Mato just raised pre-seed Read more
Podcast charts
Published by Jenny Brown
Clarity & hope for parents in these anxious times with Dr Jenny Brown. This podcast features examples from the frontlines of parenting, plus discussions with parents and helpers considering how best to be a positive resource for their child’s wellbeing. It draws from research and Bowen family systems theory revealing that families do best when the parent focuses on managing themself and clarifying parenting principles rather than changing the child.
On the charts
Every published chart this podcast appears in, in the snapshot behind this page. Each one links to the chart it came off.
The Mato Topic Intelligence Platform does not report this podcast as charting in a published category in this snapshot.
From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
“Just Tell Me What to Do!” Helping Parents Find Their Own Way Through Parenting Dilemmas In this Grounded Reflections episode of the Parent Hope Podcast , David Brown talks with Jenny about a familiar parenting plea: “Just tell me what to do!” The conversation follows the previous episode, in which Dr Kathleen Smith interviewed Jenny about her book: The Parenting Paradox: Loving Our Children by Giving Them Space to Grow . At that event, parents’ questions about what they should do prompted Jenny to reflect on our recognizable desire for clear answers when parenting gets difficult. Rather than offering quick fixes or parenting techniques, Jenny explores how parents can recognise unhelpful patterns, reconnect with their values, and focus on what is within their own control. It’s a thoughtful conversation about strengthening parent agency and finding a more grounded way through challenging parenting moments. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Recorded live at the Washington, DC launch of The Parenting Paradox , this special episode features Dr Jenny Brown in conversation with author, therapist, and Bowen family systems faculty member Dr Kathleen Smith. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and family systems research, Jenny explores why modern parenting has become increasingly intensive, how anxiety fuels the "worry cycle," and why our greatest influence as parents comes not from doing more for our children, but from managing ourselves more thoughtfully.” Together, Jenny and Kathleen discuss the powerful story behind the book's original title, So Much Love , the hidden forms of over-parenting, loving leadership, technology, resilience, and the surprising freedom that comes when parents stop trying to fix their children and instead focus on changing their own part in the family system. Whether you're parenting young children, teenagers, adult children, or grandchildren, this conversation offers practical wisdom, hope, and a refreshing alternative to today's culture of intensive parenting. In this episode, you'll hear: Why So Much Love was the book's original title How "intensive parenting" can take many different forms The parenting worry cycle—and how to step off it Why the best parenting work begins with ourselves What loving leadership looks like in everyday family life How giving children emotional breathing space helps them become capable and resilient This conversation was recorded live during the Washington, DC book launch of The Parenting Paradox , with Dr Jenny Brown interviewed by Dr Kathleen Smith, therapist, author of Everything Isn't Terrible and True to You , and faculty member at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Has our increasingly risk-averse society changed the way we see children? In this episode, David Brown chats to Jenny about this central question raised in her earlier discussion with Dr Peter Stearns Peter Stearns argues that parents have always worried about their children. What's changed is that society has become increasingly risk-averse and our understanding of harm has expanded from protecting children from physical danger to also protecting them from emotional and psychological harm. While this has brought many benefits, it has also made us more likely to see children as fragile rather than capable. How do parents find the right balance? The writings that have mostly influenced Dr Brown's works are: Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America; co-author of The American Child: the transformation of childhood since World War II. Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America; https://www.amazon.com.au/Anxious-Parents-History-Child-Rearing-America/dp/0814798497 The American Child: the transformation of childhood since World War II https://academic.oup.com/book/60679 And the paper: Stearns PN (2019) Happy Children: A Modern Emotional Commitment. Front. Psychol. 10:2025. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02025 Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
