Kia ora and welcome to Parents We've Met, where we wade into the magical, messy depths of parenthood to uncover the moments and learnings that keep us coming back for more.
We're your hosts, Jenny Hale and Dayna Galloway, and together we share candid and inspiring conversations with well-known New Zealand parents - and experts - who, just like us, are navigating the wild and wonderful terrain that is parenthood.
With Jenny 's 'Parent Coach' hat on, we delve into a wide range of topics, from neurodiversity, to co-parenting, tricky teen behaviours, sleep struggles, grief, loss, big emotions and SO much more.
While most of these chats are light-hearted, at times we also dip our toes into some big topics of conversation that are aimed at a parent audience – and not suitable for little ears!
Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas at parentingplace.nz
This week we’re joined by special guest Matt Brown (MNZM) - pāpā, husband, co-founder of She is not your rehab, author, communicator and internationally acclaimed barber (yes, really!) - for a powerful conversation about parenting, trauma and healing.
Listener note: In this episode we touch on some sensitive topics including domestic abuse, suicide and sexual abuse. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek support from a mental health professional or connect with Lifeline Aotearoa by texting 4357. Your wellbeing is important.
Matt shares openly about his upbringing as one of nine kids and the journey that led him to confront the pain and trauma that marked much of his childhood. Together with Dayna and Jenny he chats about forgiveness and breaking cycles through the lens of, ‘seek to understand, rather than to be understood’ , a principle that has guided him through his healing journey.
Matt and his wife Sarah have created some incredible resources which you can check out here: two books She is not your rehab and This is not yours to carry - and a mental health app Innerboy, which has been designed to support men in healing from intergenerational trauma and abuse.
For free support for mental distress, please check out these other below resources:
Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.
Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.
Just a thought Email: hello@justathought.co.nz
Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 May 2026
Coaches’ couch: What to do when your teen pulls away
Dayna and Jenny are joined by Parent Coach Sheridan Eketone for a deep dive into what teens really need from us during this important developmental stage.
They chat about the importance of helping teens build a sense of competence, autonomy and connection - finding what lights them up and creating space for them to lean into their passions (yes, even if they seem a little quirky!). Alongside this, they unpack the quiet power of everyday moments, the ‘snatched’ connections that remind our young people that they’re loved without needing to earn it.
They also take an honest look at the things that can unintentionally push teens further away - from long lectures and ‘I-told-you-sos’ to stepping in too quickly to fix things - and how small shifts can make a big difference.
You’ll hear practical ways to:
Respond when you’re met with attitude or pushback
Avoid taking things personally when emotions are running high
Make space for a ‘do-over’ when the relationship fractures
Support your teen’s growing independence, without losing connection
They also shed some light on what’s happening developmentally in the teenage brain, and why - even when they act like they don’t need us - they still deeply do.
We reference Kathryn Berkett’s book: ‘What’s going on in there? The Neuroscience of the Adolescent Brain’. Check it out here: https://www.engagetraining.co.nz/my-book
Got a parenting challenge you need help with? Book a 1:1 coaching session online or in-person at parentingplace.nz/coaching
Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE.
Find us on: YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok /LinkedIn
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 Apr 2026
Coaches’ couch: How to calm the morning chaos
Are mornings tricky or stressful? Need to get to work on time and your kid’s distracted by carpet fluff? Parent coach Kristin Ward joins us on the coaches’ couch this week with some hot tips and tools to help you leave the house without completely losing it!
Together with Jenny and Dayna, Kristin shares strategies for calmer mornings including building in simple systems and time buffers, guarding kids’ sleep so they wake naturally, on time, and prioritising intentional moments of connection to keep the vibes sweet.
Got a parenting challenge you need help with? Book a 1:1 coaching session online or in-person at parentingplace.nz/coaching
Parents We’ve Met is brought to you by Parenting Place – a charity with a heart for New Zealand families. Explore our self-guided online courses and hundreds of free parenting articles and ideas HERE.
Find us on: YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / Tik Tok /LinkedIn
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
31,843
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
15
Social presence
97
YouTube
76
Engagement
0
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