Get on Their Turf with Dr. Suzanne Simpson
Are you worried about your teen’s anxiety, screen time, or emotional distance? You’re not alone. Get on Their Turf is the parenting podcast that helps you support your child’s mental health and build lasting connection. I’m Dr. Suzanne Simpson, teacher and researcher with 3 decades of experience, and biweekly I share expert interviews, parenting strategies, and real stories from my work in classrooms and a youth psychiatric unit. Episodes explore teen anxiety, depression, screen time struggles, listening without fixing, and spotting early warning signs of stress or crisis. Let’s raise kids who feel safe, seen, and heard—because connection changes everything.
Episodes
62 episodes
Why Your Kid Needs Discipline (But Not the Way You Think)
What if discipline isn't about punishment at all? Dr. Allie Donaldson, a 28-year-old surgeon, explains how her parents taught emotional regulation through connection, not control.Is your teen shutting down? Are you afraid to set boundari...
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39:21
Just Me: Self-Advocacy - The #1 Skill Your Kids Need At School
Teaching kids self-advocacy may be the single most important skill they learn in school, and most students never get taught how to do it. When kids advocate for themselves with support, they gain confidence, feel seen, build resilience, and per...
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10:14
An Honest Talk About Domestic Violence and Boys with Eugene Z. Bertrand
An Honest Talk About Domestic Violence and Boys with Eugene Z. BertrandDomestic violence against males is real and often invisible. In this powerful conversation, best selling author Eugene Bertrand discusses the hidden epidemic of domes...
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45:54
Working Mom, Present Parent: Staying Connected When Life Is Full?
Working Mom, Present Parent: Staying Connected When Life Is Full?How do working moms stay emotionally connected to their kids when life is full and the to-do list never ends?In this episode of Get On Their Turf, Dr...
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37:03
JUST ME: What Teens in Crisis Say They Need From Parents for Mental Health & Connection
Why do teenagers shut down, pull away, or get angry with the people who love them most?In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Simpson shares research from inside a youth psychiatric unit and the honest truths teens told her about what they ...
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9:04
Screens, Mental Health, and Teens: What Brock Johnson Wants Parents To Know About Cell Phones
This conversation first aired in September 2024, and I’m bringing it back because it still feels just as relevant now. Brock Johnson offered timeless insight into how social media shapes teen mental health, and so many parents have told me this...
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51:30
JUST ME: Help Your Teen Open Up at Home: Reconnect With Your Child Using Get On Their Turf
How to Reconnect With Your Child: Get on Their Turf and Build Trust AgainWhen your child feels distant, defiant, or disconnected, it can leave you feeling invisible at home. In this episode, Dr Suzanne Simpson shares a practical way to...
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11:11
Parent Plan B Support Your Teen’s Mental Health at Home When the System Fails with AnneMoss Rogers
Parent Plan B – Supporting Your Teen’s Mental Health When the System Fails with AnneMoss RogersWhen mental health supports aren’t available, too expensive, or impossible to access, what can parents do at home?In this powerful epis...
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45:06
Parenting When You’re Not OK How to Be Honest and Build Connection with Steven Phillip
When you’re not OK, your kids don’t need perfection – they need your presence. In this conversation with Steve Phillip of The Jordan Legacy, we talk about how to be honest with your kids on hard days, how to listen first, and how vulnerability ...
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42:16
Building the Village: How Parents Can Lead When the Mental Health System Falls Short with Janelle Miller Morovick
Building the Village: How Parents Can Lead When the Mental Health System Falls Short with Janelle Miller MorovickIn Building the Village: How Parents Can Lead When the Mental Health System Falls Short, Janelle Miller Morovick an...
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34:08
When Tears Meet Hope: Parenting Through Unexpected Challenges with Michael Ray
When Tears Meet Hope: Parenting Through Unexpected ChallengesThis episode is for every parent who sobbed when their child was born. When fear met hope in the delivery room, everything shifted. Michael Ray opens up about the overwhelming ...
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34:10
Parenting Teens & Suicide Prevention: The Hidden Risks of High Achievers with Leslie Weirich
Parenting Teens & Suicide Prevention: The Hidden Risks of High Achievers with Leslie WeirichIn this episode, Dr. Suzanne Simpson talks with Leslie Weirich — mental health speaker, author of The Gifts of Grief, and sui...
