Building Connection: 3 Must-Have Parenting Resources
This month, we’re centering the power of being present—listening without fixing, honoring lived experience, and leaning into evidence-based tools that support healing. These resources are designed to support you—whether you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, or caregiver—on your journey of raising emotionally healthy, connected children.
The Body Keeps
the Score
by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
This book provides an in-depth understanding of how trauma affects the mind, body, and brain, highlighting the importance of healing for overall well-being. Drawing on decades of research and clinical experience, it explores how traumatic experiences are stored physically and emotionally, often shaping behavior, relationships, and health in profound ways.
The Body Keeps the Score offers insight into why traditional talk therapy alone may not be enough and introduces innovative approaches that engage the body in healing—such as mindfulness, movement, and somatic therapies.
Unbelievably Resilient
by Multiple Authors
The Unbelievably Resilient Podcast, created by those with firsthand experience in foster care, shares powerful stories of resilience, growth, and reclaiming identity beyond trauma.
This is a great podcast for anyone who fosters teens or works with youth who are aging out. It offers honest conversations that highlight both the challenges and strengths of navigating life after foster care.
Listeners will walk away with deeper empathy, practical insights, and renewed hope for supporting young people in transition.
National Institute of
Mental Health
by NIMH
I often recommend the National Institute of Mental Health for clear, reliable information on mental health. It’s a trusted resource to understand diagnoses, explore treatments, or learn more about what you or a loved one may be experiencing. Their site offers accessible, research-based explanations, downloadable resources, and updates on emerging science—all designed to help individuals make informed decisions and feel less alone in their mental health journey. Whether you're seeking support for yourself, your child, or someone in your care, it's a valuable place to start. It can also be a helpful tool to bring into conversations with doctors, therapists, or school teams when advocating for care.