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What if your child isn’t “difficult” — just wired differently?

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jessie Stern, assistant professor of psychology at Pomona College and co-author of Beyond Difficult, to break down what attachment theory really means, how child temperament works, and why so much parenting advice oversimplifies complex human behavior.

We talk about secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles — what they are, what they aren’t, and why they’re not permanent labels. Dr. Stern explains how attachment forms through early relationships, how it can change over time, and why attachment styles are adaptive strategies, not diagnoses.

We also explore why children are often born with distinct temperaments, including sensitivity and emotional reactivity, and how parents can respond without shame or self-blame. This conversation is especially helpful for parents raising highly sensitive kids or navigating emotional regulation when both parent and child are overwhelmed.

This episode covers:

• The science behind attachment theory and parenting
• Why temperament is largely innate — and how environment shapes outcomes
• Emotional regulation strategies for parents and kids
• The neuroscience of “mom brain” and parenthood
• Why attachment parenting trends don’t always reflect attachment research
• How community and support impact parenting and mental health

A must-listen for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone interested in child development, attachment, and evidence-based parenting.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Guest: Dr. Jessie Stern, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Pomona College
Co-author of Beyond Difficult: An Attachment-Based Guide to Dealing with Challenging People
Instagram: @drjessiestern | @australianpsychologist

Topics Covered:

• Attachment theory explained (secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
• Nature vs. nurture in child behavior
• Sensitive children and emotional regulation
• Parenting without shame or labels
• Brain changes in parenthood
• Why community matters more than perfection

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Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

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In this episode, we sit down with Olivia Howell, CEO and co-founder of Fresh Starts, the world’s first divorce registry and divorce education platform, to talk honestly about divorce, emotional abuse, financial control, and what women actually need before, during, and after separation.

Olivia shares her personal story of leaving an emotionally abusive marriage, becoming a single mother of two, and rebuilding her life — not through shame or secrecy, but through support, education, and community. We unpack why emotional abuse is often invisible, how gaslighting and financial control slowly erode self-trust, and why so many women don’t recognize abuse until years into a relationship.

We also explore why divorce is one of the most misunderstood life transitions, especially for mothers. Olivia explains why “just leave” advice is often dangerous, how lack of access to money keeps women stuck, and why divorce education is frequently gatekept behind legal and financial barriers.

This episode covers:

• Financial abuse, surveillance, and control inside marriage
• How Fresh Starts connects women to divorce coaches, financial analysts, mediators, and co-parenting support
• Why divorce isn’t a failure — but a transition that can lead to stability and clarity and an amazing co-parenting relationship

This conversation is essential listening for anyone navigating divorce, separation, emotional abuse, financial independence, single motherhood, or co-parenting, as well as friends and family who want to better support someone going through it.

divorce podcast, emotional abuse, financial abuse in marriage, divorce support for women, single motherhood, life after divorce, co-parenting, divorce education, gaslighting, domestic inequity, married single mom, women and divorce, abusive relationships, Fresh Starts divorce, divorce recovery, modern motherhood, coparenting

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Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

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Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

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From NICU trauma to a homestead with donkeys—and a construction empire bringing in $6 million in a single month. Angela Artymovich’s story is the kind of entrepreneurial rollercoaster moms rarely get to hear told honestly. In this raw and deeply human conversation, Angela shares how becoming a NICU mom, battling HELLP syndrome, and navigating four miscarriages changed her life, her marriage, and her career path.

She opens up about launching a reselling business with a newborn at home, scaling multiple construction companies with her husband, and eventually walking away from the reselling world to build companies that now generate more than $6M this month alone.

Angela also talks about the unexpected joy of homesteading, raising two boys, learning to love slowness, and redefining ambition outside the algorithm. Her story is packed with real-life advice for moms trying to build something of their own while holding the tenderness and chaos of motherhood.

This episode touches on: NICU trauma recovery, HELLP syndrome, emergency C-sections, infertility and recurrent miscarriage, navigating identity shifts as a mom, growing a construction business, homesteading life, content creation pivots, and how to trust yourself when your whole life is changing.

Learn more about Angela on Tiktok

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

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In today’s conversation, we sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel (@drrachelnyc) to unpack something so many of us wrestle with but rarely name out loud: food noise—that constant mental chatter about eating that overwhelms our cues, our joy, and our presence. We explore why this noise gets especially loud during postpartum and perimenopause, and why obesity is a complex metabolic disease, not a willpower issue. Dr. Rachel breaks down how GLP-1 medications, paired with cognitive behavioral tools, can quiet the shame spiral, restore choice, and shift our actual health markers in meaningful ways.

We also get into the messy middle of motherhood and womanhood—body comments, shifting hormones, boundary-setting, and the emotional whiplash of not feeling at home in your own body. Dr. Rachel offers quick scripts for shutting down unwanted commentary (perfect for the holidays), guidance for talking to kids about bodies with compassion and clarity, and concrete ways a quieter mind frees up space for strength training, protein-forward meals, hydration, sleep, and simply living with more ease. If you’re navigating postpartum changes, perimenopause, or the heavy mental load around food, this episode brings both science and soul.

Links & Resources

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You can learn more about Dr. Rachel on her website and give her a follow on Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love for you to rate, follow, share, and leave a review. It helps more listeners find the show—and I always love hearing what resonated most with you. ❤️

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Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

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Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

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A quiet panic at the hospital exit changed everything. Michelle thought she had done everything right—researched the “best” infant seat, checked every box—and still drove away with a major mistake she didn’t catch until a stranger gently intervened. That moment became the blueprint for Safe in the Seat, a judgment-free space that helps parents turn car-seat anxiety into everyday confidence.

