The Child Psych Podcast

When the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan Shapiro was simply looking for something meaningful to do with his son. What began as an after-school chess club quickly turned into an unexpected journey that challenged everything he thought he knew about intelligence, learning, and what it really means to help a child thrive.In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with Dan, author of Decoding Genius: The Unexpected Lessons of After-School Chess Club, to explore the remarkable lessons hidden within one of the world's oldest games. Driven by his son's growing passion for chess, Dan immersed himself in the fascinating history and science of the game, uncovering stories of blindfold chess masters, child prodigies, remarkable feats of memory, and the surprising reasons cultures around the world have long viewed chess as a powerful tool for developing the mind.But this conversation isn't really about raising chess champions.It's about raising children who can think ahead, tolerate frustration, recover from mistakes, embrace challenge, and discover the quiet confidence that comes from mastering something difficult. Together, Tania and Dan explore why meaningful struggle is essential for healthy development, how chess strengthens executive functioning and emotional regulation, and what every parent can learn from a simple game played across a checkered board.In this episode, you'll learn:How one family's pandemic chess journey became a lesson in resilience, confidence, and connection.Why chess develops much more than strategic thinking.The fascinating history of chess and why it has captivated brilliant minds for centuries.How children build executive functioning through planning, pattern recognition, and decision-making.Why mistakes, setbacks, and losing are essential ingredients for growth.How parents can foster curiosity, perseverance, and a love of learning without creating pressure to perform.Why the greatest lessons children learn through chess have very little to do with winning.Whether your child is already a chess enthusiast or has never played a single game, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about challenge, mastery, and the hidden moments that shape a child's developing mind.                                                                          Dan Shapiro is an author, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of learning and human potential. Inspired by his son's journey into competitive chess during the COVID-19 pandemic, he wrote Decoding Genius to explore the surprising ways chess develops resilience, creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.To learn more about Dan or to purchase Decoding Genius: The Unexpected Lessons of After-School Chess Club, click here.

Your teenager barely leaves their room. They're gaming for hours, avoiding school, pushing every button, and every conversation ends in an argument. You've tried consequences. You've tried backing off. You've tried talking, therapy, and taking devices away. Yet nothing seems to change.If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with family therapist Dr. Scott Sells, author of Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager, to discuss what parents can do when they feel like they've lost both their authority and their connection with their teen.Rather than focusing on quick fixes, Dr. Sells explains why so many families become trapped in cycles of conflict and power struggles. Together, they explore how anxiety, gaming, depression, trauma, entitlement, and family dynamics often become intertwined, making it difficult for parents to know where to begin. Most importantly, Dr. Sells offers practical strategies that help parents step out of constant battles and begin leading their families with both confidence and compassion.This conversation is filled with hope for parents who feel exhausted, discouraged, or afraid that it's too late to reconnect with their teenager.In this episode, you'll learn:The first thing parents should stop doing when their teen seems completely checked out.Why power struggles around screens often make the problem worse.How to stay calm when your teen knows exactly how to push your buttons.The difference between treating the behavior and understanding what's driving it.Practical screen boundaries that reduce conflict instead of escalating it.How to rebuild motivation, responsibility, and hope in a teenager who seems to have given up.Why healthy parenting isn't about choosing between love or limits—it's about learning how to provide both at the same time.Whether you're parenting a teen who is struggling with gaming, anxiety, school refusal, depression, or constant conflict, this episode offers practical tools and a fresh perspective to help you move from surviving each day to rebuilding your relationship—and your confidence as a parent.About Dr. Scott SellsDr. Scott Sells is an internationally recognized psychologist, family therapist, speaker, and the creator of the evidence-based Parenting with Love and Limits® model. For more than 30 years, he has helped families navigate some of the most challenging adolescent behaviours, including defiance, aggression, school refusal, anxiety, depression, substance use, and technology-related conflict. His practical, compassionate approach has helped thousands of parents rebuild both authority and connection with their teens.To learn more about Dr. Sells, click here or to purchase Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager: 8 Strategies to Reestablish Authority and Reclaim Love, click here.

