Solo Parent
Being a single parent brings real pressure. You should not face it alone. The Solo Parent Podcast offers honest conversation, expert insight, and practical help for raising healthy kids while carrying the weight alone. Created by single parents for single parents, each episode speaks to the emotional, relational, and everyday realities of solo parenting. Hosted by author and Solo Parent founder Robert Beeson, alongside Elizabeth Cole, Vice President of Solo Parent and a single mom herself, this podcast has supported thousands of single parents worldwide. It is for single moms and dads navigating divorce, loss, or abandonment who want steadiness, hope, and connection. Solo Parent exists to make sure no single parent walks alone. Through daily support groups, articles, guided meditations, and a free dedicated app, Solo Parent provides steady, practical support for every stage of the journey. Listeners can engage beyond the podcast and find real community, daily encouragement, and tools built specifically for single parent life. Go to www.SoloParent.org or download our app, on any app platform, to learn more!
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Dating Differently
02/02/2026
Dating Differently
This week we’re discussing Dating Differently. Dating after divorce can feel layered and heavy for solo parents. Curiosity and hope often exist right alongside fear, grief, and loneliness. Add children into the mix, and the emotional stakes rise even higher. This conversation speaks directly to the pain of wanting connection while also protecting your heart, your healing, and your kids. Dating differently matters because the choices you make now do not just shape your future relationships, they shape your sense of stability, wholeness, and emotional safety at home. In this episode, Robert Beeson (Founder & CEO of Solo Parent) and Elizabeth Cole (single parent) are joined by Amber Fuller (counselor with a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy and single parent) and Josh Stimpson (single dad of 12 years) to explore what it looks like to date with honesty, intention, and care in this season of life. Today, we cover three main points: Dating when emotions feel mixed. How hope, fear, grief, and loneliness often show up together after divorce, and why naming that tension matters before making decisions. What being “ready” really means. How readiness is less about time passed and more about support, self awareness, and dating from wholeness instead of loneliness. Why kids change everything. How moving slowly and intentionally protects children’s emotional stability and helps solo parents build healthier relationships. Together, these three points invite solo parents to approach dating with greater clarity and compassion. Rather than rushing decisions or shutting down connection, this conversation encourages slowing the pace, building strong support, and making choices that honor both personal healing and the emotional needs of children. Stay Connected + Get Support:
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Approaching the New Year with Stability
01/26/2026
Approaching the New Year with Stability
This week we’re discussing Approaching the New Year with Stability. When life feels chaotic in the middle of already full days, solo parents can slip into survival mode just trying to keep everything from falling apart. That constant reactivity wears down our nervous systems, impacts how we show up for our kids, and leaves little room to breathe or think clearly. This conversation focuses on why stability matters so deeply for single parent families and how small, intentional choices can create steadiness at home, in our minds, and in our daily rhythms. Robert Beeson and Elizabeth Cole are joined by author and single parent Marissa Lee to explore practical ways stability can grow even when life feels unpredictable. Today, we cover three main points: Creating stability at home starts with support. A stable home begins with a steady mind. Intentional rhythms anchor chaotic days. Stability does not require perfection or rigid control. Small, repeatable patterns build trust over time. Presence matters more than length of time. A regulated parent creates a more regulated environment. When expectations are realistic and rhythms are clear, both parents and kids gain room to breathe. Stay Connected + Get Support:
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Approaching the New Year with Confidence
01/19/2026
Approaching the New Year with Confidence
This week we’re discussing Approaching the New Year with Confidence. When solo parents carry relentless responsibility, face constant self doubt, and feel defined by past failures, confidence can feel fragile or out of reach. That erosion matters because it shapes how we parent, how we see ourselves, and whether we step into a new season with hope or hesitation. Robert Beeson and Elizabeth Cole are joined by Amber Fuller, licensed professional counselor, to explore how confidence can become steadier and more grounded when it is built on self compassion, supportive community, and a clear sense of worth rather than perfection or performance. Today, we cover three main points: Stop carrying it all alone. Why accepting your limits, practicing self compassion, and allowing support actually strengthens confidence rather than weakens it. Change the way you talk to yourself. How negative inner narratives undermine confidence and practical ways to notice, challenge, and replace them with words that are more true and life giving. Believe in your worth even when you fail. How mistakes and losses do not diminish your value, but can become teachers that deepen self awareness, resilience, and courage moving forward. Confidence grows when you stop measuring yourself against impossible standards. Perspective changes when you name what you are already doing well. Failure does not define you. It can refine you. Real confidence is rooted in worth, values, and the courage to show up honestly. Stay Connected + Get Support:
