Ep 121 - Radical Kindness, Authenticity and Belonging with Ms. Chang

This week on Regulated & Relational, Ginger Healy and Julie Beem welcome a very special guest: educator, speaker, and viral content creator, Jere Chang.Known to millions online as “Ms. Chang,” Jere brings humor, honesty, creativity, and deep compassion to conversations about education, inclusion, belonging, and what she calls radical kindness. With more than 20 years in education and a global social media following, Jere has become a powerful voice for teachers, families, and children navigating today’s educational landscape.In this conversation, we explore:Jere’s journey into teaching and gifted educationWhy social media became a platform for advocacy and connectionWhat “soft activism” and radical kindness really meanThe changing realities facing both students and educators todayThe power of authenticity, curiosity, resilience, and belongingHow laughter and connection can become pathways to healingMs. Chang’s new book on Amazon! Becoming the Teacher I Needed: Lessons in Radical Kindness and Resilience https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394357621 Find Ms. Chang on social mediaMs. Chang Gifted Official Website (mschanggifted)TikTok: @mschanggifted on TikTokInstagram: @mschanggifted on InstagramYouTube: Jere Chang (@mschanggifted) on YouTubeFacebook: Ms. Chang Gifted on FacebookLinktree (all socials): Ms. Chang Gifted Linktree (Linktree)

In this episode of Regulated & Relational, hosts Tracy Leonard and Ginger Healy sit down with Sage Hancock, Executive Director of GenerationAll, for a powerful and thought-provoking conversation on breaking cycles of trauma and creating systemic change.Sage shares her expertise at the intersection of advocacy, healing, and prevention—exploring what it truly means to be trauma-informed and attachment-focused when supporting children and families impacted by early childhood trauma.Together, they discuss:• What effective prevention looks like for at-risk children and families• How generational and secondary trauma show up across communities• The importance of early identification and how trauma manifests in the body• Why systems like healthcare and policy must shift toward earlier intervention• The “circle” of prevention and moving upstream to stop harm before it happens• Expanding models of care, especially in underserved and rural communities• The role of storytelling—including Hometown Betrayal—in driving awareness and changeThis episode is a deep dive into how we move from awareness to action—centering lived experience, strengthening families, and reimagining systems to better protect and support survivors.Learn more about GenerationAll: https://www.generationall.org/Follow on social: @generation.allBook referenced: Hometown Betrayalhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4KS4S4H

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Julie and Ginger sit down with Andy Neal—content creator, speaker, and foster/adoptive parent—to explore the realities of parenting children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).Drawing from both lived experience and professional insight, this episode dives into the complexities of attachment, trauma, and the emotional toll—and growth—that comes with raising children impacted by early adversity. Andy shares his personal journey with vulnerability, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, offering listeners a rare, unfiltered look at life inside a family navigating RAD.Andy Neal is an Oregon-based content creator, speaker, and storyteller known online as @andyfilmsandhikes. With a cross-platform audience of over 500,000, Andy is widely recognized for his viral “stupid hike for my stupid mental health” videos, as well as his candid reflections on mental health, faith, grief, and foster and adoptive parenting. His storytelling blends humor with honesty, creating space for real conversations about healing and resilience.Parenting children with RAD requires a profound shift from behavior management to relationship-based careHealing is nonlinear—for both children and caregiversSupport systems are not optional; they are essentialHonest storytelling helps reduce stigma and isolationFollow Andy: @andyfilmsandhikes

Sometimes healing doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from getting grounded in what’s already around us. In this inspiring episode, Julie and Ginger explore the powerful connection between nature and nervous system regulation, diving into the fascinating science behind why time outdoors calms, heals, and restores us.From the forest floor to the garden bed, you’ll learn how nature interacts with our bodies and brains—on a chemical and cellular level—to reduce stress, boost mood, strengthen immunity, and bring us back into balance.Try these easy, no-cost ways to reconnect and regulate:Take a barefoot walk in the grass with your child.Make mud pies, dig in the dirt, or plant something together.Sit under a tree, journal outdoors, or simply breathe in the fresh air.Create a “sit spot” at home or school to notice daily and seasonal changes.Step away from screens and let the rhythm of nature help you downshift into calm.Nature helps the body move from hyperarousal or dissociation into safety and connection—what trauma-sensitive educators call the window of tolerance. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or caregiver, grounding yourself in nature isn’t just restorative—it’s regulating.As Ginger reminds us: “Healing doesn’t just happen in therapy offices. It’s also waiting for us—just outside the front door.”Resources & References:The Nature Fix — Florence WilliamsShinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing — Dr. Qing LiLast Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder — Richard LouvYour Brain on Nature — Eva Selhub & Alan LoganEarthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons — Chevalier et al., Journal of Environmental and Public Health (2012)Polyvagal Theory — Stephen PorgesChildren & Nature Network: childrenandnature.orgRegulation and Co-Regulation: Accessible Neuroscience and Connection Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond — by Ginger Healy

