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PODCAST

Parenting Shrink Wrapped

Samantha Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner

Parenting Shrink Wrapped is your all-access pass to the wild and wonderful journey of raising kids! Hosted by Dr. Melissa Wellner, a double board-certified psychiatrist and child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Samantha Straub, a licensed therapist, educator, and parenting coach, this dynamic duo brings a perfect mix of professional expertise and mom humor. With five kids between them—and thousands more they’ve supported in their professional roles—they’re here to share practical strategies and

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

38:02

#37 The Nature of the Beast: High School...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/08/11

Send us a text In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Melissa and Sam dive into the unique challenges, milestones, and surprises that come with each year of high school. From wide-eyed freshmen still running to class, to confident (and sometimes cocky) seniors navigating “lasts” and life after graduation, Sam walks us through the highs, lows, and everything in between. We explore: Seniors – riding the wave of early-year leadership before “senioritis” hits, juggling college applications, an...

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42:05

#36 Nature of the Beast | Parenting a College...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/08/04

Send us a text College drop-off isn’t the end of parenting—it’s just the beginning of a new phase. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kelly Wilcox, Dean of Student Success at Haverford College, to talk about what parents can expect as their teen transitions to college. From the emotional rollercoaster of move-in day to mid-semester meltdowns, we explore how to support your student without overstepping. We cover: What the “invisible fifth class” really isHow to foster independence and resili...

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36:13

#35 Parenting with Chronic Illness: Showing Up with...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/07/28

Send us a text In this powerful conversation, Sam and Melissa welcome Dr. Katie Lawliss—a licensed psychologist specializing in chronic illness and ADHD, who also lives with cystic fibrosis. Katie shares her personal journey from childhood diagnosis to becoming a health psychologist, revealing how chronic illness shaped her identity and sparked her passion for normalizing mental health care in this community. Together, they explore the unique challenges parents face when their bodies don’t co...

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29:37

#34 Storm or Sky Mind? How to Stay Present When...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/07/21

Send us a text We’ve all had moments where a messy room or a missed assignment feels like the end of the world—and we explode. But is it really about that sock on the floor... or something deeper? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa explore the moments when we, as parents, “flip our lids” over something small—only to realize it was connected to big fears, old baggage, or past patterns. Sam shares her powerful Sky Mind metaphor as a way to get grounded and stay present...

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35:59

#33 Why Your Kid Can’t Sit Still—And How OT Might...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/07/14

Send us a text Is your kid constantly in motion? Refuses to wear socks? Melts down over tags in their shirts? You’re not alone—and you’re not imagining it. In this eye-opening episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with occupational therapist and mom of three, Samantha Hyali, owner of Children at Play in Annapolis, to pull back the curtain on what occupational therapy actually is—and why more parents should know about it. Whether you’ve heard the term OT tossed around but never understood it, or y...

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37:12

#32 ADHD Unwrapped Part 2: Why “Just Try Harder”...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/07/07

Send us a text In Part 2 of our ADHD series, Sam Straub, LCPC, and Dr. Melissa Wellner, MD, dive deeper into the lived experience of parenting—and being—a kid with ADHD. This episode moves beyond the textbook and into real family dynamics: the misunderstandings, the emotional toll, the parenting pitfalls, and the opportunities for growth (yes, even when there’s an ice cream bowl in the sink. Again.). If you’ve ever been tempted to call your kid “lazy,” wonder why reward charts don’t work, or ...

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35:46

#31 ADHD Unwrapped: Myths, Superpowers & Real...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/06/30

Send us a text In this insightful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, hosts Sam Straub and Melissa Wellner dig into the many dimensions of ADHD—busting myths, exploring emotional highs and lows, and celebrating the often-overlooked strengths that come with it. They unpack what ADHD really looks like (spoiler alert: it’s not just about being “distracted”), highlight the emotional rollercoaster that many families experience, and share practical ways parents can better support their children—an...

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41:11

#30 Trauma Is Real, Healing Is Possible:...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/06/23

Send us a text In this powerful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Laura Reagan—somatically oriented trauma therapist, founder of the Trauma Therapist Network, and host of the widely acclaimed podcast Therapy Chat (over 8 million downloads!). Together, they explore how trauma shows up in childhood and parenthood, how it hides in plain sight in the form of chronic stress responses, and why healing is not only possible—but essential. Whether you’re a parent, a pr...

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34:21

#29 Trauma Doesn’t Have to Define Your Parenting with...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/06/16

Send us a text In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner engage with Kristen Keuleman, a licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma therapy, particularly EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). They explore the nature of trauma, its impact on parenting, and how EMDR can help individuals process traumatic memories. Kristen shares her journey into counseling, the mechanisms of EMDR, and its effectiveness in treating both adults and ch...

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35:26

#28 Winging it Like a Pro: Real Talk with Dad's Dr....