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Approaching the New Year with Intentionality
01/12/2026
Approaching the New Year with Intentionality
When you are the only parent in the home, life often feels reactive instead of chosen. Every decision, every emotion, every consequence lands on your shoulders. That constant pressure can leave you feeling scattered, exhausted, and unsure how to move forward with clarity or hope. This conversation speaks directly to the pain of trying to parent well, grow personally, and stay grounded when mistakes feel costly and the future feels uncertain. Intentionality matters because it helps solo parents move from survival to direction, even when life feels chaotic. In this episode, Marissa Lee (author, and single parent) joins Robert and Elizabeth to explore how intentionality shapes parenting, emotional health, and long-term growth. Today, we cover three main points: Starting with the end in mind. How clarifying your values and direction helps you live with purpose without trying to control outcomes. Why mistakes matter. How failure, repair, and humility actually strengthen growth for both parents and kids. Keeping the bigger picture in view. How intentional choices, even small ones, help solo parents stay steady when daily life feels overwhelming. Stay Connected + Get Support:
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Approaching the New Year With Renewed Perspective
01/05/2026
Approaching the New Year With Renewed Perspective
This week we’re discussing Approaching the New Year with Renewed Perspective. For many solo parents, a new year does not arrive with excitement but with exhaustion, uncertainty, and a quiet fear that clarity cannot be trusted anymore. When past disappointments linger and the future feels fragile, it becomes easy to live in regret, worry, or self-blame. This episode speaks to the tension of living between what was and what might be, and why staying present, releasing control, and shifting perspective opens the door to peace and renewed hope. Today, we cover three main points: Staying present instead of living in the past. How ruminating on what-ifs and regrets fuels shame and keeps us from experiencing clarity and healing today. Finding peace in the middle of the “I don’t knows.” Why uncertainty triggers fear and control, and how grounding yourself in what you can do today creates stability even when answers are missing. Filtering life through gratitude, expectancy, and awareness. How choosing to notice what is good, expect growth, and stay aware reshapes your experience and helps you respond with steadiness instead of stress. Renewing perspective does not mean fixing everything at once. It means choosing presence over escape, trust over fear, and small intentional steps over overwhelm. Clarity grows when we stop borrowing pain from the past or fear from the future and learn to live fully in the day in front of us. Stay Connected + Get Support:
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Rewind: The Three Phases of Solo Parenting
12/29/2025
Rewind: The Three Phases of Solo Parenting
This week we’re discussing The Three Phases of Solo Parenting Solo parenting does not move in straight lines. Some days you feel steady, and other days you are pulled right back into overwhelm. That is why naming where you are matters. When you understand the phases of triage, recovery, and wellness, you can recognize your progress and offer yourself compassion. This week, Robert and Elizabeth revisit a listener favorite featuring three Solo Parent group leaders whose stories bring clarity, honesty, and hope for anyone navigating this journey. Today, we cover three main points: What triage looks like and how to take the next right step when life feels impossible. How recovery helps you stabilize even when triggers still surface. What wellness feels like when confidence returns and you can begin to dream again. Solo Parent online group leader, Cari Baker, describes triage as the season when life feels unbearable and every moment is marked by shock, secrecy, and survival. Her honesty reminds solo parents that this stage is not failure. It is the beginning of healing. Recovery begins when the chaos settles and a new normal takes shape. Solo Parent online group leader, Andrew Diakos, shares how community became the turning point that moved him out of isolation. His goal is not perfection but shortening those triage moments by repairing quickly, apologizing when needed, and staying present with his kids. Recovery is learning how to move forward without shame. Wellness is not about having an easy life. It is about having steadier footing. Solo Parent online group leader, Lana Craig, found wellness through small projects that rebuilt her confidence after losing her husband. With the help of trusted friends, she rediscovered desire, imagination, and possibility. Wellness is the moment you realize you can create a life you look forward to. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
12/22/2025
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
