Melissa Pemberton - Podcast Details

Shows

The Good Enough Mompreneur Podcast: Confidence, Mindset & Success for Mom Entrepreneurs 195. The Truth About Mom Guilt, Trauma, and Why You're Triggered By Your Kids with Melissa PembertonSend us a textWhat if your overwhelm, your mom guilt, and even your biggest business blocks are rooted in unresolved trauma? In this powerful and eye-opening episode, I sit down with Melissa Pemberton, social worker and host of Mending Families Podcast, to explore how childhood trauma impacts motherhood, entrepreneurship, and the nervous system—and most importantly, what we can do about it.Melissa shares her personal story of becoming a mother at 19, navigating generational trauma, and the pivotal turning points that led to her healing journey. Together, we discuss how trauma can si...

2025-08-1852 min

Mending Families 87. Mindful Monday - Body Scan MeditationOn today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday with a guided meditation to help guide you through a body scan as you notice the sensations in your body, both as individual parts, and as a whole. Enjoy!A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake on Fridays!Music credit: Leigh Robinson from Pixabay**As an Amazon affiliate, I do receive a small commission when you purcha...

2025-06-0208 min

Mending Families 85. Mindful Monday - Letting go of stressMending Families is hosted by Melissa Pemberton and she brings you weekly content that is a mix of trauma aware interviews, parenting tips for those caring for kids from adversity, and stories from people just like you as they share their beautiful messy moments. Melissa hopes that when you listen each week, you will feel encouraged, inspired and take a little something away to help you and your family move from broken to mended.On today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday with a guided meditation to help you let go of the stress in yo...

2025-05-0505 min

Foster Parent Well Beyond the Buzzwords: Why Trauma Knowledge Transforms Parenting with Melissa PembertonStepping into foster care or adoption without understanding trauma is like trying to navigate unfamiliar terrain without a map. That's why this conversation with Melissa Pemberton, a trauma-aware licensed therapist and parent coach with over 20 years of experience in child welfare, is absolutely essential listening for anyone caring for children from hard places.Melissa shares her personal journey from being a teen mom with her own childhood trauma to becoming a powerful advocate for trauma-informed parenting approaches. She explains why traditional parenting methods often fail with children who have experienced early adversity—even those adopted at birth—and...

2025-04-2343 min

Mending Families 83. Mindful Mondays - Connect with nature and meditateOn today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday all about connection with nature through breathwork, mindfulness, and being outside. With Earth day just around the corner on April 22 (I was wrong in the episode…whoops!), now is the perfect time to reconnect with nature. Take a quick 5 minute break, step outside or open a window, and breath in this relaxing nature connection meditation. A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake...

2025-04-0707 min

Mending Families 81. Mindful Mondays - Grounding Breath guided meditationOn today’s episode, Melissa brings you a Mindful Monday all about grounding ourselves for just a few moments. In the spirit of grounding ourselves, today’s guided meditation is called “Grounding Breath”. Find a comfy, quiet place and 7 minutes while Melissa guides you through a grounding breath exercise. A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake on Fridays!Music credit: Leigh Robinson from PixabayFor FULL SHOW NOTES go...

2025-03-0307 min

Mending Families 79. Mindful Monday - A loving kindness guided meditationOn today’s episode, Melissa brings you a new monthly series, Mindful Mondays. Because it is the month of love, today’s guided mindful meditation is called “Loving Kindness”. Find a comfy, quiet place and 10 minutes while Melissa guides you through a loving kindness exercise.Where to find Mending Families:Instagram -@mendingfamilieswaTikTok -@mendingfamilieswaFacebook -@mendingfamilieswaYouTube -@mendingfamilies1594https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2025-02-0310 min

Mending Families 78.Self-compassion and embodiment to reclaim our compassion as caregivers with Robyn GutierrezTW - Today we talk about abusive relationships and domestic violence so please know that if you are in a DV situation or know someone who is, there is help. Go to www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233 Mending Families is hosted by Melissa Pemberton and she brings you weekly content that is a mix of trauma aware interviews, parenting tips for those caring for kids from adversity, and stories from people just like you as they share their beautiful messy moments. Melissa hopes that when you listen each week, you will feel encouraged, inspired...

2024-12-0953 min

Mending Families 76. Finding Safety: Exploring Polyvagal Theory and the Safe and Sound ProtocolOn today’s episode, Melissa talks about the Polyvagal Theory and the Safe and Sound Protocol. She goes through a brief overview of each and gives you a quick glimpse of what it looks like to participate in the Safe and Sound Protocol. If you are someone who struggles with anxiety, worry, or is healing from trauma, secondary trauma, or compassion fatigue, the SSP might be for you! Listen! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yoursel...

2024-11-1121 min

Kanawha Valley Hustlers Building Relationships and Referrals with Melissa Pemberton In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Melissa Pemberton, a copier and printer specialist who focuses on building strong relationships. Melissa shares some exciting news about the BNI chapters in Charleston. Currently, there are three chapters, including a virtual group, a hybrid group that I’m a part of, and a new chapter called Wealth Builder$, which is planning a big Visitors Day on November 6th. BNI, or Business Networking International, is all about relationships, referrals, and accountability. Melissa explains how referrals are more than just leads—they’re warm introductions where the pe...

2024-10-2407 min

Mending Families 73. Mondays with Melissa - Life and business updatesToday Melissa gives us an update on what's been happening in her life and business over the past month. With hard changes that are still good, Mending Families is ever-evolving to ensure you all get the most support in the best ways possible! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake on Fridays! Join the Mending Families email list for more details on the...

2024-10-0112 min

Mending Families 72. Connection, Nutrition, and helping our kids overcome eating challenges with Madison TylerOn today’s episode, Madison first talks about her foster and adoption journey and how she and her husband grew their family this way. She then shares her heart about helping families struggling with nutrition with their kids who have come from hard. Madison is an adoptive mom herself and she not only shares from her expertise, but also from her own experiences. Madison has been a pediatric dietitian for over 10 years and first became a mom through foster care 7 years ago. It was then that she was introduced to TBRI. Now, her passion is helping parents ta...