With a special distinguished guest Peter N. Stearns, author of Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America; co-author of The American Child: the transformation of childhood since World War II, Professor Emeritus at George Mason University, In this episode of The Parent Hope Podcast , I’m joined by preeminent social historian Peter N. Stearns, whose work has been deeply influential in shaping my understanding of how childhood and parenting have evolved over time. We will explore the historical roots of today’s parenting culture—from rising anxiety about children’s outcomes to the growing expectations placed on parents to constantly guide, manage, and optimize their children’s lives. As I discuss in The Parenting Paradox, when parents are caught in a cycle of increasing effort and concern, it can inadvertently add to the very pressures children face. This conversation brings much-needed context to that paradox—helping parents step back, see the bigger picture, and reconsider what truly supports children’s and their own wellbeing. This is an episode about clarity, perspective, and relief. Because when we understand where these expectations come from, we’re better able to loosen their hold—and support our children with greater confidence in their natural capacities. Peter N. Stearns is Professor of History Emeritus at George Mason University, where he taught courses in world history and social history. In 2021, Dr. Stearns received the American Historical Association recognition for a lifetime of distinguished scholarship He has taught previously at Harvard, the University of Chicago, Rutgers, and Carnegie Mellon; he was educated at Harvard University. Stearns is a past vice president of the American Historical Association. He has served as chair of the Advanced Placement World History committee and founded and served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Social History . Stearns is the author or editor of over 100 books and innumerable articles. The writings that have mostly influenced Dr Brown's works are: Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America; co-author of The American Child: the transformation of childhood since World War II. Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America; https://www.amazon.com.au/Anxious-Parents-History-Child-Rearing-America/dp/0814798497 The American Child: the transformation of childhood since World War II https://academic.oup.com/book/60679 And the paper: Stearns PN (2019) Happy Children: A Modern Emotional Commitment. Front. Psychol. 10:2025. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02025 Bios https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Stearns https://www.gmu.edu/news/2021-11/peter-stearns-receives-american-historical-association-recognition-lifetime Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In this episode of Parent Hope Podcast: Real Questions, Grounded Reflections , Jenny Brown and David Brown revisit some of the key themes raised in Jenny's conversation with Justin Coulson about raising boys. Rather than focusing on parenting techniques, they explore deeper questions: How do we raise boys without making them a project? How do parents avoid defining themselves through their children's successes and struggles? What has changed in childhood over the last fifty years, and what might boys be losing when freedom, responsibility and independence decline? Drawing on Bowen family systems theory, recent research on boys and childhood, and reflections on their own experiences, Jenny and David discuss how parents can stay connected without taking over, support growth without overprotecting, and help boys develop confidence, responsibility and purpose. A thoughtful conversation about boys, parenting, anxiety, and the challenge of raising capable young people in a changing world. Coulson, J. (2026). Raising Boys . ABC Books. Mintz, S., & Stearns, P. N. (2025). The American Child: The Transformation of Childhood Since World War II . Oxford Univ Press. Hines, M. (2011). Gender development and the human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 34 , 69–88. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Jenny interviews Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia's most respected relationships speakers, authors, and researchers. Passionate about understanding what helps relationships flourish, Justin has spoken to tens of thousands of people about relationships in leadership, education, and, most importantly, family life. In this episode, Jenny and Justin discuss his new book: Boys: A Guide to Raising Boys to Be Confident, Resilient and Caring (ABC Books – released 16 June 2026) Justin Coulson reveals what decades of research suggests: when boys get what they actually need, they thrive . Not through force or fixing, but through connection, meaningful challenge, and someone who refuses to give up on them. Culture and society have been changing at a rapid pace for several centuries. The speed of that change is accelerating. The evolution of masculinity is ongoing. In many ways, masculinity is always ‘under construction’. But this book is about what doesn’t change. It’s about the foundations of healthy human flourishing in boys. They are ideas that you can build a family on – and a boy’s life on. Book Link: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/Boys-Guide-Raising-Confident-Resilient-Caring Guest: Dr Justin Coulson https://happyfamilies.com.au/boys Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In this episode of the Parent Hope Podcast: Real Questions, Grounded Reflections: Jenny and David Brown unpack listener questions following their conversation with Elisabeth Shaw, Relationships Australia NSW CEO, on parenting after separation and divorce. Together they explore the emotional realities of co-parenting through hurt, anger and exhaustion, while keeping children’s wellbeing at the centre. The discussion reflects on maintaining relationships with both parents, avoiding placing emotional burdens on children, navigating uneven co-parenting dynamics, and finding steadiness through a longer-term perspective. Honest, compassionate and grounded in family systems thinking, this episode offers encouragement and practical wisdom for parents trying to lead with integrity during one of life’s most difficult transitions. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
