Guest: Jacy Rabold, mother of three and author of Carried, a 100-day restorative journal for moms healing after a complicated birth.

In 2018, Jacy’s son Elliott was born four weeks early by emergency C-section after a fetal maternal hemorrhage and a stroke at birth. In this episode, Jacy and Dr. Courtney talk about the guilt that followed, the fear that set in once the NICU monitors were gone, and the uneven, years-long road to healing that eventually led Jacy to write Carried.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Jacy trusted her gut even when it meant pushing back on medical advice — and how that choice saved her son’s life
• How to reframe the “what did I do wrong” guilt that follows a traumatic birth
• Why coming home from the NICU can feel scarier than the NICU itself
• How Jacy and her husband learned to support each other through shared trauma they processed differently
• Why healing isn’t a one-time fix, but an ongoing practice of noticing triggers and building a toolbox
• How grief and gratitude can coexist after a hard birth
• What inspired Jacy to turn her healing process into a journal, and who Carried is written for
• The “golden thread” concept — why no two birth stories are the same, but the feelings underneath them often are

Resources & Links:

• Jacy Rabold’s website
• Consult call with Integrated Behavioral Health
• Integrated Behavioral Health website
• Integrated Behavioral Health newsletter sign up

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: Jenny Wegner, licensed marriage and family therapist and Denver eating disorder specialist with 15+ years of experience, including inpatient work at Children's Hospital Colorado and Eating Recovery Center.

What does an eating disorder actually look like in a teenager, and what can parents do about it? Dr. Courtney sits down with Jenny Wegner, LMFT to unpack why a "healthy" number on the scale can hide real medical danger, how a teen's innocent push to eat better can turn into fear, and why family-based therapy puts parents back in charge of meals. Jenny also shares what to say when you're worried, how to respond when your teen shuts you down, and why no parent causes an eating disorder.

What You'll Learn

• The biggest misconception parents have about what an eating disorder looks like
• Why a teen can stay on their growth curve and still be medically at risk
• How eating disorders often begin as a way to cope with discomfort
• The difference between a teen exploring new foods and a teen who is afraid of food
• Warning signs around exercise, like needing a gym on family vacation
• How eating disorders show up in boys and why they get missed
• What family-based therapy (the Maudsley approach) is and how it works day to day
• Jenny's "uninvited house guest" idea for avoiding power struggles at the table
• Why exercise is usually paused during recovery, and the grief that can come with stepping away from a sport
• How to start a conversation with your teen, and what to do if they say "I'm fine, leave me alone"

Resources and Links

• Jenny Wegner Therapy: jennywegnertherapy.com
• Book a free consultation with Jenny: jennywegnertherapy.com/contact
• Family-Based Treatment (FBT), also known as the Maudsley approach, discussed in this episode
• Eating Disorder Foundation, Denver support groups: eatingdisorderfoundation.org
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline and resources: allianceforeatingdisorders.com
• Integrated Behavioral Health: integratedbhs.com
• Book a free consult call with Integrated Behavioral Health: schedule here
• Sign up for the Integrated Behavioral Health newsletter: subscribe here

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: DeeDee Moore, founder of More Than Grand, a blog, app, and resource hub helping new grandparents support the parents in their lives.

Dr. Courtney sits down with DeeDee Moore to unpack one of the most tender and most tension-filled relationships in family life: the one between parents and grandparents. They dig into why advice so often lands as criticism, why "you turned out fine" stings more than it helps, and how both generations can stay close without stepping on each other's toes.

