The Empowered Parent with Dana Baltutis
Welcome to the Empowered Parent Podcast! This is your space to grow your confidence and skills in communicating, interacting, and understanding your children—so you can become the empowered parent you are destined to be.
In each episode, I speak with inspiring parents, therapists, and community leaders who truly understand the joys and challenges of parenting. Together, we explore a treasure trove of information and practical ideas for you to try at home.
We cover topics like:
- Celebrating neurodivergence
- School readiness
- The power of play
- Managing behaviors with compassion
- Discovering your and your child’s unique profiles
- Stories of parents finding strength and purpose through their parenting journey
This podcast is for all parents. It’s a place to build community and a sense of belonging—a space where you can ask questions, connect with others, and learn from experts who work with children every day.
Our goal is to empower you to:
- Learn more about yourself as a parent
- Take time for your own growth and well-being
- Discover new tools and resources to raise happy, confident kids
- Nurture your self-confidence in parenting
Let’s work together to make the world a better, more understanding, and compassionate place for everyone—young and old!
Don’t forget to like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app. I’d love to hear your topic suggestions and guest speaker ideas. Reach out via danabaltutis.com or join my Facebook community: My Therapy House And Friends Empowered Parent Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/583062577433444
Let’s connect, grow, and thrive together!
The Empowered Parent with Dana Baltutis
Episode 62: Annie Harvey (Laughter Leader and Mindset Coach) - The Healing Power of Laughter: The importance of laughing for child development and caregiver self-care
Could laughter be the most underrated therapy for both children and adults? Meet Annie Harvey, affectionately known as "the laughter therapist," whose journey from stressed caregiver to laughter yoga leader offers a fascinating glimpse into how simulated laughter can transform our neurological health.
Annie shares her powerful story of caring for her parents with dementia and discovering that three minutes of mindfulness practice three times a week dramatically changed how she responded to stress. But it was a chance encounter with laughter yoga at a Dalai Lama event that truly transformed her approach to wellbeing. Now, she helps others understand the science behind why even "fake" laughter produces genuine neurological benefits.
The conversation explores how laughter stimulates the vagus nerve—that crucial communication pathway running from brain to spine—flooding our bodies with feel-good hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. For parents and educators working with neurodivergent children, this offers a powerful co-regulation tool summarized in Annie's beautiful phrase: "Let them join your calm, don't join their chaos."
What's particularly fascinating is how many neurodivergent children instinctively use humming and buzzing to self-regulate—they're naturally stimulating their vagus nerve! Annie suggests that before teaching children complex emotional regulation techniques, we might start by helping them identify where they feel laughter in their bodies, building emotional literacy through positive sensations first.
Whether you're a parent, educator, therapist, or simply someone who recognizes they don't laugh enough, Annie's accessible approach offers practical tools for improving wellbeing. Her upcoming "Laughter Effect" workshop and new book "The Burnout Blueprint for Caregivers" promise to bring these techniques to those who need them most.
When was your last genuine belly laugh? If it's been too long, perhaps it's time to try "faking it until you make it"—your nervous system won't know the difference!
https://www.thestilleffect.com.au/
https://www.ted.com/talks/annie_harvey_silence_to_lol
danabaltutis.com, mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services