What if growth could sound like laughter?In this conversation, Billy Kaplan, a licensed clinical social worker at Treehouse Health, joins Ginger and Julie to explore how healing with youth can emerge through humor, play, and connection. Billy shares stories from his therapeutic work, showing how joy and pain often live side by side, and how a simple “yes, and” can open space for change.Together, they reflect on the power of reframing, the meaning of PACE approach (playful acceptance, curiosity, and empathy), and the surprising truth that sometimes the most serious work is play.

What if healing didn’t require a therapy license—only presence, connection, and courage?Andi Fetzner joins Ginger and Julie and shares how her Origins Training work in Arizona supports adults in understanding trauma, building resilience, and reconnecting to themselves and others. The discussion explores the powerful truth that you don’t have to be a therapist to be therapeutic.Together, they unpack key trauma concepts—ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), stress, and resilience—while grounding the conversation in relationship and practical human connection.A central theme emerges: Healing happens in connection.And just as important—uncomfortable does not mean unsafe.This episode is an invitation to rethink what support, growth, and restoration can look like in everyday spaces.

What are children learning that no one is explicitly teaching?Ingrid Cockhren joins Julie and Ginger to explore how historical trauma shapes social learning, schooling, storytelling, and bias across generations. From the lasting impacts of colonization and slavery to concepts like white flight and white-washed education, the conversation highlights how coping patterns, beliefs, and behaviors are quietly passed down—and absorbed by children.Together, they reflect on the limits and responsibilities of schools as microcosms of society, the need for anti-bias and restorative practices in trauma-informed education, and why stronger mental health supports are essential for meaningful change.At the heart of the episode is a simple truth:What is learned implicitly must be addressed explicitly—so stories of hope and growth can be passed on alongside history.

In this episode, Julie Beem and Ginger Healy explore Julie’s research on mattering—what it is, why it matters, and how it shows up in adult-child relationships. This episode is created for parents, teachers, and caregivers who want to better understand externalized relationship-seeking behaviors, such as acting out, defiance, attention-seeking, or emotional outbursts. The conversation focuses on how adults can respond to these behaviors in ways that strengthen connection rather than strain it. Julie and Ginger also share the core components of mattering, along with practical takeaways and reflective questions to help bring mattering to the forefront of everyday interactions with children.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Ginger and Julie sit down with Josh Novick—licensed therapist, educator, national speaker, and founder of Trust & Grow Consulting—to explore what it truly takes to create safer, more connected school communities in the wake of violence.Josh brings both professional expertise and lived experience in recovery, grounding this conversation in courage, compassion, and the belief that we heal better together. As an ambassador for Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, Josh bridges policy and practice, elevating youth voice while advocating for educator wellness and sustainable change.In This Episode, we Explore:Josh’s personal journey and what led him into the work of ending gun violence in schoolsThe importance of trust, relationship, and naming—including how we think about and label spaces like “resource rooms”Supporting educator wellness About Trust & Grow ConsultingJosh is the founder of Trust & Grow Consulting, where the mission is clear: help schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations create trauma-informed, socially and emotionally intelligent spaces that foster healing and connection.https://trustandgrow.org/Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence-https://www.teachersunify.org/

What does it really mean to help students learn how to learn—especially in systems that were never designed with all learners in mind?In this powerful conversation, Ginger and Julie are joined by Zaretta Hammond, nationally recognized consultant, educator, and author, to explore how culturally responsive teaching, neuroscience, and instructional equity intersect. Together, they unpack why rigor and care are not opposites, how learning power is built (or blocked) by systems, and what educators can do to move beyond compliance toward true cognitive justice.Zaretta brings over 25 years of experience supporting schools and systems in understanding the science of learning, the science of reading, and culturally responsive practices, offering both big-picture insight and practical wisdom educators can use right away.Zaretta Hammond is a national consultant, former high school and community college writing teacher, and a leading voice in culturally responsive education. She is the author of:Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice (Corwin, 2025)Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (Corwin, 2015)🌐 Zaretta Hammond’s website: https://ready4rigor.com/📘 Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: https://a.co/d/0AYfVe2📗 Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: https://a.co/d/9XHihth