Fun Fact: If you draw a venn diagram of the circus and being an educator you get a perfect circle! At least, that’s what Jamie and Joe have learned. Straight out of Central New Jersey, join two seasoned teachers as they try to make sense of balancing their teaching careers with parenting multiple children, helping with aging parents, supporting their loving spouses, and navigating the very strange landscape of education in a post-Covid world. With guest interviews, deep dive explorations on ...
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Joseph Vitale And Jamie Wanko Podcasts
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Executive Functioning tips for Teens and Adults with Dr. Lethco
46:29
46:29
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46:29Join our hosts as the talk all things executive functioning with Dr. Lethco, an expert in the field of research and daily applications of researched tools that can improve executive functioning for those individuals that are neurodivergent and really so many of those that are just trying to make their way through the daily chore of existing. Season…
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Proper Holiday Greetings and Some Happy Meetings
45:41
45:41
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45:41Joe and Jamie talk about the current holiday season and all the trimmings to boot! Listen as they talk about what it means to teach during this hyper- busy season and how much stress can come your way in and out of the classroom. These two veteran educators discuss their tips on successfully making it through as a teacher in December. Season 3 is b…
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Hosts Joe and Jamie hit the road all the way to Atlantic City, New Jersey to the 2025 New Jersey Educators Association Conference. Speakers, teachers, leaders, companies and the one and only Malala Yousafzai were highlights of this year's convention and Joe and Jamie were there to cover all of it. Listen as they speak to County Teachers of the Year…
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We are Grateful, but not for Learned Helplessness in Students
44:52
44:52
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44:52Leaning into the gratitude of the season, our hosts play a fun game of Thanksgiving: Would you Rather. The hilarity of that is just a twist and turn onto the street of the newest learning challenge for teachers everywhere: learned helplessness. Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website be…
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Hey Jealousy - Four Day School Work Week with Courthey White
47:16
47:16
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47:16Listen as our hosts speak to four day work week teacher Courtney White. Straight from the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas, teacher sensation Courtney White shares all the benefits and positive outcomes she has encountered in her four day work week school district as a teacher and as a parent. Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Tea…
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Parenting High School Seniors; Fall Update
45:24
45:24
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45:24Join Joe and Jamie as they talk about parenting their three high school seniors through the steps of visiting, applying, waiting and stressing. When our hosts went to college way back in the 1900’s paper and pen was the only option, but now there are codes and apps and portals too. Listen as they update their collective journeys to graduation, 2026…
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2024 New Jersey Teacher of the Year, Joe Nappi
50:57
50:57
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50:57Joe and Jamie talk to NJ Teacher of the Year, Joe Nappi. Between these three teachers they have nearly 70 years of collective teaching experience. Tune in to their “shop talk” about the changes in education and their up to the minute response to those changes. Mr. Nappi has an incredible back story that will inspire all with his impact and influenc…
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3rd Annual Halloween Party Hosted by the Petty Patrol
42:59
42:59
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42:59Let’s celebrate this very special time of year, especially one for all of the teachers, Halloween. We are posing the question to the teacher, what is your Teacher Haunted House? Kids bring the extra energy, the trick and the treats and all the excitement that comes along with Halloween season. Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Te…
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Policies that Relate to Teachers with @TeacherpaywithK
44:54
44:54
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44:54Sit down and listen to Kristen, aka social media influencer @teacherpaywithK as she informs and updates hosts Joseph and Jamie about hot education topics like pension reform, the NJ Gubernatorial Race, and more pressing issues facing teachers across the country. Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check ou…
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Lesson Planning: Outdated and Unnecessary or an Important Part of Teaching?
45:34
45:34
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45:34Season 3 is brought to you by our principal sponsor, Teachers' Insurance Plan. Check out their website below for more information and to get a quote.http://bit.ly/4mQC27GTeachers' Insurance Plan: auto insurance that brings exclusive educator savings and exceptional customer care to New Jersey and Pennsylvania educational employees.We want to hear f…
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Educate and Rejuvenate with Kelsey Sorenson
54:16
54:16
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54:16By Joseph Vitale and Jamie Wanko
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Paid Internships for Student Teachers? You Go Pennsylvania!