2024-09-1650 min

Mending Families 71. Mondays with Melissa - Let's talk about power and controlOn today’s episode, Melissa shares three tips to help our kids feel like they have some control over what goes on in their daily lives. We often see behaviors escalate when our kids feel like they have no power or control. Instead of getting frustrated, let’s take an approach of sharing power and giving them opportunities to have control. Enjoy! If you are looking for more support, check out the Let’s Grow Membership at www.mendingfamilieswa.com/membership We would love to have you join!A big THANK YOU to our ne...

2024-09-0914 min

Mending Families 70. Eating disorders, generational trauma and using creativity to heal with Tracey YokasIn today’s episode, Tracey shares with us how creativity and using art helped her on her journey of healing. She also opens up about the hard parts of her story that led to her writing her first book with the hopes of inspiring others. Grief and loss, along with mental health conditions, are difficult to navigate and lead us to feel alone at times so Tracey’s memoir can lead to helping others find their healing. A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7...

2024-09-0242 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #1 - Haley PembertonWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened to episodes of this past year! This was a special one for me as I had the privilege of interviewing my oldest daughter, Haley. Her original episode was #7 and is still as good as when it first aired! On today’s episode, Haley shares her heart about the difficulties of growing up under some tough circumstances, how she felt when she first met Jon (my husband), what it was like when Jon and I started having our own kids, and when she realized she had her own stuff she ne...

2024-08-2642 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #2 - Robyn GobbelWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened-to episodes of this past year! This episode was originally #28 and one of my favorites as we discussed the book I recommend the most, Parenting Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors, which you can now purchase anywhere books are sold! On today’s episode, Robyn walks us through the parts of the brain (Owl, Watchdog, Possum) and how we can view our kids’ big, baffling behaviors from a different perspective. She shares her thoughts on consequences and whether they are necessary to change our kids’ behaviors. This conversation with Robyn was so eas...

2024-08-191h 01

Mending Families REPLAY - #3 - Claire Collins-ThompsonWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened-to episodes this past year! Today we will hear Claire share her encouraging story of surviving cancer which was originally episode #9. On today’s episode, Claire shares with us about her journey of surviving cancer and how she learned so much about herself during that process. She talks about the realization that she needed to truly slow down, ask for help with her son, and allow her body the space to heal. Claire gives us a brief run-down on Internal Family Systems and provides us with some great tips, resources and...

2024-08-1258 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #4 - Melissa CorkumWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened to episodes of this past year! This week we get to hear from Melissa Corkum again as she shares about Blocked Care and the Safe and Sound Protocol. I am happy to tell you that since this episode originally aired (it was episode #15), I have gone through the training and become a Safe and Sound Protocol Practitioner myself! On today’s episode, Melissa shares about how she uses the Enneagram in her personal life, as well as her professional life and how she has found it to be so he...

2024-08-0547 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #5 - What is TBRI?Welcome to the summer series top 8 most listened to epsidoes of this past year! This episode is the only "Mondays with Melissa" to make it into the top 8 and it is an important one! On today’s episode, Melissa gives a brief explanation of what Trust Based Relational Interventions are. She breaks down TBRI’s 3 principles for us (Connecting, Empowering and Correcting) and gives a few real-life examples of how to apply these principles in our everyday life. For a more in-depth look at TBRI, reach out to Melissa to arrange a training or parent coaching session. She ca...

2024-07-2934 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #6 - Hannah McLeodWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened-to episodes of this past year! Today we will get to hear Hannah McLeod's inspiring story again as she was originally episode #13. On today’s episode, Hannah tells us about Beachbody and how she has been able to make her daily exercise a habit that she rarely even thinks about. She shares some of the hard things that she has been through in the past 8 years, including losing her mom and her son being diagnosed with cancer at just 5 months old. Hannah is an inspiration and has such encouraging things to...

2024-07-2257 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #7 - Steve LympusWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened-to episodes of this past year! This week we will hear #7 in our countdown with Steve Lympus who was episode 50 back in early 2024. On today’s episode, Melissa and Steve talk about trauma informed parenting, where we can be more trauma aware, and how you start to see trauma everywhere once you start to experience growth. Steve also shared ways that we can make more space for queer kids that he believes can help them feel seen and loved. This is an important conversation that you won’t want to miss...

2024-07-1549 min

Mending Families REPLAY - #8 - Jon PembertonWelcome to the summer series top 8 most listened-to episodes of this past year! Let's start with #8, my interview with my husband, Jon Pemberton, which was the first episode of the podcast! On today’s episode, Jon shares his feelings about becoming a dad “overnight” when he married Melissa. His perspective on how he thought he would parent shifted when he was able to learn more about how discipline affects kids and that there are other options to discipline that encourage healthier emotional intelligence. Jon touches on corporal punishment and how he came to a place that he realiz...

2024-07-0828 min

Mending Families 69. Stretch therapy, fascial stretching, and healing our bodies with Becky KukuckaOn today’s episode, Becky shares about her journey to sobriety and how she has found her way to stretch therapy. She explains Fascial Stretching and how she has been able to use this strategy as a way to help others find healing and chronic pain relief. Finally, Becky gives us some simple stretches we can do from the comfort of our own home that can help our nervous system daily. Enjoy! Becky Kukucka is a stretch therapist and ultrasound technician who enjoys helping individuals find relief from chronic pain due to tight muscles. She is married wi...

2024-07-0148 min

The Adoption & Foster Care Journey Episode 434 - Mending Families with Melissa Pemberton"Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” -John 8:10-11 Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care. On this episode, host Sandra Flach, talks with Melissa Pemberton. Melissa is a trauma aware parent coach, podcaster and owner of Mending Families, LLC. She has close to 20 year...

2024-07-011h 10

Mending Families 68. Mondays with Melissa and Summer Survival TipsOn today’s episode, Melissa gives you 5 tips to survive the summer months with your kids at home. With summer just beginning, this episode is sure to give you some good things to consider when planning for the next few months. If you have any tips you’d like to share, feel free to shoot Melissa a DM on her Instagram and she will share with the listeners! For a FREEBIE Melissa that will reduce Chaos in your home, go HERE and enter your email to get the quicksheet sent directly to your inbox! A big...

