Helping Girls Navigate Friendship Stress - with Coach Sheri
In this episode, I sit down with Coach Sheri, from Teen-Wise, to unpack one of the most misunderstood challenges girls face today: relational aggression, the subtle but painful world of exclusion, friendship breakups, drama cycles, and the unspoken pressure girls feel to fit in.
Sheri explains how relational aggression actually begins long before middle school, and then intensifies as girls become more emotionally invested in friendships.
We explore why middle school becomes the “practice arena” for conflict, why even college-aged girls still struggle with mean girl dynamics, and how “mama drama” often reflects unresolved patterns from our own teen years .
You’ll hear us break down:
* Why exclusion hurts so deeply and what’s really happening when girls are ghosted or left out
* Friendship breakups in middle school, why they happen, why they feel shocking, and how girls often use meanness to avoid difficult conversations
*What moms should do first when their daughter is hurting (hint: support before solutions)
* The loneliness spiral — and how to help girls avoid letting loneliness become their identity
* ADHD as a friendship superpower and how girls with ADHD can harness their natural loyalty, enthusiasm, and connection skills without overwhelming peers
It is a jam packed, but quick listen so, If you’re navigating girl drama, friendship changes, or emotional ups and downs in your home, this conversation will give you some clarity and compassion to understand and start helping your daughter.
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16:15
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16:15
Raising Her Without Losing You- Navigating Middle School Part 4
Middle school is a season of deep change, not just for your daughter, but for you, as her mom. In the final episode of this 4-part series, Dr. Kimberly Palmiotto shifts the spotlight back to the heart of it all: Us as Moms. While your daughter is growing into herself, you may find yourself triggered, exhausted, or wondering where you went in the process.
In this episode, we explore:
* Why middle school can reactivate your own adolescent wounds
* The emotional labor of mothering a tween girl (and why you feel so tired)
* How to avoid self-abandonment while still showing up for her
* The difference between modeling self-sacrifice and modeling self-respect
* Three practical tools for grounding, boundary-setting, and emotional self-check-ins
You'll also be invited into a powerful reflection practice to connect with your future self, the one who’s on the other side of this chapter and grateful for how you stayed grounded in your own growth, too.
Because you’re not the same mom you were when she was little, and that’s a good thing! You're growing, too. And she needs to see that.
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15:18
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15:18
How to Build Connection Over Control - Navigating Middle School Part 3
She pulls away. ..You try harder. She slams the door... You wonder if you're losing her.
In Part 3 of this 4-part series on navigating middle school, Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto explores one of the hardest parts of parenting a tween girl: how to stay connected when she seems to want nothing to do with you.
You’ll learn:
*Why the push-pull dynamic is wired into her brain and not your fault
*How to shift from control to connection, without losing boundaries
*Tools to build emotional safety, even when your daughter is shut down
*How to model repair after conflict and open the door to communication
*The 3 C’s that transform your relationship: Calm, Curiosity, and Compassion
Whether you’re dealing with eye rolls, slammed doors, or emotional shutdowns, this episode gives you language, mindset shifts, and repair tools to help you be the safe base she still needs, even when she acts like she doesn’t.
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15:22
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15:22
Power, Popularity, & Pressure- Navigating Middle School Part 2
Middle school friendships aren’t just complicated, they feel critical to your daughter’s sense of identity, safety, and self-worth. In Part 2 of this 4-part series, Dr. Kim dives deep into what’s happening in your daughter’s outside world. She explores things like friendships, peer pressure, social status, and the rising tide of relational aggression.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
*Why belonging feels like survival to the tween brain
*What “mean girl” behavior really signals and how to respond
*How to support your daughter whether she’s being excluded or doing the excluding
*The difference between popularity and true friendship (and how to help her know it too)
*Tools to help her build empathy, boundaries, and confidence without losing herself
This one is for every mom who has watched her daughter walk into changing middle school friendships and wondered, “What do I say? What do I do?”
You’ll leave this episode with tools, reflection prompts, and connection strategies that help you be the safe, steady voice in her social world, even when things get messy.
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21:13
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21:13
Her Changing World - Part 1 of A Series on Middle School
Middle school is more than a milestone, it’s a deep, messy, and transformational chapter for your daughter… and for you. This first episode of Season 2 rolls out part 1 of a 4 part series on navigating Middle School for Moms of Girls.
In this episode, Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto helps you understand what’s really going on inside your tween’s changing brain, body, and emotional world. From hypersensitive feelings to identity experimentation and peer comparison, this season can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to walk it alone.
You’ll learn:
* Why your daughter can’t always explain how she feels (and what to say instead)
* How her brain development impacts emotional regulation and behavior
* What it looks like to offer safety without shame
* The 3 things she needs most from you in this phase (even if she can’t say them)
Whether your daughter is moody, melting down, or changing before your eyes, this episode will help you respond with presence, compassion, and confidence.
About Growing Together- Navigating the Rollercoaster of Adolescence Together with Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto
In "Growing Together," Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto guides moms through the ups and downs of raising tween and teen daughters. Each episode delves into the unique challenges and joys of adolescence, offering practical insights and expert advice to help mothers and daughters thrive together. With heartfelt conversations, expert guests, and real-world strategies, Dr. Palmiotto infuses her own experience as a mental health professional and mom of 4 girls to provide moms with the tools to understand their daughters’ development, foster open communication, and nurture resilient relationships.
Tune in to discover how you can grow alongside your daughter in this transformative stage of life, tackling topics from friendship dynamics to emotional wellness, all while building a bond that lasts a lifetime. It's a rollercoaster, so let's ride it together!
Listen to Growing Together- Navigating the Rollercoaster of Adolescence Together with Dr. Kimberley Palmiotto, The Mel Robbins Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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