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In this powerful conversation, host Kayla sits down with licensed therapist and author Katie K. May to discuss her book You're On Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors. Katie shares practical, compassionate tools for parents navigating the challenges of raising emotionally intense ("fire feeler") teens—especially those with high-risk or self-destructive behaviors.

Drawing from her personal experiences, her own parenting journey, and her expertise as a DBT-specialized therapist, Katie offers mindset shifts, de-escalation techniques, and relationship repair strategies that help parents regulate first, validate emotions, and build connection instead of conflict.

Whether your teen slams doors, struggles with overwhelming feelings, or you're grieving the shift from "baby" to independent young adult—this episode is filled with actionable insights to help you show up as the calm, steady presence your teen needs.

Key topics include:

• What "fire feelers" are and why common phrases like "just sleep on it" backfire
• The "notice and name" skill for emotional regulation
• Radical acceptance vs. resignation when parenting doesn't look like you imagined
• Breaking escalation cycles with the parental stress meter
• The Hierarchy of Connection for repairing damaged relationships
• Why validation comes before solutions (and how to stop "emotional helicopter parenting")

Grab a copy of You're On Fire, It's Fine and start implementing these strategies today.

Guest Bio

Katie K. May, LPC is a therapist, national speaker, and one of only a handful of Linehan Board Certified DBT clinicians. She specializes in supporting teens with depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and intense emotions. Katie is the owner and executive director of Creative Healing and the author of You're On Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her family.

Key Takeaways / Quotes

• "When you are someone who has these big and overwhelming feelings, you're a deep feeler, it often feels like you are on fire with your emotions." – Katie K. May
• "Validation comes before change."
• "It's never too late to repair the relationship."
• "Parents go first—we practice and model the skills we want to see in our children."
• "The good news is that there's a theory called the good enough parent... you only need to get this right 20% of the time."

Resources Mentioned

• Book: You're On Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors by Katie K. May → Buy it online anywhere books are sold → Free chapter + more at: youreonfireitsfine.com

Connect with Katie

• Instagram: @katiekmay
• Instagram: @creative_healing
• TikTok: @teensupportcenter
• Facebook: @Creative Healing
• LinkedIn: Katie K. May

Connect with Kayla / the Show
Website: Momsbrainisacoffeestain.buzzsprout.com

• Social Media: @Momsbrainisacoffeestain (everywhere—Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
• Email: Momsbrainisacoffeestain@outlook.com
• Subscribe for more conversations on parenting, personal growth, and real-life strategies
• Share your biggest takeaway in the comments or DM!

Thanks for listening—rooting for you and your family. You've got this.

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🎙️ Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of Moms Brain Is a Coffee Stain, host Kayla sits down with Dr. Angele Close, clinical psychologist and motherhood coach, for a powerful conversation about motherhood, emotional regulation, anger, identity shifts, and the magic that can exist alongside the mess.

Dr. Close shares compassionate, real-world insight into why motherhood can feel so overwhelming, how anger often shows up as a signal rather than a failure, and what it looks like to parent ourselves while raising our children. This episode is a must-listen for moms who feel stretched thin, emotionally overloaded, or stuck in cycles of guilt and burnout—but still want to reconnect with joy and meaning.

✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why motherhood can amplify emotions we didn’t even know were there
• How anger in motherhood is often misunderstood—and what it’s really trying to tell us
• The importance of self-compassion over self-judgment
• Letting go of the pressure to be a “perfect mom”
• Reclaiming joy, play, and magic in everyday motherhood
• How nervous system regulation impacts our parenting responses
• Breaking generational patterns with awareness instead of shame

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Anger is not the enemy—it’s information
• You are not broken for struggling in motherhood
• Regulation starts with awareness, not control
• Small mindset shifts can create big emotional relief
• Motherhood is allowed to be both hard and beautiful

💬 Notable Quotes

“Motherhood has a way of bringing everything to the surface.”
“Anger is often grief, exhaustion, or unmet needs trying to be heard.”
“You don’t need to fix yourself—you need to be supported.”

👩‍⚕️ About the Guest

Dr. Angele Close is a clinical psychologist and motherhood coach who supports women through the emotional highs and lows of motherhood. Her work focuses on helping moms understand their nervous systems, navigate anger and overwhelm, and reconnect with themselves without shame.

🌐 Website: drangeleclose.com
📘 Book: Unburdening Motherhood → unburdeningmotherhood.com

🔗 Connect & Learn More

🌐 Podcast Website: Momsbrainisacoffeestain.buzzsprout.com
📲 Follow the Show: @Momsbrainisacoffeestain (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
📧 Email: Momsbrainisacoffeestain@outlook.com

☕ Join the Conversation

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow mom who needs it. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and let us know your biggest takeaway—DMs and comments are always open.

You are not alone. And yes… your brain can still be magical—even with the coffee stains. 💛

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In this episode of Mom’s Brain Is a Coffee Stain, we dive into real-life motherhood, parenting, special needs advocacy, and what it looks like to start over when life doesn’t go as planned. Host Kayla is joined by author, podcast host, and former mom entrepreneur Jessica Danel for an honest conversation about marriage, burnout, business, and resilience.

Jessica shares her journey from building a million-dollar preschool business from the ground up to stepping away when motherhood — and advocating for a child with special needs — required everything she had. She opens up about identity loss, grief, faith, marriage after 25+ years, and the unexpected courage it takes to begin again in midlife.

Together, Kayla and Jessica talk about:

• Parenting children with special needs and navigating IEP advocacy
• Trusting your gut when professionals don’t listen
• The emotional toll of being the “default parent”
• Marriage, motherhood, and long-term commitment
• Walking away from a successful business without losing yourself
• Using humor to survive trauma, burnout, and overwhelm
• Why sharing your story matters — even when it’s messy

Jessica also dives into her memoir, Bucket List From a Redneck Girl, a raw and heartfelt collection of stories about childhood trauma, faith, resilience, and the moments where God shows up when you least expect it.

This episode is for any mom who has ever felt exhausted, unseen, or unsure if she’s doing enough — and needs the reminder that starting over doesn’t mean starting from nothing.

Guest Information

Jessica Danel
Author • Podcast Host • Mom • Entrepreneur

🌐 Website:
www.jesssaying.net

🎙 Podcast:

Jess Saying with Jessica Danel

📚 Book:
Bucket List From a Redneck Girl
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC9M66CB

📱 Social Media:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessdanel

X (Twitter): https://x.com/Jessdanel

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-danel-mba-88970283/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessdanel/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jessicadanel3

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-danel-mba-88970283/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessicadanel4240

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jesscuz

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jessdanel

Truth: https://truthsocial.com/@JessicaDanel

Podcast Information

🎙 Mom’s Brain Is a Coffee Stain

📱 Follow us on social media:
@Momsbrainisacoffeestain

🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout:
https://momsbrainisacoffeestain.buzzsprout.com

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