Behind the Green Door: My Journey to being a Child Psychologist and the Wild Year of Motherhood

Join us for this special personal episode of Parenting Like a Mother, where Lindsay Wolf-Owczarek takes a break from her usual parenting advice to share her own journey—from aspiring professional dancer to child psychologist and founder of Edmonton Green Door Clinic. With remarkable candor, Lindsay reveals her career path through victim services work with the RCMP to discovering her passion for helping children heal, alongside the story behind naming her practice "Green Door." She openly discusses the recent challenges her family has faced, including her 8-year-old daughter's Type 1 diabetes diagnosis and subsequent arm fracture requiring surgery, and how these events have tested her resilience as both a professional and parent. Through personal experience, Lindsay shares her anchoring strategies for staying grounded during challenging times, including regular exercise, therapy, peer consultation, and letting go of the myth of perfect balance. This episode offers a heartfelt glimpse into the reality that growth is rarely graceful, even for parenting professionals, while providing reassurance that we're all just figuring things out as we go. Topics discussed in this episode include: Lindsay's unexpected path from aspiring professional dancer to child psychologist How working with victims through the RCMP shaped her professional journey The moment Lindsay discovered her passion for working with children Why she named her practice "Edmonton Green Door Clinic" and what it symbolizes The challenges and rewards of building a collaborative psychology practice Her daughter's sudden Type 1 diabetes diagnosis and the steep learning curve that followed Navigating the additional challenge of her daughter's broken arm requiring surgery Strategies Lindsay uses to stay grounded through personal and professional challenges The importance of modeling repair after mistakes in parent-child relationships Why letting go of perfectionism in parenting has been crucial to Lindsay's wellbeing How consistent self-care practices help maintain resilience during difficult times Green Door Clinic: https://www.greendooryeg.ca Parenting Like a Mother on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parenting_like_a_mother