://www.counsellingandco.com/stephanie-chimienti [https://www.counsellingandco.com/stephanie-chimienti] https://www.instagram.com/stephanie.psychotherapy/ [https://www.instagram.com/stephanie.psychotherapy/] https://www.instagram.com/counselling_and_co/ [https://www.instagram.com/counselling_and_co/] Join me each week for a tail from the trenches of parenting burnout and how I (and you) can use mindfulness, mediation and self-compassion to find your inner calm and a little more sanity in your parenting. You’ll get a story from my heart and a quick win you can use the same day. A free gift for you: the RAGE Break [https://exciting-trader-3018.ck.page/2242e21170], a free guided audio pause for when you are about to lose or have just lost it with your kids and you need a moment to regroup. Find the audio download in the links. I created the Rage Break because it is exactly what I needed when I was struggling with anger and yelling in parenting.  This story was brought to you by “Yelling to Connecting.”  If you or someone you know struggles with yelling at your kids, losing it, or being constantly on edge this course will be a helpful tool.  A reminder: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for private psychotherapy services. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services in any capacity. I am a therapist but I am not your therapist and this is not therapy and should not be a substitute for mental health treatment. If you need mental health treatment please find a qualified professional in your area. __________________________________________ ...

What It Really Takes to Go From Reactive to Regulated — Guest Sarah Rosensweet

You believe in peaceful parenting.  You’ve done the reading. You know that connection comes before correction, that empathy matters, that your child’s behavior is a signal—not a problem. And then the moment comes…  and none of it is accessible to you. If that gap between knowing and doing feels like the story of your parenting life, this episode is going to land somewhere important. Michelle sits down with Sarah Rosensweet—certified peaceful parenting coach, founder of Reimagine Peaceful Parenting, host of the top-rated Peaceful Parenting Podcast, and a mom of three whose children have genuinely grown up with this philosophy—to get honest about what peaceful parenting actually requires. Not the theory.  The real, inside work that makes the theory possible to use when it counts. Sarah has spent over a decade coaching thousands of parents through this exact gap. She brings both deep practical wisdom and the long view that only comes from having parented all the way through. In this episode, you’ll learn: *  Why peaceful parenting is an inside job—and how that reframes the search for the “right” technique  *  What’s really happening neurologically and emotionally when you can’t access your calm in the moment  *  What needs to shift internally for regulation to become lasting—not just available on good days  *  The fear underneath a non-punitive approach—and how to hold empathy and limits at the same time  *  What Sarah knows now after raising three children that she couldn’t have known in the early years  *  What she would say to the parent who feels miles away from who they want to be  Topics: peaceful parenting · gentle parenting · conscious parenting · parenting triggers · emotional regulation for parents · reactive parenting · mom rage · parenting shame · connection over control · non-punitive parenting · parenting burnout · yelling and parenting · attachment parenting · inside-out parenting · Hand in Hand Parenting · Janet Lansbury · Dr. Laura Markham Guest: Sarah Rosensweet Certified peaceful parenting coach Founder, Reimagine Peaceful Parenting 🎙️ The Peaceful Parenting Podcast 🌐 reimaginepeacefulparenting.com 📱 Instagram: @sarahrosensweet 📝 Substack: sarahrosensweet.substack.com 🎓 Ready to go deeper? Yelling to Connecting — Michelle’s 6-week online parenting course for parents who understand the work but need support applying it in real life. ✨ Free Guided Pause + Regroup: [your link]  🌐 compassionateheartmindfullife.com This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services. Join me each week for a tail from the trenches of parenting burnout and how I (and you) can use mindfulness, mediation and self-compassion to find your inner calm and a little more sanity in your parenting. You’ll get a story from my heart and a quick win you can use the same day. A free gift for you: the RAGE Break [https://exciting-trader-3018.ck.page/2242e21170], a free guided audio pause for when you are about to lose or have just lost it with your kids and you need a moment to regroup. Find the audio download in the links. I created the Rage Break because it is exactly what I needed when I was struggling with anger and yelling in parenting.  This story was brought to you by “Yelling to Connecting.”  If you or someone you know struggles with yelling at your kids, losing it, or being constantly on edge this course will be a helpful tool.  A reminder: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for private psychotherapy services. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services in any capacity. I am a therapist but I am not your therapist and this is not therapy and should not be a substitute for mental health treatment. If you need mental health treatment please find a qualified professional in your area. __________________________________________ ...

