Parenting Shrink Wrapped
Parenting Shrink Wrapped is your all-access pass to the wild and wonderful journey of raising kids! Hosted by Dr. Melissa Wellner, a double board-certified psychiatrist and child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Samantha Straub, a licensed therapist, educator, and parenting coach, this dynamic duo brings a perfect mix of professional expertise and mom humor. With five kids between them—and thousands more they’ve supported in their professional roles—they’re here to share practical strategies and real-life stories that will help you navigate everything from tantrums to teen drama. Whether you're handling sleepless nights or the chaos of carpool, you'll find relatable advice and a good laugh along the way. Strap in, because parenting is a ride, and we're here to make it a little smoother!
Episodes
55 episodes
#55 Thanks, But No: Holding Boundaries With Other Parents Without Burning Bridges
In this episode, Sam and Melissa unpack one of the most common parenting challenges: setting boundaries with other parents. From playdates and birthday parties to sleepovers, tech rules, and teen hangouts, every stage brings new situatio...
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Episode 55
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36:05
#54 What Parent Coaching Really Is — And How It Transforms Your Relationship With Your Teen
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa flips the script and interviews Sam about what parent coaching actually is, how it differs from therapy, and why it can be such a game-changer for families. Sam shares her journey fr...
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37:08
#53 Parenting Shrink Wrapped Turns One: Lessons, Laughs, and What We’ve Learned Helping Parents This Year
In this one-year anniversary episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam look back on the wild, wonderful journey of launching a parenting podcast with zero experience and a whole lot of heart. From favorite guest moments to p...
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Episode 53
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39:48
#52 Psychoeducational Testing Explained: How to Understand Your Child's Behavior, Learning, and Mental Health with Dr. Eryn Kruger
In this episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Eryn Kruger to demystify psychoeducational testing—what it is, why it matters, and how it can reveal the real reasons be...
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Episode 52
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41:15
Parenting Teens Through Substance Curiosity: How to Stay Their Safe Person
Teen substance use looks very different today. Sam and Dr. Melissa talk with clinician Allison Scarinzi about vaping, cannabis, synthetics, early conversations, red flags, and how to stay your teen’s safe person. This episode blends practical t...
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Episode 51
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44:34
How Oral Habits Shape Speech, Breathing & Development with Ana Curtin, SLP
Speech pathologist Ana Curtin joins Sam and Dr. Melissa to uncover how early oral habits—like thumb-sucking, pacifiers, and tongue ties—can impact airway development, sleep, focus, and emotional health well into the teen years. <...
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33:16
#49 Functional Medicine for Kids: A Pediatrician’s Holistic Approach to Root Causes with Dr. Rebecca Vickers
Pediatrician Dr. Rebecca Vickers joins Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner to discuss how functional medicine is transforming pediatric care. From gut health and food sensitivities to c...
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36:52
When Traditional School Doesn’t Fit: How Fusion Academy Helps Teens Thrive
If your teen dreads school, struggles to keep up, or feels unseen in a traditional classroom, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible. Sam and Melissa sit down with Rebecca Luhm and Tonya Gardner from Fusion Academy in Columbia, Mar...
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Episode 48
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38:44
#47 Halloween with Kids: How the Holiday Changes from Toddlers to Teens
From pumpkin costumes and family trick-or-treating to teen parties and candy negotiations, Halloween looks different at every stage of parenting. In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Stra...
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35:28
Believing, Supporting, Protecting: Helping Kids Heal from Trauma with Courtney Glickman
In this powerful episode, Sam and Melissa talk with Dr. Courtney Glickman, founder of The Collective Healing Center in Annapolis, MD, about how parents can recognize, respond to, and support children who have experienced sexual tr...
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43:42
#45 Raising Bicultural Kids: Parenting Insights with Maria Winters
Parenting coach Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner talk with counselor and life coach Maria Winters about raising bicultural kids. Maria shares her journey from Venezuela to the U.S., the cultural mix in her family, and what it’s l...
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41:43
#44 Helping Kids and Families Navigate Grief with Marna Brickman
Grief touches every family, yet many of us feel unsure how to guide ourselves—or our kids—through it. In this heartfelt conversation, Sam and Melissa talk with grief specialist Marna Brickman, LCSW-C, about the many forms grief can take,...
