Episode 6 – Navigating the Storm: Understanding Your Triggers as a Parent
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Episode Overview
Every parent has lived through that moment when their child starts crying, yelling, or falling apart and something inside their own body reacts instantly. Maybe it feels like fear. Maybe it feels like anger. Maybe it feels like shame. Your heart speeds up. Your stomach drops. You snap or shut down before you have time to think.
That moment is not a parenting failure. It is a nervous system response.
In this episode of Raise Strong, you will learn why your child’s big emotions trigger something deep inside you and how to understand the signals your body is sending. When you can recognize what is happening in your nervous system, you can support yourself first and guide your child with calm, steady leadership.
What You Will Learn Today
✔️ Why your child’s emotions activate your own
✔️ How fear, anger, and shame show up in the body
✔️ The neuroscience behind emotional triggers
✔️ Why parents get overwhelmed: attachment history, sensory overload, fear of losing control
✔️ The Reset Method to calm your body during your child’s meltdown
✔️ How to stay connected when everything in you wants to shut down or react
✔️ The common mistakes almost every parent makes when triggered and what to do instead
✔️ A simple awareness practice that builds calm over time
Key Takeaways
1. Your body reacts before your brain can think.
Your nervous system scans for danger and activates fear, anger, or shame faster than conscious thought.
2. Fear, anger, and shame have a purpose.
Fear prepares your body for protection.
Anger signals a crossed boundary or overwhelm.
Shame appears when you care deeply and feel unworthy or inadequate.
These emotions are invitations for support, not signs of failing.
3. You must calm your nervous system before you can calm your child.
Your child relies on your regulated presence.
When you pause and reset, you send a powerful message of safety.
4. Awareness is a form of healing.
Noticing your first reaction gives you space to choose a different response.
This Week’s Challenge
Notice the very first moment your body reacts to your child’s big feelings.
Pay attention to the sensation.
Name it quietly.
Then use one Reset Method tool to support your nervous system.
This small shift creates real change over time.
Alex Anderson-Kahl
Hi, I'm Alex Anderson-Kahl
School Psychologist & Parent Coach
Welcome, friend. I know firsthand how overwhelming it feels to navigate big emotions and daily parenting battles. While I don’t have children of my own, my years spent working with families have shown me that you don’t need to be perfect to build a resilient home—you just need the right support.
Here, we break down child psychology and polyvagal theory into simple, shame-free strategies you can actually use today. Grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s build a calmer home together, one moment at a time
Say This, Not "Hurry Up"
Mornings and rushed transitions are a massive load on everyone's nervous system. If you've ever felt the urge to bark, "Hurry up!" when you're already running late, you are not alone.
Grab this free quick-reference guide for easy-to-remember phrase swaps that help you move things along without raising your voice or increasing the pressure.
