WIRED Changed How I Show Up For My Son

Dr. Katie Brockert shares how she found herself reaching for her phone during every quiet moment, at home, in social situations, and most painfully, while her young son played beside her. After installing app blockers that she'd immediately override, she knew something deeper was going on.Through the Wired program, Katie had a breakthrough realization: she wasn't just scrolling mindlessly, she was using her phone to suppress emotions, a pattern she'd carried since childhood. That moment of awareness, she says, felt like "water being splashed on my face."In this episode, we talk about:How postpartum life amplified her relationship with her phoneUsing scrolling as emotional avoidance, and the moment she connected the dotsThe shift she noticed in the 4–8 PM witching hour with her sonHow her son's behavior changed as she became more presentWhy she believes everyone thinks they don't have a phone problem, and why they're wrongFinding the "happy medium" with technology instead of going all-or-nothingFavorite quote: "I don't know anybody who's like, 'I feel amazing after they've doom scrolled for two hours.'"If you've ever wondered whether your phone use is quietly pulling you away from the life you actually want, this one's for you.GRAB WIREDConnect with Dr. Katie, a postpartum focused physical therapist that works with moms through her program, StrongHER Core.