Learn a step-by-step path to finding peace raising grandchildren and discover how to heal from intergenerational trauma. Have you been told to “just forgive” but found that advice hollow, leaving you alone with pain that keeps resurfacing? Does your anger feel like a protective shield—yet you secretly yearn for true…
"Being angry is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies." In this transformative episode, host Laura Brazan is joined by transformation mentor and forgiveness expert Katharine Giovanni. We discuss forgiveness for grandparents. For many "Invisible CEOs" in the kinship community, anger feels like a protective shield—a lead fog…
Are you struggling managing emotional exhaustion as a grandparent? Feeling the relentless drizzle of exhaustion and emotional burnout, even as you keep your grand family afloat? Do you sometimes find yourself trapped in a loop of irritation or resentment, questioning if joy is even possible on this journey? You are…
"I have to do the dishes. I have to drive to practice. I have to raise these kids." Family, have you noticed how those "I have to" thoughts feel like a lead weight in your chest? 🎒 It's called, "caregiver burnout". Today on the podcast, Matt O’Neill, author of Good…
Does bedtime feel less like a cozy ritual and more like crossing a battlefield filled with tears, anxiety, and wakeful shadows? Did you know that there are real tools for addressing sleep training for children trauma? Real tools to foster resilience? Perhaps you recognize yourself in those moments—the digital quick…
"Bedtime isn't just a routine in the second cradle; it’s often a battlefield where abandonment anxiety and night terrors meet the biological alarm." In this episode, host Laura Brazan is joined by sleep expert Allison Egidi to audit the nighttime environment of kinship homes. For many "Invisible CEOs," the tablet…
Navigating parenting teens in kinship care? Discover expert strategies to build deep trust, reduce daily conflict, and get kinship care teen advice.
Are you connecting with traumatized teens? What do you do when the child you fought so hard to protect starts pushing you away? When "I love you" is met with a door slam? Many of us parent out of fear—fear that the generational cycle of trauma is repeating itself. But…
When your retirement story shifts overnight into raising grandchildren, it can feel like your personal story has ended. But what if this isn’t the end, but the start of a brand-new mission? In this powerful episode, Laura Brazan sits down with pastor and founder of Swagability, Stephen Wagstaff, to discuss…
Episode 114 | Mixtape and Memoir: A Grandchild’s Journey from Trauma to Reciprocal Love "What happens when the person who is your first example of love is also, at times, a source of your pain?" Today, the boardroom welcomes Johnzelle Anderson, LPC—a therapist, author, and most importantly, a grandson raised…
What happens when the birthday party of your dreams turns into a high-stakes hazmat cleanup? Imagine planning your grandson's third birthday at 6:00 PM, only to lose your daughter—his mother—to a fentanyl overdose by 7:30 AM the next morning. This is the raw, devastating reality that today’s guest, Laurel Exner,…
Are you a grandparent fighting to legally adopt your grandchild, drowning in red tape and wondering if the finish line will ever come? Have you sat through courtrooms hoping to be heard, worried for your grandchild’s safety, and navigating a system that seems to mistake your love for inconvenience? Do…
What happens when the "temporary" label finally falls off? For years, kinship caregivers live on pins and needles, acting like "parenting as usual" while a caseworker assesses their living rooms. Today, we are celebrating a massive executive win. Mary Hels-Jager returns to the boardroom to share the ultimate update: her…
Are you a grandparent thrust into the role of primary caregiver, managing the relentless stress, marriage challenges, and behavioral transitions that come with raising your grandchildren? Do you wonder how to move from surviving daily crises to building a sanctuary in your home—one where healing and hope are possible for…
Are you a grandparent, caregiver, or child impacted by generational trauma? Do you wrestle with questions of connection, healing, and the hope to break repeating patterns? Are you searching for authentic guidance to rewrite your family’s future after abuse or neglect? I’m Laura Brazan, and in this episode of 'Grandparents…
Are you a grandparent who finds yourself stepping back into the exhausting world of parenting, unexpectedly raising your grandchildren in the wake of family upheaval? Do you ever mourn the peaceful retirement you imagined, longing for slow mornings and carefree days, only to wake up facing a mountain of responsibilities…
Have you lost a child to the fentanyl crisis and now find yourself raising a grandchild while navigating profound grief, financial upheaval, and relentless societal judgment? Are you struggling with the cost of kinship care? Searching for understanding, practical support, and a community that truly sees the struggles and resilience…
Are you exhausted from "firefighting" your way through kinship care? As the Invisible CEO of your home, it’s easy to get addicted to the speed of crisis. But trauma isn't healed with gasoline; it’s healed with the slow, steady burn of an Oak Log. In this boardroom session, author and…
Are you a grandparent overwhelmed by the high-paced chaos of raising grandchildren, trying to break cycles of crisis and create lasting stability? Do you find yourself burning out, reacting to emergencies instead of building a resilient, nurturing home for the children in your care? Are you searching for practical ways…
What do you do when the village meant to raise your grandchild is actually the one failing them? In this powerful episode of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Nurturing Through Adversity, host Laura Brazan sits down with Paula Yost, a "legal social worker," attorney, and former guardian ad litem. Paula shares her…
Are you a grandparent or kinship caregiver navigating the maze of IEPs, 504 plans, and medical decisions while advocating for a child impacted by trauma and neglect? Do you feel overwhelmed by failing systems, mislabeled as a troublemaker simply for demanding the support your grandchild needs to heal? You’re not…
What happens when a young person’s identity is shaped by a past they didn't choose? In Episode 109, we welcome Brayden Black, a renowned "identity restorer" and "dream catalyst," to the boardroom. This episode is a "Succession Strategy" for the 2.7 million grandparents raising grandchildren. We’re moving beyond "survival mode"…
Welcome to this powerful episode featuring Brayden, an “identity restorer” and dream catalyst whose work with the rising generation will inspire and equip you. Together, we dive deep into his personal journey from self-doubt to empowerment, the transformative influence of storytelling, and actionable methods for nurturing true self-worth in young…
"Abandon perfection." That is the first rule of survival according to systems expert and accountant Pat Hankin. In this milestone 100th episode clip, we aren't just talking about the heart—we are auditing the infrastructure of your life. If you feel like you are "firefighting" every day, it’s time to switch…