Beyond Grades | What Kids Really Need to Succeed
๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐?
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with entrepreneur and youth advocate Rob Heller, founder of the Boost Program. Rob shares how a search for life skills training for his own teenage son led him to create a program that is now being used by schools and organizations across the country.
Together, they explore why social-emotional learning matters more than ever, the impact of smartphones and social media on youth engagement, and the skills that help young people build confidence, resilience, responsibility, and self-leadership. Rob also discusses the importance of practice, the role of caring adults, and why he remains optimistic about the next generation.
Academic success alone isn't enough. Skills such as communication, responsibility, goal setting, self-awareness, and resilience can be taught and practiced.
๐ฅ Information isn't the same as learning.
๐ฅ What is the impact of Social media and phones from the eyes of our youth?
๐ฅ What action can we take to build the skills and character our children and youth need for life?
๐ฅ One caring adult can make a lasting difference. Parents, educators, coaches, and mentors all have the power to positively influence a young person's confidence, mindset, and future.
๐ฅ Confidence and resilience grow through practice.
๐ฅ There is reason for optimism!
The Prism Lighting the Table: Navigating IEPS, Neurodiversity and Relationships
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ, "๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐," ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ?
Lisa Richer is a neurodiversity consultant, speaker, coach, and founder of Journey2Bloom.
One of Lisa's most powerful insights is that "neurodiversity is the prism lighting the table." Rather than viewing differences as deficits, she encourages families and educators to see neurodiversity as a lens that brings new understanding, perspective, and opportunity to every conversation.
๐ฅ What an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is and how it differs from a 504 Plan in the United States
๐ฅ The biggest concerns and challenges parents often face when a school recommends an IEP
๐ฅ Practical strategies for navigating what can feel like a complex and overwhelming process
๐ฅ Why clear communication and strong partnerships between families and schools are essential
๐ฅ The importance of keeping the child at the centre of every discussion and decision
๐ฅ How Lisa helps parents prepare for meetings and feel more confident advocating for their child
๐ฅ A real-life example of how expert guidance can help families achieve better outcomes
๐ฅ No parent has to feel alone.
AI in Education: Designed to Support the Role of Educators, Parents and Professionals
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with Derek Crager to explore how AI is beginning to reshape learning in practical, student-centered ways. Derek is the creator of Pocket Mentor, an AI-powered platform designed to provide real-time, voice-based support for learning and reflection. Derek shares why Pocket Mentor is grounded in a โhuman-firstโ approach - where AI is designed to support, not replace, the role of educators, parents, and professionals.
For students who hesitate to speak up, it creates a private space to build confidence. For those ready to go further, it removes limits on how deeply they can learn.
Key points:
๐ฅ Students are not accessing the world wide web - only the information in the data base of the program.
๐ฅ What about accuracy?
๐ฅ What about over-reliance or the human connection?
๐ฅ How can tools like this can offer immediate support when traditional systems are limited by time, cost, or availability?
๐ฅ What does this mean for a generation of children growing up with AI: the opportunities, the risks, and the responsibility to use it with intention and clear boundaries?
Itโs a balanced, forward-looking discussion about how AI can enhance learning, support confidence, and expand whatโs possible - when we keep people at the center.
Grounded in a belief that AI should enhance human potential, Derek advocates for responsible, bounded systems that prioritize accuracy, accessibility, and human connection.
More Than Behaviour: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection in Children
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐โ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐งโ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ?
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with Lisa Denahy, founder of Create Calm, to explore what it really means to support a childโs emotional and behavioural regulation. We often focus on what we seeโtantrums, defiance, big reactionsโbut beneath it all is something deeper: the connection between the mind, the body, and a childโs developing sense of self.
Lisa shares a powerful shift in perspectiveโฆ from controlling behaviour to creating the conditions where children feel safe enough to learn how to regulate themselves.
Key points:
๐ฅ Why discipline needs to be redefined
๐ฅ The role of movement, breath, and the nervous system
๐ฅ Why children need us to model the skills we expect from them
๐ฅ How โtesting limitsโ is actually a sign of trust and growth
๐ฅ Simple, practical ways to build regulation before challenging moments happen
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฌ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐งโฆ ๐ข๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซโ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ.
With an MS in Yoga Therapy and BA in Psychology, over 30 years as a school administrator and SEL curriculum developer, and certification as an advanced educator and trainer, Lisa is highly skilled at creating accessible, evidence-based, successful curricula for behavioral and emotional regulation, as well as physical and mental health.
The Child Who Felt Invisible - and the Superpower That Changed Everything
Some children shine in obvious ways. Others quietly wonder if anyone truly sees them.
Guest Host Kathryn Colins speaks with Dr. Mark Perloe, a retired IVF specialist and grandfather, whose relationship with his two grandsons inspired him to write his first childrenโs book. One grandson is highly focused and neurodivergent. The other sometimes feels invisible -but uses humour as his superpower to connect.
๐ฅ How children who feel unseen can discover their own strengths
๐ฅ The power of humour, empathy, and kindness in building confidence
๐ฅ The unique role grandparents and adults can play in nurturing emotional well-being
๐ฅ Why noticing and valuing every child creates stronger families and communities
๐ฅ How Milo's story has helped to build a connection between siblings. How did Mark and his cousin work together to make publishing Milo's Superpower possible.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply see a child - and help them recognize the superpowers they already have.