Reframing Me - Self-Development & Parenting Teens for Midlife Moms

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here! There’s a conversation happening right now between wellness culture, aging, fitness, femininity, and identity, and I think many women are quietly struggling with it more than we admit.In this episode, I talk honestly about the emotional side of body change in midlife. Not from a “diet culture” perspective or a “just love yourself” perspective, but from an identity perspective.Because sometimes we are not just grieving a body. We are grieving the version of life that body belonged to.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome! Thank you for being here!There’s a phase of motherhood that no one really prepares you for.It’s not the chaos of little kids, and it’s not the emptiness of the empty nest. It’s the in-between—when your teenagers are starting to launch, and everything is quietly shifting.In this episode, I explore the tension we all feel between staying connected to our kids and allowing them the autonomy they need to grow, and what that same tension looks like for us.Because while our kids are becoming more independent, we’re being asked to rediscover parts of ourselves that may have been tied to being constantly needed. And that’s not something we always talk about.I share a moment that caught me completely off guard, realizing how much I miss the built-in community that came with earlier stages of parenting, and how easy it is to feel socially full, yet still disconnected.And then there’s the piece I truly wasn’t prepared for: the “revolving door.” The friendships, relationships, and extended circle that become part of your life through your kids… and then slowly begin to change, fade, and move on.This isn’t just about our kids growing up.It’s about identity, connection, and learning how to move through a season where everything is evolving at once.If you’ve ever felt like you’re in that quiet, shifting space - still deeply in it, but also starting to feel the pull toward something more - this episode is for you.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back! I'm so happy you're here! This is part 3 of my Things I wish I knew sooner series - #s 41 through 50. I just turned 50 last week, and to count down, I stepped drastically out of my comfort zone and started recording and posting reels/TikToks every day of things I wish I had known sooner - things that would have made my life a lot easier. In that process, I learned a number of other things, starting with I can do hard things. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you so much for being here!! I am so appreciative of you for tuning in!Last year, we had a conversation about hypernormalization that I think it's important to revisit. We’re living in a time when the world feels increasingly chaotic, and somehow we’re expected to keep functioning like everything’s fine. In this episode, I explore the concept of hypernormalization - how dysfunction becomes our default, and what that does to our minds, our bodies, and our relationships. From the global to the personal, this is a reflection on what happens when we stop noticing what’s not okay. If you’ve felt off, numb, or overwhelmed by the news cycle, the silence in your own home, or the heaviness in your chest that you can’t quite name, you’re not alone. This one is for your nervous system. We cannot normalize hypernormalization.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I continue my 50 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner series, walking through lessons 16 through 40.This part of the list shifts from what we do to how we experience our lives - our thoughts, our habits, our self-image, and the way we show up in our relationships.This isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about learning how to think differently, trust yourself more, and move through your life with a little more awareness and a lot more intention.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan Mail"I am going to warn you in advance that it has been a rough few days and I am not feeling like my best birthday girl self." This was the message I sent to my friend who is coming to visit to celebrate my birthday.Nothing is wrong and yet everything feels wrong. I think a lot of you can relate to some of the heaviness I'm carrying, but it all comes back to roles - the roles we play because we've chosen them, or more often, they've chosen us.We don't necessarily want out of them - in fact, often, we like them - but maybe just a little less?? Maybe for a day? Or perfume is fine too, I guess.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThis week’s episode started with a random moment in my attic looking for an old box of college photos and turned into something bigger.There’s a growing trend right now of teens recreating 90s aesthetics… and even subtle shifts in what’s considered “cool” (yes, including the whole smoking vs vaping conversation). But this episode isn’t about trends.It’s about what those trends mean.We’re talking about why teens are performing a version of the past they never lived, how constant visibility and social media have changed identity development, and why so many young people are craving something that feels more real, less curated, and less performative.From social learning and shifting cultural “signals” to the pressure of growing up in a world where everything is seen and evaluated, this episode unpacks what’s really going on beneath the surface and why it actually makes more sense than we think.Most importantly, we bring it back to parenting: how to move from reacting to behavior to understanding what our teens are trying to feel, and how to create small moments of real, unfiltered connection in a very filtered world.Because maybe what they’re chasing isn’t the 90s. Maybe it’s a version of life where they don’t feel like they have to perform who they are.