Parenting siblings is rarely about doing the same thing twice. In this first episode of our Supporting Siblings Roundtable, our HER+ Provider Directory experts explore what it truly means to raise kids with different temperaments, developmental timelines, and emotional needs.

We begin by unpacking one powerful reframe: children aren’t “difficult” — they’re different. From sensory sensitivities and executive functioning challenges to ADHD and biological differences, this conversation highlights how behavior is often communication. When parents learn to observe, describe, and validate what’s underneath the behavior, they can respond with more flexibility and less guilt.

We also dive into the delicate balance of fairness. How do you support one child who needs more without creating resentment in another? Our experts discuss the importance of narrating differences, educating the whole family about diagnoses or unique needs, and validating feelings without creating a hierarchy of importance. The goal isn’t equal treatment — it’s intentional support.

Finally, we explore how childhood roles and identities can shape sibling relationships well into adulthood, and why helping parents release guilt is essential to fostering clarity and connection within the family.

If you’re raising children who are wired differently, this conversation will help you better understand their needs — and trust your ability to support each of them with confidence.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• How to shift from “difficult” to “different.”Listeners will learn how temperament, sensory needs, executive functioning, and developmental differences shape behavior — and how reframing behavior as communication can reduce guilt, frustration, and reactivity.

• How to balance fairness without creating resentment.This episode offers practical language for narrating differences, validating each child’s experience, and meeting one child’s greater needs without unintentionally creating comparison or hierarchy within the family.

• How early sibling dynamics can shape lifelong relationships.You’ll gain insight into how roles and identities formed in childhood can impact adult sibling relationships — and what parents can do now to foster understanding, flexibility, and connection for the long term.

HER+ Experts:

• Dr. Carrie Ann Dittner PhD, Clinical & Developmental Psychology, Founder of Peak City Psychology

• Elise N. Davis, LCMHC, C-MMT Counseling. Meditation. Yoga, Owner of Present Practice Counseling

• Brittni Winslow, MS, OTR/L Occupational Therapist, Owner of Emerge Pediatric Therapy

• Gigi Miller, Productivity Coach, Executive Function Support, Owner of The Organized Life

• Quinandria Lee, Ed.S., LCMHC, NCC, Owner of Curated Space Counseling and Consulting

Episode Notes and Resources:

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion about restrictive eating patterns and their potential harm.

This is the final episode in our Metabolism Roundtable series, bringing together HER+ providers to challenge the messaging women — especially moms — have been taught about weight, energy, and health. (Episodes 158, 157 & 156 are also part of the Metabolism Roundtable series)

In this closing conversation, the panel unpacks why cycles of restriction often leave women feeling more fatigued, stressed, and metabolically stuck, particularly during perimenopause. The experts explore how under-fueling, chronic stress, and the pressure to be smaller can disrupt hormones, increase metabolic resistance, and fuel weight cycling.

The discussion also examines the evolving role of GLP-1 medications, including their potential benefits for insulin resistance and inflammation, alongside the critical need for medical oversight, strength training, and adequate nutrition to protect muscle and bone health.

The takeaway for this final chapter: intensity and restriction aren’t the answer. Consistency, strength, proper fueling, and a collaborative care team offer a more sustainable path forward — one that shifts the focus from shrinking the body to supporting long-term metabolic health and overall well-being.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• Why restriction often backfires for women’s metabolismYou will learn how under-fueling, chronic stress, and repeated cycles of “trying harder” can slow metabolism, increase fatigue, and create metabolic resistance — especially for moms and women in perimenopause.

• What actually supports long-term metabolic healthThis episode clarifies why consistency matters more than intensity, and how adequate fueling, strength training, muscle preservation, and stress support are foundational for sustainable energy, blood sugar balance, and overall well-being.

• How tools like GLP-1 medications fit into a bigger pictureYou will gain a balanced understanding of the potential benefits and limitations of GLP-1 medications, and why medical oversight, nutrition, and strength work are essential to protect muscle, bone health, and long-term outcomes.

HER+ Experts:

● Katherin Andrew, Registered Dietitian - https://www.katherineandrew.com/

● Dr. Abby DeVries, Family Medicine Doctor - https://www.sabiahealthnc.com/

● Sarah Parise, ACE Certified Fitness Professional - https://greatdaysbysarah.com/

● Kate Layman, Certified Nurse Midwife - https://motherlovewellness.com/

Episode Notes and Resources:

Dr. Salas-Whalen and her book Weightless

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.

This roundtable continues our conversation on metabolic changes—but this time, we focus on how those shifts show up mentally and emotionally for moms.

As hormones fluctuate and sleep declines, many women experience rising anxiety, low mood, irritability, or brain fog and begin to wonder why they no longer “feel normal.” Our experts explain how these symptoms are not separate from metabolism—they are deeply connected. Changes in estrogen impact brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, influencing mood, stress resilience, sleep, and overall emotional regulation.

Together, we explore why mental health should be considered a core part of metabolic health—not an afterthought—and why so many women are treated for symptoms without addressing underlying hormonal shifts. You’ll also hear guidance on advocating for yourself, tracking symptoms, and finding providers who understand the full picture.

If you’ve been feeling unlike yourself lately, this conversation offers clarity, validation, and a reminder: your body isn’t failing you. It’s communicating.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• Why you don’t “feel like yourself”

  You’ll understand how shifting hormones and poor sleep affect brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA—contributing to anxiety, low mood, irritability, and brain fog.

• Why mental health is a core part of metabolic health

  You’ll learn how mood, stress tolerance, sleep, and metabolism are deeply interconnected—and why treating them as separate issues often misses the root cause.

• How to advocate for better, more integrated care

  You’ll gain practical insight into tracking symptoms, knowing when hormones may be part of the picture, and finding providers who look at the full biopsychosocial story—not just isolated symptoms.

HER+ Experts:

● Katherin Andrew, Registered Dietitian - https://www.katherineandrew.com/

● Dr. Abby DeVries, Family Medicine Doctor - https://www.sabiahealthnc.com/

● Sarah Parise, ACE Certified Fitness Professional - https://greatdaysbysarah.com/

● Kate Layman, Certified Nurse Midwife - https://motherlovewellness.com/

Episode Notes and Resources:

Dr. Lisa Masconi - https://www.lisamosconi.com/

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.