Emotionally Focused Family Therapy: What Your Child Is Really Asking for When They Fall Apart — Kathryn de Bruin & Ronda Evans

When your child is at their most dysregulated — melting down, shutting down, pushing you away — the moment they need you most is also the moment it's hardest to be present. Why does that happen? And what does it actually take to become the safe place your child is reaching for? In this episode Michelle sits down with two of the most experienced Emotionally Focused Family Therapy clinicians working with families today. Kathryn de Bruin is an ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer, registered Play Therapy Supervisor, and co-host of The Family Therapy Express Podcast. Ronda Evans is an EFT Supervisor, co-host of The Family Therapy Express Podcast, and published children's book author whose books — A Jumble of Thoughts and A Tangle of Feelings and The Big Scary Moment — help families navigate big emotions together in everyday moments. Together, Kathryn and Ronda bring the full depth of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy to a conversation about what children are really communicating when their behavior is at its most challenging — and what parents need to understand about their own internal world to be able to respond with steadiness and connection rather than reactivity. In this episode you'll learn: * The core EFFT reframe: why your child's meltdown, power struggle, or withdrawal is an attachment signal — a reaching for you — even when it looks like the opposite * How the way you were raised shows up in your responses to your child's big feelings — and what shifts when you recognize that pattern * Why play is not just a fun activity but a genuine clinical tool for healing and strengthening the parent-child bond * What Ronda's children's books offer families in the ordinary moments of everyday life — and what happens between parent and child when they read them together * What a genuinely resilient and connected family looks like — and the signs you're moving toward it even when it doesn't feel that way * What Kathryn and Ronda would say to the parent who keeps missing the moments that matter and can't seem to get there when it counts Topics: Emotionally Focused Family Therapy · EFFT · Emotionally Focused Therapy for families · child attachment · attachment parenting · parent-child connection · child meltdowns · big emotions in children · emotional regulation for parents · play therapy · children's books about emotions · parenting triggers · gentle parenting · peaceful parenting · conscious parenting · family resilience · parent burnout · connection over control · parenting shame Guests:  Kathryn de Bruin, LMFT — ICEEFT Certified EFT Trainer & Play Therapy Supervisor 🌐 kathryndebruin.com Ronda Evans, LMFT — EFT Supervisor & Children's Book Author 📚 A Jumble of Thoughts and A Tangle of Feelings· The Big Scary Moment 🌐 re2therapy.com 🎙️ The Family Therapy Express Podcast — find it wherever you listen 🎓 Ready to go deeper? Yelling to Connecting — Michelle's 7-week online parenting course helps you find and uproot the real blocks keeping you stuck so you can respond to your kids with more calm, more connection, and less shame. ✨ Free Guided Pause + Regroup: [your link] 🌐 compassionateheartmindfullife.com This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services. Join me each week for a tail from the trenches of parenting burnout and how I (and you) can use mindfulness, mediation and self-compassion to find your inner calm and a little more sanity in your parenting. You’ll get a story from my heart and a quick win you can use the same day. A free gift for you: the RAGE Break [https://exciting-trader-3018.ck.page/2242e21170], a free guided audio pause for when you are about to lose or have just lost it with your kids and you need a moment to regroup. Find the audio download in the links. I created the Rage Break because it is exactly what I needed when I was struggling with anger and yelling in parenting.  This story was brought to you by “Yelling to Connecting.”  If you or someone you know struggles with yelling at your kids, losing it, or being constantly on edge this course will be a helpful tool.  A reminder: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for private psychotherapy services. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services in any capacity. I am a therapist but I am not your therapist and this is not therapy and should not be a substitute for mental health treatment. If you need mental health treatment please find a qualified professional in your area. __________________________________________ ...

