I don’t think there’s a parent in the world who has never felt shame or guilt for something, whether from their own actions or from the judgement of others, and I’m going to venture that parenting differently wired kids can be a particularly unique minefield of shame and guilt. That’s why today’s conversation is SO important. My fellow parents-in-the-trenches, it is time to get shame-proof.
My guest, Mercedes Samudio, coined the term shame-proof parenting and is on a mission to #EndParentShame. Mercedes is a licenced clinical social worker, parenting coach, speaker, and the author of the new book Shame-Proof Parenting: Find your unique parenting voice, feel empowered, and raise whole, healthy children. She is also the founder of the non-profit Diversity in Parenting, which aims to bring more diversity and inclusion to the parenting and mental health professional world—yet another much-needed initiative that you’ll hear more about in the interview.
While working with all kinds of families during the past ten years, Mercedes began to realize that in order to raise healthy humans, parents need the space to be fully human themselves. In our conversation, she explains the relationship between shame and disconnection, how (and why) to tune into our own intuition, and what it truly means to be shame-proof.
What I love about the shame-proof framework, is that it’s not about letting parents off the hook, it’s about opening a space for parents to heal, grow, and connect to themselves and their children.
About Mercedes: Mercedes Samudio, LCSW is a parent coach, speaker, bestselling author, and founder of the Diversity in Parenting, Inc. who helps parents and children communicate with each other, manage emotional trauma, navigate social media and technology together, and develop healthy parent-child relationships. Mercedes started the #EndParentShaming movement as well as coined the term Shame-Proof Parenting – using both to bring awareness to ending parent shame.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- What is meant by shame-proof parenting
- Why it’s important to look at parenting through a cultural lens and to understand the unique needs of diverse families
- Strategies for how parents can get better at tuning in to our own intuition
- How the “parenting manual” is ever evolving
- The six components of the Shame-Proof Parenting Framework: Empathy, Awareness, Knowing what you need, Confidence, Resilience, Support
- How we can reduce shame and support families in healing
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- Shame Proof Parenting: Find Your Unique Parenting Voice, Feel Empowered, and Raise Whole, Healthy Children by Mercedes Samudio
