Episodes

Cathy & Todd celebrate their 700th episode by discussing the universal principles of Zen Parenting, the importance of civil conversation, and what has remained the same for the last 12 years. Part 1 of 2. Link to Podcast Episode on our website. Ask Us Anything Understanding Our Daughters Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictab...

Todd & Cathy discuss the different aspects of self-compassion and take the quiz to see who is more self-compassionate. They also talk about the movie Grease & Mr. Rogers. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Find everything ZPR on our Resources Page Emotional Labor Checklist This week’s sponsor(s): When Things Ar...

Todd & Cathy share how their roles have changed over the years and who does what around the house. They discuss the importance of communication around household expectations, and how roles are supposed to evolve and change as the kids grow. The discuss how invisible labor can be overlooked and why not everything we “do” can be found on a checklist. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Par...

Dr. Shefali returns to ZPR to discuss her new book The Parenting Map: Step-by-Step Solutions to Consciously Create the Ultimate Parent-Child Relationship (available for preorder NOW, released on 2/28). They discuss how to check our own egos, recognize our children’s psyches, and make connection the cornerstone of our parenting experience. Dr. Shefali is hosting a FREE Parenting Mastery Online Summit with 30 Global Experts (Cathy is one of them!). Click here to register. Connect with us! Dr. She...

Cathy & Todd discuss how our children learn by watching how we live and how we react, and why owning our emotional responses creates connection and opportunity for learning. They discuss the difference between responding and reacting (especially when it comes to anger), why “do what I say, not what I do” doesn’t land well, and why comparing our childhood experiences is like apples and oranges. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly...

Cathy & Todd discuss how we handle trauma, why boys are falling behind in school, and why the emotional intelligence of fathers is essential for cultural change. They also share a personal example of conflict, listening, and repair, and why self-compassion is essential if we are going to communicate effectively. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our ...

Todd & Cathy discuss ways to engage in deeper conversation with teenage boys, and how every suggestion is helpful to all relationships and conversations. They also discuss Prince Harry’s new book Spare, and how he learned to deal with “hover monkeys” and “mind squirrels” when becoming an Apache helicopter pilot. While his experience is unique, what he learned is helpful to all of us. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Paren...

Cathy and Todd discuss the passing of Cathy’s mom, Cathy’s recent diagnosis and surgery, and how they support each other in a crisis. They discuss their patterns of behavior, what they need from each other, and why showing up for each other in crisis can be difficult. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Find every...

Instead of posting a new podcast, we are reposting one of our favorites, the one where we interview our moms. Unfortunately, Cathy’s mom passed away yesterday, and we wanted to share this to honor her. We share some great stories and have some great laughs. Please listen and enjoy – and even more important, be good to each other. In honor of Mother’s Day, we invited our moms to talk about what we were like as kids. We also talk about the changes that have taken place from the time they were kid...

Todd & Cathy share their experiences of what they find good, true and beautiful, and why finding and discussing these things makes life more meaningful. They talk about the joy of feeding the birds and squirrels, creating a comfortable sleeping environment, and why Todd is never late for a party. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an U...

Cathy & Todd discuss 8 peaceful things from 2022 and how to incorporate more peace and joy into 2023. They discuss the importance of music, why we need to embrace our creativity, and the TV shows they are watching with their teenagers. Morgan Harper Nichols Zen Parenting book Phil Stutz The Tools The Vow Drums Taylor Swift The Crown Stranger Things Severance Euphoria The Artists Way Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekl...

Todd and Cathy replay their Pop Culturing episode on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a 1964 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Videocraft International, Ltd. (later known as Rankin/Bass Productions) and currently distributed by Universal Television. It first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the United States and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy H...

Todd and Cathy offer 8 suggestions to make the holiday season more connective and less overwhelming. They discuss how to set boundaries, deal with grief, and find ways to limit social media and say no. They also discuss their new Team Zen app and the exclusive podcasts that will be shared on January 10th. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Childre...

