Episode 150

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Published on:

23rd May 2026

How to Move on After a Mama Meltdown: Guest Podcast with Pam Howard

Dawn Friedman introduces the final May Mental Health Awareness Month guest episode of Tell Me It Will Be OK, featuring Pam Howard of Less Drama More Mama, a licensed clinical social worker, master certified life coach, author, and mom of two. Pam shares two “mama meltdown” stories—one in 2009 with a 3-year-old and newborn when she yelled, threatened consequences, and spanked in rage, and another 13 years later when she yelled at her teen for not getting up for school and threatened a truancy officer. She explains how, instead of spiraling into shame, she practiced self-compassion, sought support, and used the experience as growth, drawing on The Gap and the Gain to focus on progress. Pam describes repairing with her daughters through apology, conversation, and a “family reset,” and invites listeners to forgive themselves and reframe imperfect parenting as an opportunity for change.

00:00 Finale Guest Intro

02:20 What Is a Mama Meltdown

02:51 2009 Breaking Point

04:55 Shame and Wake Up Call

06:17 Meltdown Returns Years Later

07:02 Saboteurs Take Over

08:57 Choosing Self Compassion

10:24 Gap Versus Gain Mindset

11:11 Repairing After the Blowup

13:24 Forgiveness and Growth

15:16 Wrap Up and Coaching Invite

Get more of Pam at the following links:

Website: Less Drama More Mama

Instagram: Less Drama More Mama

Facebook: Less Drama More Mama

Mentioned in this episode:

Tell Me It Will Be OK: The Practice

🌟 READY TO FIND YOUR ROOM TO BREATHE? Tell Me It Will Be OK: The Practice is a weekly, 30-minute audio-guided journaling sanctuary designed to help you connect with your own inner wisdom, calm, and connection.ry a free 30-minute sample session today and lock in your spot on our priority waitlist for the July 8th launch. Get your free sample session at OpenBookParenting.com!

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About the Podcast

TELL ME IT WILL BE OK
a parenting podcast with Dawn Friedman MSEd
Tell Me It Will Be OK is the conversation for parents of anxious kids who have read all the books, listened to all the experts, and still feel like something is missing.

Host Dawn Friedman, MSEd, has spent over thirty years in the trenches with families as an educator, family case manager, and clinical counselor. She knows that in a world of climate crisis, political upheaval, and digital noise, there is no such thing as a "quick-fix" script or a one-size-fits-all solution. Parenting bright, sensitive, and anxious children requires more than just a new technique—it requires a paradigm shift.

Each week, Dawn moves beyond the "how-to" to dig into the "why" and the "what now?" through:
--Deep-Dive Interviews: Conversations with researchers, activists, authors, and practitioners who look at the big picture of raising children today.

--Practical Wisdom: Evidence-based clinical insights (including SPACE and infant-toddler mental health) applied to the messy reality of daily life.

--The "No-Need-To-Be-Perfect" Philosophy: Shifting away from anxious perfectionism and toward the inner wisdom that helps us connect with our kids when things are hard.

To learn more about Dawn and the work that she does, you can check out her site, Open Book Parenting.

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Dawn Friedman