Stay ConnectedEver wish you had a zen friend? Someone who could help you ease your tween or tween’s anxiety, while also supporting you, so parenting was more peaceful?
Well good news, host Lauren Wolfe, a therapist and mom who’s made it through those anxious teen years is here to offer parents some zen!
A full-length episode comes out every Tuesday. And “A Drop of Zen,” a short guided meditation or a “Zen Bonus Boost,” a mini episode, come out every Friday.
Copyright: © 2022 Your Zen Friend
Does the clutter in your home weigh you down or make you feel overwhelmed? Are your digital spaces a chaotic mess with overflowing inboxes? Our guest for this episode, Amanda Jefferson, a seasoned organizational expert, will tell us about the benefits of clutter clearing and give some tips for how you can begin this process.
We will venture into the world of daily routines and talk about the steps of the KonMari Method. We'll discuss how this unique organization technique can be helpful for those feeling overwhelmed with the clutter in their lives. Amanda emphasizes the power of building daily habits and routines, sharing tips such as OHIO, or Only Handle it Once. And Amanda shares her nightly routine which helps her to conclude her day and prepare for the day ahead.
For the final segment, we'll delve deeper into the realm of digital decluttering. Amanda shares insightful tips on how to clean your digital clutter and speaks about overcoming perfectionism and embracing all things good-enoughish!
Here's How to Connect with Amanda:
Find Amanda and her co-host Brook Forry on the podcast, Good Enough-ish: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-enough-ish/id1618600313
Check out the Good Enough-ish website: https://www.goodenoughish.com/
Save 10% on Amanda's Digital Decluttering Course with this code:
https://courses.indigoorganizing.com/offers/FAEM6PmF?coupon_code=ZEN
Connect with Amanda on Instagram: @Hey.AmandaJ
Amanda's Bio: After 20 years of trying to keep up with the “shoulds,” Amanda left it all behind to help others learn how to listen to themselves. She's the owner of Indigo Organizing, the creator of the Organized Every Day online course, and one of the world's first KonMari consultants. A TEDx speaker and co-host of the Good Enough-Ish podcast, Amanda has been featured in Real Simple, Harpers Bazaar UK and Better Homes & Garden, among others.
Things we mentioned on the episode:
Lori Gottleib's book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
https://a.co/d/iq4LtqT
Author Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/
And listen to her podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happier-with-gretchen-rubin/id969519520
I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend
Email me at: YourZenFriendPod@gmail.com
Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/
If you would like to learn more about Lauren's counseling services you can view her website here:
https://www.laurencounseling.com/
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation to help you identify where you are currently meeting your own needs and where you could use some more self care.
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
As we celebrate the one year anniversary of the Your Zen Friend podcast, I will take you behind the scenes and share what I have learned about the world of podcasting. I'll tell you how podcasts are recorded and sent out into the world and what helps podcasts to grow and become more discoverable. I'll also give you an idea of what you need to know if you have ever thought about creating your own podcast.
But this episode isn't just about podcasting. As a licensed professional counselor with more than two decades of experience, I will also share what I believe is the most important thing parents can do to boost their children's mental wellness. It's also what I hope listeners are taking away from this podcast.
I hope you'll be part of the journey for what the next year of Your Zen Friend will bring. I hope you will enjoy this podcast and find it helpful to you and your family. Let's celebrate this milestone together, and here's to many more years of Your Zen Friend!
On this podcast I mention:
The essential oil by Revive Oil - Pumpkin Pie (I mistakenly called it pumpkin spice). https://www.revive-eo.com/product/pumpkin-pie-essential-oil-blend/
I've hired a clinician at my counseling practice in Connecticut. I'm excited to have Kayla Defeo working along side me to support children, adolescents and families. Learn more about how you or your child can work with Kayla by going to my website and contacting me: https://www.laurencounseling.com/
I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend
Email me at: YourZenFriendPod@gmail.com
Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/
If you would like to learn more about Lauren's counseling services you can view her website here:
https://www.laurencounseling.com/
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation to help you connect with gratitude for your home. Whether you are living in your dream home or not, this meditation will help you to appreciate the home you have.
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On a mission to make your home both functional and aesthetically pleasing without breaking the bank? Join the conversation with my dear friend and interior designer, Don Richards.
In this episode Don offers insights on some of the best places to shop for a deal and shares what to hunt for and what to steer clear of in stores like Home Goods. Whether it's brightening your home with fresh flowers, music, and lighting or hunting for unique pieces in local thrift stores, Don's tips make beautiful homes accessible for all.
Don and I have fun with a quiz I designed where Don has to guess the paint color names that are real and the one I made up. These are all crazy names! See if you can guess the real paint colors. It's not that easy!
We wrap up our chat by touching some great design accounts and bloggers to follow for inspiration, and highlight some helpful design resources like Emily Henderson's book, The New Design Rules, and the website Copycatchic.