2024-06-2415 min

Mending Families 67. Child advocacy and fostering teens with Mara ShorrOn today’s episode, Mara shares about being a child advocate and how that led her and her husband to being a kinship care provider for a teenage girl. We talk briefly about group homes and the “wish list” Mara has for the future of group homes. She gives us good things to think about when it comes to being involved in the lives of children in foster care, and provides us with resources, thoughts, and insights that are helpful to everyone! Mara Shorr is a highly regarded national consultant, speaker, and writer, as well as a former...

2024-06-1757 min

Mending Families 66. Sneak peek of parenting course, Mend, Heal, GrowOn today’s episode, Melissa peels back the curtains of her online course and let’s you experience one of the lessons. She created Mend, Heal, Grow when she realized that she could reach more families with the work she does by offering it online and not just in person! This course offers the ability to connect with other caregivers, meet weekly over zoom (not required) and grow as a person, parent and partner! The next round of the course will begin Jul 1, 2024 and cart closes on Jun 21, 2024 so act now! Summer is the perfect time to mend...

2024-06-0312 min

Mending Families 66. Sneak peek at the online course, Mend, Heal, GrowOn today’s episode, Melissa peels back the curtains of her online course and let’s you experience one of the lessons. She created Mend, Heal, Grow when she realized that she could reach more families with the work she does by offering it online and not just in person! This course offers the ability to connect with other caregivers, meet weekly over zoom (not required) and grow as a person, parent and partner! The next round of the course will begin Jul 1, 2024 and cart closes on Jun 21, 2024 so act now! Summer is the perfect time to mend...

2024-06-0312 min

Mending Families 65. Potty training tips and tricksOn today’s episode, Melissa shares her thoughts and a few tips on potty training. It may seem like this is something that is pretty cut and dry, but Melissa gives us a few things to consider when starting (or restarting) potty training our toddlers, preschoolers and early elementary aged kiddos. As always, reach out with specific questions! For the FREEBIE Melissa mentions, go HERE and enter your email to get the quicksheet sent directly to your inbox! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see...

2024-05-2718 min

Mending Families 64. Somatic Experiencing and how it can help with healing with Jake WhiteOn today’s episode, Jake shares about what brought him to becoming a Somatic Experiencing and how he uses this approach to help his clients find healing and space for healing. He gives us some practical things to consider and also some strategies that you can do today to help bring your nervous system to a place of calm. Enjoy! Jake White practices somatic experiencing and he has been in private practice for the past ten years. He specializes in helping people recover from the symptoms of trauma through an approach that focuses on releasing stress through th...

2024-05-2043 min

Mending Families 63. Mondays with Melissa and her daughtersOn today’s episode, Melissa starts by interviewing her 12 year old daughter about her thoughts on Mother’s Day. Melissa then interviews her teenage daughter to hear from her perspective what it was like growing up with some fear based discipline before TBRI came into the mix. She has some good insight to share that will be helpful to anyone who has a teen in their life! You can find Kayanna’s music on her Instagram so go give her a follow! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not st...

2024-05-1342 min

Mending Families 62. Best mom ideas, teaching our kids and foster care with Autumn McKayOn today’s episode, Autumn talks about how she went from being a teacher in the school system to being a stay at home mom to now being a published author. Autumn and her husband are also foster parents and we chat briefly about what they have learned during their time as family parents. This is a good one if you are looking for activities to do with your kids this summer! Enjoy! Autumn is a mom to 3, teacher turned stay-at-home-mom turned author, who loves helping other moms thrive in their best version of themselves. Autumn and her...

2024-05-0631 min

Mending Families 61. Answering questions about toddlers, tantrums and more!On today’s episode, Melissa answers a listener's question about toddlers and how to handle their tantrums. Melissa helps us reframe how to look at tantrums and meet our kids where they are at while also meeting the need behind the tantrum. Not parenting a toddler? That’s okay! We all have kids in our lives and this episode is for everyone! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, ⁠West Plains Roasters⁠! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake on Fridays...

2024-04-2921 min

Mending Families 60. Mondays with Melissa - Panic attacks and parenting failsOn today’s episode, Melissa shares about a recent panic attack that she experienced and how she has learned to get through them on her own. Melissa also believes in authenticity and so she gives the audience a sneak peek into the daily lives in the Pemberton household and how we all can learn from mistakes. Grab your coffee and let's have a chat! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, West Plains Roasters! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or ev...

2024-04-2215 min

Awake in the Network: Where Destiny Happens!Unbroken Wings: The Steve Pemberton Journey from Foster Care to Beacon of HopeSend us a textIn his awe-inspiring book, Steve Pemberton turns the page on his tumultuous childhood to share how a single act of kindness from a mysterious "book angel" became his lifeline. Rising from the shadows of a challenging foster care experience, Steve's narrative is a profound testament to the power of resilience and the human spirit. His remarkable path led him to influential roles at Monster.com and Walgreens, where he shaped his legacy of leadership and advocacy for the underrepresented.Join Steve as he unveils the pivotal moments and the extraordinary people...

2024-04-1858 min

Mending Families 59. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, the school system, and finding support with Sandra FlachOn today’s episode, Sandra shares about her own experiences with FASD and how she came to the place she is now, which is speaking and advocating for those affected by FASD. We talk about the school systems and ways to support our kids in the educational setting. Finally, Sandra gives us a better understanding of FASD and ways that we, as a community, can do a better job of supporting our kids with invisible disabilities. This is a must-listen for everyone! Sandra is a mom of 8, 5 through adoption (2 with FASD). She is the Executive Director of Ju...

2024-04-151h 00

Mending Families 58. REPLAY - Overcoming, healing, and connecting with your parents with Haley PembertonI had Haley as a teen and we have been through so many ups and downs, but are on the side of healing past hurts, as well as our relationship. It’s been so fun watching her grow and see her follow in my footsteps as a social worker. Haley has her Bachelors in Social Work and works for a local counseling agency as a crisis response counselor. She lives with her dog, Hank, and uses art as an outlet to help her get through the big and hard of life! On today’s episode, Haley shares her...