What You'll Learn:

• Why today's parents are the first generation that's never needed advice from their elders, and why that shift is hard for grandparents
• What grandparents wish parents understood about the pressure to "stay relevant"
• What's really underneath comments like "you turned out fine"
• Why "thank you" is often the most powerful response to unsolicited advice
• The "neighbor's kid" test for deciding whether a concern is worth raising
• How to ask for permission before offering advice, and how to let go when the answer is no
• Why grandparents are often carrying their own guilt or regret, and how that shapes how they react
• How financial pressure, social media, and 24/7 access to advice make parenting harder today than it's ever been
• Why a strong grandparent relationship is protective for kids long-term
• A simple conversation both generations can have before kids even arrive, to set expectations early

Resources & Links:

• More Than Grand website
• DeeDee's Free parent download
• Grandparent Boundaries Guide (ebook)
• Book a consult with Integrated Behavioral Health
• Integrated Behavioral Health website
• Sign up for the IBH newsletter

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: Dr. Monica Corrado, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in psychoeducational assessment.

Dr. Monica sits down with Dr. Courtney to demystify gifted testing. From the signs that might prompt a parent to seek it out, to what those confusing percentile scores actually mean, to why a single test result is never the whole story. It's a candid, reassuring look at a process most parents feel completely unprepared for, especially during admission season.

What You'll Learn:

• The early signs, both at home and at school, that might point toward giftedness
• Why "gifted" has no single definition, and how Colorado defines it for public school programming (95th percentile or above on one composite)
• What the three core composite areas (verbal comprehension, fluid reasoning, and visual spatial skills) actually measure
• Why testing your child around age three can sometimes be easier than waiting
• What percentiles really mean, explained through the bell curve
• Why gaps between composite scores are normal and what usually causes them
• What "twice-exceptional" (2e) means and how it complicates the picture
• Why scores change over time, and what that does (and doesn't) mean
• Why you should never try to prep your child for these tests
• How to decide whether gifted programming is actually the right fit for your child

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Monica Corrado's practice Marigold Assessment and Psychotherapy
• Book mentioned: Living with Intensity (Susan Daniels & Michael Piechowski)
• Book a consult with Integrated Behavioral Health: Book here
• Integrated Behavioral Health website: integratedbhs.com
• Sign up for our newsletter: Subscribe here

Guest: Dr. Stephanie Pinch — Licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Pinch Psychology in Denver, specializing in autism evaluation, child development, and family relationships; former award-winning teacher.

Episode Summary: Dr. Stephanie Pinch joins Dr. Courtney to unpack why autism so often gets missed in girls and women from the diagnostic criteria itself to the exhausting, invisible work of masking. They talk through the subtle early signs parents can watch for, why so many women aren't diagnosed until adulthood, and how to help a child (or yourself) start to unmask safely.

What You'll Learn:

• Why the current autism diagnostic criteria were originally built around boys, and how that skews who gets diagnosed
• What masking actually looks like day to day, and why it's so exhausting
• Why girls are more likely to mask than boys
• The subtle early signs of autism in girls (toe walking, restricted interests that look "socially acceptable," scripted conversation, eye contact without communicative intent)
• Why 80% of autistic girls go undiagnosed by age 18
• How undiagnosed autism can show up first as anxiety or depression
• What to ask for during a neuropsych evaluation, and how to advocate for your child
• Why a diagnosis can bring both grief and relief — and why that's normal
• The "spoon theory" and how to help kids track their own energy and avoid burnout

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Dr. Stephanie Pinch and Pinch Psychology
• Book a consult call with Integrated Behavioral Health: Schedule here
• Integrated Behavioral Health website: integratedbhs.com
• Sign up for the IBH newsletter: Subscribe here

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: Dr. Kate Bennett, PsyD — clinical sport psychologist, three-time national cycling champion, and licensed Way of Champions trainer, working at the intersection of youth sport culture, athlete mental health, and performance.

Episode Summary: Dr. Courtney sits down with clinical sport psychologist Dr. Kate Bennett to unpack what two decades in youth and elite sports has taught her about parent pressure, early specialization, and burnout. They talk through the research on why so many kids quit sports by age thirteen, how parents can tell if their kid is playing for themselves or for approval, and what to actually say (and not say) after a game.

