Real Life with RDU Therapy

About Real Life with RDU Therapy

Real talk for real life. Parenting, work, relationships, and everything in between — with expert insight and a dose of humor. Real Life with RDU Therapy is where modern parents, professionals, and families come to take a breath, get real, and find practical ways forward. Hosted by Dr. Melanie McCabe, a practicing licensed child and family psychologist, this podcast explores the everyday challenges that high-achieving parents face while raising kids in a world that rarely slows down. From navigating burnout at work, juggling childcare, and managing aging parents—to handling big feelings, family chaos, and the constant pressure to “do it all”—this podcast is here to remind you that you don’t have to figure it out alone. Each episode blends expert insights, real-life stories, and practical information you can use right away. Dr. McCabe also interviews thought leaders, business owners, and specialists across industries, giving listeners access to strategies that go beyond therapy and into whole-life well-being. If you’re striving to raise resilient kids, care for yourself, and build a meaningful life (while still sneaking in a little humor and humanity), you’ll feel right at home here. This podcast is an extension of the work we do at RDU Therapy —helping families break cycles, build healthier patterns, and create more peace at home. Connect with us on Instagram @rdutherapy or visit rdutherapy.com to learn more. RDU Therapy from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Publisher

RDU Therapy

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Sept 2025

Latest episode

22 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Jul 2026

   You Don't Have an Anger Problem. You Have This Problem.

   Why do loving, dedicated parents sometimes end up yelling at the people they love most? In this episode of Real Life with RDU Therapy, therapist Sara Hudson turns the tables and interviews psychologist, speaker, and author Dr. Melanie McCabe. Together, they unpack why so many good parents lose their patience, what is actually happening in those heated moments, and the simple shifts that can help families move from constant conflict to stronger connection. You'll learn: • Why yelling is often ...

2. 

   17 Apr 2026

   Behind the Decisions: How Local Policy Shapes Your Family’s Mental Health

   Today’s conversation goes beyond the therapy room and into the decisions shaping mental health at a community level. I’m joined by Dr. Cheryl Stallings, Wake County Commissioner and licensed psychologist, along with psychologist Emily King, to unpack what is actually happening behind the scenes when it comes to mental health, schools, and family support systems. We talk about the realities families are facing right now, how local policy decisions impact access to care, what happens when schoo...

3. 

   17 Apr 2026

   Your Athlete’s Concussion Isn’t Treated Like It Was 10 Years Ago

   If your child is an athlete, this is information you cannot afford to miss. Concussion treatment has changed significantly over the last decade, yet many parents, coaches, and even athletes are still following outdated advice that can delay recovery. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Paul Cohen to talk specifically about concussions in youth athletes. From soccer to football to cheer to lacrosse, we break down what actually happens in the brain, why “rest until symptoms are gone” is no lon...

4. 

   7 Apr 2026

   ADHD in Women: How Neurodivergent Women Can Thrive Not Just Survive with Peyton Gemmell

   What does ADHD actually look like in women and why are so many high functioning, successful women just now getting diagnosed? In this episode, I sit down with Peyton Gemmell, founder of Lightminded, to talk about ADHD in women, late diagnoses, and what it really takes to thrive as a neurodivergent woman in a neurotypical world. We break down the subtle ways ADHD shows up differently in women, especially moms and high achieving professionals who have learned to mask, overcompensate, and push t...

5. 

   30 Mar 2026

   Purity Culture, Sex, and Relationships: Healing Together with Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema

   What happens when the messages you learned about sex, gender, and relationships long before adulthood still shape the way you connect today? In this episode of Real Life with RDU Therapy, I sit down with Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema of Let’s Heal Together to talk about purity culture, high control religious environments, attachment, communication, intimacy, grief, and healing in relationships. Jeremiah and Julia are licensed relationship therapists and certified sex therapists, and they ...

6. 

   24 Mar 2026

   Dr. Matt on Gifted and Neurodivergent Kids: Emotional Intensity, ADHD, and Twice-Exceptional Truths

   What if your “gifted” child is not just advanced, but overwhelmed, misunderstood, or struggling in ways no one is talking about? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Matt Zaretsky, clinical psychologist and expert in gifted and neurodivergent kids, to unpack what giftedness really looks like and why so many of these children are missed, mislabeled, or expected to just “be fine.” We talk about emotional intensity, ADHD, executive functioning challenges, and what it actually means to be twice-e...

7. 

   24 Mar 2026

   SoapBox Edition | WCPSS proposed budget cuts: Dr. Emily King, Dr. Matt Zakreski, and Dr. Melanie McCabe

   We all need to be paying attention to what WCPSS (the largest school district in NC and 15th largest in the US) does in this moment. Today, Dr Emily King talks with myself and Dr. Matt Zakreski, all 3 psychologists who know schools and neurodivergent kids well. The impact of these proposed cuts goes beyond students receiving special education services and their teachers. It's going to affect everyone. 9/30/25

8. 

   9 Mar 2026

   The Mom Burnout No One Sees | Amber Lynn Richardson | Seasonal Syning

   In this episode of Real Life with RDU, I sit down with Amber Lynn Richardson, author, life coach, and speaker, for a thoughtful conversation about motherhood, burnout, women’s mental health, and what it means to reconnect with yourself when life has pulled you in too many directions. Amber shares the personal story that shaped her work, including motherhood, caregiving, grief, chronic overwhelm, and the moment she realized life could not keep feeling this hard. We talk about the invisible emo...

