156: Regulating Your Emotions As A Parent
Podcast Guest: Alissa Jerud
November 24th, 2025
Listen to the Show:
In this Episode
Parenting is emotional work—and it doesn’t stop with the kids. In this episode, Dr. Alissa Jerud shares practical, science-backed tools to help parents manage emotional storms (their own and their children’s) while staying calm, connected, and grounded. Drawing from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and anxiety treatment, she explains her ART and CARE frameworks for emotional agility, how to keep from “losing it” in the heat of the moment, and why opposite action can transform conflict into connection. You’ll learn how to support kids’ big feelings and protect your own well-being, plus ways couples can stay united as partners while navigating the stress of parenting.
“The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the Utah Marriage Commission.”
Time Markers
00:04 – Intro, parenting stress, guest overview
02:34 – Alissa’s background & emotional agility
04:45 – How her approach differs from others
08:18 – ART framework: accept, regulate, tolerate
10:51 – Mindfulness in real-life parenting moments
12:54 – How emotions work “like cookies”
16:51 – CARE skills to calm your body
19:37 – Why emotions are useful, not bad
21:50 – Naming kids’ emotions to tune them
22:29 – Using calm moments to reconnect
24:24 – Triggers, stress, and simple in-the-moment tools
25:03 – Opposite action bean-spill story
28:45 – CARE breakdown: ice, move, relax, exhale
31:41 – When partners disagree on parenting
33:27 – Emotion Savvy Parenting book & audio
36:39 – Key to stronger marriage connection
37:17 – Takeaways on compassion and doing our best
Insights
Alissa's
We’re all imperfect parents doing the best we can with the tools we have. When we mess up, self-compassion plus evidence-based strategies help us learn, grow, and move forward more wisely.
Liz’s
I loved the bean-spill story and the reminder to practice opposite action—pausing to do the opposite of our first reactive impulse. Slowing down that way can make all the difference.
Dave’s
I really appreciate the ART acronym—Accept, Regulate, Tolerate—because it’s simple, memorable, and immediately useful. These mindful, practical tools give parents something better than old habits to fall back on. Alyssa’s tips, book, and resources offer real support for parents doing the best they can with the skills they have, adding new tools to strengthen emotional resilience and connection.
About Alissa
Alissa Jerud, Ph.D. is a mom of two kids, a licensed clinical psychologist, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Washington and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. In her private practice, Dr. Jerud specializes in exposure-based treatments for anxiety-related disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. Additionally, she specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training and particularly enjoys helping other parents learn research-backed strategies for accepting, regulating, and tolerating their emotions, as well as their children's. Dr. Jerud also trains other clinicians in exposure-based treatments and frequently gives workshops on anxiety, stress, mental health, parenting, and social support to companies large and small. During her free time, Dr. Jerud enjoys hiking, cooking, doing yoga and arts and crafts projects, and spending time with friends and family.
Alissa's Resources
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