2024-04-0843 min

Mending Families 57. Growing through grief with Mary Anne RuddisOn today’s episode, Mary Anne shares about the ways that cancer has affected her family and what helped her make it through. She shares about not healing from grief but from growing through grief. Mary Anne also talks about how grief is not always related to death. This is a heavy conversation, but a good one. Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-04-0156 min

Mending Families 56. Answering questions about family choresOn today’s episode, Melissa answers a listener's question about chores. She talks about how much is too much, thoughts on allowance, and what age should chores start. Chores can be hard and cause disagreements in the home, so listen in to see if you can pick up some suggestions to make it easier on everyone! A big THANK YOU to our new sponsor, West Plains Roasters! If you have not stopped by to see them, pop in 7 days a week and get yourself some toast, coffee, or even cake on Fridays! For FULL SHOW NOT...

2024-03-2516 min

Mending Families 55. Happy Birthday Mending Families Podcast!!On today’s episode, Jon Pemberton guest-hosts the podcast as the tables are turned on Melissa. He interviews her on all things podcasting and what she has learned over the past year. Jon is one of the funniest people, so you won’t want to miss this one! For FULL SHOW NOTES, go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-03-2027 min

Mending Families 54. Thoughts on child welfare, adoption, trauma informed systems, and termination of parental rightsOn today’s episode, Melissa shares how she got to the place of leaving her job in Child Welfare to start Mending Families. She also gives her thoughts on a few topics that came up in her conversation with Matt Anderson in last week's episode. Melissa believes that in order to do better, we have to be willing to listen and grow our compassion. Let’s start here! For FULL SHOW NOTES, go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Fa...

2024-03-1830 min

Mending Families 53. The Child Welfare system and learning through proximity with Matt AndersonOn today’s episode, Matt shares about his journey from running a foster care agency to leaving with no plan in the Fall of 2022. We talk about values fatigue, learning through relationships, and reflecting on how choices we make can effect an entire family system. Matt shares specific situations and experiences that have shaped how he views the child welfare system and “right relationship” with others. This is a heavy conversation and I encourage you to listen with open hearts and minds. Enjoy! Matt Anderson is the founder of Proximity Design Studio a media production and strate...

2024-03-1156 min

Mending Families 52. How do we help our kids regulate their bodies?On today’s episode, Melissa answers listener questions about how to co-regulate with their child. This is a common question and can be a hard one to answer because it is so specific to each child, so Melissa gives you several tools to try out with your kids! Sometimes parenting is trial and error so give these a try and see what helps! Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-03-0414 min

Mending Families 51. Mondays with Melissa - Sneak peak at Let's Grow Membership!On today’s episode, Melissa gives you a sneak peek of the monthly membership, Let’s Grow, and you can listen in on one of the monthly trainings! Each month, for a small fee, you can join a live monthly training, peer support and so many giveaways and freebies! If you are interested in learning more, go to https://www.mendingfamiliieswa.com/membership. Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-02-2625 min

Mending Families 50. Seeing trauma everywhere and making space for LGBTQ+ kids with Steve LympusOn today’s episode, Melissa and Steve talk about trauma informed parenting, where we can be more trauma aware, and how you start to see trauma everywhere once you start to experience growth. Steve also shared ways that we can make more space for queer kids that he believes can help them feel seen and loved. This is an important conversation that you won’t want to miss! Steve Lympus and his wife, Laura, are the House Parents at the Alpha Omega House next to the University of Montana in Missoula, where we live with our 4 adopted teens...

2024-02-1949 min

Mending Families 49. Better understanding loss and the grief that followsOn today’s episode, Melissa shares her thoughts on the conversation she had with Leslie on last week's episode. She expands on what we might think of as loss and gives tangible ideas on how we can help our kids process loss, but also how we can process our own losses as well. This episode is not just for parents as we all have kids in our lives that have experienced loss and have big feelings around that. Topics Melissa mentions: *Here are some past episodes that cover the topic of grief/loss - Episode 13 and Episode 14 *Melissa breaks down some...

2024-02-1214 min

Mending Families 48. Childhood cancer and coping with grief with Leslie WoodfillOn today’s episode, Leslie shares with us about what the Childhood Cancer Coalition is and how they support families touched by childhood cancer. She breaks down the different ways that they offer support and give us ideas on how we can come alongside the organization to help them continue to give back. We also touch on grief and ways that we can come alongside those we know who are facing grief in their lives. Leslie Woodfill is a passionate advocate for change and compassion. She is the Director of the Childhood Cancer Coalition and the former Regional Co-Director of Mak...

2024-02-0637 min

Mending Families Childhood cancer aand coping with grief with Leslie WoodfillOn today’s episode, Leslie shares with us about what the Childhood Cancer Coalition is and how they support families touched by childhood cancer. She breaks down the different ways that they offer support and give us ideas on how we can come alongside the organization to help them continue to give back. We also touch on grief and ways that we can come alongside those we know who are facing grief in their lives. Leslie Woodfill is a passionate advocate for change and compassion. She is the Director of the Childhood Cancer Coalition and the former Re...

2024-02-0537 min

Mending Families 47. Mondays with Melissa - Navigating sibling relationshipsOn today’s episode, Melissa gives three things for you to think about when you are faced with the challenges of sibling relationships. We can’t forget that siblings are unique individuals and need help navigating conflict, relationship, repair, and so much more with each other. I hope you enjoy! For FULL SHOW NOTES go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-01-2918 min

Mending Families 46. Brain First Parenting and FASD with Eileen DevineOn today’s episode, Eileen gives us more insight into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, what they are and how we can support those in our lives living with FASD. She talks about Brain First Parenting and explains how she uses this approach in her private practice to help support families affected by FASD. If you want to learn more about Brain First Parenting and all that Eileen is involved in, you can go to her website www.eileendevine.com, her Instagram page or her Facebook page. Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa You...