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailAs we (in the Northern Hemisphere) enter Spring, can we trust that we are on the right path, even if the balance we seek is only an illusion? Maybe we, like the Earth are only meant to find balance at times, Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThis week I found myself thinking about something a lot of parents probably feel but don’t always say out loud.Two of my kids had tough weeks. Nothing catastrophic, but enough that I spent hours talking things through with them, listening, trying to help them make sense of it. And during a text conversation with my cousin, she said something that stuck with me.“You’re only as happy as your unhappiest child.”That feels very true. When your kids are hurting, it’s almost impossible not to feel it too. But is there’s another way to think about it?Because as our kids grow up, there are more and more things we can’t fix for them. We can’t control the outcome of the game, the job interview, the friendship, the opportunity they were hoping for. And part of parenting older kids is learning how to support them through disappointment without carrying all of that weight ourselves.In this episode, I talk about that shift in parenting and how our role changes as our kids navigate their own paths. I also share an exercise called the Odyssey Plan that can help both parents and kids zoom out and see life as a series of possible paths rather than one moment that defines everything.If you’ve ever felt the emotional weight of watching your kids struggle and wishing you could fix it for them, this conversation is for you.Make sure to find me on socials @ReframingMe on TikTok and IG and follow along with my 50 days til 50 series. Also, 'Twas the Night Before Move-In makes an excellent keepsake for graduation season - and now, the Campus Series is rolling out!! Check it out on Amazon Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailYou can start something new any time. It doesn't need to be January 1st or a Monday - it can be a random Wednesday in February at 2pm when, after YEARS of saying that "I'm going to work on my socials," you finally start.As I approach my 50th birthday, I made a list (that I didn't know what I was going to do with) of "50 things I wish I had known sooner." On a random Wednesday afternoon in February, I happened to ask my Alexa "how many days until April 9? (my birthday!)" To which, she replied, "There are 50 days til April 9." No way! The Universe was sending me a clear message - 50 days, 50 years, 50 things I wish I knew sooner, 50 reels. And so I began my social media series journey. Today is day 17 (because, you know, life!), but here is numbers 1 through 15.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back! I'm so happy you're here! You don’t need to be your best every day. You just need to show up consistently and be authentically you.After three years of saying that I was going to build my socials/be consistent in my socials/focus on my socials (spoiler: I didn't/wasn't), on a random Wednesday in February, I committed to 50 consecutive days of making and posting reels, leading up to my 50th birthday. The series is "50 things I wish I had known sooner," but the most amazing thing I've found is not in the content itself, it's in how posting the content is helping me release my expectations of perfection.If you're not already doing so, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @reframingmeThank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back! I'm so grateful you are here! Last week, we talked about men and women processing information differently. I wanted to follow up on that conversation with an episode to share with the men in your life to help them to understand how to better communicate with you about it. No, men are not from Mars and women are not from Venus; We are all from Earth, and right now, Earth is a bit of a hot mess, but if we stick together, we'll make it through! Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here for a quick zen with me! Happy Lunar New Year!! As we exit the year of the snake and enter the year of the fire horse, can you reflect on what you have shed - the good and the grief. Are you ready to take on the fire horse?! I am! Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan Mail Hello! Welcome back to Reframing Me! I'm so happy that you're here for a quick moment of zen (with Jen!)... I decluttered my pantry yesterday (finally! after MONTHS of saying I need to...), and the mental space it gave me... Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back! Another quick zen for you today, because I've been reflecting on what is the right amount of "enough?" I feel like one minute I'm convinced I'm not doing enough and another I'm too much. My ideas about what is "enough" comes from the events that shaped how I see myself and the narratives that I tell myself. So today, let's talk about that, and go through an activity from the book "Believe you were Made for More" that looks at those narratives. