Clinical psychologist Kenya Malcolm shares how to build healthy, flexible relationships with your kids

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Clinical psychologist Kenya Malcolm shares how to build healthy, flexible relationships with your kids

If you’ve ever worried about traumatizing your kids or wondered if they’ll still want to talk to you when they’re grown up, then you’ll enjoy this week’s episode of It’s a Lot. I talked to Dr. Kenya Malcolm, a clinical psychologist and the Director of Early Childhood Initiatives at the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, about how parents are on a journey of growth alongside their kids, what to do when you’re worried about your child’s mental health (or your own), how she wishes the U.S. was more proactive in addressing mental health issues, and more.

In the second half of the show, we have a fun discussion about why her adult daughters still talk to her, what she’s looking forward to about being a grandma, and what books she’s enjoyed lately.

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Eboni Jones Stewart gets real about pregnancy loss

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Eboni Jones Stewart gets real about pregnancy loss

This week on It’s a Lot, librarian and bonus mom Eboni Jones Stewart joins me for a very honest conversation about her path to becoming a bonus mom and her long journey of trying to get pregnant with a biological child of her own. We discuss the scourge that is Roblox, how special (and overstimulating) it is to have living room kids, the atrocious things people (medical professionals included) say to you after a pregnancy loss, and more.

In the second half of the episode, we explore how techno-optimists have ruined social media (and possibly the world) by never considering the consequences of their actions, and discuss how Ella has learned to use her privilege to speak up and uplift others’ voices.

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Author and sex & culture critic Ella Dawson on how capitalism makes it harder to create art

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Author and sex & culture critic Ella Dawson on how capitalism makes it harder to create art

After following Ella’s work for years, I was delighted when we struck up an online friendship after I reviewed an advance copy of her (fantastic) debut novel, But How Are You, Really. Since then, Ella has spoken to my college students twice, chatted with me about burnout and boundaries for my business blog, and now joined me on my podcast, It’s a Lot. In this episode, we talk about the mental health impact of the post-publication adrenaline crash, coping with feelings of disappointment through finding community and having honest conversations, and the joys of interviewing other progress romance writers for Ella’s podcast, Rebel Ever After.

In the second half of the episode, we explore how techno-optimists have ruined social media (and possibly the world) by never considering the consequences of their actions, and discuss how Ella has learned to use her privilege to speak up and uplift others’ voices.

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Pauly Guglielmo gets honest about paternity leave struggles & his inability to resist buying his kid a toy at TJ Maxx

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Pauly Guglielmo gets honest about paternity leave struggles & his inability to resist buying his kid a toy at TJ Maxx

I had a blast chatting with Pauly Guglielmo, a food entrepreneur, radio/podcasting legend, and dad of two, about everything from our childhood traumas to the fun parts of parenthood in a special two-part episode. In part one, Pauly interviews me in his style of his podcast about entrepreneurship, The Pauly Guglielmo Show. In part two, I interview Pauly in my It’s a Lot style about the many aspects of his life that are just a lot.

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