The One Thing Your Child Needs in Hard Moments

Your child is in crisis — overwhelmed, heartbroken, maybe even acting out — and suddenly you're flooded too. How are you supposed to be the calm, grounded one when your whole body is reacting to their pain?

In this episode of The Doula Johanna Podcast, we explore what it truly means to be there for our children when they’re struggling — not by solving the problem or taking their pain away, but by staying steady and present so they can feel safe feeling all of it.

If you’ve ever felt helpless in the face of your child’s big emotions, or questioned whether you were doing it “right,” this conversation is for you.

We talk about:

Why it’s so hard to stay grounded in our child’s pain

The difference between reacting and holding space

How empathy and presence shape emotional resilience

What Gabor Maté says about trauma, and why it’s not the pain itself that causes harm — but the absence of an empathetic witness

A simple but powerful reminder: You don’t have to fix it. You only have to be there and sit with them in their pain.

This isn’t just about parenting — it’s about trusting your child’s inner strength and showing up for them with calm, loving belief.

✨ Let’s raise resilient humans, together.
👉 Share this episode with a friend who might need it, and connect with me @doulajohanna to share your own story.