Ep 159: Before Birth and Beyond | The Lasting Power of Calm Beginnings

Ep 159: Before Birth and Beyond | The Lasting Power of Calm Beginnings

From TAKING THE HELM with Lynn McLaughlin by Lynn McLaughlin

November 12, 2025 · 42 min · Season 5 · Episode 159

About this episode

Laurel Crossley discusses the impact of a mother's emotional state before birth on a child's development and offers strategies for fostering emotional resilience in children.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬? For over 40 years, Laurel Crossley has dedicated her career in support of children and their families. From hosting parent and child workshops to coaching parents and their children, Mindfulness & Meditation has been at the centre of her work offering coping strategies for those dealing with worry and anxiety. During the pandemic, she was approached by her local television station to create a program to support families and children and Help! We’ve Got Anxiety!™ began. Today, she offers Meditating Munchkins™ for preschools, daycares and schools for children ages 18 months - 5 years as a mental health promotion strategy teaching the fundamentals of meditation. Laurel shares how a mother’s emotional state, even before birth, can shape a child’s development for years to come. 💥 She explains the importance of supporting maternal mental, emotional, and spiritual health 💥 How early calm and connection lay the foundation for…

People in this episode

Host: Lynn McLaughlin

Guest: Laurel Crossley

Topics covered

  • maternal mental health
  • child development
  • mindfulness
  • emotional regulation
  • parenting strategies
  • mental health promotion

Keywords

  • calm beginnings
  • toddlers
  • emotions
  • anxiety
  • meditation
  • parenting
  • outdoor play
  • sensory tools
  • storytelling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Help! We’ve Got Anxiety!, Meditating Munchkins, laurelcrossley.com

More episodes of TAKING THE HELM with Lynn McLaughlin

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the TAKING THE HELM with Lynn McLaughlin podcast page.