Parenting Teens & Ourselves

Shaina and Chavie start off by reflecting on Shaina’s upbringing on Shlichus (Chabad outreach) in 1970s Los Angeles. They explore how the unique challenges of her childhood and teenage years pushed her to grow up before she had the tools to manage her emotional and mental health. As a young parent, Shaina was determined to break the cycle, so she sought help to equip herself with the skills to raise her children differently. Chavie and Shaina discuss somatic techniques for regulating conflict and challenges with children and teens, emphasizing the importance of managing our body’s responses. Shaina also highlights the need to shed shame and stigma in our communities around issues like infertility and teenage struggles while respecting boundaries and privacy.

Shaina lives in Los Angeles and is a certified parent and life coach specializing in working with and supporting parents of teens. Her journey began–like that of many parents—navigating the uncharted waters of raising children without a guidebook. She immersed herself in countless parenting resources, often second-guessing her decisions along the way. This experience inspired her to pursue professional certification, with a focus on the transformative approach of “parenting from the inside out.”

This Week's Q&A’s

1. Where was your dress from that you wore at the Chai Lifeline Dinner?
2. When does ski season start in Montana?
3. What does Chai Lifeline do for you in Montana?

Referenced on the Pod

• Avi Fishoff, Twisted Parenting
• Michal Carlebach, Shop Moddo

Stay in touch with Shaina! www.instagram.com/parenteen_coach

www.parenteencoach.com

Stay in touch with Chavie!

www.instagram.com/chaviebruk

www.totallyunexpected.blog

For sponsorship or advertising opportunities reach out to Chavie on Instagram or at chaviebruk@gmail.com.

Faith & Fashion Aligned

In this episode, Chavie and Sheva dive into the intersection of fashion and spirituality. Sheva shares her journey from being a fashion-forward teen with limited resources to founding a spiritually-driven fashion magazine that empowers Jewish women to embrace their essence. She reflects on transforming mivtzoim, (Jewish outreach), in high school from a dreaded task into something cool and inspiring. Sheva talks about her evolution from personal shopper to stylist, adapting during the pandemic, and the lessons she’s learned about managing energy, surrendering to challenges, and stepping into an abundance mindset and her power as a Jewish woman.

Sheva grew up in Hallandale, Florida with a strong desire to empower women in being their best selves. Starting off as a personal shopper & color analyst, Sheva evolved and created the first Jewish women’s fashion and lifestyle digital magazine. She’s a wife, mother, and female entrepreneur, like many of her clients.

This Week's Q&A

1. How do you prepare Menny for another camp experience after the racial incident that occurred this month?
2. What’s the biggest advantage of living in a small Jewish community?
3. I love how you use “and” instead of “but.” How did that start?

Referenced on the Pod

• Aligned Tishrei Issue
• Zeya Comedy
• Carla Mathis
• Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Stay in touch with Sheva! https://www.instagram.com/sheva_kastel

Stay in touch with Chavie!

www.instagram.com/chaviebruk

www.totallyunexpected.blog

This episode is sponsored by Sichos in English, the pre-eminent publisher of Chassidic thought in English where Jewish mysticism comes to life. Learn more at www.sie.org. For sponsorship or advertising opportunities, please reach out to Chavie on Instagram or at chaviebruk@gmail.com.

The Complex Emotional Lives of Our Teens

Sarah and Chavie begin by discussing how Sarah started journaling as a young child, which ignited her love for self-expression. They explore the tendency for kids to box themselves into labels and emphasize the importance of letting them know it’s okay to have fun and embrace who they are. The conversation shifts to the "Suffering Olympics" and hustle culture, where unhappiness and hardship are often rewarded and seen as virtues. Sarah shares how much she values her ability to acknowledge emotions in her profession and reflects on the breakthroughs she’s achieved in helping teens express their feelings in a healthy way. Chavie asks Sarah about her spiritual journey and the impact it has had on her identity as a singer-songwriter.

Sarah Immerman, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist originally from Cleveland and now based in Boston. She specializes in helping teens and young adults navigate emotion dysregulation using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is currently the Director of Family Services and the Assistant Director of the Day Program. She is an NCSY advisor and was a counselor and behavior team member at Camp HASC. Sarah is also a singer-songwriter and loves to journal.

This Week's Q&A

1. Do you take podcast guest suggestions
2. ⁠If you wrote a book what topic would it be about?
3. ⁠What was the first book to make an impact on you?

Referenced on the Pod

• Brad Reedy, The Journey of the Heroic Parent: Your Child's Struggle & The Road Home: https://a.co/d/h9Nq0Nn
• Sarah Immerman's music on Sound Cloud

Stay in touch with Sarah! Sarah's LinkeIn

Stay in touch with Chavie!

www.instagram.com/chaviebruk

www.totallyunexpected.blog

This episode is dedicated by Rabbi Moshe & Dini Scheiner and their incredible community at the Palm Beach Synagogue, www.palmbeachsynagogue.org. For sponsorship or advertising opportunities you can reach out to Chavie on Instagram or at chaviebruk@gmail.com.