This week we’re discussing Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships Healthy connection is something many solo parents long for, but most of us weren’t given a clear model of what it looks like. Between past trauma, unhealthy relational patterns, and the fear of repeating old mistakes, it can feel confusing to know when a relationship is safe, sustainable, or simply too costly for our emotional wellbeing. Today’s conversation with Licensed Professional Counselor, Laurie Lokey, matters because it gives practical ways to identify real health, real safety, and real growth within ourselves and in our relationships with others. Today, we cover three main points: What a healthy relationship actually feels like and why it always begins with the relationship you have with yourself. How to recognize red flags and green flags when dating or navigating close relationships. Why modeling health for your kids matters even if you are not dating at all. These pain points matter because many solo parents were never shown what healthy connection looks like. Without a clear blueprint, it is easy to mistrust our instincts, blame ourselves, or repeat familiar patterns that keep us stuck. By naming what feels confusing, learning how to recognize safety, and growing in self-awareness, we begin to build relationships that support healing instead of draining it. Laurie reminds us that healthy connection begins within. When we do our own work, we show up grounded, honest, and present. We stop performing. We stop shrinking. We stop blaming. That shift changes everything: how we date, how we communicate, and how our kids learn what love looks like. Even if we are not dating, our growth becomes a living amends to our children, showing them that it only takes one healthy parent to change a family’s story. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Additional Resources:
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When Christmas Comes Through Unlikely People
12/15/2025
When Christmas Comes Through Unlikely People
This week we’re discussing When Christmas Comes Through Unlikely People Today, we cover three main points: • How God works through unlikely beginnings • Why your story still carries worth even when life feels heavy • How the message of Christmas offers hope to weary hearts Every solo parent knows what it feels like to wonder whether their life still has impact, especially in seasons filled with comparison, busyness, and unmet expectations. This conversation with Curtis “CZ” Zackery, author of Soul Rest and founder of Find Rest, matters because it reveals a truth many of us forget: God uses ordinary, unexpected people and moments to carry his hope into the world. Even when you feel behind or overlooked, you are not outside the story God is telling. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: by Curtis “CZ” Zackery: This book reveals how our misaligned view of rest has its roots in an identity that is out of rhythm with God. : This organization (founded by Curtis “CZ” Zackery) offers personalized coaching, spiritual care, leadership support, and Bible study guidance designed to help individuals and organizations regain balance in their lives.
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Rediscovering the Magic of Christmas
12/08/2025
Rediscovering the Magic of Christmas
This week we’re discussing Rediscovering the Magic of Christmas For many solo parents, the holidays stir up more ache than wonder. What once felt magical can now feel heavy with reminders of loss, changed traditions, and the pressure to hold everything together for our kids. Hosts Robert and Elizabeth are joined by Marriage and Family Therapist, Amber Fuller, and together they unpack why this season can feel so complicated and why reconnecting with moments of sweetness, shared magic, and childlike awe matters more than ever. Today, we cover three main points: How to look for the sweetness in real time How to make magic as a family How to recover a sense of childlike awe The holidays can stir up complicated emotions. Even when we show up with a smile for our kids, there can still be an ache underneath. This conversation invites you to notice small moments of sweetness as they come, to create simple pockets of magic together, and to let yourself play again. Rediscovering Christmas starts with presence. Solo parents juggle more than most people realize, which means entire magical days may be rare. But magical moments are always within reach. Looking for them on purpose softens the heaviness and reminds us that goodness still threads its way through the hard. Making magic as a family does not require perfection or elaborate plans. Generosity, serving others, spontaneous traditions, and small acts of kindness often matter far more than anything wrapped in a box. Kids remember being together, laughing, and breaking out of the usual routine. Recovering childlike awe means loosening our grip on getting everything right and allowing room for lightness. When we give ourselves permission to be playful or engage in simple traditions, awe naturally resurfaces. It might be as small as watching Christmas lights, sharing a silly moment, or reviving a tradition your kids secretly still love. More than anything, the magic of Christmas is found in connection. Not flawless execution or perfect gifts, but being present with the people we love in the ways we can. Even in seasons of change, sweetness still exists. It often appears in the smallest moments. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Conquering Loneliness During the Holidays
12/01/2025
Conquering Loneliness During the Holidays
This week we’re discussing Conquering Loneliness During the Holidays. For solo parents, the holidays can magnify loneliness in surprising ways. Maybe you are watching your child leave for the other home on Christmas morning, sitting in a quiet house that used to feel full. Maybe you are surrounded by family and noise, yet painfully aware that you are the only one without a partner by your side. Maybe old traditions feel broken or impossible now, and you are not sure how to make new ones that actually feel like you. Today, we cover three main points: Naming and normalizing holiday loneliness Moving toward connection, even when it feels awkward Creating and reframing traditions that fit your life now In this episode, Marissa Lee, author and single parent, joins Robert and Elizabeth to discuss the fact that these moments matter because they press on grief, expose the ache of what has been lost, and can easily convince you that you are the odd one out in a world that seems to be celebrating. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Learning to Protect Your Most Valuable Resources
