You know that moment in the middle of the night, when everything feels worse and the same thoughts keep spinning around and around in your head. This episode speaks straight into that space. I’m talking about self-compassion. Not the fluffy kind, but the kind that actually helps when guilt, shame, or regret feel stuck to you.

I explore how shame keeps pain trapped, especially for parents who are struggling with distance or estrangement with their child. How the story you tell yourself can subtly shape every message, every silence, every reaction, and why beating yourself up doesn’t help you heal or show up more clearly.

We talk about the difference between feeling pain and drowning in it, why slipping back into old patterns doesn’t mean you’ve failed, and how growth is often messy, uneven, and very human.

I also guide you through a simple reflection you can use when that inner voice shows up - one that creates a little more space, a little more kindness, and a way forward that doesn’t rely on punishment.

Your hand hovers over your phone, as you're about to send another message to your child. You tell yourself it's just checking in, but underneath there's a question you don't want to ask: what if this pushes them further away?

This episode is about the difference between parenting from peace and parenting from fear.

When you don't hear from your adult child often, every message feels like it might be your last chance to keep the connection. But while the underlying fear might sound like care to you, your child can feel the truth behind it.

You'll hear Mark's story about sending daily messages to his daughter, thinking he was being present, until he noticed his hands were shaking every time he pressed send.

We explore how fear lives in your body first, how your child picks up on that pressure even through a text, and why parenting from peace means staying connected to yourself before you reach out. If you've ever wondered whether you're connecting or just trying to ease your own panic, this episode is for you.

You've drafted the message. Your fingers hover over send. Part of you thinks this is your only chance. Another part knows it might make things worse. This episode is about knowing when to speak, and when not to.

When you don't hear from your adult child that often, the pressure builds to say everything at once. But some moments just don't have room for what you need to say. We explore:

• how timing isn't about politeness, it’s about creating space
• how your tone reveals what's happening inside you more than your words ever could
• and why knowing what you actually want from the conversation makes all the difference

You'll hear Karen's story about waiting three months for the right moment, and why that patience created the opening her daughter needed to actually listen.

If this episode helped, feel free to share it with someone who might need it.