For years, parents have been told to talk to their children about their feelings. But what if talking isn't always what children need most?In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson challenge one of today's most common parenting messages. While emotional literacy is incredibly important, there are moments when constantly asking children how they feel can unintentionally keep them stuck in their emotions instead of helping them move through them.Tammy and Tania explore the difference between acknowledging feelings and over-focusing on them. They discuss why children need more than conversations—they need co-regulation, play, movement, connection, and opportunities to experience competence. You'll learn when to lean into emotional conversations, when to simply be present, and how to help children build resilience without making every difficult moment the center of attention.If you've ever wondered, "Am I talking about feelings too much?" this episode offers a balanced, compassionate perspective grounded in attachment, neuroscience, and child development.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why talking about feelings isn't always the most effective intervention.• The difference between validating emotions and unintentionally reinforcing them.• When children need connection instead of conversation.• How play, movement, and co-regulation help children process difficult emotions.• Why emotional resilience comes from experiencing feelings—not avoiding them or over-analyzing them.• Practical ways to respond when your child is upset without turning every moment into a therapy session.This conversation isn't about talking less with your child—it's about knowing when words help, when presence matters more, and how to support children in ways that foster lasting emotional health.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with Dr. Daniel Amen, physician, double board-certified psychiatrist, founder of Amen Clinics, and author of *Raising Mentally Strong Kids", for a powerful conversation about children’s brain health.Dr. Amen explains why we need to shift the way we talk about “mental health” and begin thinking more deeply about brain health. He shares how children’s brains are shaped by everyday choices — including nutrition, sleep, movement, screens, stress, connection, substances, and the environments they grow up in.Together, Tammy and Dr. Amen explore how parents can teach children to love and care for their brains, rather than simply nagging them about what not to do. They discuss practical ways to support children with ADHD, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and low resilience by looking at the brain and body as deeply connected systems.In this episode, we discuss:▪️ Why “mental health” is really brain health▪️ How brain health impacts anxiety, ADHD, mood, learning, and resilience▪️ Why gut health matters for children’s emotional well-being▪️ The role of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and blood sugar regulation▪️ Why screens and social media can affect dopamine and motivation▪️ The importance of delaying smartphones and setting technology boundaries▪️ How sleep, movement, sunlight, and exercise support the developing brain▪️ Why connection, listening, and attachment help protect children’s mental health▪️ How parents can build “brain reserve” and resilience in their children▪️ What parents can do to model brain-healthy habits at homeDr. Amen reminds us that children make better choices when they understand their brains. When kids learn to ask, “Is this good for my brain or bad for it?” they begin to build a foundation for healthier decisions, stronger relationships, greater resilience, and lifelong well-being.This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, clinicians, and anyone who wants to help children grow strong, healthy brains.Dr. Daniel Amen is a physician, double board-certified psychiatrist, award-winning researcher, and founder of Amen Clinics, which has 11 locations across the United States. His mission is to end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health. Amen Clinics uses brain SPECT imaging as part of its clinical approach and reports having one of the world’s largest databases of brain scans related to behavior, with scans from patients across 155 countries. Dr. Amen is also a bestselling author whose work focuses on brain health, mental health, ADHD, anxiety, addiction, trauma, resilience, and helping families build healthier brains.

Why are so many autistic women missed in childhood? And what happens when a parent's journey to understand their child leads to a life-changing discovery about themselves?In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we welcome Julie M. Green, author of Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood, and Radical Acceptance. Julie shares her powerful story of parenting an autistic child, navigating a late autism diagnosis, and finally making sense of a lifetime of experiences that had never quite fit together.For many women, autism goes undiagnosed for decades. Traits are often misunderstood, hidden through masking, or mistaken for anxiety, perfectionism, sensitivity, or social difficulties. Julie's journey sheds light on the unique presentation of autism in women and girls, while offering hope for those seeking answers later in life.In this conversation, we explore:▪️ Autism in women and why so many girls are missed▪️ Late autism diagnosis and its emotional impact▪️ Parenting an autistic child▪️ Masking and autistic burnout▪️ Neurodiversity and self-acceptance▪️ Autism in families and generational autism▪️ Supporting autistic children and autistic parents▪️ Identity, belonging, and mental health▪️ What radical acceptance looks like after diagnosisWhether you're a parent of an autistic child, an educator, clinician, or someone wondering if you may be autistic yourself, this episode provides valuable insight into autism spectrum disorder, neurodivergence, parenting, and self-discovery.Julie's story is a powerful reminder that understanding ourselves can happen at any age—and that sometimes the people we love most help us find our way there.

Are well-meaning parenting phrases doing more harm than good?In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson unpack five common phrases many parents use every day—phrases like "Good job!" and "Be careful!"—and explore how they may unintentionally shape children's confidence, resilience, independence, and self-belief.While these phrases often come from a place of love and protection, research in child development suggests that the words we use matter. The goal isn't to make parents feel guilty—it's to become more intentional about the messages children receive about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them.Tammy and Tania discuss practical alternatives that encourage intrinsic motivation, problem-solving, emotional regulation, confidence, and healthy risk-taking. They explain why small shifts in language can have a powerful impact on children's long-term development and self-esteem.In this episode, you'll learn:▪️ Why "Good job!" may not be the praise children need most▪️What to say instead of "Be careful!"▪️ How language influences confidence, motivation, and resilience▪️Common parenting phrases that can unintentionally increase anxiety▪️ Simple communication strategies that foster emotional growth and independenceIf you've ever wondered how to raise confident, capable, and resilient children, this conversation will help you rethink some of the most common parenting advice and give you practical tools you can start using today.