Some resources that are mentioned:
The Dollar Tree - https://www.dollartree.com
Thrift Store in Bantam CT - https://www.clothestreect.com/
Chintz and Prints in Newtown CT - https://www.chintznprints.com/
https://www.younghouselove.com/
https://www.younghouselove.com/podcast-introduction/
https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/
Book: The New Design Rules by Emily Henderson - https://a.co/d/5ktAo5D
Shay McGee for Target - https://www.target.com/b/threshold-designed-w-studio-mcgee/-/N-q643le65vqv
https://www.copycatchic.com/
Pottery Barn - https://www.potterybarn.com
Don's Bio: Consumed by architecture, design, and home since childhood, Don graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia with a degree in Historic Preservation. For the last thirty years, his obsession with home has seen him in the worlds of interior design, visual merchandising, and real estate. A Litchfield County native, Don has designed spaces in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida, while vowing never again to work in NYC because of elevator constraints. Can a sofa be disassembled and put back together? The answer is yes. Should it be? LOL, the answer is no. He believes the key to a space being home is personality and quirk. Try and think outside the box with vintage and unique. Look toward the architectural style of the property and let that guide you. If you love it, it will usually work. Just no 75'' flat screens, please. Don is passionate about BLTs, turtlenecks, and his orange tabby, Ernest. Not necessarily in that order.
Connect with Don:
email: don@theshoppes.net
Find him at Middle Furniture in Middlebury, CT: https://www.middleburyfurniture.com/
instagram: @dwrhomedesign
I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend
Email me at: YourZenFriendPod@gmail.com
Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/
If you would like to learn more about Lauren's counseling services you can view her website here:
https://www.laurencounseling.com/
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation for parents or caretakers of children who are experiencing anxiety.
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
Anxiety symptoms in children often look different from what we imagine. Parents are sometimes surprised at how some of their children’s behavior, especially their misbehavior, comes from their anxiety.
On today's episode I will tell you about some symptoms I commonly see in kids and teens who are experiencing anxiety. The symptoms I'll tell you about are not always recognized as anxiety. I’ll also give you some strategies for helping your children to reduce their anxiety symptoms and feel more calm.
It's been awhile since I've told you what's bringing me some zen. I'll start out this episode by telling you about a few ways I'm feeling more zen lately. One of them has to do with the transitions from summer to fall, which always makes me sad. I'll also tell you about a television show I'm enjoying with my husband and a treat I sometime indulge in from Starbucks.
In order to demonstrate some ways that anxiety shows up for kids and teens, I’m going to break down kids with anxiety into 3 different catagories. It's not always the case that kids neatly fit into these catagories. My hope is that with my descriptions you will be better able to identify if a child in your life is experiencing anxiety.
After I've described some anxiety symptoms that kids and teens experience. I'll give you some suggestions for how you can help support the kids in your life in decreasing their anxiety. This is in no way a complete list! But instead, some simple strategies that you can start implementing today.
I'd love to hear from YOU! Here's how to connect with me:
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend
Email me at: YourZenFriendPod@gmail.com
Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/
If you would like to learn more about Lauren's counseling services you can view her website here:
https://www.laurencounseling.com/
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On today's short guided meditation, I will walk you through a breathing exercise that is combined with applying light pressure with the finger tips on the meridian points used in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).
In this week's podcast episode, episode #49, Dr. Lori Leyden talks about the benefits of taking just two minutes throughout the day to tap and breathe. This guided mediation will walk you through how to do this.
If you would like a free printout of the different meridian points used in EFT, send me an email at yourzenfriendpod@gmail.com
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On this episode I have the privilege of interviewing Dr. Lori Leyden, internationally renowned trauma healing pioneer and spiritual mentor. I'll tell you about how I met Lori one year after the Sandy Hook tragedy and how she profoundly changed my life for the better. I'll also tell you about my experience living through the Sandy Hook tragedy as a community member, therapist for children and families and a mom of young children.
Lori shares how her search for healing her own childhood trauma brought her to the field of psychology and to helping individuals heal from some of the most horrific recent tragedies including: the Rwanda orphan genocide and the school shootings in Sandy Hook and Parkland.
Although the topics we discuss are heavy, this episode is full of light, love and hope. Lori shares how she stays positive and in a place of connection and love, even when working with individuals who are experiencing tremendous suffering. Lori talks about how connecting with gratitude is always possible, even in the most difficult of times and talks about the beautiful healing that she sees as a result of her work.
Lori shares some simple strategies that will help listeners to feel safe and connected to themselves and to their loved ones. We will also talk about Lori's new book titled Embodying Grace; Trusting Yourself, Your Light and Your Divinity. In this book Lori walks readers through The Grace Process, which helps individuals to open to gratitude, love, joy and wonder on a regular basis.
Buy Lori's book, Embodying Grace for just $1.99 on your kindle on September 14, 2023! Here's where you can get it:
https://www.drlorileyden.com/embodying-grace-book
On this episode I mention a previous episode of this podcast: Ep#45 Magic Moments and Opening Up to the Magic Around Us
Lori's Bio:
Lori Leyden, PhD, MBA is intimately acquainted with trauma and has dedicated her life to healing her own traumas and developing the most elegant healing methods possible. As an internationally hailed trauma-healing pioneer, transformational leader and visionary spiritual mentor, Dr. Leyden has been called in to work with traumatized communities who have experienced genocide, war and school shootings—with remarkable results. She is a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle and Association of Transformational Leaders as well as an Evidence Based EFT Master Trainer.
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourzenfriend
Email me at: YourZenFriendPod@gmail.com
Find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/yourzenfriendpod/
If you would like to learn more about Lauren's counseling services you can view her website here:
https://www.laurencounseling.com/
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
On today's short guided meditation, I will walk you through identifying where in your life it feels like you are not getting the validation you are craving. And I will help you to give yourself the gold start you deserve.
You are doing a great job! Really! You have shown up to listen to a self help podcast and are making time to meditate. I am sending many gold stars your way!
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physical or mental health.
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