In this ultra helpful episode, Dr. Shaw shares the eight (8) key principles that guide her life, and she shares these in order to provide help and guidance to anyone who hears these.  So many of us are looking for answers and trying to figure out what we are doing incorrectly in our lives.  As Dr. Shaw says, in some ways her list of principles are obvious and common sense, but by listing them out and offering a bit of explanation for each, she really does provide a remarkable roadmap for a fulfilling life.

In this brief but timely episode, Dr. Shaw takes advantage of the turning of the page of the calendar year in order to put forth a key tenet of her philosophy.... and that is that we should treat others as they ought to be, not as they are.   That practice of treating others as they ought to be puts the focus on helping and improving, and there is no better quality to a relationship than to be capable of lifting each other up.  Also, the gift is remembering in the moment what that intention looks like.  Wishing a Happy and Healthy and Fulfilled New Year (2026) to you and yours!

In this fascinating and reflective episode, Dr. Shaw dives into the aspect of human nature by which we DON'T learn from our own mistakes.  We are often presented with an answer or an opportunity or a gift of sorts, and we reject it because we either don't recognize it or because we are so caught up in our own baggage.  Here, she relays an example via a story from the life of a friend of hers, and with that situation as a launching point, Dr. Shaw dives into an examination of how we need to do our own self-examination and how if our eyes and ears and spirits are open, we should be better at recognizing our own invitations.  Then, when we as adults know how to do that, we can set examples for our children and teach them how to do it as well.

In this very brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw offers advice on how to disarm a situation in which your child, or even an adult, is suddenly facing anxiety.   It's quite common, and her guidance is spot on.  Essentially she says to validate the person's feelings who is experiencing anxiety, and then support them.  There is also a quick discussion on strategies to implement in this situation, but truly, the "validate and support" model is the answer offered here. 

In this brief but very helpful episode, Dr. Shaw gives us some solid guidance on dealing with the ups and downs of our emotions and feelings.  She begins by acknowledging that we all have ever-changing feelings based on the news that we receive or the experiences that we have.  That conversation then leads into her discussion about responding to children who are not in a good state of mind based on either simple disappointment or worse, when they are having a tantrum.  She offers great perspective and guidance regarding setting boundaries for our children based on their behavior and their personalities and she also incorporates and shares strategies for parents and teachers who need to handle those kinds of emotional fluctuations and possibly exercise some discipline. 

In this episode, Dr. Shaw shares an illustrative example of how she and a friend separately and for different reasons changed their personal stories about certain situations and that change of story change the outcome of the situation.  She begins by relating some perspective on her podcast series and what each week's audio is about, and then the discussion evolves into some real world examples of how adult behavior can be altered by altering our perception about a situation.  She also shares how some of these seemingly adult topics can have a bearing on how and what we teach our children.  In simple terms, Dr. Shaw believes that if you hold a vision that you are not deserving of the best that life has to offer, you will manifest that result... so change your story and change your life!

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues her look at the way in which we teach and use certain words with our children, but this time around the focus is primarily on the difference between "trying" and "doing."  Dr. Shaw explains her misgivings about the use of the word "trying" and she provides a number of illustrative examples of why that word can be not just confusing but damaging to a child's own expectations.  

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues to examine the ways in which we trap ourselves into a layer of negativity because the feeling we may be having is labeled as negative.  She examines words like "disappointment" or "melancholy" and explains that while we all have feelings that come from negatively stimuli, we need to transform ourselves out of that negativity through self-examination and the motivation to do better.   She also points out that this kind of training begins between parents and their children.  The way we react to a child who is sad can either keep them in their negative space or move them forward with a healthy attitude about whatever had made them sad.   Just like with making a mistake, the negative moment is an invitation to learn as it presents the opportunity to see and transform your feelings.

In this week's episode, Dr. Shaw picks up where she left off in the last episode by continuing to discuss how to release the negativity in many of our interactions.  Specifically, she looks at how we use certain words and hold their definitions as inherently negative... words like punishment or mistake or disappointment.   She also discusses how when we praise someone, particularly our children, and our praise is insincere, what are we teaching our children and ourselves?   She uses some concrete examples of how this works and what better strategies might be, including being sincere and going one step further by being specific.   And regarding the negative words, Dr. Shaw questions why we have such trouble agreeing to disagree and not putting blame on anyone since "blame" carries its own negative thread as a word.   Then, with the word "disappointment" in the forefront, she explains how to turn a situation where your child is disappointed.  She recommends honoring the disappointment and then putting your energy into positive movement away from the negative.   

In this brief but direct episode, Dr. Shaw reiterates one of her favorite themes and that is to not be the cause of your own suffering.  Often when we are disappointed, we accept the outcome.  Instead, she recommends that when you encounter a response to something that runs counter to the result you want, look at the situation as an invitation to let go of your attachments and explore another avenue.  That exploration can be exciting and inspiring, and is far better than the negativity of disappointment.

