Awkward Conversations Podcast - Season 2
Season 2
S2 E1 Building Family Relationships & Bonds (Part 1) August 17, 2022
The best foundation for having awkward conversations with your children starts with building a strong family bond. Our host, Full House and Fuller House star, Jodie Sweetin, is joined by Amy McCarthy, Clinical Social Worker at Boston Children's Hospital and Heidi P. Dutson who serves as a prevention administrator at the Utah Department of Human Services. In Part 1 of this conversation, they are chatting with American film and television actor and father of three, Greg Grunberg about the importance of building strong relationships with your kids. They talk about practical ways to build trust and connect with your kids. They also encourage parents that you don’t have to have all of the right answers– you just need to create a safe place for kids to turn to when danger comes or when the world overwhelms them.
S2 E2 Building Family Relationships & Bonds (Part 2) August 17, 2022
The best foundation for having awkward conversations with your children starts with building a strong family bond. Our host, Full House and Fuller House star, Jodie Sweetin, is joined by Amy McCarthy, Clinical Social Worker at Boston Children's Hospital and Heidi P. Dutson who serves as a prevention administrator at the Utah Department of Human Services.
In Part 2 of this conversation, they are chatting about the importance of building strong relationships with your kids. They talk about practical ways to build trust and connect with your kids. They also encourage parents that you don’t have to have all of the right answers– you just need to create a safe place for kids to turn to when danger comes or when the world overwhelms them.
S2 E3 Preventing Drug Misuse Among College Students (Part 1) August 24, 2022
So much of this series is about being present in our kids’ lives and preparing them to make the smart choices…so the day has finally come where they are going out into the world, is our job now done? SPOILER ALERT: NO! Today’s Awkward Conversation isfocusing on drug use prevention among college students.
S2 E4 Preventing Drug Misuse Among College Students (Part 2) August 31, 2022
Choosing a college or a university with your child is a big decision.Today, we are continuing the conversation about substance use among college students by talking through how best to choose a school that is serious about substance abuse prevention.
S2 E5 One Pill Can Kill
We have seen two milligrams of fentanyl alone in one of these fake pills is a deadly dose of fent anyl and can kill an individual. That amount is equivalent to several pieces of salt or sugar on the end of a pencil tip. That means a very, very small amount can be lethal, hence, the statement one pill can kill. The DEA has found that along with the CDC that four out of 10 pills can contain a lethal dose of fent anyl. Last year, the CDC stated around 108,000 people died as a result of an unintentional overdose death. This is not simply a law enforcement problem, and it is definitely not a law enforcement solution. It is a unified effort that needs to be taken on by parents, schools, and leaders in our communities. And we have to educate children about this serious threat.
S2 E6 Signs Of Drug Use And What To Do If You Find Something September 14, 2022
Today’s awkward conversation is about knowing the signs of possible drug use and what to do. Our host, Jodie Sweetin is joined by Timothy P. McMahon who has been employed by the DEA since 1998 and Amy McCarthy, Clinical Social Worker at Boston Children's Hospital. Special Agent McMahon shares common ways that kids hide drugs in plain sight and what signs to look for with changes to personality, involvement, or money use. They also share tips on how to talk to your child about drugs and how to respond with love rather than anger if you discover your child is using drugs. This topic can be scary and overwhelming to parents but they need to remember the sooner you address it, the better.
S2 E7 Making A Difference In Your Home And Community September 21, 2022
In this overwhelming opioid epidemic, it’s more important than ever to educate our youth and try to prevent them from having to face this problem. For today’s awkward conversation, Clare Kramer is joined by Catie Drew who is the Senior Prevention Program Manager in the DEAs Community Outreach and Prevention Support Section, Bill Bryan who is the Assistant National Director of the Elks Drug Awareness Program, and Drew Hammill who is a Senior Instructional Design Manager for Discovery Education. They share incredible resources that are relevant to not only parents and their kids (youth and teens,) but also to other organizations. One person can make a difference so listen in today to learn how to spread awareness and educate others.
S2 E8 Bullying September 28, 2022
Bullying can affect everyone—those who are bullied, those who bully, and even those who witness bullying. Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide.
Only 20% of bullying is reported so it is important for youth to have an action plan and programs that address/prevent bullying. Amy McCarthy joins special guest host Clare Kramer as she speaks with Erin Wick who is a Senior Director of Behavioral Health and Student support at a health treatment center and schools. They discuss signs of bullying, what to do if your child is bullying, and cyber-bullying.
S2 E9 Red Ribbon Week October 5, 2022
In 1985 DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by a Mexican drug cartel. In a grassroots tribute, the kids in his hometown of Calexico, California started the Red Ribbon Program, which has grown to be the nation’s oldest and largest drug use prevention/awareness program and is now celebrated by millions of kids and their families the last week of October every year! In this episode, Jodie is joined by Sean Fearns from the DEA. They explain the importance of conversations with kids about drugs, community influence, and ideas for student buy-in. Tune in as Sean shares resources to be part of the solution.
