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The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl

The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl

Good Inside 13 Episodes Jul 22, 2026

The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl is a podcast from Good Inside for parents or adults raising, caring for, or loving a tween or teen. Hosted by clinical psychologist and mom of three Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, this show explores what’s really happening during this intense and transformative stage of life — from big emotions and shifting friendships to dating, academic pressure, social media, identity, and body changes. Each episode slows things down and looks beneath the surface so you can respond instead of react — because your kid may be growing up, but that doesn’t mean they need you less. They need you differently.

Episodes

AI Can't Do the One Thing Your Teen Needs Most
AI Can't Do the One Thing Your Teen Needs Most Jul 22, 2026 00:34:13 Your tween or teen is already using AI. For homework, for image generation, for drafting the text they're too nervous to send, and, more and more, for the human stuff: breakups, mental health, how to ask someone out, how to talk to you. Dr. Sheryl sits down with Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon, professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago, and the author of "Human Raised,
My Tween is Pulling Away. Is That Normal? - Revisit
My Tween is Pulling Away. Is That Normal? - Revisit Jul 15, 2026 00:32:00 A revisit from the Good Inside archives, hosted by Dr. Becky. As our kids grow up and pull away, it can feel like they’re breaking up with us. This week, Dr. Becky talks to a mom wondering why her son feels so distant as he begins middle school. He seems to have plenty of time to play video games and talk to his friends but she feels like she doesn’t know anything about his life anymore. Thank you
Muscles, Masculinity, and the Thing We Keep Mistaking for Health
Muscles, Masculinity, and the Thing We Keep Mistaking for Health Jul 8, 2026 00:33:58 Boys have body image issues too. They're just harder to spot. Dr. Kyle Ganson is a researcher at the University of Toronto who studies body image, eating disorders, and masculinity in boys and young men. He's also a dad. And yes, his six-year-old already flexes at him every morning. In this conversation, Dr. Sheryl and Dr. Kyle get into what's actually happening to boys in a culture built around g
The Even-Keel Kid: What to Do When Your Child Can't Name Their Feelings
The Even-Keel Kid: What to Do When Your Child Can't Name Their Feelings Jul 1, 2026 00:37:16 Your kid seems fine. Easygoing, no meltdowns. But when you ask how they're doing — nothing. "Fine." "I don't know." A shrug. And then one day you notice something's off, and you spend weeks trying to figure out what. Sarah comes to Dr. Sheryl with exactly this. Her 10-year-old son is kind, resilient, good at everything — and totally unable to name what he's feeling. She's tried asking directly. Sh
When Your Kid Comes Out: What to Say, What to Skip, and What Really Matters
When Your Kid Comes Out: What to Say, What to Skip, and What Really Matters Jun 24, 2026 00:32:41 Sarah Kate Ellis has spent more than a decade as President and CEO of GLAAD, the nation's largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization. She's a TIME 100 honoree. She's testified before Congress. She's had two audiences with Pope Francis. She's also a mom of two teenagers. In this conversation, Dr. Sheryl and Sarah Kate get into what parents actually need to know — not the policy, not the politics, bu
Losing My Teen to the Screen - Revisit
Losing My Teen to the Screen - Revisit Jun 17, 2026 00:23:30 What do you do when you give your teen a phone and everything you were worried about comes true? They stopped reading books like they used to. They never leave their room without their phone. Their grades slip. They’re getting into trouble socially. Can you take the phone away? Should you? And if you do, how should you go about it? This week, we're resurfacing a fan favorite from the flagship Good
How to Stay Friends When One of You Has Kids
How to Stay Friends When One of You Has Kids Jun 10, 2026 00:27:34 What happens to friendship when one person has kids—and the other doesn’t? In this episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with two of her longtime friends, Lisa and Nancy, to talk about a friendship that has lasted through marriage, parenthood, illness, career shifts, busy seasons, and very different life choices. One of them became a mom. One of them chose not to have children. And somehow, instead of dri
Can't Tap Out: One Mom on Single Parenting, Perimenopause, and Repair
Can't Tap Out: One Mom on Single Parenting, Perimenopause, and Repair Jun 3, 2026 00:32:28 What happens when your teenager is deep in puberty, your tween is just starting to feel the first shifts — and meanwhile, you're navigating perimenopause on your own? In this episode, Dr. Sheryl talks with Camille, a single mom of two outside Nashville, who's living that exact season right now. They talk about what it really means to parent alone — not just the logistics, but the emotional weight
What Today’s Girls Are Up Against
What Today’s Girls Are Up Against May 27, 2026 00:29:26 Tweens and teens today are growing up without something many of us took for granted: an off switch. No break from comparison. No break from group chats, social pressure, performance, opinions, or the feeling of always being “on.” This week, Dr. Sheryl talks with producer, writer, and Amy Poehler's Smart Girls co-founder Meredith Walker about what years of listening to girls has taught her about co
The Trait That Drives You Crazy Might Be Their Superpower
The Trait That Drives You Crazy Might Be Their Superpower May 20, 2026 00:32:17 You ask your kid to do something simple — put their shoes away, come downstairs, stop snapping at their sibling — and suddenly you’re in a full blown argument about your tone, your words, or whether you’re being “mean.” In this episode, 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. But what starts as a convers
I Care About You Right Now: The Period Doctor Talks Puberty
I Care About You Right Now: The Period Doctor Talks Puberty May 13, 2026 00:42:43 When should you start talking to your child about puberty and periods? What’s actually normal when it comes to cramps, mood changes, and cycle symptoms — and what’s not? In this episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with pediatric and adolescent gynecologist Dr. Charis Chambers, also known as “The Period Doctor,” for a conversation that every parent of a tween or teen needs to hear. Together, they talk ab
Sibling Drama Isn’t A Problem. It’s Practice.
Sibling Drama Isn’t A Problem. It’s Practice. May 6, 2026 00:35:10 One minute they're playing, the next they're snapping or shutting down. When your kids are fighting, it’s easy to wonder: What am I doing wrong? Should I step in… or stay out of it? In this episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with therapist and mom of seven Bridget KerMorris to unpack what’s really happening between siblings — especially when one child is entering the tween years and everything starts t

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