2024-01-2247 min

Mending Families 45. Adverse Childhood Experiences and why they are importantOn today’s episode, Melissa explains what Adverse Childhood Experiences are, where they came from, and why we need to be aware of them. Melissa also explores things to think about with ACES and building resilience in the kids in our lives. If you have never heard of ACEs, or even if you have, this is a good episode to better understand adversity in early childhood. For FULL SHOW NOTES, go to www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2024-01-1517 min

Mending Families 44. Finding the way to healing and emotional processing through art with Breanne LaMoureauxOn today’s episode, Melissa sits down with Breanne LaMoureaux as she shares about her own journey towards healing. Breanne opens up about some of the hard moments in her life that ultimately led her to where she is today. She is excited about her future and being able to share healing with others in the same way she has been able to move into a place of wholeness. Breanne is a passionate human actively seeking a better version of herself. She is a current MSW student with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Social Emotional Learning. She has...

2024-01-0848 min

Mending Families 43. Mondays with Melissa - Top Questions of 2023 and Looking at New Adventures in 2024On today’s episode, Melissa talks about some of the most commonly asked questions from this past year and gives some good tips and tricks. She also shares the top three Instagram Reels from the past two months and why she thinks they were so popular. Finally, Melissa talks about the exciting things coming in the New Year with the podcast and her business, Mending Families. You won’t want to miss this one! *Check out the online course at www.mendingfamilieswa.com/courses - remember the deadline to register is January 15! *Sign up for the monthly membership and gain acces...

2024-01-0138 min

Mending Families 42. Christmas Real Talk with Jon PembertonOn today’s episode, Melissa chats with her husband Jon about Christmas, the holidays, Santa, and also some other random stuff. It’s always a fun time when both Melissa and Jon are on the show so you will definitely get some good tips, but also will mostly just laugh a lot. Enjoy! *To find all of the episodes with the full show notes, go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2023-12-1830 min

Mending Families 41. All things Christmas with Melissa's kidsOn today’s episode, Melissa interviews three of her children about all things Christmas! It’s fun and entertaining….stick around until the end when her son Niah tells a very creative fiction Christmas story that you won’t want to miss! Happy Holidays! *To find all of the episodes with the full show notes, go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2023-12-1119 min

Mending Families 40. Best and worst Christmas gift ideas with the Hot Mamas from the HillsOn today’s episode, Melissa and her three friends, Hannah, Cassie and Danielle, all share their thoughts on the best and not so best Christmas gifts for kids. Whether you are looking for ideas for your own kids, or you are a relative, teacher, coach or neighbor, these ladies have all the greatest ideas! See below for links to purchase many of the items they chat about! For full show notes that includes the links to all the BEST gifts we discussed, go to https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Face...

2023-12-0423 min

Mending Families 39. Real talk about adopting through foster care with Julee HigleyOn today’s episode, Julee shares about how her family got into foster care and how that has led them down the path of moving towards adoption. Julee opens up about how their decision to foster didn’t happen overnight and through grief and loss in their life, they moved slowly. She talks about the ups and downs of foster care, and gives us some great things to consider when stepping into parenting kids from hard places. If you are interested in learning more about Julee, you can find her on Instagram where she shares about their journey of fostering and...

2023-11-2754 min

Mending Families 38. Invisible disabilities and adoption with Hannah LaBolleOn today’s episode, Hannah shares their journey to adopting their son and all that they learned along the way. We also talk about invisible disabilities and Hannah gives some great things for us to think about whether as a supporter/friend or a parent in the thick of parenting a kid from hard. Stay until the end because she gives us some resources that you are going to want to check out! If you are interested in learning more about Hannah (and her amazing coffee shop, West Plains Roasters), check her out in Instagram @HannahLaBolle *To find all of th...

2023-11-2045 min

Mending Families 37. Mindset shifts with foster care and adoption with Taffee AdamsOn today’s episode, Taffee shares how her family changed their mindset around foster parenting, and although they did adopt their four girls through the foster care system, Taffee talks about how they hold birth family relationships in a different light now. Taffee also shares the struggles of parenting kids from trauma, as well as the ways that they have learned to do new and better for their kids. She also gives us some good things to think about with how best to help our kids. If you are interested in learning more about Taffee, you can find her on In...

2023-11-1337 min

Mending Families 36. Growing with books, open adoptions, and birth order with Meaghan FlowersMeaghan is a mom to 6 kids and is a proud StoryMaker both as a PaperPie associate and a foster/adoptive mom. She is married and lives in the country with her family, fur babies, and neighboring peacocks that visit from time to time. Meaghan is a fierce advocate for the kids in her home, but also has a heart to help others learn and grow as well. On today’s episode, Meaghan starts out by talking about how she became the “book lady”, or more commonly known as a Story Maker. We talk about books that can help with social/emotio...

2023-11-0656 min

Mending Families 35. Mondays with Melissa - All things Halloween from the mouths of babes!On today’s episode, Melissa interviews three of her children about Halloween. They talk about the likes and dislikes of Halloween, things to think about whether decorating your home or dressing up to trick or treat, and just plain fun! This is an episode that you might want to watch on YouTube because kids can just be extra entertaining! :) Topics Melissa mentions: *The monthly membership “Let’s Grow!” is now open and for a limited time, founding members can get in on 25% off for the life of their membership! Check it out HERE! *Not everyone likes to be scared on Hallowee...

2023-10-3020 min

Mending Families 34. Mondays with Melissa - Surviving Domestic ViolenceTW: Today we talk about abusive relationships and domestic violence so please know that if you are in a DV situation or know someone who is, there is help. Go to www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233 On today’s episode, Melissa shares her story of surviving a domestic violence relationship. DV is so complicated and Melissaa wants you all to hear her own story to get a better idea of how complicated it can be. It’s all about awareness! This is the final episode in the National Domestic Violence Awareness series for the month of October. Topi...

2023-10-2339 min

Mending Families 33. Healing the whole self from trauma and Domestic Violence with Teresa EgglestonOn today’s episode, Teresa talks about how she got into the field of therapy and where it has taken her. She shares her thoughts on trauma and how we can move towards a place of healing from the trauma we have experienced. Teresa focuses on somatic healing and gives us good things to think about in regards to healing the whole self. We also talk quite a bit about Domestic Violence and how to help ourselves or someone around us. Another good episode to bring more awareness to DV! Today we talk about abusive relationships and domestic violence so pl...