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here! I saw a message I wanted to share - the monks who have been walking for peach across the U.S. reached Washington D.C. today! I saw a speech one gave where his message was to "Clean the mirror right away," and I think it's a valuable one to bring into today. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back! I'm so happy you're here today for a Quick Zen. I have not been talking to myself very kindly lately - in fact, I've been even unkind. If we can show ourselves kindness, it filters into everything - we feel joy; we see the world with gratitude; we feel confidence; and we bring grace to ourselves, to everything and everyone we encounter. and to the world. So I am working on me kinder to myself today.  Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThis episode explores why disagreement feels so much heavier right now - and why so many conflicts aren’t actually about beliefs, but about how people process information, emotion, and threat.Using the current news cycle as a stress test, I explain how people with shared values can react in completely different ways without one of them being apathetic or wrong and why that confusion is exhausting and damaging to relationships.We look at common processing and communication styles, how they get misread as indifference or overreaction, and why cognitive dissonance and moral load are hitting women especially hard right now. I also offer grounded, practical guidance for staying in relationship without silencing yourself and for showing up without turning away.The takeaway is simple: difference isn’t danger. Before you decide what someone’s reaction means, get curious about how they process.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here with me! Yesterday's quick check in made me feel so good that I found myself thinking of y'all again this morning. Today, when I asked myself what I want to bring into the day, I was primed by the upcoming Olympics and following Lindsay Vonn and her injury, and I immediately thought of resilience and perseverance and where I fall in that intricate balance. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailI'm so happy you're here. This isn't our weekly episode - it's me just reaching out - a touchstone, if you will - to remind you that even though things are crazy and you may feel frustrated or sad or angry or emotional - you're not alone! We need a sense of community now more than ever. And I'm here to remind you that I am here - we are here - and somehow, we'll get through - together! Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you so much for being here!This episode reflects on how my understanding of confidence has changed over time. What once felt tied to performance, comparison, and getting things “right” now feels quieter and more stable, rooted in self-trust rather than validation. I talk about the difference between arrogance and confidence, why confident people used to bother me, and how creating this podcast required speaking without permission in ways I never would have before.I also name the sadness many of us are carrying - grief for the life and world we imagined, shaped by years of political chaos, a pandemic, and constant vigilance. That sadness isn’t a failure or a lack of gratitude. It’s a reasonable response to an exhausting, relentless moment.Recently, I've really been seeking out happiness - not as positivity or denial, but as something small and grounding. I share the everyday things that still make me happy and help my nervous system remember that good still exists, even when the world feels icky.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailSenioritis, often dismissed as a mere case of laziness in high school seniors, is a complex phenomenon affecting both students and those around them. With symptoms ranging from lack of motivation to irritability, senioritis can disrupt households during the final months of high school. As college decisions loom and the future feels uncertain, seniors may struggle with feelings of aimlessness and disconnection. Understanding the psychology behind senioritis, including cognitive dissonance and the desire for control, can help parents and students navigate this challenging time. Encouraging seniors to explore hobbies, gain practical skills, or even take on part-time jobs can provide purpose and alleviate some of the pressure. Additionally, recognizing behaviors like "soiling the nest," where individuals create conflict to ease separation, can foster healthier relationships during this transition period. By embracing the journey and supporting each other through senioritis, families can find peace amidst the chaos of change. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here today! Topping my list of "50 things that would have made my life a lot easier if I had known sooner:"Only you need to see your potential. Only you need to understand. Only you need to believe it’s possible. Your opinion is literally the only one that matters. You need to be your own cheerleader.Grieving the life you thought you'd have seems heartbreaking to me. Three and a half years ago, I started this journey - uncertain how I would integrate my worlds. Without much support or external validation, I made the decision that I saw my potential and understood; I believed in me.Today, I saw the first tangible evidence that I actually am finding my odd little niche and integrating my worlds, so I wanted to share that success with you!Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWe are complex enough beings to experience multiple emotions at once, and as parents of teens - and oftentimes, also caregiving for aging parents - two of those emotions that we're constantly balancing are gratitude and grief. Gratitude and grief coexist because parents are holding two timelines at once: the past version of the relationship that worked, and the future version that has not fully revealed itself yet. This dialectic is a clear sign of reorganization. Also - my always fun hot take on why we should let our teens have socials ***disclaimer - it does involve our participation too! Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you so much for being here!What does it look like for you to reclaim a sense of control in your life?This Jen is Zen episode explores what it truly means to reclaim a sense of control when life feels overwhelming. Rather than focusing on fixing everything or forcing positivity, the episode reframes control as creating steadiness and orientation in the midst of uncertainty.The reflection begins by acknowledging that chaos doesn’t only exist on a global scale. It often shows up in everyday life – within homes, relationships, careers, bodies, and demanding seasons of parenting and midlife transition. Through personal examples, the episode illustrates how small, repeatable rituals – such as maintaining simple routines, tending to one intentional space, or returning to basic practices like movement, meditation, and gratitude – can help regulate the nervous system when things feel out of control.The episode then explores gratitude in a nontraditional way, focusing on appreciation for situations that feel problematic or unfinished.The episode addresses parenting teens during uncertain and unsettling times. It responds to common questions about how to comfort our teens when reassurance feels dishonest and explanations feel incomplete. The key message is that comfort does not come from certainty, but from presence. Honest acknowledgment, emotional steadiness, and shared containment offer more safety than promises or solutions.The episode also highlights the importance of helping teens identify their own stabilizing anchors – routines, activities, creative outlets, and structures that provide a sense of agency and regulation. These behaviors are reframed not as control-seeking, but as coping strategies that help young people feel grounded.Steady presence, intentional rituals, and emotional grounding are powerful tools for navigating both personal and collective uncertainty.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailRight now, many of us are being asked to function normally while living through ongoing instability, fear, and institutional breakdown, and that disconnect is exhausting. If you’re struggling to focus, feeling emotionally overwhelmed or numb, pulling back socially, or finding yourself more irritable or fatigued than usual, this isn’t a personal failure. It’s a nervous system responding normally to prolonged stress.For parents of teens, this season is especially complicated. Our teenagers are old enough to understand what’s happening in the world but don’t yet have fully developed emotional regulation or perspective. They may respond with anxiety, withdrawal, cynicism, or emotional shutdown - not because they don’t care, but because their nervous systems are protecting them.This is not a season for flawless parenting or emotional certainty. It’s a season for gentleness, honesty, and regulated presence. Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re failing -it means you’re human in a moment that is genuinely heavy.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan Mail Thank you so much for being here! The only two people whose opinions should matter are the 9-year-old version of you and the 90-year-old version of you. In this first Jen is Zen episode of 2026 - my 50th birthday year! - I reflect on aging, identity, and why I look and feel better now than I did four years ago despite cultural narratives that tell us midlife should look like decline. Someone I love showed me a past photo and described as “old” and “stringy.” Former Jen would have felt insecure, but current Jen saw it as catalyst for deeper reflection. My mantra for 2026 is: The only two people whose opinions should matter are the 9-year-old version of you and the 90-year-old version of you. Many of us begin to edit and manage ourselves between ages 9–12, slowly drifting away from our authentic selves in response to expectations, approval, and responsibility. Midlife, maybe isn't about reinvention or fixing what’s broken - it’s about remembering who we were before the world taught us to hide. Also, stay tuned because I'm inspired to create an upcoming podcast and social media series based on 50 things I wish I had known sooner. Every insight on the list somehow traces back to this core mantra and a deeper realization: When the world feels out of control, the only thing we truly control is our own behavior - and our behavior sets the energy. For me, small, genuine acts of kindness created a ripple effect in my life, leading to joy, gratitude, peace, confidence, and grace. This shift helped my nervous system soften, both emotionally and physically. I openly acknowledge the role my (borderline obsessive!) wellness practices and investments play in how I feel and look today, emphasizing that there is no single magic fix - only a thoughtful combination of supports and an aligned mindset. I don't gatekeep, so follow me on socials and I'll share what I love. I invite you to reflect on your own life through the lens of the 9-year-old and 90-year-old versions of yourself - not as a form of self-improvement, but as an act of remembering - and carry that clarity forward into the new year. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailHappy Holidays! Merry Twixtmas! Happy 2026! I am so grateful to have you here!In this New Year’s episode of Reframing Me, I reflect on Twixtmas - that quiet, in-between week where time has no meaning and our perspective widens. My family’s New Year’s traditions have evolved, making me really think about what it means to grow alongside our children, to grieve what was while embracing what is, and to let traditions change without losing their meaning.This episode invites you to pause before rushing into resolutions and instead close out the year with intention because the New Year is a true “line in the sand” – a moment of delineation between who we were and who we are becoming. I ask you to consider what no longer serves you, what you are ready to leave behind, and what you want to consciously carry forward.Through reflection, honesty, and a guided metaphor of packing a suitcase for the year ahead, I encourage you to release old narratives, limiting beliefs, and roles that no longer fit. Rather than doing more, I'd love to see you step into the new year by embodying the woman you've been waiting to be – grounded, aligned, and true to yourself.See you in 2026!Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you for being here! This episode is an honest reflection on feeling deeply connected yet quietly alone – a place many women find themselves in during midlife and parenting the teen years. Moving between lived experience, parenting observations, and relational insight, the episode explores the surprising parallel between teen loneliness and adult invisibility in a hyper-connected world.Rather than offering solutions or tidy conclusions, this conversation sits inside the discomfort of being needed but unseen, productive but unmirrored, surrounded by people yet craving resonance. It reflects on how digital connection can replace depth, how identity shifts disrupt belonging, and why loneliness often shows up not as isolation, but as a lack of reflection.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you so much for being here! Today, I'd like you to think about this:You can begin again anytime.Not next week.Not next semester.Not when life “calms down” because we all know that’s never.Not when the kids launch or when the holidays end or when the stars realign.Just… begin again.What if beginning again is simply the next breath you take?The next thought you choose?The next decision you make without dragging your past self into it?YOU are the one who decides when the new chapter begins - not the calendar, not other people, not the version of you who accidentally fell into an old habit, or forgot her goals for a few weeks, or made a mistake that felt like a setback.You can begin again the moment you choose to.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the show! I’m so grateful you’re here! And I’m so happy to have my voice back to normal after an icky cold that I may have rambled a bit more than usual – hahaha! But today, we’re talking about something many families do without ever naming itn - recreational arguing. You know the dynamic: nothing is actually wrong, but yet somehow you’re in a debate about tone, or not listening, or why someone “waited until now” to mention something. But underneath the surface-level conflict is something surprisingly human: connection attempts very ungracefully disguised as friction.I walk through why teens (and adults) use tension to create closeness, how patterns from childhood homes show up in present-day relationships, and why some people only feel seen when things are slightly dramatic. We talk about how conflict can become ritualized, how certain personalities need emotional activation before they can bond, and why disengaging can change the entire system.This isn’t an episode about fixing anyone. It’s about understanding the function behind the friction, and remembering that sometimes a raised voice isn’t hostility – it’s actually a clumsy, but familiar, way to reach for connection. And when you can see it clearly, you don’t have to take the invitation to argue to still meet the need underneath it.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWhat if it wasn’t you after all? What if that rejection was a redirection to something better or to where you are supposed to be?Thank you so much for being here! In today’s Jen is Zen, I’m inviting you to look at rejection through a completely different lens. What if the “no” you got wasn’t about you at all? What if it wasn’t a failure or a flaw or proof that you’re not enough, but a quiet nudge redirecting you toward the place you’re actually meant to be?If this realization had hit me sooner in my own life, how much peace could I have given myself! Yet, many of us instead take every “no” as a personal indictment instead of a sign of alignment.This is your reminder that the universe does not give you peace in situations that aren’t right for you, and sometimes the disappointments that sting the least are the ones speaking the loudest.