Complex Kids, Simple Solutions

• Dr. Jack Hinman — The Anxious Generation: Guiding Young Adults Toward Independence and Resilience

  Send us a textIn this conversation, Michelle sits down with Dr. Jack Hinman, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Engage Young Adult Transitions, to unpack why so many 18- to 30-year-olds are stuck between adolescence and adulthood—and how parents can help their “kids” move forward with confidence, connection, and purpose.Dr. Hinman shares:The crisis of connection. Today’s young adults are more connected than ever online—but lonelier and more anxious than any generation before. Dr. Hinman calls this the Crisis of Connection and explains how real, face-to-face relationships are the key to healing.The anxious generation explained. Born after 1995? Your brain literally developed differently. Between overprotection, constant screens, and “concept creep” around trauma and anxiety, today’s youth are growing up in a world that equates discomfort with danger—stunting resilience and identity formation.Overprotected offline, underprotected online. Parents guard their kids from playground scrapes but hand them unfiltered access to social media during puberty—the most vulnerable neurological window for comparison, shame, and emotional reactivity.When therapy meets autonomy. At Engage, young adults (17–25) live in supervised homes that gradually transition to independent apartments. Staff offices are embedded in the same homes, creating mentorship through proximity and connection, not confinement.Why 30-day programs fail. Short-term fixes don’t build independence. Engage focuses on long-term (9–12 month) support combining clinical care, mentoring, neurofeedback, and community integration—because growth takes time.Quote to tape on the fridge: “Anxiety isn’t the enemy—it’s the gym where resilience grows.”Whether you’re parenting a teen or watching your 20-something stall out, Dr. Hinman’s message is simple: Stop rescuing from discomfort. Start teaching that hard things are part of growing strong.👤 About Dr. Jack Hinman, Psy.D. Dr. Hinman is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of Engage Young Adult Transitions in Cedar City, Utah. With over 20 years in mental health, he specializes in helping neurodiverse and anxious young adults overcome depression, avoidance, and executive-functioning challenges to rediscover autonomy, purpose, and self-trust. He also serves on the board of the Young Adult Transition Association (YATA) and is a leading voice in emerging-adulthood psychology.🔗 Connect with Dr. Hinman & Engage Young Adult Transitions 🌐 Website: engagelifenow.com 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @engage.transitions 🎵 TikTok: @engageyoungadult 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jack-hinman-engagelifenow 📘 Facebook: Engage Young Adult Transitions#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #AnxiousGeneration #YoungAdultTransition #NeurodiverseTeens #ParentingAnxiousKids #ResilienceBuilding #ScreenTimeAwareness #ParentAdvocacyMama, step into this week knowing that every hug, every smile, and every small win matters. You’re building something beautiful 

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• Michael Ringel — Planning for Two Lifetimes: Protect, Grow, and Enjoy (Without Losing Your Benefits)

  Send us a textIn this conversation, Michelle sits down with special-needs family wealth strategist Michael Ringel to demystify the money side of raising complex kids—how to get organized fast, protect eligibility for services, and build a plan that cares for your child long after you’re gone.Mike shares:Why families delay (and how to start in 15 minutes). Your financial life isn’t a mess—it’s a junk drawer. Mike’s free “Living Balance Sheet” tool turns scattered accounts into a single snapshot and scorecard so you know what is and what’s possible.Benefits without the gotchas. The big rule of thumb: assets over $2,000 in your child’s name can jeopardize SSI/Medicaid. How third-party Special Needs Trusts preserve benefits, and when an ABLE account (tax-advantaged, spendable for qualified needs) makes sense—plus the key difference on what happens to leftover funds.Funding the future (without wrecking today). Why many families combine term and permanent life insurance to ultimately fund a Special Needs Trust—while using riders and disability coverage to protect income now.Hope for the best, plan for the rest. Build a team—financial pro, special-needs attorney, and benefits optimizer—so you protect today, plan for tomorrow, and avoid painful “do-overs.”Cash-flow judo. Most households leak money in invisible ways. Mike shows how to capture “found dollars” to fund protection and long-term goals without lowering your lifestyle.Quote to tape on the fridge: “Something is worth what it can do for you—not the price you pay.”Whether your child is 3 or 33, Mike’s message lands: get organized, protect eligibility, and set up funding so your child—and your whole family—can live a life without compromise.👤 About Mike Ringel For over 20 years, Mike has helped families with complex-needs children protect, grow, and enjoy their wealth—planning for two lifetimes while preserving access to vital services. He coordinates with attorneys and benefits specialists to quarterback a clear, compassionate plan.🔗 Connect with Mike Website: mikeringel.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikeringel/🧰 Get the Free Tool Mike mentioned: Ask Mike for access to the Living Balance Sheet to create your 15-minute snapshot and scorecard, then decide your next best step.#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #SpecialNeedsPlanning #SpecialNeedsTrust #ABLEAccount #SSI #Medicaid #IEPParents #TwoLifetimesPlanning #ParentAdvocacy #CaregiverFinance

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• MegAnne Ford — From “Be Better” to Feel Better: Parenting Complex Kids with CLEAR Connection