2023-10-1635 min

Mending Families 32. Mondays with Melissa - Power and control games people play in abusive relationshipsTW: Today we talk about abusive relationships and domestic violence so please know that if you are in a DV situation or know someone who is, there is help. Go to www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233 On today’s episode, Melissa provides some insight into domestic violence relationships by going through 13 power/control games that people play in unhealthy relationships. She breaks down each game and provides examples of each to help you better understand what victims in these relationships are experiencing. As part of Domestic Violence Awareness month, Melissa hopes to bring more information about DV so...

2023-10-0932 min

Mending Families 31. Abuse and healing from chronic pain with Ashlee HoelckOn today’s episode, Ashlee starts by sharing about homeschooling her two boys before jumping into her story of healing her body from trauma she experienced in an abusive relationship many years ago. She talks about how she discovered that her chronic pain was connected to the abuse she endured and where she sought out healing. Ashlee was so brave to tell her story and I am so thankful that she found our community a safe place to share! Today we talk about abusive relationships and domestic violence so please know that if you are in a DV situation or kn...

2023-10-0242 min

Mending Families 30. When religion hurts you with Dr. Laura AndersonOn today’s episode, Laura helps us understand what religious trauma is, how to move forward when we’ve experienced harm from religious organizations, the difference between “church hurt” and “church harm” and what exactly are Adverse Religious Experiences. Our discussion leads us back to parenting often and for that reason, this episode truly is for anyone who finds themselves caring for vulnerable children. Enjoy! If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Laura Anderson, you can check out her website https://drlauraeanderson.com/ and the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery for a variety of virtual healing options she is invol...

2023-09-2545 min

Mending Families 29. Mondays with Melissa - Rupture and RepairOn today’s episode, Melissa gives you 4 steps to repairing with your child after a rupture. She also shares why rupture and repair is so important and that we do not need to be “perfect parents” for our children. This episode might challenge how you think about apologies, so come to the conversation ready to stretch your mindset! Topics Melissa mentions: * In last week's episode, Robyn briefly touches on the importance of repair in a parent/child relationship. You will want to listen to ALL that she has to say so go back and listen to episode 28! * Mending Families has a new...

2023-09-1816 min

Mending Families 28. Understanding big, baffling behaviors and consequences with Robyn GobbelOn today’s episode, Robyn walks us through the parts of the brain (Owl, Watchdog, Possum) and how we can view our kids’ big, baffling behaviors from a different perspective. She shares her thoughts on consequences and whether they are necessary to change our kids’ behaviors. This conversation with Robyn was so easy because she makes parenting sound easy and doable! If you are struggling with big, baffling behaviors from your kids, this episode will give you some great starting places to make positive changes within your home! If you are interested in learning more about Robyn and all that she has...

2023-09-111h 01

Kanawha Valley Hustlers Melissa Pemberton: A Warrior in the World of Copiers and Community In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers, I have a special guest, Melissa Pemberton. She’s an account manager at Prosource, a tech company dealing with copiers and printers. It’s not every day you meet someone so passionate about copiers and printers, but Melissa isn’t just passionate; she’s a warrior. Melissa opens up about her hustle, which she describes as “helping all.” In her world, copiers and printers aren’t just office equipment; they’re tools to make businesses more efficient. She’s got a team of service technicians. They’re not just there to fix things...

2023-09-0810 min

Mending Families 27. Mondays with Melissa - Trauma informed tips for educators and parentsOn today’s episode, Melissa shares some thoughts about how the educational system can provide safer spaces for our kids. She also will give caregivers a few pointers from her own personal experience of raising 4 kids, some of which are still in the school system. Whether you are an educator, or a caregiver, this episode is for you! **Find FULL SHOW NOTES at my website, https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - www.youtube.com/@mendingfamilies1594 https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com

2023-09-0415 min

Mending Families 26. IEP and 504 Plan Advocacy with Destiny HuffOn today’s episode, Destiny talks about some of her favorite places to live and where she hopes to land eventually. She shares how she got into the field of helping others and how her own story led her to becoming an IEP advocate. Destiny provides tips when working with the school systems to provide the best plan for your child. I learned so much from this episode and am excited to share it with you! If you are interested in learning more about Destiny, you can find more information on her website https://www.destinyhuffconsulting.com or check out her...

2023-08-2848 min

Mending Families 25. Jessica Sinarski - Trauma Informed Education and Riley the BraveJessica Sinarski, LPCMH is an author, speaker, and instigator of hope. Weaving user-friendly brain science into everything she does, Jessica offers deeply trauma-informed support and education for home, school, and community audiences. With her decades of experience in the child welfare field, Jessica helps parents and professionals understand what’s really going on, why it’s happening, and how to find the way forward! On today’s episode, Jessica talks with us about how she works to help educators learn more about trauma and approach teaching through a trauma informed lens. She also talks about how Riley the Brave came to be...

2023-08-2157 min

Mending Families 24. Mondays with Melissa - How mindfulness can help you be a better parentOn today’s episode, Melissa gives you some things to think about when it comes to using breathwork and mindfulness with your kids. She has broken these ideas down and provides you with practical strategies to help support you as you are working through how to help your kiddos heal. Remember that change takes time so don’t get overwhelmed! Come back to this later if you need to! You got this! **Find FULL SHOW NOTES at my website, https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa YouTube - www...

2023-08-1420 min

Mending Families 23. Mindfulness, Meditation and Breathwork with Hannah TalbotHannah Talbot is a Reiki Master, Mindfulness+Meditation Guide, Earth Medicine Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, and the founder of Anam Cara. Knowing that energy is everything, Hannah created Anam Cara in the heart of the city to drop you into the awareness that you deserve to feel whole. Her one-on-one sessions weave together multiple modalities along with therapeutic dialogue and coaching in order to land you in your heart center. Allowing you the space to feel truly held and safe enough to loosen the grip on the things keeping us stuck in repetitive patterns. To sum up all of her work, she...

2023-08-0741 min

Mending Families 22. Mondays with Melissa - How to find community when parenting feels hardOn today’s episode, Melissa goes through some things for you to consider when searching for community. She also talks about the importance of community but a few red flags to consider to ensure that you are always on the path towards healing and growth. Community is hard to find sometimes so Melissa gives 3 points for you to consider as you “interview” communities and groups in your area. Topics Melissa mentions: *To find more information about the Reclaim Compassion groups, go to reclaimcompassion.com *More information on support for foster and adoptive families in the state of Washington can be found a...