Todd and Cathy discuss their experience with the documentary Stutz by Jonah Hill and why developing life force energy is the first step toward any problem. They also discuss the importance of seeing clearly, how to deal with Part X, and why the movie Apollo 13 was an invitation to see and understand each other better. Connect with us! Tuesday, December 6th 12:00 PM Central Glenbard Parenting Series featuring Cathy Tuesday, December 6th 7:00 PM Central Glenbard Parenting Series featuring Cathy ...

Todd and Cathy discuss how and why our kids trigger us, and how to lessen our reactivity and reframe our experiences. They also discuss the importance of gratitude and why we should learn to ride the waves and roll with the changes. Connect with us! Tuesday, December 6th 12:00 PM Central Glenbard Parenting Series featuring Cathy Tuesday, December 6th 7:00 PM Central Glenbard Parenting Series featuring Cathy Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Ze...

Todd and Cathy discuss Michael Singer’s The Untethered Soul, specifically what it means to manage our “thorns” or inner pain that we react to our do our best to avoid. They discuss the paradoxical nature of life and uncertainty, and how our goal is to manage discomfort, not runaway or avoid. They share some of their mindfulness tools and a new definition of enlightenment. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment ...

Cathy and Todd discuss how to help our kids discover intrinsic motivation (internally motivated because it feels good and right) instead of extrinsic motivation (external rewards such as grades, praise, fame). They also discuss MenConnect, a solution to the epidemic of lonely men, and how to make mornings calmer and more collaborative. Connect with us! Join Team Zen Guys- Complete a MenLiving Connect profile Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Carin...

Todd and Cathy do a deep dive into the five essential parenting practices that Cathy shared in her Zen Parenting Moment Newsletter last Friday. They share how these practices create connection and meaning in the home and beyond. Connect with us! Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Join Team Zen Find everything ZPR on our Resources Page This week’s sponsor(s): Pinna is the only audio o...

Cathy and Todd discuss the importance of teaching both values AND safety, and why they work together to create an optimal environment for you kids. They also discuss the top 15 best parenting role models from pop culture and what made them so successful (a few are debatable…). Connect with us! Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Join Team Zen Find everything ZPR on our Resources Page T...

Cathy and Todd discuss taking responsibility without blaming ourselves for everything that happens. They discuss how certain self-help books, groups, and cults have the power to convince people that they are “at cause” for everything that happens, negating how outside influences also play a role in eventual outcomes. They discuss the difference between reaction and response, why emotions like anger and envy can be helpful, and of course, Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights. Connect with us! Su...

Cathy and Todd discuss codependency, enmeshment, over identification, and other issues that can be layered and difficult to define. They share the importance of learning to say no, why boundaries are important in every relationship, and how paying attention and questioning can become a daily habit. Connect with us! Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Join Team Zen Find everything ZPR on...

Todd and Cathy are interviewed by their friend Dr. Alexandra Solomon. She ask them about how they met, their history, and the trials and tribulations of their couple hood. Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting Radio Loretta J. Ross: Don’t call people out — call them in | TED ZPR/MenLiving Nami Walk Time Stamp 1:04:58 Avid Co./Team Zen/Todd Adams Coaching Avid Co DuPage County Area Decorating, Painting, Remodeling includes kitchens, basements, bathroom...

Todd and Cathy discuss John & Julie Gottman’s research around “bids for connection”, specifically how couples who acknowledge each other’s bids 86% of the time stay married and connected. They also discuss how music and pop culture helps us connect to our kids, and why acknowledging each other’s texts makes a big difference. Hurricane Ian Relief Organizations The Gottman Institute Bids for Affection Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Our...

Todd and Cathy discuss the practice of gratitude (specifically how to notice, savor, and express) and how it helps the brain pay attention to what’s working. They discuss the four noble truths, appreciating people’s quirks, and songs named after the bands that sing them. Subscribe to Cathy’s weekly Zen Parenting Moment Buy Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World Join Team Zen All things ZPR can be found on our Resources Page This week’s spons...