11/24/2025
Learning to Protect Your Most Valuable Resources
This week we’re discussing Learning to Protect Your Most Valuable Resources As solo parents, it can feel like our time, energy, money, and even our words are always up for grabs. We pour out for our kids, our work, our communities, and even good things like church or helping friends, until we suddenly realize we are running on empty. In this episode, we talk honestly about the pain of feeling constantly depleted, the resentment that can grow when we overgive, the guilt that surfaces when we try to say no, and the anxiety that comes from feeling like our money and schedule are always out of control. These things matter because if we do not treat our lives as sacred, no one else will, and our kids will learn from whatever example we set. Today, we cover three main points: Why holding things sacred matters How boundaries help protect what really matters Practical ways to hold things sacred in everyday life If you are exhausted from giving and feel like there is nothing left for you, you are not broken or failing. You may simply be pouring from a cup that has not been refilled in a very long time. Learning to hold your time, energy, and money as sacred is not selfish. It is a way of honoring the fact that your life and your story matter. When you protect what is valuable in you, you are better able to show up with patience, clarity, and tenderness for the people you love most. You have permission to pause, to say no, and to build new patterns that match the kind of life you know you are worth living. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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The Truth We Don't Want to Face
11/17/2025
The Truth We Don't Want to Face
This week we’re discussing The Truth We Don’t Want to Face. When betrayal, ongoing conflict, or a child’s escalating behavior keeps reopening old wounds, it’s easy to reduce people to their worst moments. That mindset feels protective, yet it shrinks our capacity for peace, models bitterness to our kids, and keeps us tethered to pain. Marissa Lee, author and single parent, joins Robert and Elizabeth to unpack how learning to separate a person’s worth from their actions helps us heal, set clearer boundaries, and stay grounded in dignity—ours and theirs. Today, we cover three main points: Contempt dehumanizes. What contempt looks like, how it spreads in our homes and culture, and why it leaves relationships stuck. Compassion expands our capacity. How extending dignity to others softens the shame within us and frees our energy for what matters. Practical ways to see worth. Simple, repeatable steps to move from judgment to curiosity, from reactivity to agency, including naming our feelings, resetting expectations, and choosing actions that align with our values. Seeing someone’s humanity isn’t excusing harm—it’s refusing to let contempt define you. Curiosity builds bridges; ask “why” before deciding “who” someone is. Your children feel how you speak about the other parent, and honoring their other parent protects your child’s sense of self. Boundaries require agency—state what you will do and follow through. Resources Mentioned In This Episode – Research from Dr. John Gottman on how contempt is one of the strongest predictors of relationship breakdown. Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff – A book exploring how self-compassion can heal shame and foster emotional resilience. – A guide to setting healthy limits that protect your peace and relationships. – A parenting resource offering practical tools for setting structure, building connection, and guiding kids through emotional growth. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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You're Worth A Life Reimagined
11/10/2025
You're Worth A Life Reimagined
This week we’re discussing the idea that You’re Worth a Life Reimagined Divorce can make it feel like your story is over…like joy, purpose, and belonging are things of the past. The shame and stigma can convince you that you’re somehow disqualified from hope. But what if your worth didn’t end with that loss? What if you’re still fully capable of building something new, beautiful, and whole? Today, we cover three main points: How to reimagine a life you still deserve How to create belonging for your kids in a new season How the church can better support solo parents and those healing from divorce Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer, Proverbs 31 Ministries, shares her story of heartbreak and resilience, describing the end of her 29-year marriage as the “death of the future” she thought she’d have. Through small, faithful steps, she learned to rebuild her life piece by piece. She reminds us that God’s heart is not against those who’ve endured divorce but for their protection and restoration. Lysa also challenges churches to move beyond fear and become safe places for single parents, places where people can heal, belong, and find hope again. And for parents navigating the aftermath, she offers this reminder: different doesn’t mean bad. Creating new traditions and inside jokes can restore stability and joy for your children, even when life looks unfamiliar. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • by Lysa TerKeurst with Dr. Joel Muddamalle and Jim Cress: A compassionate, biblically grounded guide that helps readers navigate the pain, shame, and loneliness of divorce while discovering hope, healing, and a renewed sense of purpose in God. • : A global, faith-based organization that equips women to know the truth of God’s Word and live it out with confidence in everyday life. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Knowing Your Worth Even When You're Broken