When a relationship ends, parenting continues—and how parents navigate that transition can shape a child’s long-term wellbeing. In this thoughtful and compassionate episode, Dr. Jenny Brown speaks with Elisabeth Shaw, CEO of Relationships Australia NSW and a leading clinical psychologist & family therapist, about guiding families through separation with clarity, steadiness, and care. Drawing on decades of experience, Elisabeth offers practical insights into what truly supports children during times of upheaval—emphasising the importance of managing our own emotional responses, maintaining boundaries, and avoiding placing children in the middle of adult conflict. Together, they explore how parents can use what remains in their control to foster stability, connection, and resilience, even as family structures change. This episode offers grounded guidance for parents, as well as clinicians and educators, focusing on emotional maturity, leadership in parenting, and protecting children’s wellbeing during one of the most challenging transitions in family life. https://www.relationshipsnsw.org.au/ Family Dispute Mediation https://www.relationshipsnsw.org.au/support/services/family-dispute-resolution-mediation/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-shaw-636aa734/ Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
This follow-up episode explores the real-life questions parents are still asking after the Parent Hope interview with Dr. Lyn Worsley. Together, David and Jenny Brown unpack what parents are left grappling with about resilience in everyday parenting—especially when children are anxious or disengaging from school. Through practical reflections, they discuss how parents might respond to anxiety as a signal, know when to step in or step back, and support children through challenges like school disengagement. This conversation offers steady, hopeful guidance for parents learning to play the long game. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Anxious kids and teens often begin to withdraw—from friends, from challenges, and increasingly, from school. But behind that disengagement lies a deeper need: resilience . In this episode, our guest Dr Lyn Worsley of The Resilience Centre helps us unpack exactly what resilience is —beyond the clichés—and why it matters so profoundly for anxious young people ---and their parents. Dr Worsley also shares how parents can actively cultivate resilience-building family environments where strengths are noticed, challenges are navigated step by step, and confidence grows over time. What traps can parents beware of —where their efforts to support can inadvertently hinder the growth of resilience? This is a practical, compassionate conversation for any parent navigating the complex intersection of anxiety, resilience, and school disengagement. Dr Lyn Worsley is a clinical psychologist, author, and director of The Resilience Centre in Sydney, Australia. She is internationally recognised for developing the Resilience Doughnut , a strengths-based model used in schools and clinical settings to help young people and families thrive. With decades of experience supporting anxious children, teens, and their parents, Dr Worsley brings a warm, evidence-informed approach to understanding and building resilience in everyday life. Links The Resilience Doughnut https://www.theresiliencedoughnut.com.au/people/lyn-worsley/ The resilience Centre https://www.theresiliencecentre.com.au/practitioner-profiles/ Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In this first Real Questions, Grounded Reflections episode, Jenny and David Brown slow down the conversation following the Parent Hope interview with Dr. Marshal Ballantine Jones. Together, they explore questions many parents are carrying: Is my child okay after what they’ve seen online? How do I talk about sexualised content without shame or panic? Is it too late to reset boundaries? With honesty, steadiness, and hope, this conversation offers grounded principles—not quick fixes—reminding parents that calm leadership, balanced love, and non-reactive boundaries can turn even painful moments into opportunities for growth. Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
When children are exposed to confronting sexualised online content, parents can be left reeling—worried about the impact, unsure what to do next, and tempted to jump into control mode. While Australia has now rolled out age restrictions for children and social media, much of the damage has already been done, leaving many families trying to work out how to respond. Yet children recover best when the adults around them restore their own steadiness first. When parents can respond calmly and with clarity, they create the secure space children need to make sense of what happened and re-establish healthy attitudes to sex and intimacy. In this episode, we speak with Dr Marshall Ballantine-Jones , a leading specialist in online sexualisation education with more than 25 years of experience supporting children, youth, and families. As CEO of DigiHelp Publishing , Marshall designs school-based programs that address the realities of online behaviour with honesty, compassion, and practical strategies. Together, we explore: Why children’s online exposure can unsettle parents just as much as children Getting real about the damaging impacts of porn exposure for children How parents can restore steadiness before guiding their child forward Practical ways to support children as they recover and rebuild healthy understandings of sex and intimacy What effective “repair” looks like at home—without shame, panic, or overcontrol How strengthening the parent-child connection remains the most protective factor This conversation offers reassurance for parents who feel overwhelmed, replacing fear-driven reactions with grounded confidence. Instead of trying to control every risk, parents can learn to steady themselves—so their children can recover well and continue developing with hope and resilience. Links https://digihelp.io/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-ballantine-jones-2096a933a/ 6 Principles for Parenting in a Porn Culture: https://resistministries.org/parents/ Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In setting the tone for this repost, Jenny Brwon highlights why she thinks this conversation endures: Phil Klever’s long-term research shows that the most resilient families aren’t defined by perfect parenting but by steady, self-directed goals that anchor parents over the years. She underscores how small, thoughtful steps — rather than quick fixes — help parents stay less reactive, more connected, and more grounded in their role. Phillip Klever has conducted a remarkable 20-year study of 50 couples and their multigenerational families and has written 7 peer-reviewed journal articles about the study. https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-klever-8b360927/ Research https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Phillip-Klever Key article https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00120.x Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In opening this repost, Jenny Brown highlights this episode as a standout for its clarity and compassion. Briony Scott’s reminder to see teens as emerging adults rather than fragile problems resonates deeply with parents feeling pressure to diagnose every wobble. Jenny lifts up the episode’s central idea: that parents can reduce anxiety — their own and their teen’s — by trusting development, staying thoughtful, and avoiding the contagious panic that often clouds adolescence today. Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/brionys/?originalSubdomain=au SMH article https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/briony-scott-the-surprising-sex-talk-sydney-s-most-respected-principal-gives-her-students-20241114-p5kqpd.html Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In introducing this repost, Jenny Brown points to Dr Anne-Maree Bickerton’s lighthouse metaphor as one of the most transformative ideas for parents facing intense distress. She reflects on how the shift from fear-driven responses to calm, connected presence can immediately change the emotional climate. Jenny emphasises that steadiness — not control — is a parent’s greatest asset during moments of self-harm or heightened emotion. To watch the video mentioned – This is an excellent resource! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_B61YifyrM To read about the safety first model https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anzf.1055 for more papers: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Annemaree-Bickerton-28411169 Dr Bickerton is the co-developer of the training: STAYING CONNECTED WHEN EMOTIONS RUN HIGH. Upcoming Workshops: https://www.islhd.health.nsw.gov.au/services-clinics/family-and-carer-mental-health-program-0/staying-connected-when-emotions-run-high Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
As Australia begins new social media age restrictions, many parents are feeling the pressure to tighten control or worry about what this shift will mean for their children. In this repost of Reclaiming Calm Leadership in the Digital World , Jenny Brown invites us to take a different starting point: effective leadership begins with managing ourselves, not our children. This episode offers a steady, practical perspective on staying calm, clarifying our values, and guiding our family thoughtfully through digital change. New Blog: https://parenthopeproject.com.au/australia-social-media-age-16-parenting-guide/ Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
The holidays can bring out our best—and our most anxious—selves. Therapist and author Dr. Kathleen Smith (True to You; Everything Isn’t Terrible) will join Jenny Brown to discuss staying kind and self-defined when those predictable family tensions rise. How can parents handle sensing disapproval, differing values, and “helpful” relatives without losing themselves—or their sense of humor? Dr. Smith draws on family systems thinking to share examples of managing one's own anxiety, showing up with more emotional maturity in front of our kids, and staying connected without falling into people-pleasing. Indeed, you can respect your family and stay true to yourself this holiday season. Quote: To live a life that is truer to you, it’s useful to understand the ways you lose self—the capacity to think and act as an individual—in a relationship system. Maybe you like to keep your relationships light and superficial, using distance to avoid any tension. Maybe you end up overfunctioning, directing everyone so you feel steady. Perhaps you’ve been quick to triangle other people into conflict, unsure of your own thinking. Smith, Dr Kathleen. True to You: A Therapist's Guide to Stop Pleasing Others and Start Being Yourself (p. 150). Books: https://kathleensmithwrites.com/books/true-to-you/ https://kathleensmithwrites.com/books/everything-isnt-terrible/ Newsletter – over 11,000 subscribers https://theanxiousoverachiever.substack.com/ Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Grandparenting can be a gift—or a point of