Psyched2Parent: Turning Brain Science into Tiny Wins for Parents

About Psyched2Parent: Turning Brain Science into Tiny Wins for Parents

Psyched2Parent turns brain science into tiny wins for parents raising big-feeling, strong-willed, big-hearted, big-brained kids, especially the ones who hold it together at school and unravel at home. I'm Dr. Amy Patenaude, a school psychologist, parent coach, and your school psych in your pocket. Each week, I help you decode what's underneath the behavior, understand your child's brain and nervous system, and figure out what to do next at home and at school. You'll get parent-friendly explanations, tiny wins you can actually use, scripts for hard moments, and practical guidance for navigating school supports like IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, and accommodations. We talk about meltdowns, executive function, anxiety, perfectionism, transitions, screen-time conflict, learning differences, and the messy middle of raising kids who feel deeply and need support that actually fits. The goal is not perfection. The goal is more clarity, more connection, fewer power struggles, and a steadier path forward, one tiny win at a time.

Publisher

Dr. Amy Patenaude, Ed.D., NCSP

Category

health & fitness · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Dec 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

68 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   My Kid Says They're Being Bullied. What Do I Do First?

   My Kid Says They're Being Bullied. What Do I Do First? Episode Summary Your child gets in the car and says: "I'm being bullied." And suddenly your nervous system is ready to email the school, call the other parent, and launch a full investigation before you've even left carline. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude helps parents slow down, understand what bullying actually looks like, and figure out what to do first. You'll learn how to use the Pattern–Power–Harm framework, how to listen without immediately jumping into investigation mode, and how to work with school to create a clear safety plan. Because not every hard interaction is bullying. And bullying is never "just drama." This Episode Is for You If… Your child says they're being bullied and you're not sure what to do next. You're trying to tell the difference between bullying, mean behavior, exclusion, and friendship conflict. You worry about overreacting or accidentally making things worse. You need to know when to involve school. You want your child to feel supported without turning every hard interaction into a crisis. In This Episode What actually defines bullying. How to use Pattern–Power–Harm to understand what is happening. Why something can be serious without technically being bullying. Why your first response should be: "I'm glad you told me." How to validate your child's feelings without confirming something you do not yet know. What facts to gather before contacting school. Why contacting the other child's parent is usually not the best first move. What a useful school safety plan should include. How home and school can work together to know whether the plan is actually helping. Three Tiny Wins 1. Start with: "I'm glad you told me." Before the questions, emails, or investigation, help your child know they are heard, supported, and not alone. 2. Write down five facts. What happened? Where? When? Who was involved? Has it happened before? If there is an immediate safety concern, serious physical aggression, threats, sexualized behavior, or harassment, involve the appropriate adults right away. 3. Ask school for the plan. Who does your child tell? Where do they go? Who is watching? How will you know if something happens again? When will everyone check back in? Pick one. One is enough. Free Resources Tiny Wins Playbook https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/tinywinsplaybook ADHD, Anxiety, or Something Else? https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/adhdanxietyorsomethingelse After-School Reset Guide https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/afterschoolresetguide Come Hang Out With Me For practical school-psych takes, real-life parenting, and Tiny Wins in the messy middle: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dramypatenaude/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/ And if you know another parent staring at their phone wondering whether to email the school or contact the other child's parent, send them this episode first. Road to Dopey I'm training for the 2027 Dopey Challenge as a push athlete with the Kyle Pease Foundation. If you'd like to support my fundraiser: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/projects/297130-amy-patenaude-s-fundraiser Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, learning, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

2. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Child Anxiety: Why Everything Feels Like A Threat