In this episode Dr. Shaw takes a look at our lives that are filled with excuses, and those excuses are born out of our preferences.  She admits that she is always assigning meaning to things, and she wonders aloud what life would be like without our preferences.  She uses a friend and her daughter as an illustrative example... the friend's daughter says she has a condition that makes her behave in a certain way, and that may very well be, but having a condition doesn't (or shouldn't) permit someone to be disrespectful or act in another anti-social way.  Yes, people might have a disability or labeled conditions... Dr. Shaw likes to call that being "differently abled"... but that different ability doesn't prevent someone from being successful in the world.  There is a different between learned behavior and behavior guided by a condition.  To have our children grow up to be respectful, that has to be taught, and if we have a condition, we have to learn how to navigate the world and have the self worth to do so.  Don't allow your "label" dictate how you are in the world, especially if that label is not in your best interest.

In this episode, Dr. Shaw begins by describing a scenario in which a teen or an adolescent is being provocative and looking to bait you into a fight.  When you are baited in this manner, the way you stop yourself from over-reacting or reacting too quickly, she recommends that you pause and ask yourself, "Does this serve me?"   The answer is probably not because you don't want to answer confrontation with more confrontation.  At the same time, never responding doesn't provide anyone with closure or a learning lesson.  Dr. Shaw's recommendation is that, later, when there is a peaceful moment, you reflect and discuss what happened earlier.  If you change the way you respond to someone in a situation like this, there needs to be a time when it's discussed, and NOT in the moment of provocation.  We need to stop our habitual responses when they don't serve us anymore.

In this personal episode, Dr. Shaw shares the tale of a recent family vacation that taught here a lesson or two.  One of the key things learned from this experience was that a family dynamic is infinitely better when everyone is on board so to speak.  If someone doesn't want to be there or doesn't pull their weight whatever that happens to be, it upsets the entire dynamic and forces others to do an unfair share.  During Dr. Shaw's family vacation, she witnessed a perfect sharing of responsibilities and a shared desire to make the most of the experience.  While it was a winning personal moment for her, the story and the lessons can be useful to all.

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw explores what it really means to ask for what we want in life.  She begins with some clear and simple examples of what it's like to ask for what we need, and more importantly, she points out that we need to be prepared for the consequence of not getting what we ask for.  She shares that personally, she didn't ask her family for anything growing up because she was too concerned that it would be hurtful to be rejected.  We also manifest what we expect... if we don't have a high expectation for ourselves, we won't reach the heights that we might truly want.  Also, with our children, we need to not only teach them to strive for what they want, but it's also important for them to know that even when you ask for something, you may not get it, and there is learning in that process.   Asking, however, is the place the process must begin.

In this brief but fascinating episode, Dr. Shaw examines what happens when we experience fear in a social situation.   She begins by sharing that when she personally feels the most amount of fear, that's when she needs to have the most control... and when she's not afraid she needs the least control.  She feels that it's a natural tendency for all of us, and she shares some real life examples of how and why that occurs.  She also discusses how we can monitor ourselves and stop and note our behavior and stop acting habitually.

In this somewhat pointed podcast, Dr. Shaw addresses the questions she's been receiving lately about allowing children an abundance or an over-abundance of "screen time."   Our kids are on iPads and cell phones and computers and other gadgets, and precisely because they are provided these devices, they are taught by us rely on them... we must teach our children what we want them to learn.

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a quick look at how it plays out when a relationship is perhaps coming to an end.  She begins by sharing some advice that she had shared with friends of hers who were struggling in their relationship.  She leans of personal experience in order to lay the ground work for recognizing that sometimes relationships simply have an expiration date, and when we force a relationship to last longer than it should, it does more damage than good.  If we can assign and honor the best possible point of view of the relationship's history and de-tangle the relationship by taking the high road, that's a great way to transform the relationship into the future.  

Dr. Shaw begins by outlining her motivation for creating this particular podcast, and that rationale is to examine how we are when we feel our feelings.  It begins with the fact that we are taught from a very early age that we should have only happy feelings and that life is filled with happy endings.  Dr. Shaw feels that it's wrong action to think that way, and that what we need to strive for is the realization that feelings come and go.   She encourages a type of neutrality or objectivity about feelings.  Yes, it can feel better to be happy, but we should also not feel sad or shameful or vulnerable when we have a so-called negative feeling.... those are real feelings.  The goal she encourages for herself and for others is to have contentment in life.   Sometimes we have bad or ordinary moments... sometimes we have wonderful peak experiences... it's ALL ok... it's just the human condition.

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw examines the emotional rollercoaster that can occur when we respond negatively to a situation.   Her world view incorporates the notion that nothing is simply one way... there are (at least) two sides to everything... and that it's important that we teach that approach to our children.   Our children can often face disappointments, but they need to understand, even at a young age, that the negative situation shall pass.  This is not to negate feeling a negative emotion, but the fact is that when, for example we get bad news, the immediate feeling of negativity actually discharges the energy of that negativity and that discharge allows us to move on with a more positive point of view.  

In this very brief but energized episode, Dr. Shaw uses a personal story and experience to once again illustrate that our children are listening to us, even when we think they are not. Her story is a cute one revealing her passion for saving 5-dollar bills.  As it happens, a youngster around age 7 heard her talk about her strong belief in saving 5's, and he is now doing the same thing.  Why?  Because our children do listen and respond to what they hear.  If you are impatient and swearing in traffic and your children are in the car, they are hearing you.   If you are gossiping or speaking negatively about someone and they are with you, they are picking up your bad habit of gossip and negativity.   As Dr. Shaw ALWAYS says, be present and be aware.