Active & Connected Families

About Active & Connected Families

Active & Connected Families podcast is a smart, conversational guide to help you and your family feel more active and connected in your daily lives. Your host, Amanda Sovik-Johnston, will tackle the small problems that sometimes get in our way (fighting about laundry… again?) as well as the bigger, more complicated mental health challenges facing our teenagers today. Amanda is a child psychologist, mom of three boys, entrepreneur, national champion swimmer, wife, and an expert at creating fun with a dash of perspective and plenty of wisdom. You will laugh and sometimes cry with Amanda and her expert guests. Subscribe to Active & Connected Families and you'll always learn something unique and useful about how you can become a better person, as well as a better parent! Connect with Amanda on Instagram (@activeconnectedfamilytherapy) or learn more about our family therapy options over at www.activeconnected.com

Publisher

Active & Connected Family Therapy

Category

health & fitness · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

21 Dec 2020

Latest episode

27 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

99 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Nov 2025

   Worried Your Child Is Lonely? How to Help Your Kids Make Friends at School with Principal Seth Kennard

   Is your child coming home saying they "have no friends", while your gut tells you the story might be more complicated than that? You're not alone. As parents, nothing spikes our anxiety faster than the fear that our child is being left out socially. But what's really happening at recess, in the cafeteria, and throughout the school day? And how can we help our kids build friendships without spiraling after one mean comment from their friend? In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Seth Kennard, principal of Mountain View Elementary (and parent himself), for an inside look at what kids actually do when they're making friends at school, and why there are far fewer lonely kids at recess than parents imagine. This episode is an insightlook at elementary school friendships, and a roadmap for you as a parent in trying to stay out of panic mode while giving your kids the tools they need to thrive socially. If you're worried your child is lonely, this episode on helping kids make friends at school will show you: How quickly kids connect when given repeated, low-pressure opportunities What friendship formation actually looks like inside an elementary school Why so many kids say they have "no friends"… even when they very much do Why friend worries peak at home (and why timing matters) A simple way to dig deeper when your child says they were alone at recess Why parent anxiety can accidentally amplifies kids' anxiety How to help kids build resilience after social bumps How to tell the difference between a one-off bad moment and a real social struggle What practical skills help kids keep friendships over time And when it's time to get extra support, either from the school or a therapist Next steps 🧠 Are you or your child struggling with mental health? We have a team of psychologists and psychiatrists who can help you out. Check out our different therapy options at www.activeconnected.com. 💬 We always love hearing from you, so don't be shy, come over to our Instagram (@ActiveConnectedFamilyTherapy) and let us know what you thought about today's episode! 🎧 And if you haven't done so yet, make sure to subscribe to our show (https://apple.co/3rbzTJq) so you don't miss any of our future episodes! 👥 Do you love listening to our podcast? It would mean the absolute world to us if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This will help our show so we can help more parents and families feel more active and connected in their lives. You can leave a review by clicking here (https://apple.co/3rbzTJq), scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much! More info? You can find the full show notes, links and resources over at: https://activeconnected.com/worry-y-child-is-lonely/

2. 

   25 Sept 2025

   ADHDThink Your Child Has ADHD? Here’s What to Do First

   Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but if it did, the ADHD chapter would probably be 400 pages long and full of contradictions. So let’s simplify: here’s how to cut through the noise and figure out your next step if you think your child (or you!) has ADHD. If you’ve ever thought “I think my child might have ADHD, but what do I actually do now?”, I recorded this episode exactly for you. I’ll walk you through the real-life steps parents can take to move forward without getting lost in confusion (or spending thousands of dollars you may not need to). You’ll get a clear picture of the options available, from quick evaluations to full psychological assessments, and learn how to figure out what makes the most sense for your child. In this episode on what to do if you think your child has ADHD, we’ll discuss: Why talking to a trusted professional is the first step when you suspect ADHD; The difference between surveys, psychiatric evaluations, and full ADHD assessments; How ADHD can sometimes be confused with anxiety, learning differences, or substance use; The pros, cons, and costs of a psychological evaluation (and when it’s worth it); A more accessible option for getting a reliable diagnosis without breaking the bank; How to build the right support team once you have answers. Next steps 🧠 Are you or your child struggling with mental health? We have a team of psychologists and psychiatrists who can help you out. Check out our different therapy options at www.activeconnected.com. 💬 We always love hearing from you, so don’t be shy, come over to our Instagram and let us know what you thought about today’s episode! 🎧 And if you haven’t done so yet, make sure to subscribe to our show (https://apple.co/3rbzTJq) so you don’t miss any of our future episodes! 👥 Do you love listening to our podcast? It would mean the absolute world to us if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This will help our show so we can help more parents and families feel more active and connected in their lives. You can leave a review by clicking here (https://apple.co/3rbzTJq), scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much!

3. 

   19 Dec 2023

   Counting Kindness Helps Your Child’s Mental Health

   We all know there is a mental health crisis out there. We have real numbers that highlight elevated rates of anxiety and depression for kids, teenagers, people of color, men, working mothers. The numbers tell the story. The percentages, increases, and statistical significance are all important. Everywhere we go, we are surrounded by data,  as are our children. Their GPA’s, instagram likes, rebounds, SAT Scores, tardies, goals, and more, are all measured and highlighted. “What is measured gets done.” The data tells the story. Numbers are concrete, clear, and feel important. Yet we don’t keep data on what actually counts in life. There are no decimal points for kindness, helping others, empathy, or quality of relationships. And because there is no data to be analyzed for these qualities in this numbers-crazed world, we have learned not to value the qualities that make us healthy and whole. No wonder there is a mental health crisis. Let's have a closer look at this in today's episode! We always love hearing from you, so don’t be shy, come over to our Facebook or Instagram and let us know what you thought about today’s episode! Ps. Do you love listening to our podcast? It would mean the absolute world to us if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. This will help our show so we can help more parents and families feel more active and connected in their lives. You can leave a review by clicking here (https://apple.co/3rbzTJq), scrolling to the bottom, tapping to leave a star rating and then write your review. Thanks so much! And if you haven’t done so yet, make sure to subscribe to our show so you don’t miss any of our future episodes! More info? You can find the full show notes, links and resources over at: https://www.activeconnected.com/what-really-matters/

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

101 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.