Episodes

  • Raising Confident Kids: Why Effort-Based Praise Matters More Than You Think [Ep 43]

    Raising Confident Kids: Why Effort-Based Praise Matters More Than You Think [Ep 43]
    Apr 2 2026

    Raising Confident Kids: Why Effort-Based Praise Matters More Than You Think

    Praise the Process: Compliments That Build Confident, Resilient Kids

    Michelle Barnett welcomes listeners to the Mommin’ podcast and shares why she created a community for moms. She explains how common compliments about looks or outcomes (“you’re so smart,” “you look beautiful”) can unintentionally teach kids that worth is tied to performance or appearance. Drawing from her own experience of achievement-based praise and a parenting book that resonated with her, she encourages praising effort, persistence, creativity, kindness, and character traits children can control. She provides many example compliments focused on process and who a child is becoming, warns that parents’ self-talk about insecurities can influence kids, and challenges moms to give one or two specific, character-based compliments daily. She invites listeners to download the compliment list on Mommin’ Instagram/Facebook and asks for shares, ratings, reviews, and feedback.

    0:00 Welcome to Mommin’ Together

    00:29 Why Praise Matters

    00:50 Process Over Outcomes

    02:32 Effort Based Compliments

    03:33 Beyond Appearance Praise

    04:29 20 Character Boosters

    06:01 Daily Praise Challenge

    07:07 Wrap Up and Share



    Connect with Michelle:

    • Mommin’ Together Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mommin_together/⁠

    • Michelle Barnett Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michelle_barnett_/⁠

    • Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484794095771993⁠

    • Podcast on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommin-together/id1787094979

    Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hn6cFLziITGVFuSXiI4ty?si=6c7abc0f099f4230
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • Does My Child Need Speech Therapy? Everything Moms Need to Know About Signs, Airway Issues & Therapy Options with Kim Gray [Ep 42]

    Does My Child Need Speech Therapy? Everything Moms Need to Know About Signs, Airway Issues & Therapy Options with Kim Gray [Ep 42]
    Mar 18 2026
    Speech Therapy 101 for Moms: Signs, Timing, School Services, and Airway Links Host Michelle Barnett introduces the Mommin’ Together podcast and interviews licensed speech language pathologist Kim about what speech therapy is and when kids may need it. Kim shares her background, describes pediatric domains including articulation, receptive and expressive language, social language, stuttering (developmental vs. persistent), and feeding/swallowing, and highlights early signs such as limited babbling or vocabulary, not responding to sounds or name, hearing issues, and communication-related frustration. They discuss “late talkers,” developmental sound norms (most sounds by age five), and how airway issues (sleep apnea signs, palate shape, mouth breathing, snoring, teeth grinding, bedwetting) can affect attention, growth, and speech, sometimes addressed with scans, expanders, and tie revisions. Kim compares private vs. school-based therapy eligibility and models, notes homeschool/private-school access to public services in Texas, explains variable therapy duration, suggests at-home language-building strategies, and provides ways to connect via Teach Speech ETX resources.00:00 Welcome to Mommin Together00:48 Meet Kim the SLP01:15 Kim’s Path to Speech Therapy04:06 What Speech Therapy Covers07:29 Stuttering and Feeding Basics11:03 Early Signs to Watch14:58 Late Talker or Delay17:09 Cute Mispronunciations and Norms20:06 Airway Issues and Oral Exam26:08 Airway Resources and Growth30:49 Starting Early vs Later33:22 Private vs School Services33:43 Private Therapy Options34:52 School Eligibility Cutoffs37:17 Group Versus One On One38:49 Services Without Enrollment40:24 Requesting Evaluations Right43:04 Homeschool Outpatient Programs45:03 How Long Therapy Takes49:11 Home Language Routines54:35 When To Get Evaluated56:12 Apps Tools And Contact01:01:14 Mom Mindset And Presence01:04:52 Final Encouragement OutroConnect with KimKim Gray, a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist through the Texas State Board of Examiners and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). I have extensive experience over the last 15 years with supporting children ages 2–18. I specialize in articulation, language development, social communication, identification of orofacial myofunctional disorders, family-centered therapy, and advocacy for school based services. I am a wife, and a mom to two beautiful children, and an avid dog lover/ rescuer and foster. Teach Speech ETX Website http://teachspeechetx.comTeach Speech Phone: 903-521-5368Resources: Free Developmental Milestones Checklist: https://www.facebook.com/teachspeechetxGet Speech Therapy Through a School - Texas Project First: https://texasprojectfirst.org/Speech Therapy Apps: For articulation:1. Speech tutor 2. Articulate it 3. Articulation station hive.4. Articulation games 5. Speech box For language: Speak easy Speech blubsPok pokMy words For visual schedules: Choiceworks ReadysetEast Texas Airway Specialists:Beyond Pediatrics DentistryEast Texas Orofacial MyologyDr. Tad MorganDr. Evans - Healthier SmilesMosaic DentistryDr. Capps OrthodontistAirway Educators on Instagram:Oral Motor InstituteBreathe_instituteRestorateive_myoAskthedentistConnect with Michelle:Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together @Michelle_Barnett_ Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Sourdough Simplified: Why Sourdough is Trending With Moms (History, Health Benefits & Beginner Tips)