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this Thanksgiving episode, I am extra thankful for you being here! Many moms (including me!) are anxious to have their college students home for the holiday, but that doesn't mean it won't be without its possible challenges. We'll have a conversation exploring the joys and challenges of welcoming college freshmen back home for the holidays. As our families reconnect, we need to adapt to the changes our child has experienced in their first months at college, from newfound independence to identity growth, and how these shifts impact family dynamics, which have also had to adapt.. Whether it’s managing expectations, fostering open communication, or finding gratitude in the chaos, this episode is packed with advice to help families make the most of this special time together.Dr. Brubaker’s warm and relatable approach offers encouragement and empathy, reminding listeners to focus on connection, gratitude, and the love that binds families. Perfect for parents navigating their child's return from college, this episode is your guide to a meaningful and memorable Thanksgiving.Listen now on Reframing Me and connect on social media at @reframingme or at reframing-me.com.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailThank you so much for being here! You can create your own magic.  You can create your own future.  You do not have to be chosen.  You do not have to wait to be chosen.  You are the creator of your own life.There's a moment that so many midlife moms quietly fear: the one where they sense that their purpose is fading just as their children’s lives are expanding. Being caregiving becomes an identity, and how losing that role can feel like losing yourself. But you don’t have to wait to be chosen or validated. You can choose yourself. You can create your own magic. See this as an invitation for women to reclaim their purpose, trust their voice, and remember that midlife isn’t a decline; it’s an awakening.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIt's the home stretch for my years as a "Football Mom," and I am feeling the feels. When your kids are involved in an activity that becomes consuming of your time, energy, and money, and when we find ourselves on the sideline or in the stands or seats watching day after day, week after week, year after year, there comes a point when it all ends. For many, senior year is that end. But for some, it happens sooner, whether they don’t make the team or grow out of love with the sport or activity and just decide they are done – but wait! You might say – but what if I’m not done? It’s the end of a chapter. There is a loss – a sense of grief – it’s the loss of an activity – of a group of people you’ve grown to feel a community with – the loss of something that you share with your child. It's ok to feel sad. It’s ok for us to look back and reflect. It just won’t be the same. And it’s ok to mourn that end – mourn the loss.  We may feel an ambiguous loss. At its core, ambiguous loss is about a lack of resolution. The loss of what could have or should have been. The loss of someone or something as it was. But we aren’t the only ones who will feel the end because obviously, the kids will feel it even more than we do. So what comes next - what can we expect from our teen athletes post sports, and how you can help them find their identities.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan Mail This month, the focus will be on gratitude. To show my gratitude to all of you, I've unlocked this November meditation, so you can have a peek inside, and because gratitude is something that you must have before you can receive. It’s not simply something you feel after something good happens. So today we’re going to cultivate that feeling of gratitude for what we do have so we can be open to the abundance of all that we want.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to build openness, honesty, and trust with our kids as they grow into teens? It's not by becoming the "cool mom" and loosening all boundaries, but it is by evolving right alongside them.As kids grow up, parent–child relationships shift from vertical to horizontal -from top-down authority to side-by-side connection - and this change asks us to redefine what authority, influence, and love look like in modern families. Believe it or not, both openness and structure and both freedom and safety, can peacefully coexist.It's not about perfect parenting, but it is about relational growth - learning to listen more than lecture, to respond instead of react, and to trade control for connection. It’s about the moment we stop trying to “win” as parents and start learning to walk beside our kids instead.Because the goal isn’t to raise perfect children - it’s to raise honest ones. And that kind of honesty is built, moment by moment, in a climate where trust feels safer than silence.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 8 - Our Discontent. Our discontent often comes from our desire to control the situation and to predict the outcome. Acceptance that we can’t do that can be a huge relief and an opportunity to move forward. Maybe it’s not from where you want to be, but it’s from where you are. What would happen if instead of putting that positive or negative frame around it, you just accepted it? As is.