9. 

   24 Feb 2026

   The Truth About Moms and Medication with Dr. Priscilla Hidalgo

   Moms are expected to emotionally regulate everyone in the house. But what happens when her own mental health is struggling? In this episode of Real Life with RDU, I sit down with Dr. Priscilla Hidalgo of Lux Psychiatry, PLLC to talk about maternal mental health, anxiety, depression, postpartum changes, and the role medication can play in emotional regulation and family stability. We talk about: • How untreated anxiety and depression impact parenting • The difference between stress and a clini...

10. 

    23 Dec 2025

    What Occupational Therapy Really Looks Like with Brittni Winslow, Clinician and Owner of Emerge Pediatric Therapy

    In this episode of Real Life with RDU Therapy Dr Melanie McCabe sits down with Brittni Winslow owner and executive director of Emerge Pediatric Therapy to talk about what occupational therapy actually looks like in real family life. Together they unpack how kids build confidence regulation and independence and how parents can support those skills without turning every moment at home into a therapy session. Brittni shares what she sees most often when families first reach out feeling overwhelm...

11. 

    16 Dec 2025

    Community Engagement and Family with City Council Member, Christina Jones

    What does it look like when an elected leader puts community voice at the center of every decision In this episode Dr Melanie McCabe sits down with Raleigh City Council member Christina Jones a leader known for transparency compassion and bringing real families teachers and neighborhoods into the policy making process. We talk about how everyday residents can shape city decisions why listening is a form of public service and what it takes to build trust between government and the people it s...

12. 

    10 Dec 2025

    Raising Kids in a Food Obsessed World with Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, Marybeth Sullivan

    What happens when a culture obsessed with body size and control meets a kid who is wired for perfectionism and anxiety. In this powerful conversation Dr Melanie McCabe sits down with Marybeth Sullivan, Carolyn Costin Institute certified eating disorder recovery coach, and marketing and outreach coordinator for Nutritious Thoughts to talk about what really drives disordered eating and what genuine healing looks like. Mary Beth shares her own twenty five year struggle with an eating disorder t...

13. 

    22 Nov 2025

    Grief, Trauma, and How It Moves Through Us (with Dr. Kat Bracken)

    In this episode, Dr. Melanie McCabe sits down with Dr. Kat Bracken to explore what really happens inside us when we experience grief and trauma. Together, they talk about how loss shows up in the body, why certain reactions are completely normal, and what it means to move through pain instead of getting stuck in it. This conversation blends humanity, humor, and truly tangible tips—offering language and validation for the parts of grief that feel confusing or isolating, while also giving you...

14. 

    3 Nov 2025

    Designing Your Life: The Real Life with RDU Take-Aways

    What does “designing your life” actually look like when you’re balancing work, parenting, soccer practice, and sanity? Dr. Mel shares her personal take-aways from her conversation with Sabrina — how pneumonia changed her perspective, why flexibility is a form of strength, and what it really means to build a life that fits you. It’s practical, funny, and deeply real — a behind-the-scenes reflection on how to live with more intention and less exhaustion. In this solo reflection episode, Dr. M...

15. 

    31 Oct 2025

    Love and Control with Dr. Jessica Hayden

    In this episode of Real Life with RDU Therapy, Dr. Melanie McCabe sits down with psychologist Dr. Jessica Hayden to unpack one of the most misunderstood dynamics in relationships: control disguised as care. We explore how love can start to look like possession, why “checking in” can turn into “checking up,” and what real emotional freedom looks like between partners, parents, and even friends. Dr. Hayden brings her trademark humor and heart to the conversation, reminding us that true securi...

16. 

    24 Oct 2025

    Camp Counselor to Therapist with Kelly Sanderford

    How lessons from summer camp shape emotional growth, belonging, and resilience — in therapy and in life. In this episode, Dr. Melanie McCabe sits down with Kelly Rusher Sanderford, licensed mental health counselor, mom, and former camp counselor, to explore how lessons from the cabin translate into lifelong emotional skills. From helping homesick teens find their footing to guiding young adults through anxiety and transition, Kelly shares how play, belonging, and structure form the foundation...

17. 

    1 Oct 2025

    Designing Your Life with Sabrina Ray: Turning Chaos Into Clarity

    In this episode, I sit down with Sabrina, a human-centered design leader and mom of three, to explore how the principles of design thinking can be applied far beyond products and workflows — all the way into how we live, parent, and build families. We talk about what it means to move from reactive to intentional, how to simplify the complexity of everyday life, and why clarity is such a powerful tool when you’re juggling kids, work, and everything in between. Sabrina shares her perspective on...

18. 

    24 Sept 2025

    Episode 1

    In this first episode of Real Life with RDU Therapy, Dr. Melanie McCabe invites you into the messy, hilarious, and hopeful reality of modern family life. From cereal spills to burnout, she shares why this podcast exists, what you can expect each week, and how even the chaos in your home can hold clues to breaking old cycles and building a better future.

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

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