    Sourdough Simplified: Why Sourdough is Trending With Moms (History, Health Benefits & Beginner Tips)
    Mar 11 2026

    Sourdough Simplified: Why Sourdough is Trending With Moms (History, Health Benefits & Beginner Tips)


    Host Michelle Barnett welcomes listeners to the Mommin’ Together podcast and introduces a conversation on sourdough’s resurgence in mom culture, exploring its history, benefits, myths, and realism for busy families. Guest Michala Petersen, a former pharmacist and Nebraska ranch mom of four, shares how she began teaching sourdough workshops in 2020 and has since taught over 3,000 people, emphasizing simplicity, grace, and community. They discuss why moms are drawn to sourdough, its ancient origins in Egypt, and health-related claims including digestion, mineral absorption, glycemic impact, and misconceptions about store-bought “sourdough.” Michala addresses gluten questions, starter (“mother”) basics, travel and maintenance tips, and myth-busting around complexity and time, plus the value of homemade gifting and a faith-based motherhood encouragement.


    00:00 Welcome to Mommin Together

    00:29 Why Sourdough Everywhere

    01:02 Meet Michala Petersen

    02:03 Workshops and Busy Life

    03:56 Why Moms Love It

    08:21 Kids and Kitchen Wins

    09:29 Ancient Sourdough History

    12:18 Health Benefits and Myths

    16:06 Gluten Free Questions

    20:04 Milling Grains and Hacks

    23:38 What Is the Mother

    25:41 Potato Water Secrets

    27:15 Norma’s Tiny House Bakery

    28:20 Sourdough Myths Busted

    30:21 Starter Storage and Travel

    31:36 Fail Forward Lessons

    35:26 Busy Mom Baking Timeline

    38:52 Why Sourdough Is Trending

    41:51 Homemade Gifts That Matter

    43:55 Simplest Way to Start

    45:13 Workshops and Online Options

    48:41 Mom Hacks and Wrap Up


    Meet Michala:

    Michala Petersen is a feisty pharmacist from Minden, NE. Michala graduated from University of Nebraska College of Pharmacy in 2006 and thought that being a community pharmacist was her calling. She was introduced to Juice Plus+ in August of 2014 and quickly realized the impact she could have as a prevention medicine ambassador. Michala became a National Marketing Director with the Juice Plus+ Company in January of 2016 and is enjoying being a full time homeschooling Juice Plus+ Mama! She and her husband, Mark, live on a ranch with their 4 crazy kiddos ages 17, 16, 14, and 12 so life is never dull. In her spare time, Michala enjoys spending time with friends and family, checking cattle, spending time at the lake, teaching sourdough workshops, and inspiring healthy living in any way to avoid laundry folding!

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michala.petersen.35

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

    Simply Sourdough Facebook Group:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/3126382477594691


    To Purchase the Sourdough on Demand Workshop: Email: mommintogetherpodcast@gmail Subject: Sourdough On Demand


    Connect with Michelle:

    Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together ⁠

    @Michelle_Barnett_ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michelle_barnett_/⁠

    Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • Closing the Postpartum Gap: A Better Way to Do Postpartum Recovery with Dr. Ashleigh Peterson [Ep 40]

