Oct. 29, 2026

Ep 22 - How to Listen to Get Your Family Unstuck: Rev. Susan Nason on Practical Empathy in Parenting

Show Notes

If you don’t want to be an old-school style parent, but you also don’t want to be overly permissive and raise kids who lack resilience, it can be hard to figure out what to do. And easy to slip into modes of parenting that aren’t helpful for us or our kids.

Reverend Susan Nason, who goes by the Parent Whisperer, joins us today to talk about parenting from a place of calm, compassion, and co-regulation without feeling like you’re constantly capitulating. In our conversation, Susie shares how her own very difficult childhood influences her work with parents and families, practical advice for working through challenging moments with kindness and generosity, plus she role plays a current tough spot between Gillian and her kiddo and (gently) roasts Rob, who has worked with Susie as a client in the past.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

How survival fears can drive parents towards authoritativeness or permissiveness, often in the same family
What makes noncompliance and tantrums especially challenging for parents to respond to productively
How empathy, choice, and limits can defuse heated moments with kids of all ages
Why trust, in ourselves and in our kids, is the antidote to hierarchical parenting
How Susan’s vastly different childhood experiences with her parents and her aunt became the foundation for her work