We dig into the numbers and the nuance: why over 70% of inspected seats have serious errors, how the same install can be right in one car and wrong in another, and where to actually find certified child passenger safety technicians near you. Michelle explains the biggest transition most families underestimate—moving from a five-point harness to a booster—and why maturity, not just age, drives that decision. If your kid slumps, wiggles, or can’t manage the buckle, you’re not behind; you’re learning the signs that keep the seat belt where it protects best.

Real life shows up in the school pickup line and on the jet bridge. We share simple ways to practice fast, calm buckling, tools for little hands that struggle with release buttons, and the one choice that saves sanity on hectic days: pull over, reset, then roll. We also talk travel truths: the risks of renting car seats, what to consider before trusting cleaning hacks, and why FAA-recommended car seats on planes matter for turbulence, not doomsday. When kids outgrow restraints on board, learn how to check lap belt fit so they stay secure in the cabin.

Threaded through the safety talk is a story about resilience and redefinition. Michelle built a mission-driven business during a divorce and the pandemic, filming courses in her sister’s living room and meeting parents where they actually are—on their phones, in DMs, and on the way out of the hospital. The tone is clear: no shame, just better choices with better information. If you’ve ever wondered whether your setup is truly safe, or how to know when to switch stages, this conversation will leave you with answers you can use today.

If this helped, follow and share with a parent who needs a confidence boost, subscribe for more practical guidance, and leave a review to tell us your biggest car-seat question—we’ll tackle it next.

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

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Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/

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What happens when a parenting journalist becomes a parent and the plan falls apart mid-pregnancy? Julia Dennison joins us with a story that’s equal parts raw and reassuring: an affair discovered while expecting, a divorce before the first birthday, and a co-parenting journey shaped by clarity instead of control. We dig into what it takes to raise a nine-year-old in a world that still expects moms to be invisible, how to split the mental load without weaponized scorekeeping, and why the best logistics often look like a simple shared calendar and a face-to-face check-in.

Julia opens up about her daughter’s recent ADHD diagnosis and the reality behind the buzzwords: late recognition in girls, after-school meltdowns, masking in class, and the heavy lift required to secure an IEP or meaningful support. We talk costs, waitlists, neuropsych evaluations, and the painful equity gap that leaves too many kids behind. Along the way, she shares how a thoughtful step-parent can become an ally, why power dynamics deserve attention, and how to keep curiosity alive when one partner has “all the research.”

This conversation is a reminder that expertise only goes so far. Parenthood is less about perfect scripts and more about small, honest moves: meowing a kid to bed, eavesdropping on Barbie diplomacy, and choosing connection over control. You’ll hear practical ideas for co-parenting structures, advocacy in schools, and village-building that actually lightens the load. Most of all, you’ll feel a grounded kind of hope: the hard parts shift, the good parts deepen, and joy has a way of sneaking back in when we make room for it.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Your support helps keep these real conversations going.

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/

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Forget the viral outfits—this conversation goes inside the daily decisions that shape a family. We welcome Brandon Morgan, a stay-at-home dad in LA, to talk about the real work of leading from the background while his wife practices medicine, and why choosing public school became a valued decision with very real costs, maps, and magnets attached. If you’ve ever juggled morning chaos, worried about a school switch, or sat in the dark while a child falls asleep beside you, you’ll recognize this terrain.

Brandon walks us through the practical math that made staying home the obvious choice—childcare costs, part-time schedules, and the surprising relief of removing daily friction. He doesn’t sugarcoat the labor or the privilege, and he names the double standard that still greets involved dads with applause while overlooking mothers doing the same work. We dig into postpartum realities, the mental load, and the quiet pride that comes from packing lunches, making the pickup, and being the person school calls when a snack goes missing. Along the way, he shares small wins that add up: a morning checklist that actually works, after-school yogurt bowls that stave off meltdowns, and “two dinners” that keep the pantry raids at bay.

We also get candid about money—shared budgets, annual audits, and that complicated feeling when a side gig check shows up even after agreeing that worth isn’t tied to income. And yes, we talk bedtime. Co-sleeping, Calm stories, and why so many millennial parents end up lying beside their kids until they drift off. It’s not failure; it’s a season. Brandon’s advice to new dads is simple and strong: drop the ego, be present, and enjoy your kids. If you’re navigating school transitions, redefining masculinity, or just trying to make mornings smoother, this one will feel like a friend in your ear.

If this resonated, follow and share the show with a parent who could use a little relief. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what tradeoff made your family life work better?

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

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Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/

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What happens when a proudly private Gen X attorney agrees to become a mom—not because she always wanted to, but because it mattered to her partner?

In this episode, we sit down with L, aka @notactuallygolden, a civil rights attorney, TikTok legal explainer, and mom of a 13-year-old, who never planned on being a parent. L walks us through her winding road to motherhood—how she negotiated parenting terms like a lawyer, survived a brutal first year with a baby who projectile vomited daily, and why having an older child feels like finally meeting a new friend.

She’s also one of the clearest, calmest legal voices on TikTok breaking down the ongoing Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively case—and let’s just say, she’s not afraid to call out misinformation, no matter how viral it is.

We also dive into:

Why she’s never had Facebook (and never will)

Postpartum anxiety and the hidden side effects of hormonal IUDs

Splitting the mental load in a two-attorney household

TikTok doxxing drama, "mommy sleuth" labels, and what it's like being hated by Reddit

Whether you’re a reluctant parent, overthinker, introvert, or just someone who wants to feel seen—this one’s for you.

⚖️ She’s not here for the fluff. Just the truth.

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/