Mending Families Podcast

Mending Families Podcast

Mending Families is hosted by Melissa Pemberton and she brings you weekly content that is a mix of trauma aware interviews, parenting tips for those caring for kids from adversity, and stories from people just like you as they share their beautiful messy moments.

Melissa hopes that when you listen each week, you will feel encouraged, inspired and take a little something away to help you and your family move from broken to mended.

To help keep the podcast going, consider becoming a monthly donor to help cover the costs!

Introducing Mending Families - Trailer

Are you in the trenches of parenting kids from adversity and trauma? Do you find yourself wondering why the "typical parenting strategies" are not working for your family? That those strategies seem to make matters worse? Are you a friend or family member of someone parenting kids from hard and you just don't know how to help? In fact, maybe you don't even fully understand why the struggle is so real for them? Are you a professional, teacher, therapist, social worker, or advocate that wants to better understand how trauma is effecting the kids you are working with? Then this podcast is for you...for all of you!

We all have kids in our lives who have (or are going to) experienced trauma and the reality is, trauma does affect child development, emotional regulation, brain development and so much more. So let's dig in to better understanding trauma. Let's have real talk about how hard it is to parent kids who have experienced trauma, especially if we are still doing our own healing of trauma. Let's not be afraid to talk about trauma, parenting and the healing journey we are all on! Remember, trauma awareness is important for our future generations and it starts with you!

Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

89. Healing and growth while breaking patterns with Kelsea Koenreich

In this conversation, Kelsea Koenreich shares about the importance of self-care, healing, and personal growth, while sharing her experiences with trauma and overcoming challenges. She emphasizes the need for self-reflection, accountability, and breaking negative patterns to achieve personal and professional goals. The conversation also covered Kelsea's journey from personal training to coaching, highlighting the significance of addressing one's own issues to prevent passing trauma to children and offering resources for those starting their healing journey. Enjoy!

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

88. Yoga and Mindful Meditation with Kelly Smith

In this conversation, Kelly shares her personal experiences with the changing seasons and the benefits of incorporating short meditation practices into her daily routine. She also explored the physical and neurological benefits of meditation, its relation to spirituality, and the importance of self-regulation for parents and caregivers. Finally, she recommended resources for yoga and meditation practices and emphasized the value of self-care and exploration in improving mental well-being.

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

87. Mindful Monday - Body Scan

On today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday with a guided meditation to help guide you through a body scan as you notice the sensations in your body, both as individual parts, and as a whole. Enjoy!

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

86. Compassion fatigue and secondary trauma simplified with Lauren Auer

In this conversation, Lauren discusses her professional background, focusing on her work with trauma-informed practices. She explores various aspects of trauma, including compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and the challenges of parenting children who have experienced trauma. The discussion concluded with strategies for managing stress and trauma, emphasizing the importance of self-care, understanding the nervous system, and finding small, intentional ways to prioritize personal well-being.

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

Episode 85 - Mindful Monday

On today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday with a guided meditation to help you let go of the stress in your body. Give yourself just five minutes and breathe your way through this stress relief meditation, which will be sure to help you start your day off right! Enjoy!

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

84. Pivots and parenting a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder with Michael Pereira

On today’s episode, Michael discusses his experience as a parent of a child with autism, sharing insights on diagnosis, therapy, education, and daily challenges. He explored various strategies for supporting children with autism, including diet modifications, behavioral therapies, and educational accommodations. The conversation also touched on the importance of financial planning, self-care, and resources for families navigating the autism journey.

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

82. Insights on self-care and support during the adoption journey with Nicole Barlow

In this episode, Nicole shares about her journey into foster care and adoption, and her experiences as a foster parent and foster parent trainer. She also discussed the importance of self-care and trauma-informed practices for foster and adoptive parents, with Nicole emphasizing the need for parents to prioritize their well-being to better support their children. 

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

Episode 81 - Mindful Mondays, Grounding Breath Exercise

On today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday all about grounding ourselves for just a few moments. In the spirit of grounding ourselves, today’s guided meditation is called “Grounding Breath”. Find a comfy, quiet place and 7 minutes while Melissa guides you through a grounding breath exercise. 

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Melissa Pemberton Melissa Pemberton

80. Supporting teens with ADHD and Neurodiversity with Kelly Biltz

In today’s episode, Kelly, a life coach for teens with ADHD, talks about ways to help teenagers boost their confidence and deals with common challenges they face, such as managing emotions, time, and schoolwork. She discusses how ADHD can be managed through diagnosis, medication, and other methods, highlighting the need for a supportive lifestyle that includes good sleep, nutrition, exercise, and community support. Kelly gives parents strategies to assist their teens and stresses the importance of understanding neurodivergence, along with sharing resources for additional help.

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