2023-07-3117 min

Mending Families 21. Connected Parenting and Reclaiming Compassion with Lisa QuallsOn today’s episode, Lisa shares with us how she got started in writing and what led to each book that she authored. She also shares some exciting news about an upcoming project so you won’t want to miss out! Lisa is so raw and real as she talks about her own struggles as a parent which ultimately led to the community that she co-leads with Melissa Corkum, The Adoption Connection. If you are interested in listening to Lisa and Melissa’s podcast, The Adoption Connection podcast, you can listen HERE You can also find more information on the Adoption...

2023-07-2443 min

Mending Families 20. Mondays with Melissa - Trauma-informed parentingOn today’s episode, Melissa gives you some things to consider when it comes to parenting. She also talks specifically to foster parents, adoptive parents, relative caregivers, social workers, and churches as she believes that our kids are “our” kids and we all play a role in their healthy development. Topics Melissa mentions: *Be willing to do your own healing and look at the wounds you have that may affect the way you are in relationship today. *Educate yourself on healthy parenting strategies that are backed by research. Melissa recommends reading The Connected Parent or the Connected Child to learn more ab...

2023-07-1720 min

Spokast!Melissa PembertonJoin me on this episode of Spokast! as I sit down with Melissa Pemberton, the owner of Mending Families—a venture born out of her deep passion for helping families heal and grow. Melissa's journey is a testament to her commitment to making a difference in the lives of families in need. During our conversation, Melissa shares her realization of the need to prioritize her dreams of facilitating healing and growth within families. While running a foster care non-profit was fulfilling, she found herself stretched too thin as she tried to merge her calling wi...

2023-07-131h 19

Mending Families 19. Surviving complex trauma and Story Telling with Tori Hope PetersenOn today’s episode, we start the conversation by talking about pageantry and how Tori found herself with the title of Mrs. Universe in 2021. Tori shares how she does not see her title as something that defines her but something she has done as her heart is really to love others the way that she has felt loved by Jesus throughout her life. Listen in as Tori gives us insight into her relationship with her biological mom and how she has found healing an important part of her own parenting journey. Whether you are a foster parent, adoptive parent, teacher, co...

2023-07-1047 min

Mending Families 18. Mondays with Melissa - My own journey with EMDR therapyOn today’s episode, Melissa opens up about what led her to finally going to therapy and how she ultimately ended up discovering EMDR. Melissa will share with you a glimpse of how she knows that EMDR is helping her continue to move forward in healing. If you aren’t sure how to even start, this episode will give you the opportunity to hear about how therapy is definitely not linear! As always, contact Melissa through Instagram, Facebook or via email (melissa@mendingfamilieswa.com) anytime! For the full show notes and all of the show notes from previous episodes, go to ww...

2023-07-0321 min

Mending Families 17. The ins and outs of EMDR Therapy with Christina KnudsenChristina Knudsen is a Licensed Clinical Social worker who specializes in treating trauma. She is obsessed with yoga, her dog and her husband. They live and work in their RV, traveling the country. Currently they are in Arizona and are enjoying the beautiful weather while they explore the Flagstaff area, before heading back “home” to Spokane for a brief stay. On today’s episode, Christina talks about what led to her and her husband living in their RV and traveling the country, but more importantly, she breaks down what EMDR is and how you might find it helpful in your own hea...

2023-06-2641 min

Mending Families 16. Mondays with Melissa - Caring for the Nervous SystemOn today’s episode, Melissa gives you some suggestions on caring for your nervous system if you are not in a space (or have time) to step into the Safe and Sound Protocol. She breaks down the importance of caring for our nervous system and gives you four practical tips that you can start using today! Topics Melissa mentions: *Mending Families episode #4 has great resources for trying out yoga on your own or with your kids (listen at the end of the episode). Check out the show notes HERE for all of the links and info on the resources Melissa men...

2023-06-1913 min

Mending Families 15. The Enneagram, Blocked Care, and the Safe and Sound Protocol with Melissa CorkumOn today’s episode, Melissa shares about how she uses the Enneagram in her personal life, as well as her professional life and how she has found it to be so helpful. She also talks about Blocked Care and Compassion Fatigue, which you can read more about in her new book, Reclaim Compassion. Melissa also gives us some great insight into Polyvagal Theory (I promise it’s not boring!) and how she uses the Safe and Sound Protocol to help families move into healing. To find out more about Melissa and the many different hats she wears, you can find her a...

2023-06-1247 min

Mending Families 14. Mondays with Melissa - Let’s talk about Grief and LossOn today’s episode, Melissa shares her thoughts on grief and loss based on her own personal experiences and what she understands about loss. This episode is shorter as Melissa was fighting a cold, but she packs in some good things to think about when it comes to loss, our kids, and supporting those around us who are experiencing loss themselves. Listen to this short and sweet episode to get a better understanding of what loss is and how we can be more mindful of grief. **Find FULL SHOW NOTES at my website, https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to fin...

2023-06-0510 min

Mending Families 13. Cancer, parenting through the hard, and growth with Hannah McLeodOn today’s episode, Hannah tells us about Beachbody and how she has been able to make her daily exercise a habit that she rarely even thinks about. She shares about some of the hard things that she has been through in the past 8 years, including losing her mom and her son being diagnosed with cancer at just 5 months old. Hannah is an inspiration and has such encouraging things to say….enjoy! If you are interested in following Hannah’s journey with her son’s cancer diagnosis, or even just how she is an encourager for healthy living, you can find her...

2023-05-2948 min

Thriving After Abuse Navigating Parenting After Trauma with Expert Trauma-Informed Parenting Coach Melissa PembertonOn today's episode, I have Melissa Pemberton, a trauma-informed parent coach. We talk about: what "trauma-informed caregiving" means connection based parenting VS fear-based parenting how this relates to parents who've endured trauma and more! ********************************************* About Melissa: Melissa is a trauma informed parent coach whose approach is focused on connection and attachment to allow for deeper healing. She is married to her best friend and they have four kids together from ages 5 to almost 22. Her life wouldn’t be complete without Starbucks and her cats! Get in touch with Melissa: ...