    Closing the Postpartum Gap: A Better Way to Do Postpartum Recovery with Dr. Ashleigh Peterson [Ep 40]
    Mar 4 2026
    Closing the Postpartum Gap: A Better Way to Do Postpartum Recovery with Dr. Ashleigh Peterson [Ep 40]Host Michelle Barnett welcomes listeners to the Mommin’ Together podcast and introduces a conversation with Dr. Ashleigh Peterson, a doctorate-prepared nurse, holistic postpartum coach, and Christian mom of three, about the “postpartum gap” in U.S. care compared with other countries. Ashleigh shares her background in PICU, postpartum nursing, and women’s health, why she started Worthy Women coaching, and how U.S. postpartum care often centers on a brief 6-week checkup with limited emotional and spiritual support. They discuss longer maternity leave and home support abroad, the importance of pelvic floor physical therapy, depression screening limits, and building community through church and mom groups. Ashleigh offers simple preparation steps like diaphragmatic breathing, education, breath prayers, nutrition basics, sleep hygiene, accepting help, and reframing identity in Christ, plus resources including her program Revitalize Your Postpartum, 1:1 coaching, and her book Third Trimester Prep.00:00 Welcome to Mommin Together00:29 Why Postpartum Support Matters01:24 Meet Dr Ashleigh Peterson02:02 Her Nursing Journey03:42 From Provider to Coach04:45 US vs Global Postpartum Care11:33 The Six Week Checkup Gap14:57 Pelvic Floor and Physical Recovery16:09 Emotional and Spiritual Health20:15 Finding Resources and Community22:59 Identity in Christ as a Mom27:51 Simple Postpartum Prep Tips32:22 Breath Prayers and Birth Mindset34:56 Grace Surrender and Trials37:22 Postpartum Nutrition Basics38:44 Easy Food Prep Ideas41:40 Protein Balls and Smoothies43:14 Sleep When Baby Sleeps44:23 Sleep Hygiene and Support47:58 Biblical Rest Mindset51:02 Planning a Gentle Postpartum54:17 Encouragement for Surviving Moms56:56 Finding Support and Programs01:02:53 Nature as a Mom Hack01:05:31 Postpartum Cramping Warning01:08:54 Final Wrap and Call to ShareConnect with Ashleigh: I'm Dr. Ashleigh Peterson DNP, FNP-BC, otherwise known as Dr. Ash. I am a Christian, a wife to Tyler, a mama to three littles, a nurse practitioner, an entrepreneur for my business Worthy Women, a certified pre & postnatal fitness specialist, a weight loss coach, a holistic postpartum coach, a nursing professor, and a women's health and wellness speaker. My mission is to empower women's wellness in Christ. Instagram: @liveworthywomenWebsite: www.liveworthywomen.comPromo code on my website for 20% my On-Your-Time programs, Revitalize Your Postpartum and Grace & Glow Suite: MOMTOGETHER20Resources: Ashley’s Book: Third Trimester Prep: Preparing Your Mind, Body and Spirit for PostpartumBreath Beads: https://www.breath-beads.com/Diaphragmatic Breathing: https://youtube.com/shorts/z7BgBmaXl7k360 Breathing: https://youtube.com/shorts/-li8niRlgEY Bridget Teyler on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWeCrulKjk Lily Nichols Real Food for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/4cHCNPlAfterEase for After Birth Contractions: https://amzn.to/4u0TifzConnect with Michelle:Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together @Michelle_Barnett_ ⁠Join our⁠ ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Navigating Big Emotions in Kids (and Moms): Co-Regulation, Repair, Emotional Resilience and Inviting God Into Parenting with Alisha Ferrell [Ep 39]

