Does your child push every boundary, question every rule, and seem immune to traditional parenting strategies?

Parent coach Mary Van Geffen returns to discuss "spicy ones"—the intense, strong-willed children (about 20% of kids) who feel everything deeply and need a radically different approach.

She shares why these passionate trailblazers require a radically different kind of support and how adults can shift from control and correction to attunement and regulation.

Mary takes us through:

—Who the “spicy ones” are, and how to reframe "strong-willed"

—How your own nervous system and need for control affect the parent-child dynamic

—Why modeling matters more than demands when dealing with demonstrative children

—Using heavy body work and movement to help kids process big feelings appropriately

—Why standard approaches often fail with high-intensity temperaments

—How your parenting role must shift dramatically as spicy kids enter the tween and teen years

And so much more!

Mary Van Geffen is an international parenting coach and parent educator for overwhelmed moms of strong-willed & Spicy Children™. She teaches monthly workshops to help moms gain confidence to choose gentle, respectful parenting, especially if they weren’t raised that way.

Mary has a ministry on Instagram where she posts an inspiring parenting tip every single day. Just reading her social media will help you delight in your child and remember that you are enough. Mary believes that when a mom realizes how hard she is on herself and cracks the door open for some self-compassion, her entire family is bathed in light!

Mary is a certified Simplicity Parenting Counselor® and Professional Co-Active Coach®. Her greatest achievement, however, is cultivating a calm, kind, and firm relationship with her spirited go-getter daughter (17), polar-opposite introverted son (15), and un-Enneagramable hubby.

Link to preorder the book Parenting A Spicy One: A compassionate guide for raising a deep-feeling and wonderfully strong-willed kid

Preorder here to access Mary’s Affirmations Masterclass and the Meltdown Meditations for Moms. https://www.maryvangeffen.com/parentingaspicyonebook

Are you a spicy one quiz:

https://www.maryvangeffen.com/quiz?mcp_token=eyJwaWQiOjc0Nzg3MSwic2lkIjoxOTE2NDY3NjY0LCJheCI6IjlhN2IxZWIxMWUxNTFjYmM3YzMyMDA1Y2RiNjUyMGI3IiwidHMiOjE3MTEzMDM2NjIsImV4cCI6MTcxMzcyMjg2Mn0.z2efLk8K2Glc2ijQxNcZKc2akcaB79gw5CBSUVr5HeU

To hear Mary’s first episode on Free Your Soma: Gentle and Respecting Parenting, please see episode 15.

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

What if the key to releasing decades of tension wasn't about trying harder, but about getting out of your own way?

Physiotherapist and TRE Australia founder Richmond Heath reveals how your body already knows how to heal itself through spontaneous tremoring, the same natural mechanism animals use daily, but humans have learned to suppress.

He explores the profound intelligence behind involuntary movement and how somatic techniques like TRE access the body’s reflexive responses for deeper, more sustainable healing.

Richmond takes us through:

— Why emotional numbness often masquerades as stability

— Why Western culture pathologizes the body's natural shaking response

— How you can't access 90% of your body tension through willpower alone

— Simple exercises that activate your body's innate tremoring reflex

— How spontaneous shaking instantly shifts the nervous system into recovery

— The natural rhythm between contraction and release builds both strength and surrender

And so much more!

Richmond Heath is a pioneer in somatic stress recovery and the founder of TRE Australia, where he has spent over a decade teaching people how to access the body’s innate ability to release stress through a natural, often-overlooked reflex: shaking.

His work with Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) offers a paradigm-shifting approach to wellbeing—one that helps calm the nervous system, ease chronic tension, and support emotional balance without the need for mental effort, storytelling, or structured routines. TRE is now used by individuals, athletes, and wellness professionals seeking practical, body-led tools for resilience and recovery.

Connect with Richmond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmond-heath-08719326/

Website: https://www.treaustralia.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057615902736

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tre_australia/?hl=en

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

When someone says "it's all in your head," they're dismissing real pain, but what if we could reclaim that phrase as empowering instead?

Physical therapist and author Stacey Roberts joins the conversation to explore the hidden layers of chronic pain, revealing why conventional approaches often fall short and how a holistic, personalized view can finally bring relief.

This episode bridges the gap between physical symptoms and emotional experience, offering hope for anyone who's tried everything and still hurts.

Stacey takes us through:

—Why pain in your brain is real and can be changed through neuroplasticity

—The immediate physiological relief that happens when chronic pain is acknowledged as real

—How systemic inflammation, fascia, and gut health contribute to widespread pain conditions

—Why emotional experiences get stored in muscles and create persistent trigger points

—The power of nervous system regulation in recovery and growth

—How combining multiple modalities addresses the root causes of chronic pain

And so much more!

Stacey Roberts PT, RN, MSN has over 30 years of experience helping patients live pain-free while achieving their health goals. She is a Holistic Master’s Prepared Registered Nurse, a Musculoskeletal Specialist, a Pelvic and Sexual Health Physiotherapist, and a Functional Medicine Specialist.

Stacey owns the New You Health and Wellness Practice in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, combining cutting-edge technology, advanced manual therapy, and functional medicine to help patients attain optimal health.

Many of her patients, including herself, have avoided surgery, drugs, and injections. She is the author of the forthcoming book, The Pain Free Formula: A Holistic Approach to Finally Getting Rid of Joint Pain Without Surgery, Drugs, or Injections (February 2025). Discover more at https://newyouhealthandwellness.com

Connect with Aimee:

Instagram: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