11/03/2025
Knowing Your Worth Even When You're Broken
This week we’re discussing Knowing Your Worth Even When You’re Broken Many single parents carry old stories that say you will never measure up. Those messages show up as shame from past failures, comparison to intact families, and a drive to perform or please. Left unchallenged, they shape how you parent, relate, and see yourself. In this episode, Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT), joins Robert and Elizabeth to unpack the distorted “cracked mirrors” we often look into, and how to start seeing ourselves through the truth of our worth. Today, we cover three main points: Cracked mirrors that distort worth Shifting perspective to a truer source Stepping into everyday worth Your worth is not a prize you earn. It is a reality you return to. When old stories shout, treat them as cracked mirrors, not final verdicts. Choose one simple practice today that moves you toward truth, like writing down a moment you showed up with honesty or tenderness. Share it with a safe person. Small, repeated choices will reshape your reflection over time, and the life you are building from worth will feel more grounded, more connected, and more you. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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What to do When Self-Care Seems Impossible
10/27/2025
What to do When Self-Care Seems Impossible
This week we’re discussing What to Do When Self-Care Seems Impossible Solo parents often feel squeezed by nonstop responsibilities, financial strain, cultural pressure to be endlessly strong, and isolation that makes help hard to ask for. “Self care” can even feel like a trigger when planning it adds guilt on top of exhaustion. These pain points matter because chasing idealized me time can keep us stuck. Reframing care as something we sometimes practice with our kids helps restore connection and models healthy boundaries in real life. Today, we cover three main points: Why me time is not always realistic for solo parents How “us care” builds connection and rest at the same time Practical ways to create shared rhythms of care with your kids If “me time” feels out of reach, do not wait for perfect conditions. Choose one small shared rhythm this week, make it simple, and repeat it. Presence is the point. When care becomes something you practice together, home can feel safer for your kids and more restorative for you. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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When Self-Preservation Keeps You Stuck
10/20/2025
When Self-Preservation Keeps You Stuck
This week we’re discussing When Self-Preservation Keeps You Stuck Many single parents build needed walls after loss or overwhelm. Those walls help you breathe again, yet they can start to box you in. This episode addresses three pain points that keep you stuck: survival patterns that outlive their purpose, mistaking safety for thriving, and the courage it takes to reengage with people and opportunities. This matters because healing asks for compassion toward what protected you and small, steady risks that help you grow. Today, we cover three main points: How to know when self preservation has outlived its purpose Why feeling safe is not the same as living fully How to honor the past and choose the future When you can honor the ways you once kept yourself safe without letting them define what comes next, healing begins. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort, it happens when you stretch toward something new while remembering you can always return to your safe place when you need it. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Three Things Robbing You of Self-Care
10/13/2025
Three Things Robbing You of Self-Care
This week we’re discussing the Three Things Robbing You of Self-Care Many single parents are told to “take care of yourself,” yet what looks like rest can quietly drain us. Performance disguised as self care, doing everything alone, and endless comparison often leave us more depleted, ashamed, or isolated. Add in escapism, toxic positivity, or rumination, and we miss what our hearts actually need. These patterns matter because they stall healing, strain relationships, and keep us stuck in survival when what we really want is peace, presence, and energy for what matters most. Today, we cover three main points: Three survival mechanisms disguised as self care The hidden costs of false self care How to tell healthy from harmful Self care does not have to be fancy to be faithful. Pay attention to what leaves you more present, more connected, and more at ease, and keep choosing that. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Why Self-Care Can Trigger Single Parents
10/06/2025
Why Self-Care Can Trigger Single Parents
This week we're discussing Why Self-Care Can Trigger Single Parents For many single parents, the idea of self-care doesn’t feel like a gift. It can feel selfish, unrealistic, or even triggering when you’re already carrying the full weight of responsibility. This conversation explores the complicated relationship single parents often have with self-care, why it sometimes feels like a weapon, why the myths around it can be harmful, and how to redefine it in a way that actually builds resilience. Today, we cover three main points: When self-care gets weaponized The myths of self-care Redefining self-care for real life When you’ve been told to just “take more time for yourself,” it can feel dismissive. But when self-care is redefined as everyday disciplines and intentional choices that align with your real needs, it becomes a tool for healing and strength, not shame or guilt. Stay Connected + Get Support: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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How to Create Adventure at Home