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the show! I hope you enjoy this episode - it's not a typical episode; instead, it's more of a guided walk-through of the ReFRAME process, a six-phase model for personal and identity transformation.Do you feel like you're not quite sure who you're becoming, but you know you're not who you were? Identity discovery is a fluid, ongoing practice of communication between our past, present, and emerging selves, and the ReFRAME model exists to help you through it. The class-style session introduces each phase with short explanations and reflective exercises.Recognize – Becoming aware that something no longer fits and identifying the gap between external expectations and inner truth through the Identity Gap Audit.The little e – Choosing an emotional current—Kindness → Joy → Love → Confidence → Gratitude → Grace—as the controllable energy that powers all other steps.Feel – Allowing emotions to surface and interpreting them as information using the Feel & Flow Scan (Name it, Notice it, Nurture it).Reflect – Making meaning from emotion and identifying personal narratives with the Reframe the Story exercise, transforming limiting beliefs into new perspectives.Articulate – Giving language to the new understanding through the IRL Identity Map (“Right now, I am someone who …”), turning inner truth into lived communication.Move – Translating awareness into action with the GROW Action Plan (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward) and committing to one aligned micro-movement.Embody – Integrating the work through the Identity Embodiment Exercise (Before, Current, Becoming) and a daily affirmation that anchors the desired state.Beginning In November, you'll be able to dig deeper into this process by subscribing to the Reframing Circle for bonus content. And in January, you will be able to really do a deep dive in a six-week course. I hope you'll join me on this wonderful journey!Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 6 - Feeling the Feels.We waste so much energy avoiding uncomfortable emotions. Whether it’s sadness, worry, fear, or uncertainty, pushing feelings away doesn’t make them disappear - it only delays healing. Emotional growth comes from sitting with difficult feelings instead of resisting them, so if we can stop avoiding what we feel, accept emotions as they are, and move through them with awareness, we'll emerge stronger and more centered on the other side. Beginning next week - join me in The Reframing Circle and begin to ReFRAME you!Video is available on YouTube, my website, and socials (I think y'all know how rare that is for me! I guess I'm turning over a new leaf!). You can order the book now if you'd like to read along.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook, on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content!Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailI hope you enjoy this episode! Teen friendships can be beautiful -and brutal. This episode explores why some kids become “mean girls,” how exclusion and gossip take root, and what’s really happening beneath the surface. Drawing from Relational Aggression and Social Identity Theory, it explains how insecurity, power dynamics, and the need to belong shape behavior in middle and high school friend groups.The discussion discusses how social media magnifies hierarchy and comparison, how mean-mom culture models competition, and why boys can mirror the same dynamics through humor and dominance. It also examines the emotional, academic, and neurological impact of exclusion, showing that friendship loss can hurt as deeply as physical pain.With insights from Family Communication Patterns Theory and Lisa Damour’s research on emotional development, the episode offers evidence-based strategies for parents to support teens: fostering open dialogue, teaching reflection over rumination, encouraging digital boundaries, and building resilience through empathy and compassion.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 5 - The In Between. This episode feels a little different — more like a page from my journal than a polished podcast.But that’s the point of all of this, right? Identity isn’t something we talk about from a safe distance - it’s something we live through. I feel right inside one of those in-between seasons, where I’m figuring out who I am now, not who I used to be.So if you’re with me in a season of rediscovery, or if you’ve ever felt yourself shifting and growing out of old versions of you, maybe you’ll resonate with how I feel today. The "in-between" is the space between who we were and who we are becoming. And the more we can trust it, the more we can start to see it not as a pause or a waiting room, but as an initiation. Not something to be observed, but something to be embodied. Honor this part of your story. Don’t try to skip over it just because it's uncomfortable or uncertain. Let it teach you something. Let it soften you. Let it remind you that becoming isn't a straight line. It's a trust fall. And you're allowed to be held by the space between who you were and who you're becoming. What would it feel like to fully trust that space?Video (kinda - i accidentally took a photo instead of a video - omg really?!) so had to go back, and the video is only the chapter not my (therapy-session-adjacent) episode. is available on YouTube, my website, and socials (I think y'all know how rare that is for me! I guess I'm turning over a new leaf!). You can order the book now if you'd like to read along.