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52:54
The Truth About Parenting and Kids’ Mental Health: Why It Starts at Home with Nicole Runyon
The Truth About Parenting and Kids’ Mental Health: Why It Starts at Home with Nicole Runyon#drsuzannesimpson #getontheirturf Is it really fair to say that mental health starts at home? Nicole Runyon says yes—and more importantl...
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35:57
The Power of Seeing Differently: A Conversation with Daoud Kuttab on Truth, Media, and Perspective
The Power of Seeing Differently: A Conversation with Daoud Kuttab on Truth, Media, and Perspective#drsuzannesimpson #encounteringpodcast #getontheirturf We all see the world through a lens—but what if we don’t even know ...
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46:55
Parenting a Nonverbal Child with Down Syndrome | A Smile That Changed Everything with Michael Ray
Parenting a Nonverbal Child with Down Syndrome | A Smile That Changed Everything #downsyndromeawareness #parentingjourney #specialneedsparentingWhat does it mean to hear “I love you” without words? That question shaped my entire journey...
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51:15
Raising Fearless Girls: Lessons from Identity, Discrimination, & Forgiveness with Sylvia Yu Friedman
What happens when a daughter grows up in a culture that preferred sons? In this powerful episode, award-winning author and human rights journalist Sylvia Yu Friedman opens up about her journey from early rejection to radical healing. She shares...
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33:31
Tips for Supporting Your Teen's Mental Health and Reducing Teen Crisis Risk with Chris Coulter
WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DISCUSSION ABOUT TEEN SUICIDETips for Supporting Your Teen's Mental Health and Reducing Teen Crisis Risk with Chris Coulter#teensuicideprevention #youthmentalhealth #suicidewarningsignsAre yo...
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46:05
Hidden Struggles of Confident Teens | Mental Health & Parenting Insights with Darian Hooshi
Hidden Struggles of Confident Teens | Mental Health & Parenting Insights with Darian Hooshi #teenmentalhealth #parentingadvice #supportingteens Discover how a seemingly confident young professional navigated "outing...
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50:50
Authenticity, Failure & Mental Health: Erica Rankin on Owning Your Story
Authenticity, Failure & Mental Health: Erica Rankin on Owning Your StoryWhat happens when an entrepreneur shares her failures, mental health struggles, and unfiltered truth with the world? In this episode of Encountering
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53:24
CBT and Self-Compassion: Taking Back Control from Anxiety with Judy Belmont
CBT and Self-Compassion: Taking Back Control from Anxiety with Judy BelmontWhat if anxiety didn’t have to run your life—and what if the way out started with how you speak to yourself?In this episode of Encountering...
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33:45
Can Mental Health Be Contagious? Powerful Insights with Matt Hussey
Can mental health challenges be contagious? In this compelling conversation with Matt Hussey, a therapist, writer, and former journalist, we explore the powerful idea of emotional contagion—how we absorb the feelings of those around...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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49:20
Beauty from Ashes: Healing, Grief & Finding Purpose with Jeff Johnston
How do we find hope after loss? Can grief, addiction, and pain lead to personal growth and transformation?In this episode of Encountering, I sit down with Jeff Johnston, who shares his deeply personal journey through grief, heal...
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Episode 41
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54:41
Safe Spaces at Work: How to Prevent Burnout & Build a Healthier Workplace with Wilson Obeneme Ep. 40
How can we create safe spaces at work that foster innovation, mental well-being, and personal growth? What role do mindset, core values, and workplace culture play in preventing burnout and improving work-life bal...
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Episode 40
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50:43
Navigating Mental Health in a Social Media World with Brock Johnson (@brock11johnson)
How is social media shaping our mental health, self-worth, and relationships? Is it possible to build real connections in a digital world that thrives on comparison and perfectionism?In this episode of Encountering, I sit down w...
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51:59
Master Your Anger: Life-Changing Tips from a Pro -- with Alistair Moes
Struggling with anger issues, emotional outbursts, or controlling frustration? In this podcast, I, Dr. Suzanne Simpson, team up with anger management expert Alistair Moes to dive into the psychology of anger, its triggers, and powerful strategi...
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Episode 38
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40:01