Annapolis Psychiatry

05/26/2026

How do you keep showing up as a parent when your body—or mind—is running on empty?

In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we’re joined by , a licensed psychologist who specializes in chronic illness—and lives it, too. We explore the challenges of parenting through fatigue, pain, brain fog, and all the emotional weight that comes with it.

We talk about:
✅Why self-compassion is critical for parents with chronic illness
✅How to communicate honestly with your kids without overwhelming them
✅Why small, meaningful gestures matter more than grand ones
✅The unexpected strengths chronic illness can cultivate in your family

If you’ve ever felt like your energy and intentions were out of sync, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Link to listen in bio or wherever you get your favorite podcasts
💬 Want more support for parenting with grace, presence, and flexibility? Learn more at Teen Savvy Coaching.

05/26/2026

Your Teen’s Off to College—Now What About You?
As parents, we often treat college drop-off like the finish line. 🎓
But what if it’s actually the starting point of a whole new parenting chapter?
In our latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we sat down with Dr. Kelly Wilcox, Dean of Student Success at Haverford College, to talk about what parents really need to know when their child starts college.
✅ The “invisible fifth class” your student is taking: learning how to do college
✅ How to respond to the fireball texts ("What do I do?") without solving everything for them
✅ Why self-efficacy, not straight A’s, is the secret to college success
✅ What FERPA means for parents—and why it’s not your job to call the professor anymore
✅ How to support your child through identity shifts, homesickness, and major changes (literally and figuratively)
Whether you’ve already dropped your teen off, or you’re prepping for the day, this conversation is full of honest insight and practical takeaways for parenting during the college years.
🎧 Listen where you get your favorite podcasts or click the link in bio.

🔁 Let’s stop chasing “good college” labels—and start focusing on fit, values, and growth.

05/26/2026

Back-to-School Season: Why Parenting a Freshman Is Nothing Like Parenting a Senior

When August rolls around, every high school parent faces “the nature of the beast”—but the beast looks different at each grade level.

In our latest Parenting Shrink Wrapped episode, Dr. Melissa Wellner and I break down what to expect when your teen is:
A Senior: Riding high on leadership status… until college apps hit.
A Junior: Balancing academics, tests, jobs, and social life under high pressure.
A Sophomore: Gaining confidence and exploring new opportunities.
A Freshman: Navigating a bigger world (and still finding the right hallway).

Understanding where your teen is developmentally—socially, emotionally, and academically—can help you parent with empathy, patience, and the right kind of support.
📖 Listen to the episode wherever you find your favorite podcasts or through my Link in Bio.

05/26/2026

Middle school isn’t just a phase—it’s a high-speed developmental slingshot. 🚀

This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, part of our Nature of the Beast series, Dr.

Melissa Wellner and I sat down with veteran middle school counselor Mary Foard to unpack what parents can expect in grades 6–8.

Mary brings 14 years of counseling experience, a decade of teaching, and the lived expertise of parenting her own middle school twins. We talk about:
The leap in abstract thinking that happens in middle school (and how to harness it)

Why you don’t need your child’s agreement to hold a boundary

How to avoid getting pulled into the social drama roller coaster

The importance of keeping “low-key touch points” with your teen or tween

What’s normal—socially, emotionally, and academically—at each grade level

Whether you work with families, are raising a middle schooler yourself, or are just curious about the challenges parents face during these pivotal years, this episode offers both perspective and practical tools.

🎧 Listen through the link in my bio or by searching Parenting Shrink Wrapped in your favorite place to get podcasts.

05/26/2026

Ever look at your teen and wonder: how did we get here?

The answer starts long before high school schedules and college apps—it’s rooted in the elementary years.

In our latest Parenting Shrink Wrapped episode, child therapist and school counselor Jennifer Ruef breaks down what kids (and parents) go through from kindergarten to 5th grade:
✅ Kindergarten separation (parents learning to let go)
✅ The leap in 3rd grade that shifts academics + social life
✅ Why 5th grade feels like middle school’s dress rehearsal

Even if you’re firmly in the teen trenches, this episode offers:
perspective on how early patterns show up later

empathy for families just starting out

and yes, maybe some nostalgia for those little backpacks and oversized emotions

🎧 Click my link in bio or search for Parenting Shrink Wrapped where you find your favorite podcasts.

05/26/2026

Parenting teens with clarity requires one critical question: Whose needs am I serving right now—mine or my child’s?

In this week’s Parenting Shrink Wrapped episode, Dr. Melissa Wellner and I talk with Christa Welch, LCSW-C and founder of The Betty Center, about subtle but powerful shifts parents can make:

Change “I need you to take out the trash” ➡️ “The trash is full—please take it out.”

Say, “Let me think about it overnight,” ➡️instead of rushing into reactive decisions.

Recognize when your own stress or past experiences are shaping your parenting.

These small adjustments reduce power struggles, build teen confidence, and help us parent from clarity instead of guilt.

🎧 Listen to the full Parenting Shrink Wrapped episode through my Link in Bio or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

05/26/2026

🚨 Officially approved by our teen audience 🚨

After this week’s episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Wellner received this message from a teen listener:

“You can tell your cohost Sam that you do in fact have one teen listener, it’s me… And I can’t believe you didn’t know not to use punctuation in your text messages. It was nice to see someone my age on your little talk show. 10/10 would recommend.”

😂 Fair enough. Apparently the punctuation issue is serious.

This week, we sat down with 19-year-old TEDx speaker and Cloud9 founder Sonia Suthar to talk about what teens actually need from parents right now — including communication, emotional safety, trust, and how parents can better connect with their teens in a rapidly changing world.

If you’ve ever wondered:
✔️ “Am I communicating with my teen in a way they can actually hear?”
✔️ “How do I support without overwhelming?”
✔️ “What do teens wish parents understood?”

…this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-do-teens-really-need-from-parents-right-now/id1766578984?i=1000769438266

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeppMRYA6SI

In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit do...

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

01/21/2026

Check out the latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped where we explore how it's okay to not have all of the perfect answers as a parent!

Talking with kids about bodies, boundaries, and relationships can feel intimidating — especially when parents worry about saying the wrong thing.In this epis...

01/12/2026

Thank you Will Dobud PhD for being a guest on Parenting Shrink Wrapped!

Podcast Episode · Parenting Shrink Wrapped · 12/01/2026 · 54m