What You'll Learn:

• Why youth sports has become a $40 billion industry — and what that means for kids
• The research behind "one sport per season" and why multi-sport kids fare better
• The behavioral signs that a kid is playing for their parent instead of themselves
• Why your body language on the sideline shapes how your kid performs and feels
• The "thermostat, not thermometer" approach to parenting from the sideline
• Two simple questions to ask after every game (and what to avoid saying)
• How to tell the difference between healthy quitting and fear-based avoidance
• A simple decision-grid exercise for kids weighing whether to stay in a sport
• What real repair looks like when a parent recognizes their own sports-driven anxiety

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Kate Bennett's book, Treating Athletes with Eating Disorders
• Dr. Kate's practice: Athlete Insight
• Dr. Kate's consulting practice: Full Send Consulting
• Way of Champions coaching philosophy
• Book a consult with Integrated Behavioral Health
• Integrated Behavioral Health website
• Sign up for the IBH newsletter

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: Dr. Kristin Edwards, licensed psychologist and founder of Tampa Pediatric Psychology, specializing in evidence-based therapy and assessment for children, adolescents, and young adults, with a focus on ADHD, anxiety, and executive functioning.

In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with fellow psychologist Dr. Kristin Edwards to unpack why ADHD often gets missed or misunderstood in teenagers — especially when a bright, capable kid seems to be trying but still falling short. They dig into the shame spiral this creates, how it quietly erodes trust between parents and teens, and how families can start shifting the pattern with more compassion and better systems.

What You'll Learn:

• Why ADHD in teens often looks nothing like ADHD in younger kids
• The gap between effort and output — and why parents mistake it for laziness
• How executive function actually works, in plain language
• Why shame and low self-esteem so often travel alongside ADHD
• How the "checking the portal, missing assignment" cycle breaks down parent-teen trust
• How to shift executive functioning support away from the parent and into external systems
• The difference between intervention, accommodation, and treatment — and where to start
• Why more accommodations aren't always better (and can sometimes backfire)
• What to ask before considering medication
• One reframe that can change how you talk to your teen tonight

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Kristin Edwards, Tampa Pediatric Psychology
• Integrated Behavioral Health: https://www.integratedbhs.com/
• Book a consult with Integrated Behavioral Health
• Sign up for the Integrated Behavioral Health newsletter

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Guest: Dr. Emily Bailey — Licensed Psychologist, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Oglethorpe University, and owner of Atlanta OCD and Anxiety Treatment, LLC. Specializes in OCD, anxiety disorders, and scrupulosity, with advanced training in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions).

Episode Summary: Most parents don't realize how often they're accommodating their child's anxiety — answering the same question on repeat, giving a play-by-play before every event, or quietly rerouting family plans to avoid a meltdown. In this episode, Dr. Emily Bailey joins Dr. Courtney to unpack why accommodation, while completely loving, can accidentally reinforce anxiety, and why pulling it back — gradually and compassionately — is one of the most powerful ways to build a child's resilience. They also dig into the harder half of the equation: what happens when a parent's own anxiety gets triggered by their child's distress, and how to work through it without losing yourself in the process.

What You'll Learn:

• What "accommodation" actually means, and why it's so hard to spot because it looks like good parenting
• Everyday examples of accommodation parents don't usually recognize as such
• The one question that helps you tell the difference between accommodation and genuine support
• Why reducing accommodation builds resilience — and the "emotional immune system" metaphor that makes it click
• How a child's brain updates its predictions about safety, and why accommodation interrupts that process
• Why a parent's own anxiety can be a bigger obstacle in treatment than the child's anxiety itself
• How generational and family "rules" about emotion shape how we respond to our kids' distress
• A step-by-step approach to reducing accommodation without overwhelming your child (or yourself)
• What to say to yourself in the moment when it feels like you're "the bad guy"

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Emily Bailey / Atlanta OCD and Anxiety Treatment, LLC
• Learn more about SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)
• Book a free consult with Integrated Behavioral Health: Schedule here
• Integrated Behavioral Health website: integratedbhs.com
• Sign up for the IBH newsletter: Subscribe here

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.