    Navigating Big Emotions in Kids (and Moms): Co-Regulation, Repair, Emotional Resilience and Inviting God Into Parenting with Alisha Ferrell [Ep 39]
    Feb 18 2026
    Michelle interviews licensed professional counselor Alisha Ferrell about helping kids (and moms) navigate big emotions. Alisha defines emotional regulation as noticing, understanding, and managing emotions in healthy ways, emphasizing that “regulated” doesn’t mean always calm and that parents’ nervous systems affect their children’s. They discuss common triggers for parents, including depleted needs (HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, tired), personality differences, attachment dynamics, and how past trauma can be stored in the body and reactivated in parenting. Practical tools covered include co-regulation (staying calm, getting on a child’s level, naming emotions, and being present instead of quickly redirecting), movement and play for kids, breath work, fidgets, somatic/body-based practices, stillness via the Pause App, and building margin. They highlight the importance of repair after escalation, creating an open-door culture where emotions are welcome, and modeling honest emotional expression as parents. The conversation also addresses nutritional and health supports. Spiritually, they talk about emotions as God-designed, Jesus as a model for emotional life, using Scripture (Psalms, Hebrews), inviting the Holy Spirit into hard moments, surrendering children to God, and relying on community. Alisha shares signs counseling may help, mentions EMDR as a trauma tool, and recommends the Raising Boys and Girls resources and the book The Worry-Free Parent. Alisha’s mom hack is a nighttime potty-training bathroom trip, and her parenting aim is to delight in her kids. The episode closes by encouraging moms to pause, invite God in, repair when needed, and remember that emotional safety in the home starts with the parent and that parenting is sanctifying work.00:00 Welcome + Today’s Topic: Kids’ Big Emotions02:35 Meet the Guest: Counselor & Mom Alisha Ferrell05:54 What Emotional Regulation Really Means (and Why It’s Hard)10:18 Tools to Name Feelings: Wheels, Posters & Tangible Aids11:23 Why Kids Trigger Us: HALT, Wiring, Attachment & Trauma17:34 Why It Peaks Around Age 3: Development, Autonomy & Tantrums21:18 Co-Regulation in Action: Staying Calm, Validating, Not Fixing24:28 Why Yelling Back Makes It Worse24:53 De-escalating a Meltdown: Calm Voice, Calm Hands, Even Whispering25:54 When You Mess Up: The Power of Repair & Apologizing to Your Kids26:53 In-the-Moment Regulation Tools: HALT, Breathwork, and Somatic Resets30:13 Build Margin: Stillness, the Pause App, and Why We’re So Easily Triggered31:23 Helping Kids Regulate: Movement, Play, and “Run a Lap” Resets32:32 Supplements & Hormones: Lab Work, Theanine/GABA, and Cycle Tracking34:51 Inviting God Into Emotional Healing: Jesus, Psalms, and Surrendering Your Kids40:19 Counseling, Trauma Triggers, and EMDR Explained44:03 Wrap-Up: Mom Hack, and Final EncouragementAbout AlishaAlisha is an LPC at Living Well Holistic Counseling and Wellness Center in Tyler, Texas. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a Master’s degree in Biblical Counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary. She has many years of therapy experience with families, women, teens, and children and is also an LPC-Supervisor and EMDR trained. Alisha holds a certification in Perinatal Mental Health as she is passionate about walking alongside women through the childbearing years. -Website: Living Well Living Well IG Alisha IG Resources: -The Bible-the Pause App -The Raising Boys and Girls Podcast -The Worry-Free Parent (David Thomas and Sissy Goff) -Raising Emotionally Strong Boys (David Thomas) -Raising Worry-Free Girls (Sissy Goff) -EMDR-Emotions Wheel pillow (Amazon) -Emotions books Grumpy Monkey, I am a Tornado, Tacos Fall Apart, Even Superheroes Have a Bad Day, Sometimes I’m a Bombaloo Theanine with Gaba or Gaba Calm suppsConnect with Michelle:IG: ⁠@Mommin_Together @Michelle_Barnett_ Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠
    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • For the Love of Midwifery: Home Birth, VBAC, and Informed Birth Choices with The Midwife Colleen Shulenberger [Ep 38]

    For the Love of Midwifery: Home Birth, VBAC, and Informed Birth Choices with The Midwife Colleen Shulenberger [Ep 38]
    Feb 4 2026
    For the Love of Midwifery: Home Birth, VBAC, and Informed Birth Choices with The Midwife Colleen Shulenberger [Ep 38]​​In this episode of the Mommin' Together podcast, host Michelle Barnett sits down with midwife Colleen to discuss various aspects of home birth and midwifery care. Topics covered include the differences between personalized midwifery care and the conventional medical model, water birth, VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), advanced maternal age, and managing high-risk situations such as breech presentation and placenta previa. Colleen shares her personal journey into midwifery, the benefits of laboring in water, safety considerations for VBAC and home births, and the importance of informed choice and individualized care in motherhood.00:00 Welcome to the Mommin' Together Podcast01:05 Introduction to Midwife Colleen and Her Journey05:25 The Philosophy and Practice of Midwifery12:14 Preparing for a Home Birth27:31 The Experience and Benefits of Water Birth29:53 Understanding Baby's First Breaths in Water Birth32:10 The Role of Microbiome in Birth33:24 The Benefits and Comfort of Water Birth35:57 High-Risk Pregnancy Considerations42:04 VBAC: Safety and Considerations48:25 The Timing of Birth: 40 to 42 Weeks50:48 Midwifery Practices and Legal Considerations52:28 Final Thoughts and Motherhood AdviceConnect with Colleen: Colleen Shulenberger is a licensed, professional certified midwife who has been serving growing families in East Texas for more than a decade. Her practice, The Midwife, offers prenatal, home birth and postpartum care as well as classes to help prepare couples for welcoming their little ones. Colleen has a moderate to severe coffee obsession, loves being outdoors, and enjoys reading and studying. She is a very blessed wife of 19 years to Jacob and mama to Autumn, Norah, Shawn and Callan and one more on the way. Instagram: @_themidwife_@coll_themidwifeFacebook: facebook.com/TheMidwife.coWebsite: themidwife.coListener offer: Colleen would be happy to offer a free birth class to a listener for July due date or beyond within 2026. Can be given to a family member/friend. Email to coordinate. Resources: BooksThe Birth Partner By Penny SimpkinPregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Penny SimpkinDr. William Sears collection of parenting, baby, pregnancy books A Sacred Beginning by Sarah BrangwynneThe First 40 Days by Heng OuPraying through the Bible for your kids by Nancy Guthrie Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman Websites/ResourcesEvidencedBasedBirth.comACOG.orgPostpartum.netSpinningBabies.comRisenMotherhood.comBirthing Instincts Podcast VBAC study/statistics of rupture https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00840-7/fulltextVBAC Resources https://www.thevbaclink.com/Evidence and discussion on midwifery https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2822%2900799-2/fulltextTypes of Midwives and practice model https://midwife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Midwifery-Evidence-Based-Practice.pdfEvidence on Waterbirth https://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/Connect with Michelle:Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together @Michelle_Barnett_ ⁠Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • Infertility, Adoption, and Faith: Trusting God’s Plan & How to Create Family Core Values [Ep 37]