09/29/2025
How to Create Adventure at Home
This week we’re discussing How to Create Adventure at Home Life as a single parent can feel like pure survival. The weight of responsibilities, constant demands, and unexpected setbacks can strip away joy and leave us feeling stuck. Our guest, Helen Smallbone, co-founder of MUMLife, author, and mother of seven, shares how reframing hardship into adventure can cultivate presence, gratitude, and resilience for the whole family. Today, we cover three main points: How survival mode robs us of presence and joy. Why reframing hard circumstances into adventure builds resilience for us and our kids. The role of gratitude and perspective in unlocking creativity and hope. When we live in survival mode, our ability to notice joy or wonder gets clouded. Helen describes treating an empty, furniture-less house like a family “camping trip,” which turned scarcity into connection and play. She reminds us that kids do not need perfection. They need perspective. When we choose gratitude and invite them into the process, they often help us see God’s provision in ways we would miss. Resilience grows not by dodging pain but by facing it together, choosing a hopeful lens, and taking the next right step. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: : A ministry co-founded by Helen to create safe spaces where mothers encourage and uplift one another through authentic connection, biblical teaching, and shared experience. : A feature film inspired by the Smallbone family’s journey of loss, faith, and resilience, showing how God provided for them in unexpected ways. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Solo Doesn’t Mean Stuck: Building Resilience
09/22/2025
Solo Doesn’t Mean Stuck: Building Resilience
This week we’re discussing the fact that Solo Doesn’t Mean Stuck: Building Resilience Solo parents carry a heavy load. The constant decisions, financial pressure, and emotional weight can leave you tired, second-guessing yourself, and stuck. It helps to name the traps that keep you from moving forward, like confusing resilience with powering through, camping out in feelings without taking the next step, or looping in imposter syndrome and analysis paralysis. This episode offers a clearer view of resilience and simple ways to practice it so you can keep showing up for yourself and your kids. Today, we cover three main points: What resilience is and what it is not What keeps us stuck How to train your brain for resilience You do not have to perfect this to make progress. Start small. Be kind to yourself, lean into community, and right-size today’s challenge. Let your kids see you breathe, name a feeling, and take one next step. Over time, those small steps build a new kind of strength. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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5 Daily Practices to Move Out of Survival Mode
09/15/2025
5 Daily Practices to Move Out of Survival Mode
This week we’re discussing the 5 Daily Practices to Move Out of Survival Mode Life as a single parent often feels like a relentless cycle of responsibilities with no margin to catch your breath. The demands pile up, and it can seem impossible to find peace, let alone joy. That’s why today’s conversation with Will Acuff, co-founder of Corner to Corner and author of No Elevator to Everest, is so important. Will shares from his own story of despair, healing, and renewal—reminding us that even in the hardest seasons, there are small steps we can take toward wholeness. Today, we cover three main points: How to face despair and grief without pretending everything is fine. The role of daily practices in helping us stay grounded and present. Practical ways to reframe sacrifice so it becomes life-giving instead of depleting. These pain points matter because surviving alone can leave us feeling powerless and stuck. But by naming what’s hard, embracing rhythms of care, and reframing sacrifice, we rediscover hope. As Will reminds us, healing often starts with small, intentional steps—breathing, journaling, or simply noticing what sparks joy. When we allow ourselves to lament, practice radical responsibility for our own well-being, and cultivate rhythms that connect us with ourselves and with God, we begin to see that life is not just something to endure. It can be rebuilt, reshaped, and infused with joy again. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: by Will Acuff: A resource offering spiritual practices and perspectives that integrate emotional health, self-awareness, and a deeper connection with God’s heart. : Nashville nonprofit (co-founded by Will Acuff) helping entrepreneurs launch from historically low-income communities We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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How to Not Take Everything Personally
09/08/2025
How to Not Take Everything Personally
This week we’re discussing How to Not Take Everything Personally. As single parents, life can feel like one long invitation to take things personally. A sideways comment from a coworker, a critical word from your ex, or even silence from a friend can spiral into self-doubt. Without a partner to help ground us, it’s easy to internalize everything and slip into a victim mindset. This matters because if we don’t learn how to stop carrying other people’s words and actions as proof of our inadequacy, we stay stuck, weighed down by shame and resentment. Today, we cover three main points: What’s really happening when you take things personally How victim mindsets keep us trapped Practical steps to take before assuming it’s about you Robert Beeson, Elizabeth Cole, and Marissa Lee share how taking things personally often starts with assigning intention we can’t actually know. They describe how our deepest insecurities, like competence, worth, or belonging, color the way we interpret others. Together they unpack the three common victim mindsets: believing bad things always happen to you, blaming others, and feeling powerless to change your situation. Finally, they offer tangible ways to break free: noticing the difference between fault and responsibility, considering the source before internalizing a comment, and remembering that conflict or feedback doesn’t define your identity. These shifts allow you to step out of reactivity and into healthier connection with yourself and others. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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One Thing That Gets in the Way of Resilience
