Join hosts Inette Bolden and Jennifer Ferreira as they sit down with Asia Ewell and Saru Nithyanandam, facilitators of the Positive Solutions for Families program, to explore how positive parenting can strengthen family relationships and support children's social-emotional development.

They discuss how behavior is communication, why predictable routines and positive guidance matter, and practical strategies families can use to reduce challenging behaviors while teaching important life skills. Asia and Saru also share tips for responding to difficult moments with empathy, consistency, and confidence, helping children—and the adults who care for them—thrive together.

This episode offers practical, everyday tools for parents and caregivers looking to build stronger connections, encourage positive behavior, and create supportive environments where children can succeed.

Join hosts Inette Bolden and Jennifer Ferreira as they sit down with Dawn Iannaco-Hahn, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health specialist, to explore why mental health begins in the earliest years of life.

They discuss how Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) focuses on relationships, emotional development, and the environments that shape young children’s well-being. Dawn breaks down common misconceptions, highlights the importance of understanding behavior as communication, and shares how supporting caregivers and educators is key to helping children thrive.

This episode offers practical insight into how early, relationship-based support can strengthen emotional development and create a foundation for lifelong health and learning.

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458592/18908436-a-conversation-about-building-healthy-minds-from-birth/transcript

In this episode of the ELEVATE Podcast, hosts Inette Bolden and Jennifer Ferreira welcome Sylvia Hennessie, Early Childhood Coach, and Starr Stevenson, Child Care Health Consultant with Child Care Support Services, for an insightful conversation on early childhood brain development.

Sylvia and Starr break down key concepts like brain architecture, serve-and-return interactions, and toxic stress, explaining how everyday moments—talking, playing, diapering, singing, and routines—shape a child’s developing brain from before birth through the first five years of life. They emphasize that nurturing relationships and responsive interactions are just as important as nutrition and sleep in supporting healthy development.

The episode offers practical, reassuring guidance for both families and educators, highlighting how being present, intentional, and responsive during ordinary moments can have a lifelong impact. Listeners walk away with a powerful reminder: brain-building happens every day, and everyone plays a role in helping children thrive.