Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.com

Support Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/

Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessment

Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist Megan Hamm, who has spent 17+ years supporting children and families through trauma, crisis, and complex emotional needs.

Together, we unpack why traditional views of “bad behavior” miss the mark—and what parents can do instead to truly support their children in moments of big emotion.

Whether you’re navigating daily meltdowns, feeling stuck in reaction mode, or simply want to build a deeper connection with your child, Megan offers a compassionate, grounded framework to help you shift from managing behavior to understanding it.

Key Takeaways

• Behavior is communication: Every outburst or meltdown is a signal, not a problem to be fixed.
• Connection comes before correction: Real change begins with relationship, not control.
• In-the-moment responses aren’t the time for teaching: Kids in crisis need safety, not consequences.
• You can’t teach what you haven’t practiced: Parents must build their own regulation tools first.
• Modeling matters more than managing: Your calm presence teaches more than any strategy.
• Changing the environment matters: Preventing crisis often starts with how we set up the home and routine.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] - Introduction to Megan and her background in trauma-informed care

[04:00] - The shift from changing behavior to understanding behavior

[07:00] - What to do when your child is in meltdown: A crisis-response lens

[09:00] - Why calm connection beats consequence every time

[12:00] - How to prepare your home and your nervous system for high-emotion moments

[16:00] - Practicing regulation when things are not chaotic—why timing matters

[20:00] - Why Megan does more parent coaching than direct child therapy

[25:00] - What children really need during a meltdown—and why “fixing” doesn’t work

[30:00] - Letting kids learn through experience and mistakes, without shaming

[36:00] - What to say when others don’t understand your parenting approach

[41:00] - Modeling, natural consequences, and what actually builds lifelong skills

[48:00] - Megan’s book and how to work with her

Resources Mentioned

🔗 Megan Hamm’s Website: www.meganmhamm.com

📖 Book – The Heart of the Matter: Buy here https://buy.stripe.com/5kA4hxcDc2zd0GkbIJ

🔗...

Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.com

Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessment

Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall

In this powerful solo episode, Andi walks parents through a foundational truth: you can't help your child regulate if you're still dysregulated yourself. When your child melts down, it’s easy to default to scripts and strategies—yet what your child truly needs is your steady presence. Andi explains how stress animals show up in parenting, why awareness is the first step, and what it really means to become the anchor your child can return to when they’re overwhelmed.

This is Step 3 of Andi’s CARE5™ framework—focused on Regulating Yourself before trying to co-regulate your child.

Key Takeaways

• You can’t co-regulate a child if you’re still activated yourself.
• Knowing your stress animal (shark, clownfish, turtle) helps you interrupt reaction cycles.
• It’s not about getting calm perfectly—it’s about noticing when you’re not.
• Regulation starts with awareness, not strategy.
• You don’t need to fix everything in the moment—your presence is what matters most.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Why this episode goes before calming your child: it starts with your nervous system.

[02:00] Introduction to the CARE5™ model and its previous steps.

[04:00] “You can’t be the anchor when you’re caught in the wave.”

[06:00] A compassionate reminder that no parent can be calm 100% of the time.

[07:30] Adult stress animals: how yours show up fast in parenting.

[09:00] What happens when a child’s shark triggers your shark (or clownfish or turtle)?

[10:30] You can be a firm shark without being in threat mode.

[12:00] Real-world example: a clownfish parent with a turtle child.

[14:30] “Your nervous system leads the way”—why your calm comes first.

[16:00] Think of your calm as a dock in the storm.

[17:00] Fire drills and stress practice: why we train outside the meltdown.

[18:30] The first shift isn’t behavior—it’s noticing.

[20:00] What your child needs most is you—not the perfect tool or script.

[21:00] How to work with Andi if you want deeper support.

Resources Mentioned

• Episode 110: Understanding Your Child’s Stress Animal: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0vlnDR2iEqZ8K57YxJ5xU7?si=lCs7WKO6TUubNAUpMP_AyQ
• Episode 116: Changing the Lens on Behavior (Step 1 of CARE5™): https://open.spotify.com/episode/0t1mfLsWM6M3szf7PTJwYy?si=0156f0f2a94240b0

Ready to become the steady anchor your child needs? Start by calming your own waves first.

Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.com

Support Circle Membership: https://andiclark.thrivecart.com/support-circle/

Self Assessment form: https://subscribepage.io/big-emotions-self-assessment

Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall

What if SAT prep wasn’t just about getting a better score—but about helping your child see their worth, trust their process, and feel empowered to handle hard things?

In this conversation, Andi sits down with coach and educator Josh Aronovitch, who’s known for helping kids not just improve test scores—but deeply reconnect with their own strengths. From supporting neurodiverse kids with test anxiety to helping students find the college path that fits who they are, Josh brings a perspective that goes far beyond academics.

Whether your child is preparing for high school, college, or still figuring things out, this episode is packed with emotional insight, practical wisdom, and the kind of hope parents need.

Key Takeaways

• Test-taking is a skill, not a reflection of intelligence. Many kids know the material—they just haven’t been taught how to take tests in a way that works for their brain.
• Your child’s nervous system matters. Emotional regulation, mindset, and even breathwork play a bigger role in performance than most people realize.
• Standardized tests are flawed—but can be a powerful opportunity. With the right tools and perspective, even students who struggle can thrive.
• Success doesn't come from doing it right the first time. The journey—mistakes and all—helps kids build grit, confidence, and the ability to handle life’s curveballs.
• College planning should start with who your child wants to be—not just what job they’ll have.

Episode Highlights

[00:03:00] – Do SATs still matter? Josh explains how “test-optional” doesn’t always mean optional—and why test scores can still open doors.

[00:05:30] – Why kids struggle with testing (and it’s not what you think): From psychological spirals to perfectionism, Josh breaks down what really gets in the way.

[00:08:30] – Helping a student go from 720 to 1190: How a 2-year journey transformed not just scores—but self-belief.

[00:10:45] – Test prep as emotional growth: Why learning to pause, breathe, and “get off the wrong train” changes everything.

[00:16:00] – Understanding before memorizing: Why high-achieving kids often get stuck in math—and how to teach it differently.

[00:21:00] – The truth about multiple choice and second-guessing: Josh shares how depth of thinking can actually backfire—and how to help.

[00:28:30] – Finding the right college path: Josh flips the question—starting with how your child wants to feel, then working backwards.

[00:35:30] – The power of failure: Why kids need safe experiences with mistakes in order to grow.

[00:41:00] – A client story: 7 SATs, a perfect score in math, and med school dreams