LD Expert Podcast

Mental Health – Series 1

    Treating a learning disability is only part of the solution. The mental and emotional aspects are often overlooked, but also play a big role in academic performance and general brain development.

    This podcast series is full of practical tools and strategies for parents of children with learning disabilities to support their mental and emotional well-being.

    EPISODE 31

    Building Resilience and Emotional Control - Rick and Doris Bowman

    Have you ever met someone that you just instantly felt a connection with and wanted to be their best friend? Or someone you didn’t want to be near at all?

    Everyone gives off “vibes” - parents, teachers, kids, etc. Sound a little woo woo?

    Today you’ll learn the science behind this phenomenon with Rick and Doris Bowman, HeartMath trainers with Masters in Clinical Psychology and Special Education.

    Tune in for a quick daily exercise you can do to build your emotional resilience so the homework battles and other bad vibes won’t ruin your day.

    In this week's episode, you'll learn:

    • Coherence, the science behind feeling another person's “vibe”
    • How to build emotional resilience and better self-regulation
    • How to re-pattern challenging interactions like homework battles with your kids
    • The difference between care and over-care

    More resources from this episode are available here: Episode 31 Resources

    EPISODE 32

    What is Bullying and What to Do - Danielle Matthew

    Seth Perler is our podcast guest once again

    Bullying can come in many forms, even in subtle ways that we don’t notice at first but can build over time. Kids with learning challenges may be more prone to bullying so we want to make sure that you have the tools to help your child rise above bullying.

    This is a hard topic to talk about so I commend you for leaning in.

    This week’s podcast guest is Danielle Matthew, LMFT and director of the Empowerment Space Bullying Therapy Program in Los Angeles. She shares strategies that will empower your child against bullying, and also benefit the school and community.

     

    In this week's episode, you'll learn:

    • Different forms of bullying
    • 3 E’s to empower your child
    • Benefits of using a social media contract with your child

    Tune in to the Bonus Q&A with Danielle Matthew for her approach and what she trains parents and educators to do.

    EPISODE 33

    Social Anxiety in Teens - Dr. Tracy Ballardo

    Social anxiety in teens may sound cliche, but did you know that it could be a necessary phase in their brain’s development?

    This week’s podcast guest is Dr. Tracy Ballardo, a licensed psychologist in Pasadena, California, who specializes in treating eating disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and the trauma and grief that often co-occur with eating disorders.

    She shares the risk factors for social anxiety and helpful strategies for navigating this developmental phase with your teen.

     

    In this week's episode, you'll learn:

    • How a teen’s brain development can impact emotions and behavior
    • Risk factors for social anxiety
    • Working through egocentricity with your teen

    Tune in to the Bonus Q&A with Dr. Ballardo to hear her coach parents through specific examples of dealing with their teen’s anxiety.

    EPISODE 34

    Sleep and Learning - Dr. Giancarlo Licata

    Did you know that sleep is when our brain processes emotions and information?

    Yet studies reveal that Americans are very sleep deprived like over 70% of teens, for example. 

    Our podcast guest this week is Dr. Licata who has helped over 2,000 clients, including professional athletes from the NFL, MLB and the NCAA with brain-based tools to reduce pain and increase performance. He shares how sleep can be the catalyst or hindrance to making any type of progress.

     

    In this week's episode, you'll learn:

    • The powerful impact of sleep on learning and living
    • How to know if you are getting enough good sleep
    • What the brain does with information while we sleep

    More resources from this episode are available here: Episode 34 Resources