tension—depending on how generational differences are navigated. In this episode, Jenny Brown speaks with two special guests, Selden Illick and her daughter-in-law Alison Illick, about the subtle and powerful dynamics between grandparents, parents, and children. Drawing on Bowen family systems theory, they explore how patterns of anxiety, closeness, and loyalty ripple through three generations, and what differentiation looks like as adult children step into parenthood while their parents become grandparents. Listeners will hear real stories of family life and discover how understanding family systems theory can help shift well-meaning interference into meaningful support, so that the presence of grandparents strengthens, rather than strains, the family system. Parents will gain practical insight into setting boundaries, preserving their authority, and fostering healthier connections with grandparents while reducing tension at home. Selden Dunbar Illick founded the Princeton Family Center in 1987 based on Murray Bowen’s natural systems theory and is now Trustee Emerita of its educational branch. She has served on the Florida Family Research Network board and is active in the New England Study of Bowen Theory. Formerly in private practice in New Jersey and Florida (1983–2004), she now consults in Massachusetts, helping people apply Bowen theory to family, work, and social systems. A frequent presenter on the impact of unresolved childhood patterns, she recently contributed a chapter on emotional attachments and chronic illness in Death and Chronic Illness in the Family: Bowen Family Theory Perspectives. Alison Illick lives in New Haven, Connecticut with her husband, Christopher, and their four sons. A former New York City public school teacher with degrees from Columbia University, she later supported her husband’s medical practice in various roles. In recent years, she has studied Bowen theory at the Princeton Family Center for Education and the Bowen Center in Washington, DC. Alison finds the framework a valuable way to understand family and work systems and focuses on managing herself within them—an interest first sparked in college and later encouraged by her mother-in-law, Selden. Links Selden as a previous guest on our podcast https://parenthopeproject.com.au/podcasts/grandparenting-relationships/ The Princeton Family Center, New Jersey https://www.princetonfamilycenter.org/ Selden speaking on relevant topics https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=921333534908389 Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
As parents, our worries can quietly slip onto our children’s shoulders. But what if there’s another way? This Mental Health Month (in our State: NSW), the Parent Hope Podcast explores how parents can support children’s well-being by first steadying themselves. Jenny Brown, founder and director of the Parent Hope Project, and Lauren Errington, executive Director of The Family Systems Institute, draw on Bowen Family Systems Theory to unpack how parental worry - often inflamed by mental health messaging - can be projected onto kids and how parents can step out of those cycles. We’ll look at: * The 3 steps of projection: scanning, labelling, treating * How social messages about children’s mental health fuel worry * The difference between internalised worry and externalised conflict * Practical steps for leading with clarity instead of guilt Join us this Mental Health Month to discover how shifting from worry to hope can free both you and your child to grow with resilience. Jenny Brown bio link: https://parenthopeproject.com.au/about-us/ Lauren Errington bio https://www.thefsi.com.au/about/our-team/lauren-errington/ Find a Parent Hope Clinician https://parenthopeproject.com.au/find-a-parent-coach/ Lauren and Jenny’s recent article: Bowen family systems theory and practice: Illustration and critique revisited May 2024 Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) 45(1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381014808_Bowen_family_systems_theory_and_practice_Illustration_and_critique_revisited Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Briony Scott, renowned educator and advocate for young people, to unpack the growing tendency to pathologise normal teenage emotions. Are we too quick to label sadness as depression or worry as anxiety? Briony explores how this rush to intervene can sometimes do more harm than good—and what parents can do instead to raise emotionally resilient children. From navigating girlhood emotions to tackling toxic masculinity , this episode is an essential conversation for every parent raising teens today. Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/brionys/?originalSubdomain=au SMH article https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/briony-scott-the-surprising-sex-talk-sydney-s-most-respected-principal-gives-her-students-20241114-p5kqpd.html Newsletter - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/#newsletter Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@ParentHopeProject Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachingparents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/parenthopeproject/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/79093727/admin/feed/posts/ Website - https://parenthopeproject.com.au/ Contact us: Contact@parentproject.com.au (02) 9904 5600
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 21, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Pairs with
Bring this source into Mato to read its transferable patterns, then turn them into an original show for your own audience.