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/06/09

Send us a text In this heart-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub sit down with two thoughtful dads, Charles Parmele and Bryan Levy, for a conversation that’s equal parts real talk and reflection. Together, they dig into what it means to be a father in today’s world—from the pressure to “have it all together” to the power of being vulnerable. The discussion goes deep into topics like equitable parenting, emotional health, and the need for strong dad-...

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19:48

27 Surviving the End of the School Year

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/06/02

Send us a text Feeling crispy-fried by May? You’re not alone. In this short and real-talk episode, Sam and Melissa break down why everyone’s burnt out—from teachers to teens to you—and how to make it to summer without losing your mind. We cover: End-of-year burnout (it’s not just “senioritis”)Helping teens through finals without melting downLow-lift summer ideas (Alphabet Summer, anyone?)How to avoid the screen-time vortexWhy it’s okay to phone it in (really)Set the bar low, pour the cereal, ...

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37:54

#26: Hormones & Mental Health: What Every Parent...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/05/26

Send us a text In this eye-opening episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub welcome psychiatrist Dr. Milena Smith to talk about the emotional and mental health impacts of hormonal changes—from the postpartum period to perimenopause and beyond. Dr. Smith, an expert in reproductive psychiatry, breaks down how hormonal transitions can trigger mood and anxiety symptoms, what signs to watch for, and how to get help that actually works. They discuss the realities of p...

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40:33

#25: Shots, Swabs & Stress: Helping Kids Cope with...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/05/19

Send us a text Why does your usually sweet kid turn into a full-blown meltdown in the doctor’s office? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam talk with pediatric health psychologist Dr. Missy Hendricks about how to help kids manage anxiety around medical visits—from vaccines and blood draws to chronic illness and everyday checkups. Dr. Missy shares her expertise on how to prepare kids for tough medical moments, the power of validation and honesty, and how to build coping...

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30:40

#24: The Sandwich Generation: Parenting While Being...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/05/12

Send us a text In this deeply personal episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam explore what it means to parent your own children while still navigating the lifelong role of being someone’s child. From generational expectations and emotional triggers to unresolved childhood wounds and the pressure to “do it better,” this conversation sheds light on the complex web of relationships many of us are trying to untangle in midlife. Sam shares a moving story about her evolving relationsh...

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35:11

#23: More Than a Game: Building Life Skills Through...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/05/05

Send us a text What if sports weren’t just about winning—but about raising resilient, self-aware, and confident kids? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam sit down with Courtney Parfitt, founder of Thrive Gym in Annapolis, to explore how youth sports can become powerful spaces for growth, failure, leadership, and self-discovery. Courtney shares how parents and coaches can support—not sabotage—the athlete experience, and why things like emotional regulation, goal alignm...

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28:21

#22: Busting Mental Health Myths: What Parents Really...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/04/28

Send us a text In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Melissa Wellner and co-host Sam Straub tackle three of the most common and harmful myths they hear from parents about kids and mental health. From the idea that “teens are just moody” to the belief that “my kid would tell me if something was wrong,” Melissa and Sam break down why these myths persist—and what parents can do instead. They also take on one of the biggest fears in child psychiatry: the myth that medication will change ...

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36:53

#21: Horses, Parenting & Presence: Lessons from the...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/04/21

Send us a text In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam are joined by Maria Alessandri—mom of five, natural horsemanship coach, and founder of the Horse and People Project. Maria shares how training rescue horses taught her profound lessons about parenting, presence, boundaries, and communication. From teenage pushback to tattoo negotiations, Maria reveals how showing up with intention and releasing pressure can transform the way we connect with our kids. Through powerful ...

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36:29

#20: More Than Just Play: Unlocking the Power of Play...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/04/14

Send us a text In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and co-host Sam Straub sit down with special guest Vanessa Kellner, a registered play therapist and founder of Wholesome Healing in Severna Park, Maryland. Together, they explore the true nature of play therapy—how it offers children a language beyond words to process deep emotions and experiences. Vanessa breaks down how play therapy works, why it’s far more than “just play,” and shares fascinating insights on ho...

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33:40

#19: Raising Kids on the Autism Spectrum with Dr....

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/04/07

Send us a text An autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming for families—but what if there was a better way to navigate it? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Dr. Taylor Day (Dr. Tay), a licensed psychologist specializing in neuroaffirming care for autistic kids and their families. Dr. Tay shares her personal journey of growing up with a younger brother on the spectrum, how that shaped her approach to autism care, and why she created her whole-family model...

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30:23

#18: Beyond Birth: Sleep, Support & the Power of...

Parenting Shrink Wrapped ·

2025/03/31

Send us a text Every new parent needs support—but what if we told you there's a whole profession dedicated to making birth and postpartum easier? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Kimberly Marie Ferrol, pediatric sleep specialist, doula, and founder of Vela Haven, to talk about the vital role of doulas, sleep consultants, and postpartum care. Kimberly shares why every family deserves a village, how doulas support parents beyond childbirth, and why slee...

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57 results

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