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Episode 44
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35:23
#43 Parenting Judgement: Why It Hurts and How to Stop It
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa unpack the sting of parenting judgment—both giving it and receiving it. Melissa shares a real-life Dunkin’ Donuts story involving a five-year-old, a pair of scissors, and an ...
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Episode 43
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36:54
#42 College Admissions Tips for Parents: What You Need to Know About the Application Process
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa welcome Sam’s sister, Kate Peltz—an experienced college admissions counselor and former director of college counseling at Concord Academy. Kate shares what parents often don’...
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Episode 42
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42:37
#41 Who’s Watching the Kids? Finding, Trusting, and Letting Go of Childcare
Childcare is one of the biggest challenges modern parents face—whether it’s during a crisis like COVID, while juggling work schedules, or simply trying to carve out time for your own sanity. In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped,...
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Episode 41
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41:52
#40 Parenting with Purpose: Checking Your Motivation and Building Resilient Kids with Christa Welch
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and Sam welcome Christa Welch, LCSW-C, founder of The Betty Center in Annapolis, MD. Krista shares the inspiring story behind naming the center after her mother, “OG Betty,” a...
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Episode 40
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43:43
#39 Nature of the Beast | Back to School Tips for Elementary with Jennifer Ruef
Back-to-school tips for elementary kids go beyond pencils and backpacks. Sam and Melissa talk with child therapist Jennifer Ruef about what kids—and parents—really face from kindergarten to 5th grade, academically, socially, and emotional...
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Episode 39
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47:34
38 Nature of the Beast | Managing Middle School with Mary Foard
Middle school—the years of awkwardness, growth spurts, eye rolls, and endless energy. In this Nature of the Beast series episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with Mary Foard, a veteran middle school counselor and mom of twins, to u...
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39:52
#37 The Nature of the Beast: High School Back-to-School Tips for Parents
In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrap, Melissa and Sam dive into the unique challenges, milestones, and surprises that come with each year of high school. From wide-eyed freshmen still running to class, to confident (and sometimes c...
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Episode 37
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38:02
#36 Nature of the Beast | Parenting a College Freshman with Dr. Kelly Wilcox
College drop-off isn’t the end of parenting—it’s just the beginning of a new phase. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Kelly Wilcox, Dean of Student Success at Haverford College, to talk about what parents can expect as their teen transitions...
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Episode 36
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42:05
#35 Parenting with Chronic Illness: Showing Up with Self-Compassion, Even on Hard Days with Dr. Katie Lawliss
In this powerful conversation, Sam and Melissa welcome Dr. Katie Lawliss—a licensed psychologist specializing in chronic illness and ADHD, who also lives with cystic fibrosis. Katie shares her personal journey from childhood diagnosis to becomi...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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36:13
#34 Storm or Sky Mind? How to Stay Present When Parenting Triggers You
We’ve all had moments where a messy room or a missed assignment feels like the end of the world—and we explode. But is it really about that sock on the floor... or something deeper?In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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29:37
#33 Why Your Kid Can’t Sit Still—And How OT Might Help with Samantha Hyali
Is your kid constantly in motion? Refuses to wear socks? Melts down over tags in their shirts? You’re not alone—and you’re not imagining it.In this eye-opening episode, Sam and Melissa sit down with occupational therapist and mom of thre...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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35:59
#32 ADHD Unwrapped Part 2: Why “Just Try Harder” Doesn’t Work (and What Actually Might)
In Part 2 of our ADHD series, Sam Straub, LCPC, and Dr. Melissa Wellner, MD, dive deeper into the lived experience of parenting—and being—a kid with ADHD. This episode moves beyond the textbook and into real family dynamics: the misunderstandin...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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37:12
#31 ADHD Unwrapped: Myths, Superpowers & Real Struggles Parents Miss
In this insightful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, hosts Sam Straub and Melissa Wellner dig into the many dimensions of ADHD—busting myths, exploring emotional highs and lows, and celebrating the often-overlooked strengths that co...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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35:46