   Child Anxiety: Why Everything Feels Like a Threat Your child knows they are safe. So why does their brain keep acting like something terrible is about to happen? Maybe anxiety looks like stomachaches before school, endless "what if?" questions, perfectionism, separation anxiety, needing every detail of the plan, or completely melting down over something that seems small. In this episode, I'm breaking down what is happening underneath all of that. We'll talk about why an anxious child's worry alarm can mistake discomfort for danger, why uncertainty makes that alarm louder, and how we can help kids feel anxious without automatically letting anxiety make the decision. The goal is not to get rid of anxiety. The goal is helping your child learn: This feels scary. I am safe. And I can take the next step. This Episode Is for You If... Your child asks "What if?" or "Are you sure?" over and over. Anxiety shows up as stomachaches, perfectionism, anger, refusal, or clinginess. Your child worries about school, separation, mistakes, or unfamiliar situations. You are not always sure whether your child is unsafe or just really uncomfortable. You keep saying "You're fine" and somehow it is not fixing anything. In This Episode Why childhood anxiety can make safe situations feel threatening. Why "what if?" questions and uncertainty can keep the worry alarm loud. Why anxiety does not always look like fear. How to validate the feeling without validating every anxious prediction. How to help kids tell the difference between danger and discomfort. Why I am looking for 10% braver, not completely fearless. Three Tiny Wins 1. Name the alarm. "Your worry alarm is really loud right now." 2. Ask: danger or discomfort? "Do we need to get safe, or does this feel really uncomfortable?" 3. Find the 10% brave move. What can your child do while the anxiety is still there? Pick one. One is enough. Free Resources Tiny Wins Playbook https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/tinywinsplaybook ADHD, Anxiety, or Something Else? https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/adhdanxietyorsomethingelse Volcano Feelings Freebie https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/volcanomoments After School Reset Guide https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/afterschoolresetguide Come Hang Out With Me I share school psych takes, real life parenting, and practical Tiny Wins for big feeling, big brained kids. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramypatenaude/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/ If you have a friend currently answering the eleventh "But are you sure?" of the day, send them this episode. Road to Dopey I'm training for the 2027 Dopey Challenge as a push athlete with the Kyle Pease Foundation. Support my fundraiser: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/projects/297130-amy-patenaude-s-fundraiser Disclaimer This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening does not create a provider client relationship. If you are concerned about your child's mental health, safety, learning, or development, please connect with a qualified professional in your area.

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   The Honeymoon Is Over: When School Struggles Aren't Getting Better

   The Honeymoon Is Over: When School Struggles Aren't Getting Better Episode Summary It's October. The novelty of back-to-school has worn off, routines are established, and now you have something valuable: a pattern. Maybe reading keeps ending in tears. Homework is still a battle. Your child keeps saying they have no friends. Sunday-night stomachaches are becoming a regular thing. At some point, we move from: "That was a hard day." to: "Okay. I'm seeing a pattern." In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude explains how to know when "wait and see" has given you enough information to look closer, what it may be costing your child to keep looking okay, and how to talk with school without needing to know the diagnosis first. Because you don't need all 10,000 puzzle pieces before you ask for the next one. This Episode Is for You If… You gave your child time to adjust to school, but the same struggles keep showing up. Homework, reading, friendships, mornings, or school anxiety are getting harder instead of easier. Your child is doing "fine" on paper, but it seems to be costing them a lot. You keep wondering whether you're overreacting. You want to talk with the school but aren't sure what to ask. In This Episode You'll Learn Why "wait and see" should actually give you information. How to look for patterns instead of reacting to one difficult day. Why your parent gut is useful data, but not a diagnosis. How to use the "Yes, but…" test to understand what school success may be costing your child. Why changes in confidence and "losing their sparkle" matter. How to give teachers a clearer lens instead of simply asking, "How is everything?" Why you should bring the pattern, not the diagnosis. How to move from vaguely watching to creating an actual next-step plan. Three Tiny Wins 1. Name the pattern. What keeps coming up: reading, homework, friendships, attention, mornings, confidence? 2. Ask what it is costing. "Yes, my child can do it, but…" 3. Give school the lens. Share the pattern you're seeing and ask: "Are you seeing anything similar at school?" "What should we try next, and when should we check back in?" Pick one. One is enough. Free Resources Tiny Wins Playbook https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/tinywinsplaybook ADHD, Anxiety, or Something Else? https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/adhdanxietyorsomethingelse After-School Reset Guide https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/afterschoolresetguide Support + Connect If this episode made you think, "I don't know exactly what's wrong, but something still feels off," come find me on Instagram for practical school-psych takes, real-life parenting, and Tiny Wins in the messy middle. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramypatenaude/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/ And if you know another parent who keeps wondering whether they're overreacting, send them this episode. Amy's Fundraiser I'm training for the 2027 Dopey Challenge as a push athlete with the Kyle Pease Foundation. Support my fundraiser here: https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/projects/297130-amy-patenaude-s-fundraiser Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, learning, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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