09/01/2025
One Thing That Gets in the Way of Resilience
This week we’re discussing the One Thing That Gets in the Way of Resilience As single parents, survival mode can feel like our default setting. The constant responsibility, the weight of trauma, and the sheer demand of daily life often leave us operating in a state of heightened stress. But survival mode doesn’t just impact us, it impacts our kids, our decisions, and even our ability to feel joy. Today, we cover three main points: What survival mode really is and how it affects our bodies How to recognize the signs that you’re in survival mode Steps to move beyond survival and into resilience Survival mode happens when our nervous system is dysregulated. It’s not just “feeling stressed”—it’s our body locked into fight, flight, or freeze, whether the threat is real or simply triggered by past pain. This is why you may feel on edge, numb, or disconnected even when nothing obvious is happening. The signs show up differently for each of us. Some notice brain fog, an inability to make decisions, or a constant sense of panic. Others shut down, feel unmotivated, or want to escape. Recognizing these signals matters because naming them helps remove the shame, we begin to see them as normal responses to abnormal situations. The good news: resilience is possible. With self-awareness, grace, and support, we can rewire how we respond. Simple practices, like reminding ourselves, “I’m safe right now”, taking breaks without guilt, or reaching out to a safe person, help move us from merely surviving to actually adapting and growing stronger. And when we remember we don’t have to carry it all alone, we give ourselves permission to heal. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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What Real Courage Looks Like
08/25/2025
What Real Courage Looks Like
This week we’re discussing what Real Courage Looks Like When you’ve been through divorce, betrayal, or repeated heartbreak, the thought of starting over again can feel impossible. It takes more than sheer willpower to stand back up, it takes tenacity, deep-rooted hope, and the kind of community that can carry you when you’re too weary to carry yourself. Toni Collier, founder of Broken Crayons Still Color and author of Don’t Try This Alone, joins us to share her journey through two divorces, raising two children as a single mom, and finding the courage to step into deep, confessional relationships instead of hiding in shame. Her story offers both a raw look at pain and a roadmap toward healing. Today, we cover three main points: Tenacity is built, not inherited. Hiding keeps us from healing. Safe community starts with becoming a safe person. Through raw honesty and practical wisdom, Toni reminds us that we aren’t designed to do life alone, no matter our personality, history, or fear of being hurt again. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: : Toni Collier’s global women’s organization helping women process brokenness and find healing and hope. by Toni Collier: A book on building deep community when you want to hide from your pain. : Hosted by Toni Collier. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Courage To Be Angry
08/18/2025
Courage To Be Angry
This week we’re discussing how to have the Courage to be Angry Anger is one of the most misunderstood emotions, especially for single parents trying to keep everything together. Many of us were taught to fear it, repress it, or feel shame when it shows up. But what if anger isn’t destructive at all? What if it’s actually the part of us that wants to live, connect, and keep showing up for the things that matter? To help us navigate this emotional terrain, we’re joined by Dr. Chip Dodd, author, counselor, and founder of The Voice of the Heart Center. With decades of experience helping people move from emotional disconnection to deeper purpose, Chip unpacks how anger, when understood and expressed in healthy ways, can become a powerful force for healing and hope. Today, we cover three main points: Anger is not the problem, rage is. Suppressed anger leads to shame, anxiety, and isolation. Reclaiming anger can reignite our purpose and bring us back to each other. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: by Dr. Chip Dodd: A foundational resource for understanding and expressing core emotions, including anger, in a healthy and life-giving way. co-hosted by Dr. Chip Dodd: Explores emotional and spiritual health through the lens of vulnerability and connection. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Finding Courage to Take Risks as a Solo Parent
08/11/2025
Finding Courage to Take Risks as a Solo Parent
This week we’re discussing how to Find Courage to Take Risks as a Solo Parent As solo parents, we’re faced with choices every day that feel weightier than they used to because we’re often the only one carrying the consequences. Whether it’s stepping into a new relationship, starting a new job, or just sitting still long enough to feel discomfort, risk doesn’t come easy anymore. This episode explores how to take intentional, healthy risks when the stakes feel high, and why doing so matters more than we think. Today, we cover three main points: The types of risk solo parents face The weight of being the only parent Where to start when everything feels risky Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Courage to Accept a Different Reality