  Send us a textIn this conversation, Michelle sits down with parent coach MegAnne Ford to flip the old script—away from forcing kids to fit our vision and toward building skills, safety, and connection so families actually feel better day to day.MegAnne shares:Why control backfires. Traditional “make them comply” tactics widen the gap; centering the child’s needs helps the message land.The CLEAR method (her 5-step roadmap). Connection → Limits → Empowerment → Accountability → Recovery—so consequences teach with dignity, not shame.Behavior = a nervous system message. Nonverbals shout louder than words; listen, mirror, validate before you problem-solve.Grief and the pivot. When diagnoses or differences rewrite your plan, community shortens the lonely middle.Connection is the superpower. Online cohorts that become real-life support—through IEP seasons, moves, meltdowns, and milestones.Quote to tape on the fridge: “You’re enough. Let people come in and love on you.”Whether you’re navigating autism, ADHD, anxiety, or big feelings that don’t fit a checklist, MegAnne’s message is simple: connection before correction—and repeat it with CLEAR steps until home feels safer for everyone.👤 About MegAnne Ford A Richmond-based parent coach and founder of Be Kind Coaching, MegAnne helps caregivers build regulation, boundaries, and resilient relationships through education and group coaching.🔗 Connect with MegAnne Website: bekindcoaching.com Instagram: @meganne.ford Email: [email protected]#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #ParentCoaching #ConnectionBeforeCorrection #TraumaInformed #Neurodiversity #EmotionalRegulation #CommunityCare #GentleParenting

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• Sharon Dunlevy — Trauma-Wise Parenting for Foster (and All) Families

  Send us a textIn this conversation, Michelle sits down with educational advocate Sharon Dunlevy to demystify foster-care realities—what licensing really takes, why trauma shows up like “behavior,” and how schools can (and should) support healing with the right plans and people.Sharon shares:What becoming a foster parent actually requires. Background checks, home studies, annual license renewals, and 20–40 hours of new training each year—with CPR/First Aid often required in addition (and, in states like Indiana, not counting toward those hours).IEPs for emotions are real. Trauma can look like ADHD or withdrawal. Under IDEA, kids may qualify via Emotional Disturbance or Other Health Impairment—and supports must match needs, not labels.Why online “school” isn’t a fix. Post-COVID, many kids were pushed to virtual programs for behavior; most don’t learn there. Trauma-aware classrooms plus in-person connection beat isolation every time.Brains can heal. Safety, attachment, and repeated positive experiences rewire neural pathways; caregivers can coach “big feelings” into words and regulation without shame.Caregiver burnout is common—grace is required. Secondary trauma is real. Use respite, therapy, and boundaries. You can’t pour from an empty cup.Quote to tape on the fridge: “Listen first. Behavior is a message—decode it before you correct it.”Whether you’re a foster parent, kinship caregiver, or raising a complex kid, Sharon’s message is simple: steady relationships plus trauma-informed supports turn survival skills into school success.👤 About Sharon Dunlevy Sharon is an educational advocate who trains foster parents to navigate schools, secure trauma-aware services, and use IDEA/504 tools to protect kids’ learning.🔗 Connect with Sharon Website: www.sharondunlevy.com Email: [email protected] Facebook: fostercaretrainingtoday Instagram: @sharondunlevy72 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sharondunlevy#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #FosterCare #TraumaInformed #ParentBurnout #IEP #504Plan #SchoolAdvocacy #Attachment #Neuroplasticity

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• Constance Lewis — Miles & the Colorful Capes of Feelings

  Send us a textIn this conversation, Michelle sits down with nurse practitioner and mom-author Constance Lewis to share the story behind Miles and the Colorful Capes of Feelings—a playful, powerful system that helps kids name big emotions using color, costume, and connection.Constance shares:A family’s turning point. When her son Miles developed seizures at age four, words became hard—so the family created color-coded “capes” to show feelings when speech couldn’t.Why play works when words won’t. Stomping like a dinosaur, “angry chalk,” music & movement—simple body-based tools regulate nervous systems and make emotions less scary.Colors as a common language. Brave, silly, nervous, mad, cheerful—kids pick the color that fits, then “wear” that feeling so caregivers can meet the need without guesswork.Inclusion on every page. Friends with autism and seizure disorders appear throughout the story, modeling empathy, peer support, and everyday accessibility.From meltdown to meaning. Emotions are information, not misbehavior; curiosity (“What happened before this?”) beats shame—at home, in clinics, and at school.Quote to tape on the fridge: “Get curious, not furious. When kids ‘act out,’ they’re telling us what their bodies can’t yet say.”Whether your child is neurotypical or a complex kid navigating seizures, ADHD, or sensory needs, Constance’s message is simple: make feelings visible, practice them playfully, and kids grow emotionally resilient.👤 About Constance Lewis Constance is a nurse practitioner and mother of three. Her debut children’s book, Miles and the Colorful Capes of Feelings, turns emotional literacy into a hands-on adventure for families and classrooms.🔗 Connect with Constance & the book Website: colorfulcapesoffeelings.com Email: [email protected] Instagram: @colorful_feelings.books#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #EmotionalRegulation #Neurodiversity #ParentingTools #SeizureAwareness #FeelingsEducation #Inclusion

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