In this episode, I talk about "toxic positivity" in both the parenting and professional communities for therapists and teachers. If you've ever felt dismissed when someone told you to "look on the bright side" or "be grateful for what you have", you'll appreciate this discussion. I share:  ✅Why telling someone to "just think positive" can make an overwhelmed person feel worse. ✅Why many depressed people don't WANT to feel happy when they're having an episode (and what they want instead). ✅Why it's so hard to do simple things that you know you SHOULD be doing (for yourself, your kids, your clients, etc.). ✅How to calm the chaos in your life, so you can finally breath and recharge (hint: I'm not going to tell you to "change your mindset" or "be more positive"). ✅The strategy I use to stop overwhelm and think long-term, instead of just putting out fires all day (this is the SAME strategy I used to finish my dissertation while working full-time). In this episode, I mentioned SLP Learning Academy, my a membership designed to help you make a lasting impact with your services, create change in the field, and feel confident and fulfilled in your work WITHOUT burning out (or spending hours planning.) To get more information about this program (plus my other resources for parents, educators, and SLPs), visit my resources page here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ The De Facto Leaders podcast was formerly the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast. As of November 2022, the name of the show has changed, and we’ve shifted from a focus on parenting to a focus on supporting clinicians and educators to design effective services for kids (but parents are still welcome to listen). Episodes published before November 24, 2022 will still contain some of our old branding. 
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.