    Infertility, Adoption, and Faith: Trusting God’s Plan & How to Create Family Core Values [Ep 37]
    Jan 28 2026

    Infertility, Adoption, and Faith: Trusting God’s Plan & How to Create Family Core Values


    In this heartfelt episode of the Mommin' Together podcast, host Michelle Barnett sits down with Jill Hickerson to discuss her journey through infertility, adoption, and beyond. Jill shares her story of trusting God's guidance toward adoption, her experiences raising two adopted daughters, and the joys and challenges that come with it. The conversation also covers the significance of creating a family core value statement and its impact on children as they grow. Jill's insights offer hope and encouragement for moms everywhere, reinforcing the belief that motherhood and community are better together.


    00:00 Welcome to the Mommin' Together Podcast

    00:30 Introducing Jill Hickerson: A Journey Through Adoption

    01:36 Early Influences and God's Plan

    03:43 The Path to Adoption: Challenges and Faith

    08:43 The Arrival of Haleigh: A Joyful Moment

    12:48 Welcoming Hannah: A Premature Adoption

    17:51 Biblical Inspirations and Adoption Stories

    21:24 Navigating the Emotional Highs and Lows

    23:46 Talking to Children About Adoption

    26:51 Respecting Haley and Hannah's Story

    27:10 The Evolution of Adoption Practices

    28:36 Adoption in the Next Generation

    29:12 Challenges and Blessings in Adoption

    36:26 Creating a Family Motto

    44:04 Bedtime Conversations: A Parenting Hack

    47:58 Final Thoughts and Encouragement



    Connect with Jill:

    Instagram: @jillhickerson https://www.instagram.com/jillhickerson/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.h.hickerson


    Resources:

    The Day We Met You by Phoebe Koehler (Kids Book)

    Adoption Book Library


    Connect with Michelle:

    Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mommin_together/⁠

    @Michelle_Barnett_ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michelle_barnett_/⁠


    Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • Redemptive Birth: My Unmedicated VBAC Story [Ep 36]

    Redemptive Birth: My Unmedicated VBAC Story [Ep 36]
    Jan 20 2026

    Redemptive Birth: My Unmedicated VBAC Story


    In this episode of the Mommin' Together podcast, host Michelle Barnett shares her beautiful and redemptive birth story of her third child, Josie Mae. Michelle recounts the emotional journey from the surprise positive pregnancy test on their 10th anniversary to the blessed unmedicated natural birth on her husband's birthday. Despite past birth trauma, Michelle found solace in her faith and careful planning for an unmedicated VBAC. With the support of her husband, mother, and a dedicated medical team, she navigated through labor with determination and gratitude. The birth story highlights the importance of having a supportive community and the right providers, culminating in the joyous and healthy arrival of Josie Mae.

    00:00 Welcome to the Mommin' Together Podcast

    00:30 Introduction to My Redemptive Birth Story

    00:54 Discovering Our Third Miracle Baby

    03:18 Preparing for Labor

    04:54 The Labor Begins

    05:59 Heading to the Hospital

    07:01 Labor and Delivery at the Hospital

    09:34 The Birth of Josie Mae Barnett

    12:51 Post-Birth Reflections and Gratitude

    15:53 Encouragement for Other Moms

    17:38 Closing Thoughts and Farewell



    Resources:

    Listen to My Birth Trauma Episode

    Queen of Thrones Castor Oil

    Castor Oil Smoothie - 1 Cup Mango Juice, 1 Tbsp Almond Butter, 2 Tbsp Castor Oil, Ice. Blend and drink after a big breakfast.


    Connect with Michelle:

    Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mommin_together/⁠


    @Michelle_Barnett_ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michelle_barnett_/⁠


    Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484794095771993⁠
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins