Welcome to “Accidental Experts,” the podcast that empathizes with the chaos of everyday parenting and life. If you find yourself overwhelmed by car pools, friendship challenges, homework, childhood anxiety, neurodiversity, teen drivers and behavior challenges, you’re not alone. I’m your host, Bryce Hamilton, a seasoned licensed clinical social worker who has navigated the intricate challenges of family life firsthand. In each episode, we delve into the complexities of parenting alongside insightful guests, offering practical solutions and fresh perspectives on the daily struggles parents encounter. From the seemingly mundane to the intricately complex, “Accidental Experts” breaks down the challenges of parenting, equipping you with valuable tips and strategies to navigate the labyrinth of family dynamics. Join me as we take a moment to breathe and share stories, expertise, and humor, reassuring you that, indeed, it’s all going to work out. Parenting is an adventure, and “Accidental E
Navigating the Effects of Addiction in Families with Kids with Dr. Aaron Weiner
Oct 20, 2026
Show notes
Today’s episode with Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, and Dr. Aaron Weiner is a great one for parents, caregivers, teachers, therapists, and anyone who may work with kids. Bryce and Dr. Weiner discuss the wide range of effects of addiction on a person’s family. Specifically, they discuss the impact addiction has on kids whose parents or caregivers may be battling addiction. Addiction doesn’t usually start immediately. Dr. Wiener explains that it typically starts as a coping skill and then snowballs into a vice needed to survive day to day. When examining the effects of addiction on families, Bryce and Dr. Weiner discuss how the cycle of addiction causes a destabilizing environment that can lead to neglect and legal issues in regards to children’s welfare. Kids are affected by addiction and can end up internalizing the addiction as their fault. Parents who are in addiction may not understand how their own kids are experiencing the addiction and are left feeling confused and struggling internally. It’s important to understand the complexities of addiction and how it affects kids well into their adulthood.
Bryce and Dr. Weiner discuss the importance of having conversations in compassionate ways with kids to reassure them they are not the cause of the addiction. Dr. Weiner gives advice on how to approach the conversation around addiction with kids in an age-appropriate way. The conversation also covers how to be on the lookout for mental health struggles in kids as they get older and start to understand addiction and how it may have impacted their childhood. The conversation leads to helping kids notice, talk about, and process through addiction in the family and come up with a safety plan for kids to feel safe and prepared in any environment.
Dr. Aaron Weiner is a board-certified Psychologist and addiction specialist who speaks nationally on addiction, behavioral health, and drug policy’s impact on public health. His expertise stems from directing hospital addiction services and observations from private practice, combining clinical experience with current research. A past president of the Society of Addiction Psychology, Dr. Weiner serves as an addiction policy advisor for the American Psychological Association and on the Science Advisory Board for the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions. His insights have been featured in Newsweek, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Psychology Today, and The New York Times.
Teen Drug Use, Intervention, Reduction, and Prevention with John Puls, LCSW, MCAP
Oct 13, 2026
Show notes
In this episode, Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW and John Puls, LCSW, MCAP discuss productive ways to talk to kids about drug usage. This includes being truthful, honest, and open to discussing what different drugs are, how they affect the brain, and why drug use can become a bigger problem. Talking to kids about the risks, answering questions, and including harm reduction in the conversation are all important in not only being open with kids about drugs but also allowing them to feel safe when learning about prevention and reduction. John also talks about how different drugs have changed over the decades and what some of us once knew has drastically changed and can be hard to keep up with when talking to kids. It’s important to have the facts when planning how to talk to kids about the effects of drugs, especially on young brains. And maybe most important to remember, medical or “legal” does not always equate to safety.
The conversation also leads to understanding why kids may choose to try drugs for the first time and how parents can approach the conversation. Being aware of what is going on in your kid’s life from academic and sports pressures to peer pressure, trauma, or trying to help calm their nervous system, kids are facing many stressors that could lead to trying different substances for the first time. Prevention starts with looking deeper into the issues kids are dealing with and finding the proper support to help them before they decide to turn to substances. Early intervention is key!
John Puls, LCSW, MCAP is a licensed clinical social worker, addiction professional, educator, consultant, and expert witness specializing in severe mental illness, substance use disorders, crisis intervention, and involuntary commitment law. He is the Co/Founder of Full Life Comprehensive Care, where he works with individuals and families navigating complex behavioral health challenges, including psychosis, co-occurring disorders, and high-risk clinical situations.
IEP Advocacy with Vicki Christensen
Oct 06, 2026
Show notes
Special Education Advocate and Author Vicki Christensen meets with Bryce Hamilton LSCSW to talk about IEPs and IEP advocacy. They tackle knowing when to push back against the school, how to advocate for your child and identify signs that you need to go beyond the traditional IEP process to get assistance for your child. They talk about how to find additional resources and help for you and your child.
Additionally, Vicki shares her own personal story and navigating the process of your child being diagnosed and how to begin the IEP process with the school. Vicki talks about common mistakes and gives advice on what to do instead or how to recover from these pitfalls.
Vicki Christensen is a parent of two neurodivergent sons. Luke, 21, has a rare chromosome disorder. By necessity, Vicki became a special education advocate over 15 years ago to assist her family. She now helps support families in special education at schools across Southern California. Her recently published book, Uniquely, Fully, Enough:The Neurodivergent Parenting Journey, A Memoir and Handbook contains additional resources for getting a diagnosis, navigation school, siblings, marriage, and adulthood.
Understanding and Overcoming Motherhood Burnout: Redesigning Your Lifestyle with Rachel Massa
Sep 29, 2026
Show notes
In today’s episode, mental health advocate, mother, and burnout expert Rachel Massa joins Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW in a critical conversation about burnout in motherhood and how it can change the trajectory of a mom’s entire life path (at least temporarily). Rachel discusses how being high-achieving at work fueled her sense of accomplishment, but left her feeling like she lost sight of her purpose and questioned her parenting role.
Bryce asks Rachel about the difference between burnout and exhaustion. The two women discuss how it seems many people are living in a state of burnout which impacts a broad set of well-being elements such as mental, emotional and physical. It can feel like living on autopilot or in a constant state of fight or flight. Burnout is survival mode and most likely has a feeling of not being happy or seeing no end in sight, much like depression. Exhaustion on the other hand may feel like completely being drained and needing constant sleep but there are still some happy feelings at your core.
The women discuss how to gain control back and strategies for overcoming burnout. Often this requires off-loading some of the duties to lessen the burdens of everyday life. Leaning on others is hard but finding a balance is crucial in overcoming burnout and getting back to a happy existence. Setting time boundaries and prioritizing your physical and emotional health is also imperative in letting yourself recover. Remember, nobody has the same exact circumstances so doing what is best for your family is most important!
Rachel Massa is a proud University of Michigan graduate with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of technology, innovation, and leadership. She spent 23 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, beginning her career advising clients on cybersecurity and technology and later leading firm-wide initiatives in AI, product management, digital communications, and culture and change. Throughout her career, Rachel was known for her ability to drive transformation and bring people along through it—an inspiring champion with a strong, trusted network.
Outside of work, Rachel is a mom to three sons, each with their own neurodivergence and support needs. For many years, she worked relentlessly to balance a demanding, high-visibility career with being a deeply engaged parent. At home, she was lovingly referred to as “Superwoman” by her husband. At work, she mentored other women and was often seen as someone who had “figured it out.” Behind the scenes, however, she was pushing herself beyond her limits for far too long — quietly holding everything together while becoming increasingly depleted and often feeling like it was all hanging on by a thread.
As her responsibilities expanded both professionally and with her family, the pace became unsustainable, and Rachel experienced severe burnout. She is now on a formal career pause, intentionally slowing down and rebuilding her sense of identity and self-worth beyond productivity and professional achievement. Through sharing her story, she has been connecting with others in similar situations, normalizing conversations around burnout, while supporting women and caregivers facing similar struggles.
Rachel lives in New York with her husband, Pete, Brendan (16), Hunter (12), and Ethan (9)—and their dog, Mookie. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees at her synagogue and finds joy in playing tennis, practicing yoga, hiking, skiing, and playing guitar.
Process Over Performance: Reducing the Pressure on Student Athletes with CJ Smith, LCMHA
Sep 22, 2026
Show notes
In today’s episode, Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, asks athlete CJ Smith, LCMHA, all about the pressures of athletics on kids. CJ talks about how parents are their kids’ first leaders, teachers, and coaches. Kids learn from parents and the way in which parents react and respond to failure is what teaches their kids how to respond. In sports, there will always be failure along with successes and kids will go further when they know how to handle the pressures and failures in a healthy way. CJ highlights the importance of focusing on the mental health of the athlete which will in turn strengthen performance. He urges parents to see their kids as more than just an athlete and helps us understand the difference between healthy challenges and harmful pressure.
Along with high pressure comes burnout. Bryce asks CJ about burnout and how it affects athletes long-term. From the outside it may look like athletes are happy, successful, and at the top of their performance, but with all of the pressures of society, the media, and lack of coping skills, athletes at all levels can reach burnout and lose their “joy for the game.” CJ suggests that parents tune in to their kids and ask how they are doing, take their answers seriously, and be supportive. Kids are more than just their athletic ability and they need to know it’s ok to fail and they are loved regardless of performance.
CJ Smith is a former Division I football player from Jacksonville, Florida. He played at both the University of Minnesota and Campbell University. After his playing career, he went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. CJ is passionate about serving student-athletes and helping bridge the gap between performance and mental health, with a focus on supporting athletes in their identity, mindset, and overall well-being on and off the field.
Money Positivity and Raising a Money-Smart Family with Dr. Darla Bishop
Sep 16, 2026
Show notes
Basic needs rely on money. Health and wellness also rely on money. Dr. Darla Bishop, founder of Finansis, LLC, and Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, sit down to talk about how to handle the overwhelming feelings families may have around money and how to get clear about finances. From forgotten subscriptions to uncommon expenses, credit scores and savings accounts to credit cards and budgeting, Darla and Bryce discuss how to stay ahead of finances by planning ahead, finding ways to cut back on expenses, and ways to increase income. How does this relate to parenting? Kids learn from those around them. Modeling financial literacy can have a big impact on our kids’ futures. And, sometimes we have to get creative to save money but still provide for our family. Darla offers several tips and tricks for taking a hold of finances and feeling financially secure while modeling healthy financial habits to our kids.
This conversation isn’t your typical “save money, work hard” advice. Dr. Darla gives us so much more than that. Her work provides us valuable, creative, and helpful tips for raising wise, money-smart kids.
Dr. Darla is known as the ”FinanSis” founder of Finansis LLC. She founded the company to help families and communities improve their relationship with money and set their children up to be financially responsible for life. Dr. Darla is all too aware of the correlation between low credit scores and short lifespan. Her mission is to change that narrative.
A Teenager’s Reflection on Modern Parenting: Building Confidence, Communication, and Real-World Readiness with Sonia Suthar
Sep 08, 2026
Show notes
Parenting shouldn’t be a constant power struggle. Sonia Suthar, a 19 year old speaker, educator, and college student, sits down with Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, on today’s episode of Accidental Experts to discuss what parenting looks like from a teen’s perspective, not as a teen parent, but as the teenage child of parents. Sonia gives tips on what she believes parents in today’s society are doing well (loving their children), and maybe not so well (listening and trusting kids to have good insight, and asking the RIGHT questions). This conversation is SO important in helping parents understand their kids a little better. Not only does Sonia give her insight from her perspective as a teenager, but she also cites research into what teens actually need (and want) in a parent/teen relationship. Listen to Bryce and Sonia as they discuss supporting and guiding teens through a healthy, productive model of parenting.Teamwork, compromise, and truly listening to each other will get you on the right track of successfully parenting teens and having reciprocal trust.
Sonia is a 19-year-old founder of Cloud 9 and an educator dedicated to helping teens develop leadership, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurial life skills. Through workshops and speaking engagements, she supports adolescents and parents in building confidence, communication, and real-world readiness while strengthening connection at home.
Brain Integration and Holistic Approaches to Mental Health: Combining Mental Health and Medicine to Create Change with Cristine Hull, PhD
Sep 01, 2026
Show notes
Today’s episode is with Cristine Hull, PhD, Integrative Mental Health expert and natural medicine practitioner. Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, asks Cristine how her practice combines psychology, modern science, natural medicine, and ancient wisdom. Cristine explains how she uses the model of a “Wellness Diamond” with four corners which include: physical (medicine), emotional, mental (cognitive), and spiritual. Cristine gets vulnerable with how she started her practice and found this wellness path by being a recovering addict. Her experiences help us understand how to work through our own traumas, not just by following one set program, but by using what we learn and integrating it into our own self-determined motivation. Cristine’s work leads clients to the self-actualization that there is hope in recovery from trauma, substance abuse, or whatever they may be seeking help for, but it should be a specialized approach for each individual person. She emphasizes that it is possible to stop diseases in their tracks if caught early enough, citing her time as a school psychologist and working with kids and their families to promote healthy lifestyles early on.
This conversation will help parents understand what to look for when helping their own kids through hard times, how to recognize when a kid needs support, and how to ensure the child gets the correct support for their specific struggle. Taking care of one’s overall health is not a one-size-fits-all, and Cristine is here to help us understand how to approach situations through a whole body, mind, and spiritual model.
Cristine Hull, Ph.D., is an Integrative Mental Health Expert with over 30 years of experience. She integrates modern science and ancient wisdom in her practice, offering breakthrough techniques and quantum tools. Author of 10 Ways to Balance Your Brain Chemistry and more, Cristine isn’t afraid to challenge the current system in an effort to awaken listeners and support the evolution of mental health.
Unpacking and Navigating Perfectionism, Anxiety, and Trauma in Kids with Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC
Aug 25, 2026
Show notes
On this episode of Accidental Experts, Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, and Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC, discuss the complexities of anxiety, perfectionism, and childhood trauma. Kristen deep-dives where anxiety and perfectionism in kids start, and how they can spill into adulthood. Parenting kids with anxiety, perfectionism, OCD, or through trauma can be extremely difficult. We can make changes in our expectations as parents but it requires some “re-wiring” as well as open communication. Kristen explains that we often praise kids for accomplishing a desired outcome rather than praising the effort that goes into the task, therefore creating an environment where kids strive to please others rather than being proud of themselves. Bryce asks the question, “how do we shift to [praising] the effort” in relation to this concept. Kristen explains the importance of celebrating and praising the effort first, while also celebrating the outcome.
Bryce and Kristen also discuss how being a parent who experiences anxiety or perfectionism can impact our kids.They talk about the science and environmental factors such as our own childhood experiences that contribute to anxiety and other conditions our kids may be experiencing and how helping ourselves first can ultimately help us help our kids.
This episode is packed with helpful information for working through anxiety, perfectionism, and other related conditions alongside our kids, so be sure to listen to the full episode to learn more!
Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC, is a psychotherapist, adjunct faculty at National Louis University, professional speaker, and business owner. She is the founder of Cathartic Space Counseling (est. 2013) and provides continuing education and mental health training for other clinicians and professionals. Her areas of expertise include anxiety, perfectionism, and childhood trauma. She has been featured on the TEDx stage and countless media outlets, including Verywell Mind, Chicago Tribune, Psych Central, and CBS News. She recently published her first self-help book, titled Unpacked: How to Detach from the Subconscious Beliefs that are Sabotaging Your Life.
Overcoming Post-Traumatic Parenting and Becoming the Parent You Want to Be with Dr. Robyn Koslowitz
Aug 18, 2026
Show notes
On today’s episode, Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, Clinical Psychologist, introduces Bryce Hamilton, LSCSW, and our listeners to the concept of “post-traumatic parenting.” As parents, oftentimes we may feel like we aren’t doing a good job. We may yell at our kids, say something we wish we wouldn’t have, or give in when we said we wouldn’t. Robyn explains that this behavior has been learned at some point in our lives and usually that is through some type of trauma. Robyn identifies trauma as “any experience that is too big for our brain to metabolize.” Bryce relates to this with anecdotes from her own childhood that may be considered traumatic to some but maybe not to others. This is helpful when understanding our own traumas as we become parents and figure out our own parenting styles. Robyn’s work focuses on helping parents to break the cycle of traumatic parenting and become the parent they have always wanted to be. Robyn’s advice: “If we can recognize where our traumas come from, we can intentionally reprogram how we react.”
Dr. Robyn Koslowitz is a psychologist and author of Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle, Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be. She helps parents break inherited patterns and build secure connections. Her message: Your inner child can’t raise a child, but raising your real-world child can heal your inner child. She lives in New Jersey, practicing post-traumatic parenting with her own children.
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