2023-05-2445 min

Mending Families 12. Mondays with Melissa - What to consider when building your support systemOn today’s episode, Melissa chats with you about ways that you can step into being a healthy support system to someone in your life who is either parenting kids who have experienced adversity, or IS a kid experiencing adversity. It only takes one adult in the life of a child to help them build resilience and that one adult could be you! Whether you are a parent, relative, teacher, coach, or Sunday School teacher, we all have kids in our lives who we can support and make a difference for. **Find FULL SHOW NOTES at my website, https://www.men...

2023-05-2214 min

Mending Families 11. Single foster parenting and the importance of growth mindset with Danielle LaBarOn today’s episode, Danielle shares with us how she knows when to say yes which ultimately led her to becoming a foster parent. She gives us some positive things to think about when it comes to foster care and also tells us how she is able to balance all that she has going on, while still staying present for her kids. Danielle even has words of wisdom for those who are not parenting currently but are part of someone's support system. This episode is truly for everyone! To find out more about Danielle, she is on Instagram @spokanelifestyle, Facebook @to...

2023-05-1526 min

Mending Families 10. Mondays with Melissa - What is TBRI?On today’s episode, Melissa gives a brief explanation of what Trust Based Relational Interventions are. She breaks down TBRI’s 3 principles for us (Connecting, Empowering and Correcting) and gives a few real-life examples of how to apply these principles in our everyday life. For a more in-depth look at TBRI, reach out to Melissa to arrange a training or parent coaching session. She can be reached at melissa@mendingfamilieswa.com Topics Melissa mentions: The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis The Connected Parent by Karyn Purvis and Lisa Qualls The TBRI Podcast for weekly content directly from the Karyn Purvis Instit...

2023-05-0834 min

Mending Families 9. Surviving cancer, helping the body heal, and IFS with Claire Collins ThompsonClaire Collins Thompson is a wife, mother of one beautiful boy, and licensed mental health therapist specializing in IFS and EMDR modalities. She runs a private practice in Spokane, WA and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, traveling and being on the water as much as possible. On today’s episode, Claire shares with us about her journey of surviving cancer and how she learned so much about herself during that process. She talks about the realization that she needed to truly slow down, ask for help with her son, and allow her body the...

2023-05-0158 min

Mending Families 8. Mondays with Melissa - Childhood trauma and surviving abuseOn today’s episode, Melissa shares her personal story of growing up in a chaotic, unpredictable home which led to her searching for something to fill what was missing. After noticing that she was repeating the same patterns from her childhood, she slowly started her journey towards healing. Without the difficulties she faced, she would not be where she is today. Listen in to learn more about what makes Melissa the person, parent, spouse, friend and supporter that she is today! If you have questions or would like to chat with Melissa about starting your own journey towards healing, email he...

2023-04-2438 min

Mending Families 7. Overcoming, healing, and connecting with your parents with Haley PembertonI had Haley as a teen and we have been through so many ups and downs, but are on the side of healing past hurts, as well as our relationship. It’s been so fun watching her grow and see her follow in my footsteps as a social worker. Haley has her Bachelors in Social Work and works for a local counseling agency as a crisis response counselor. She lives with her dog, Hank, and uses art as an outlet to help her get through the big and hard of life! On today’s episode, Haley shares her heart about the...

2023-04-1742 min

Mending Families 6. Mondays with Melissa - 6 risk factors to developmental adversityOn today’s episode, Melissa gives an expanded explanation of the risk factors related to trauma and how it affects our kids (or honestly our own) whole selves. She discusses the importance of understanding where trauma can come from and how it can also lead to some difficulties in connection and attachment. Finally, Melissa leaves you with two strategies to try this next week to start the journey of healing within your own home. Find all of the show notes at https://www.mendingfamilieswa.com/mending-families-podcast Where to find Mending Families: Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa Yo...

2023-04-1018 min

Mending Families 5. Mom-life and International Foster Care with Bekah ReadOn today’s episode, Bekah shares how she has survived motherhood thus far and shares her struggles of finally getting a diagnosis for her daughter after a year of hard. She takes us back to 8 years ago when she was a foster parent in Honduras and the stories she tells will shock you as much as they give you chills. We touch briefly on trauma and the support she received while fostering internationally, but most importantly, Bekah is honest and raw as she takes us on her journey. To find out more about Bekah and her small business, you can find...

2023-04-0333 min

Mending Families 4. Mondays with Melissa - 3 things to consider before becoming a foster parentOn today’s episode, Melissa shares her personal experiences and advice on one of the topics that she and Cassie discussed during the previous episode…foster parenting. If you are considering foster care, or even if you are already in a foster home, this episode is for you as Melissa shares 3 things to consider. She also gives some great resources, as well as online and in-person options for yoga that she forgot to mention in the last episode. As always, if you would like to have more conversation with her, she would love for you to reach out! Topics Melissa mentio...

2023-03-2713 min

Mending Families 3. Foster parenting, TBRI and how yoga can help heal with Cassie DayOn today’s episode, Cassie takes us through what led her family to do foster care and how that ultimately led her to realize that she needed to work on her own personal growth and healing. Cassie has great insight and advice for those considering foster care while also sharing some of the resources she has found helpful both for herself and her kids. This episode is jam packed with so many topics from foster care to EMDR Therapy to yoga with your kids! Enjoy! If you are interested in listening to Cassie’s podcast, Agents Unfiltered, you can find it o...

2023-03-2028 min

Mending Families 2. Mondays with Melissa - Should we spank?On today’s episode, Melissa shares her thoughts on one of the topics that she and Jon discussed during the previous episode…spanking. Yes, it can be controversial, but it doesn’t have to be. Melissa hopes to normalize having conversation about spanking and open mindedness when it comes to alternatives. She shares a few things for those who choose to spank to consider, some alternatives to spanking, and provides some great resources at the end. Melissa does talk briefly about her own experiences with the church and spanking, but her thoughts and opinions are just that….her thoughts and opinions...

2023-03-2021 min