S2 E10 Peer Pressure October 12, 2022
Whether positive or negative, peer pressure is going to happen. In fact a majority of teens with drug use problems began using as a result of peer pressure. Today, Jodie is joined by Amy McCarthy and Erin Wick who is a Senior Director of Behavioral Health. They discuss the importance of having conversations with your children about peer pressure and how critical it is for them to have safe adults. If they also have a friend who is an ally, it can make standing up to peer pressure much easier. Listen in to hear advice on how to tailor this awkward conversation to your child based on their strengths and personality
S2 E11 Drug Take Back Programs - Keeping Your Home Rx Safe October 19, 2022
More children are taken to the ER from accidental ingestion of medication than car accidents. Guest Host, Clare Kramer, is joined by Carlos Briano, Elizabeth Farrar, and WWE Star “JTG” to talk about keeping your home RX safe for kids. Locking up medications and keeping them out of sight is essential. You have to have conversations with your kids about safe medication use and who to trust giving you medicines, and you need to have this conversation often. Remind them to be safe. Tune in for additional steps parents/caregivers can take and information on the DEA Drug Takeback program.
S2 E12 The Best of Season 1 October 26, 2022
In this season one recap, we take a look back at some of the post-show interviews. Jodie Sweetin and Amy McCarthy revisit common themes from the season. They are joined by special guest parents, Andy Buckley and Sean Astin, who appear on the Awkward Conversation web series post show. The group shares conversations they experienced in their own families and explore how social media has changed awkward conversations for this generation. Tune in for advice to transform every awkward conversation you have with your kids.
S2 E13 Helping Kids De-Stress (Part 1) November 2, 2022
Stress can be crippling and learning to identify emotions can be hard. On today’s episode, Jodie Sweetin and Amy McCarthy talk about the unprecedented amount of stress kids are under with Erin Wick, Senior Behavioral Health & Student Support Director, and Dr. Krystal Lewis a psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health. The group discusses how to differentiate between stress and anxiety, how to recognize when your child is undergoing stress, and what to do if you do notice those signs. Daniel Logan (Boba Fett) also joins to share how he helps his young child cope with stress. Tune in to receive additional resources to help your child de-stress and better regulate.
S2 E14 Helping Kids De-Stress (Part 2) November 9, 2022
In part two of “Helping Kids De-stress”, emphasis is placed on parents de-stressing as well as their children. Jodie Sweetin, Amy McCarthy, Dr. Lewis, Erin Wick, and Daniel Logan continue to discuss strategies for helping kids regulate their emotions. Tune in as they talk about modeling behaviors such as admitting when you are wrong, de-stressing together, and creating environments to have fun together without substances. Dr. Krystal Lewis walks us through a guided visualization meditation activity and you will feel much calmer after listening.
S2 E15 Co-Parenting November 16, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy and divorce mediator Judith Weigle, who discuss the importance of consistency in co-parenting as well as the need for security while co-parenting. In this episode we will discuss the importance of dealing with your own pain, establishing a consistent message, the role of stepparents and other elements that come into play in co-parenting situations. Oftentimes stress is a trigger for substance use and these are all factors that need to be managed in co-parenting situations.
S2 E16 Understanding Your Kids Social Media Use November 30, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy and Special Agent William (Bill) Bodner in Charge of DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division. It’s common and often warranted for parents to be anxious and concerned for the things their children may get into online. Countless ways exist for children to run into potentially dangerous situations including retail drug trafficking, once relegated to the dark web is now available across the web and social platforms!
In this episode we will explore when and how much online time is appropriate. We will learn about how drugs and other illicit activity is coded and we will discuss ways to keep our kids safe online, monitor their activity and access and give them rules and guidelines that help them keep themselves safe.
S2 E17 The Talk (Part 1) December 7, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy, Dr. Aida Balsano, Special Assistant to the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and Robert Vincent, Associate Administrator for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Ultimately our goal is to help parents have “The Talk” if it hasn’t happened yet, then let’s be prepared…if it has, how did it go?
If you screwed it up, no worries. Let’s figure out how to get it right. But, on the other hand, if you feel it went well, take this as a reminder that the talk is not a one-off, let’s figure out what’s next in this constant battle to keep those we love more than life itself safe!
In this episode, we will discuss the When and How's of talking with our kids about drugs and making smart choices.
S2 E18 The Talk (Part 2) December 14, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy, Dr. Aida Balsano, Special Assistant to the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and Robert Vincent, Associate Administrator for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Ultimately our goal is to help parents have “The Talk.” In this episode, we will discuss keeping the child’s dignity intact while assisting them through difficult situations.
Separating what the child’s behavior is and your love for the child can be hard when tempers are raging.
We will share tips on overcoming these situations and how to make “The Talk” beneficial to the child and not detrimental to your relationship.
S2 E19 The Talk (Part 3) December 21, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy, Dr. Aida Balsano, Special Assistant to the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and Robert Vincent, Associate Administrator for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Ultimately our goal is to help parents have “The Talk” if it hasn’t happened yet, then let’s be prepared…if it has, how did it go? If you screwed it up, no worries. Let’s figure out how to get it right. But, on the other hand, if you feel it went well, take this as a reminder that the talk is not a one-off, let’s figure out what’s next in this consent battle to keep those we love more than life itself safe!
Today our panel discusses the consequences of substance abuse. Learn why explaining the “why” is essential when talking to your child.
S2 E20 Did You Ever? December 28, 2022
Host Jodie Sweetin is joined by Amy McCarthy, Director of Social Work for the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program (ASAP) at Boston Children's Hospital; Bob Sabouni Executive Producer of Awkward Conversations and actor and directorJake Busey. Someday your child will ask you if you used drugs. What will you say when that question comes your way? Does genetics play a part in the predisposition to drug abuse? Today our panel discusses these questions and more on Awkward Conversations. Don’t miss this episode.