Leaving for college is supposed to be exciting—but what happens when you get there and all you want to do is go home? This week on The Kitchen Shrink, we’re talking homesickness, loneliness, family worries, and the pressure to make a big life decision when you’re feeling overwhelmed. How do you know whether to push through a difficult transition or give yourself permission to change course? We explore why changing your mind isn’t failure, how to quiet the spiral, and how to find your own path when life doesn’t look the way you imagined.

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of parenting—especially when you're trying to balance boundaries, connection, and BIG emotions. We explore gentle parenting, attachment styles, the importance of parental self-regulation, and practical ways to help kids regulate their emotions without becoming permissive parents. We also talk about what it really means to be a “good enough” parent—and why repairing after we lose our cool may matter more than getting it right every time.

What happens when speaking up in your relationship leads to conflict, defensiveness, or being shut down? In this episode, we explore the difference between healthy boundaries and emotional withdrawal, and what it means when protecting your mental health starts to feel like you have to silence yourself. Can you protect your peace without losing yourself in the process?