The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl

Somewhere around 12 or 13, most kids make a quiet decision about themselves, usually over something small: a friend who stopped texting back, a moment they've never told you about. Psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, author of Worth, joins Dr. Sheryl to explain what actually helps, and it isn't a pep talk.

In this revisit from the Good Inside podcast, Dr. Sheryl and Dr. Becky talk about why puberty today looks so different for our kids than it did for us—and what caregivers can do to support them through it.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with pediatrician Dr. Whitney Casares for a conversation about tweens and body confidence.

Dr. Sheryl and Phyllis Fagell talk through why middle schoolers pull away from their parents (and why it's not rejection), the real numbers on how often friendships shift during these years, and the "superpowers," belonging, security, self-regulation, that actually predict resilience.

A revisit from the Good Inside archives, hosted by Dr. Becky.

Dr. Sheryl talks with Sarah, the mom of an easy-going 10-year-old who isn't able to open up about his real feelings.

We're resurfacing a fan favorite from the flagship Good Inside podcast feed, in which Dr. Becky fields a few phone concerns and questions.

A single mom of two navigating perimenopause while raising a teenager and a tween. The hormones. The grief. The "many hats." Dr. Sheryl gets into all of it.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with Emily, a mom of five navigating life with her 12-year-old son, Cooper, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD.

Sibling conflict isn’t a sign that something is wrong — it’s where your kids are learning how relationships actually work.

Eating disorders affect an estimated 30 million Americans in their lifetime. They are common. They are serious. And they are not caused by “bad parenting.” Dr. Sheryl revisits a recent conversation between Dr. Becky and Dr. Erin Parks, Chief Clinical Officer at Equip Health, to talk about eating disorders and disordered eating in kids and teens—what the early signs look like, what’s happening emotionally underneath, and how parents can respond without escalating shame or control struggles.

Eye rolls. Talking back. That tone that seems to come out of nowhere. A lot of parents hit this moment around age 9 or 10 — when their once easygoing kid suddenly feels harder to reach, harder to guide, and harder to understand. In this episode, Dr. Sheryl talks with a mom named Anna who’s navigating this exact shift with her daughter. Alongside the attitude and pushback, her daughter is also dealing with anxiety — leaving Anna wondering: Are these things connected? And how do I respond in a way that actually helps? Together, they unpack what’s really going on underneath this stage — why kids start pushing back, how anxiety can show up as irritability, and why this phase isn’t a sign that something is going wrong… but that something new is developing. You’ll walk away with a powerful reframe — and practical tools to stay steady, set boundaries, and build connection during this in-between stage.

Friendships get more complicated around age 10 — and sometimes kids find themselves caught in the middle of dynamics they don’t know how to handle. In this episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with a mom named Erin, whose daughter is trying to stay close with two friends who don’t get along… and keeps getting pulled into the conflict. Together, they unpack a question so many parents face:How do I help my child without stepping in too much — or not enough?