Boys are struggling — academically, emotionally, socially, and developmentally. But what do boys actually need to grow into healthy, grounded, responsible young men?In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with Dr. Alan Hahn doctoral-level educator, founder of Iron Academy, and author of The Iron Academy, to explore the modern crisis facing boys and young men.Together, they discuss why so many boys are struggling in school, mental health, motivation, identity, and purpose — and what parents, educators, and communities can do to help. Dr. Hahn shares why boys need more than lectures or discipline. They need joy, community, accountability, identity, responsibility, and meaningful rites of passage.This conversation explores how we can help boys move from simply consuming to contributing — and why young men need trusted adults who will guide them with both love and high expectations.In this episode, we discuss:▪️ Why boys are struggling in today’s culture▪️ How schools may be failing to meet boys’ developmental needs▪️ The importance of joy, community, accountability, and identity▪️ Why boys need responsibility and opportunities to build competence▪️ How screens, pornography, gaming, and digital culture can shape identity▪️ The role of male mentorship and brotherhood▪️ Why rites of passage still matter▪️ How parents can create a family culture rooted in values▪️ Why boys need adults who delight in them, not just push themThis episode is an important conversation for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone who cares about helping boys become healthy, connected, purposeful young men.Dr. Alan Hahn is a doctoral-level educator, author, founder, and CEO of Iron Academy, a private all-male school in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving boys in grades 6–12. His work focuses on helping families and communities form boys into young men of character, responsibility, leadership, faith, and purpose.Through Iron Academy, Dr. Hahn has developed an educational and mentorship model rooted in intentional male formation, rites of passage, brotherhood, moral development, accountability, and service. His work addresses what he describes as a modern crisis of masculinity by helping boys develop a clear identity, a sense of responsibility, and a vision for becoming mature, virtuous men.To find out more, please click here: https://www.amazon.ca/Iron-Academy-Forging-Young-Fight/dp/B0FJ47PLM6

Why does your child fall apart over “nothing”—the wrong socks, a transition, a loud sound, or being asked to leave the house? In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco to unpack what may really be happening beneath those big reactions.Kathryn explains how children’s nervous systems are constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger, and why something as small as uncomfortable clothing, a rushed morning, or too much sensory input can become the “last straw.” Together, Tammy and Kathryn explore sensory processing, fight-or-flight responses, co-regulation, and how parents can become a calming cue of safety for their child.This conversation helps parents shift from asking, “Is my child being difficult?” to “What is my child’s nervous system trying to tell me?” You’ll learn how to spot patterns, respond in the moment, and support children who may experience the world as too much, not enough, or simply hard to process.In this episode, we discuss:▪️ Why meltdowns can happen over seemingly small things▪️ The connection between sensory processing and behaviour▪️ How children’s bodies label experiences as “safe” or “unsafe”▪️Why rushed mornings can trigger bigger reactions▪️How parents can use their voice, body language, and presence to cue safety▪️The difference between managing behaviour and listening to behaviour▪️When sensory challenges may be interfering with everyday life▪️Practical ways to help kids understand their brains, bodies, and emotionsAs Kathryn shares in the interview, children’s behaviours are often an “output” of what is happening inside the nervous system—and when parents understand this, they can respond with more curiosity, compassion, and confidence.Kathryn “Katie” Hamlin-Pacheco, M.S., OTR/L, ASDCS, is a pediatric occupational therapist, former teacher, author, and founder of the Brain Executive Program. She specializes in helping children and families understand sensory processing, regulation, and everyday neuroscience in simple, child-friendly ways. Kathryn is the author of How to Be a Brain Executive: And Get Sensory Sharp!, a practical workbook designed to help children better understand their sensory patterns and learn tools for daily life. She is also an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist and has training in Polyvagal Informed Practice, sensory integration, neuroscience, and child development.To learn more about Kathryn's Brain Executive Progam visit: https://www.brainexecutiveprogram.com/

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of infant loss, grief, and NICU trauma.Some stories change us forever.In this deeply moving episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we sit down with Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C, and Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C, therapists, mothers, and co-authors of Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience.What begins as a conversation about the NICU quickly becomes something much deeper.Mahaley courageously shares the story of her daughter, Saachi, and the unimaginable journey of becoming a mother while simultaneously facing the possibility of losing her child. She opens up about the hope, fear, heartbreak, and profound grief of leaving the hospital without her baby in her arms, and how that experience forever changed her life, her family, and her work.Together, Emily and Mahaley explore the emotional realities many NICU parents carry long after the monitors are turned off and the hospital stay is over. We discuss trauma, attachment, grief, resilience, and the often-unspoken experience of trying to make sense of a story you never expected to live.This conversation is for every parent who has sat beside a hospital bed praying for good news. For every family carrying the weight of medical trauma. For every mother or father learning how to hold both grief and love at the same time.While this episode touches on profound loss, it is ultimately a story about connection, meaning, and the enduring bond between parent and child. It is a reminder that every child's life matters, every story deserves to be told, and no family should have to carry their pain alone.Content Note: This episode includes discussion of infant loss, grief, and NICU trauma.Listen now for a powerful conversation about love, loss, healing, and the stories that stay with us forever.