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 4 - Underneath the Emotions. It's ok to feel all of the feels, but we just can't live there. We are not our emotions; emotions are like the weather - just passing through - and we are the clear blue sky underneath. Video is available on YouTube, my website, and socials (I think y'all know how rare that is for me! I guess I'm turning over a new leaf!). You can order the book now if you'd like to read along.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailKindness realigns us - one small, intentional act can shift our energy and open our hearts to something bigger. When we lead with kindness, we invite joy. That joy clears the lens through which we see the world, allowing us to view life and people through love. Love naturally awakens gratitude - not the performative kind, but the deep, grounding awareness that helps us see the good that’s still here. Gratitude builds confidence - quiet, steady, authentic confidence —- the kind that softens your energy and lets you meet every moment, and every person, with grace. This episode is a reflection on how we can’t fix the darkness around us, but we can light our own corner of it by choosing kindness, again and again.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailCollege application season brings pressure, opinions, and plenty of myths about what makes higher education valuable. This episode unpacks the biggest fallacy of higher education - that college is job training - and explores four common misconceptions parents often hear: choosing majors only for profitability, dismissing the value of minors, chasing prestige instead of fit when selecting a school, and assuming general education courses are a waste of time. With a mix of practical guidance and communication theory, the conversation reframes how to think about majors, minors, schools, and gen eds while offering parents tools to support their teens through the application process and beyond.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 3 - Life's a Rollercoaster, and it's appropriate because I know I often find myself comparing where I'm at on my journey and questioning if I will ever be "successful" if someone else "has ALL of the success." Video is available on YouTube, my website, and socials (I think y'all know how rare that is for me! I guess I'm turning over a new leaf!). You can order the book now if you'd like to read along.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this Jen is Zen , we explore the difference between balance and harmony in midlife. Balance often feels like an impossible demand, dividing time, energy, and attention equally across parenting teens, family communication, relationships, career, and self-care. Harmony, on the other hand, invites flow, flexibility, and grace. Harmony can help us navigate midlife transitions, embrace both joy and struggle, and live with more peace and presence. This episode offers inspiration for women seeking midlife empowerment, identity rediscovery, personal growth, and stress relief, reminding us that even when life isn’t balanced, it can still be harmonious.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode, we continue our weekly series, reading and discussing excerpts from my new book, Reframe the Moment. It's super fun and appropriate because each essay grew out of a Jen is Zen episode, so why not bring it full circle. Today we talk about Chapter 2 - I Am, and it's really relevant because of how off balance I've been feeling this week. Video is available on YouTube, my website, and socials (I think y'all know how rare that is for me! I guess I'm turning over a new leaf!). You can order the book now if you'd like to read along.Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailI could NEVER forget my Southern Hemisphere friends (I see you and love you, Australia!) Reposting just for you :)It's the Spring Equinox! For the Southern Hemisphere, brighter days are on the horizon. It makes us realize that sometimes, it's our time to shine (literally!), and sometimes, it isn't. Can we celebrate others and know that it's just not our time right now, but still trust that we are on the right path? Manifesting is about speaking it out loud – and writing it down, of course – and then putting in the work, and in due time, we can watch our dreams come true. But sometimes it’s really hard to keep plugging along, right? What can you do today to work towards manifesting your dreams?Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content! 

Send us Fan MailAs we in the Northern Hemisphere (sorry, Australian friends!) reach the Autumnal Equinox, we can use it as a time to reflect on our own summer abundance. We may not be tending to crops, but we have each been tending to and nurturing other aspects of our lives. Each of us is growing and changing, and each of us is doing so in our own way. This change of season is a good time for us to look at our family system to see how our interconnectedness has changed and how our communication needs to adapt. Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook,  on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingmeI hope you enjoyed the episode! Please leave a review, catch up on any missed episodes, and be sure to follow the show, so you don't miss new content!