08/04/2025
Courage to Accept a Different Reality
This week we’re discussing how to have the Courage to Accept a Different Reality For solo parents, change is more than a season, it’s a total life shift. And while we often focus on the big transitions, it’s the small, everyday reminders that hit hardest: taking out the trash, folding the laundry alone, navigating milestones without a partner. The grief of a life that no longer exists can sneak up in the mundane and the meaningful. That’s why today’s episode is focused on one of the most essential and difficult truths we face as solo parents, accepting that life is different now and learning to live in that truth without losing hope. Today, we cover three main points: Acceptance is a process, not a one-time event. Our kids will experience milestones differently, and we must have the courage to notice. Embracing the new normal is key to healing but it doesn’t mean we have to like it. This conversation is a tender reminder that none of us are meant to navigate this road alone. From solo parent groups to sacred stillness in your own bathtub, the healing comes when we stop pretending we’re okay and let ourselves be exactly where we are. Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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How to Thrive in High-Pressure Situations
07/28/2025
How to Thrive in High-Pressure Situations
This week we’re discussing How to Thrive in High-Pressure Situations When emotions are high, whether with a co-parent, a child mid-meltdown, or a demanding coworker, how we communicate can either escalate the tension or bring clarity and peace. For solo parents, those pressure points are daily. To help us unpack how to stay grounded and respond with wisdom, we’re joined by Dr. Anthony Scroggins. He’s not only a performance psychologist who’s worked with the US Army and NASA astronauts, but also a dad of four young kids. That mix of clinical expertise and real-life parenting experience makes his insight incredibly practical for the day-to-day challenges we face. Today, we cover three main points: How to communicate effectively with a difficult co-parent How to stay calm when emotions run high, with kids and with yourself How to build resilience in the workplace and at home Whether you’re parenting toddlers or teens, navigating silence from a co-parent, or carrying the weight of decision-making alone, this episode reminds us: we don’t have to be perfect. We just have to keep showing up, and with the right tools, we can show up as the version of ourselves we actually want to be. Resources Mentioned In This Episode Delta Summit: Learn more about Dr. Anthony Scroggins’ work in performance psychology, resilience, and decision-making under pressure: We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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Navigating a World Where People Judge You
07/21/2025
Navigating a World Where People Judge You
This week we’re discussing how to Navigate a World Where People Judge You. We live in a world that’s quick to judge and even quicker to make single parents feel like they don’t measure up. But not all judgment is external. Often, the harshest voices come from inside. If you’ve ever walked into a room and immediately assumed you were unwelcome, or replayed a small moment for weeks afterward, you’re not alone. This week’s episode dives into the judgment we receive, imagine, and place on ourselves, and why it matters to recognize the difference. Today, we cover three main points: Navigating judgment from others Recognizing and reframing distorted thinking Identifying internal judgment and letting go of shame Throughout the episode, the conversation invites listeners to: Set boundaries around judgment and ground themselves in what’s true Stop chasing approval and start acknowledging the strength they already carry Reclaim their voice from the narratives handed to them by others Stay Connected + Get Support We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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The One Relationship That Could Be Key to Your Healing
07/14/2025
The One Relationship That Could Be Key to Your Healing
This week we’re discussing The One Relationship That Could Be Key to Your Healing. Too many of us were taught that trusting ourselves was dangerous. We were told our emotions couldn’t be trusted, our hearts were deceitful, and our instincts were too “fleshly” to follow. Especially for solo parents who have lived through trauma or spiritual manipulation, this message gets internalized early and reinforced often. We stop listening to our gut and outsource decisions to experts, church leaders, or even social media. But ignoring your inner voice only deepens confusion and disconnection. Therapist and podcast host Adam Young joins us this week to help unpack how we unlearn those harmful messages, rebuild trust in our bodies, and begin listening to the voice within. Today, we cover three main points: Why you’ve learned not to trust yourself, and how to gently unlearn it. How to tell the difference between your true inner voice and trauma-driven urges. Practices to rebuild trust in your body and story. Resources Mentioned In This Episode by Adam Young hosted by Adam Young: A podcast focused on trauma, healing, attachment, and story work. Specifically mentioned is a two-part series on our relationship with our bodies. : Find more about Adam’s work, resources, and podcast episodes. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions .
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