Peaceful Parenting: How to Handle Gamer Rage Calmly (Replay)

Gaming battles can quickly turn into fear, yelling, and power struggles—but underneath it all is often a parent trying deeply to protect their child. In this replay episode, Michelle explores how fear impacts our nervous system, why gaming feels so compelling for kids, and how peaceful parenting helps us respond with calm, connected boundaries instead of panic and control. Listen the full replay episode of “How to Calmly Respond When Gaming is a Constant Fight?” on Compassionate Heart Mindful Life. Join me each week for a tail from the trenches of parenting burnout and how I (and you) can use mindfulness, mediation and self-compassion to find your inner calm and a little more sanity in your parenting. You’ll get a story from my heart and a quick win you can use the same day. A free gift for you: the RAGE Break [https://exciting-trader-3018.ck.page/2242e21170], a free guided audio pause for when you are about to lose or have just lost it with your kids and you need a moment to regroup. Find the audio download in the links. I created the Rage Break because it is exactly what I needed when I was struggling with anger and yelling in parenting.  This story was brought to you by “Yelling to Connecting.”  If you or someone you know struggles with yelling at your kids, losing it, or being constantly on edge this course will be a helpful tool.  A reminder: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for private psychotherapy services. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services in any capacity. I am a therapist but I am not your therapist and this is not therapy and should not be a substitute for mental health treatment. If you need mental health treatment please find a qualified professional in your area. __________________________________________ ...

How to Parent Through Divorce Without Losing Connection

If you’ve ever worried that a hard season in your family may have impacted your relationship with your child… this episode will give you real hope. Today, we’re talking about something most parenting conversations avoid: what actually happens to the parent-child relationship during major life transitions like divorce. I’m joined by therapist, speaker, and founder of the Center for Growth and Connection, Michelle Cantrell, who shares both her professional insight and deeply personal experience of going through a gray divorce after nearly 30 years of marriage—while parenting her adult daughters. Inside this conversation, we explore: * How to stay emotionally connected to your kids during divorce * The difference between being honest and oversharing * Why “getting it wrong” doesn’t damage your relationship * How repair (not perfection) builds secure attachment * What to do when your child is in pain and you want to fix it * How self-compassion changes everything in parenting This episode is for any parent who: * Feels guilt about how they’ve shown up * Is navigating divorce or a major life transition * Wonders if it’s “too late” to repair connection The truth? It’s not. Connection can deepen—even through the hardest seasons. 🎧 Subscribe & share with a parent who needs encouragement 💬 Leave a review to help more families find this message Join me each week for a tail from the trenches of parenting burnout and how I (and you) can use mindfulness, mediation and self-compassion to find your inner calm and a little more sanity in your parenting. You’ll get a story from my heart and a quick win you can use the same day. A free gift for you: the RAGE Break [https://exciting-trader-3018.ck.page/2242e21170], a free guided audio pause for when you are about to lose or have just lost it with your kids and you need a moment to regroup. Find the audio download in the links. I created the Rage Break because it is exactly what I needed when I was struggling with anger and yelling in parenting.  This story was brought to you by “Yelling to Connecting.”  If you or someone you know struggles with yelling at your kids, losing it, or being constantly on edge this course will be a helpful tool.  A reminder: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for private psychotherapy services. Compassionate Heart Mindful Life does not provide psychotherapy services in any capacity. I am a therapist but I am not your therapist and this is not therapy and should not be a substitute for mental health treatment. If you need mental health treatment please find a qualified professional in your area. __________________________________________ ...