“If I just try harder, my child wouldn't need this.” “I can exercise my way out of this depression.”

As parents, the pressure to "optimize" our families often turns us into "Human Doings" who are stuck in a state of high-alert. We treat clinical struggles as personal failures. But what if the path to a healthier family wasn't through perfection, but through balance?

In this episode of Kids These Days, Dr. Courtney sits down with Sara Nudd, PMHNP, founder of The Mama Co-op. Sara shares her incredible "in the trenches" journey from being a 21-year-old mom navigating a medical crisis in the pre-internet 90s to becoming an expert in pediatric and maternal mental health. We dive deep into the science of ADHD medication, the safety of maternal mental health support during pregnancy, and why Good Enough parenting is actually the gold standard.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. The Internet Gap: Navigating medical crises in the 90s vs. the information overload of parenting today.
2. Data vs. Connection: Why your child’s behavior is a more important "data point" than any app or thermometer.
3. The Inhaler Reframe: Why mental health medication is a tool for regulation, much like an asthma inhaler is a tool for breathing.
4. ADHD Simplified: How stimulants balance dopamine and norepinephrine to support (not change) the existing brain structure.
5. Maternal Mental Health & Pregnancy: The evidence-based truth about staying stable on medication while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
6. The 100% Mistake Guarantee: Why making mistakes—and the repair that follows—is more vital for your child than doing it "perfectly."

Remember: you don't have to be perfect to be a great parent, we are all learning about how to raise kids these days.

Links & Resources:

1. The Mama Co-Op: Learn more about Sara’s practice and parent coaching at The Mama Co-Op Website
2. Postpartum Support International: PSI Website– A vital resource for perinatal mental health.
3. Ollie’s Branch: Support for families navigating congenital heart defects at Ollie’s Branch Website
4. Instagram: Follow @integratedbh for more "Inside-Out" reflections.
5. Work with IBH: Book a complimentary 15-minute consultation at www.integratedbhs.com

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.