46:38
46:38
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46:38Our hosts Jamie and Joe have a real hot take on the latest news out of their neighboring state of Pennsylvania, with the announcement that student teachers will be paid, leading to incentivizing teaching in the great state of PA. Practicing in this career for over two decades, Jamie and Joe are all over this hot topic and the future of tomorrow’s t…
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Our hosts Joe and Jamie both have Class of 2026 seniors this year, so they are all ears for any pieces of information on how to aid in the process of college acceptance and decision making, and Jen Foldvary has so much to share. Jen Foldvary and other great tutors are available for college counseling, subject matter, and executive function at www.e…
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Opening the school year can be a challenge even for the most seasoned teachers. Join our hosts as they discuss handling daily schedule changes, classroom decorating, and interacting with their students each day. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: [email protected] Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment! Fo…
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Are We in a Quarrel with Educator Andrea?
51:31
51:31
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51:31Professor, comedian, mom and friend of the pod Educator Andrea is here to give us some top secret information into her new book, her comedy tour, and what it is like for her to balance her many professional responsibilities, as well as being a wife and a mom. No one can make us laugh quite like @educatorandrea and you will too. Come and see Educato…
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Welcome Back to the Party, Season Three is Here
42:55
42:55
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42:55Join our hosts as they recap their summers and share with us all the sunny weather and rain filled storms they had to endure over the past two months while on summer hiatus. Big plans are in the works for the upcoming season, so grab a cup of coffee and join us for a welcome to the new school year, summer catch up session. — We want to hear from yo…
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Join Joe and Jamie as they review and reminisce on Season 2 episodes of the Balancing Act Podcast. They will reveal their top three moments of the season, guests that left a lasting impression, and all the ways they plan to continue this journey in September with Season 3 of the podcast that has helped them to help others like you. — We want to hea…
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Part II with Dr. Noelle Santorelli, Relational Aggression and Mean Girl Moms
46:21
46:21
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46:21One session with doctor Noelle Santorelli was simply not enough, we needed a part II. Join our hosts Joe and Jamie as they talk to Dr. Noelle Santorelli about her research and work into the topic of relational aggression, and what it means for parenting styles, relationships, and systems within families and schools as people earnestly try to naviga…
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Part I with Dr. Noelle Santorelli, Relational Aggression and Mean Girl Moms
42:55
42:55
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42:55Join our hosts Joe and Jamie as they talk to Dr. Noelle Santorelli about her research and work into the topic of relational aggression, and what it means for parenting styles, relationships, and systems within families and schools as people earnestly try to navigate this new way of dealing with everyday stressors that include comparisons through te…
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Teachers in this country are perpetually exhausted. But why?? Join our veteran host teachers with over 50 years of teaching experience between them to explore the reasons behind why teachers are so tired. Both in and out of the classroom, teachers are more tired than ever, but why? Our hosts have some strong opinions about the reasons behind this. …
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How much tech is too much? With Merve Lapus from Common Sense Media
45:08
45:08
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45:08Is this a tech “eat” tech world? Just how much tech is too much?Listen to our hosts discuss Ed Tech, social media and cell phones in schools, with Common Sense Media’s voice of reason, Merve Lapus. Lapus has a next level approach to how to parent and teach using tech, and some strong words of advice on how to guide teens through the tech heavy worl…
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And One More Thing: Teachers are the Reason for all the Extras in Schools
47:24
47:24
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47:24Jamie and Joe revisit the topics connected to parent volunteers in public schools, as well as the weight of judgement between working and non working parents. Such hot topics in the education space overlap into the parenting space and include how much of the “extra” that exists in education is from the wallets and off the backs of unpaid teacher la…
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Bianca and Chelsea from the NJAEA Pod Squad: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers
48:32
48:32
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48:32Bianca and Chelsea from the “NJEA Aspiring Ed PodSquad” podcast join us this week in an exciting pod swap experience. As hosts in their own right, these two ladies are navigating the education space and taking New Jersey by storm. TCNJ students and future teachers, Chelsea and Bianca share with Joe and Jamie their hopes and concerns for themselves …
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What Makes a “Good” Parent? Even Kelly Clarkson doesn't know.
48:12
48:12
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48:12In today's society being a parent can be amongst the most difficult of all of life’s challenges. Raising children is not for the faint of heart, and Jamie and Joe discuss some of the issues facing parents these days that make them both say, I don’t get it! Being a good parent is everyone’s goal, but have we all lost sight of what makes someone good…
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Why are Students not Successful in School? with Mitch Weathers
51:06
51:06
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51:06Educator, speaker and author Mitch Weathers joins the pod to discuss his method for maximizing student success with the Organized Binder method. Students, teachers and parents have noticed the cognitive load placed on our kids year after year, but are baffled as to the process in which to build these skills and improve executive functioning and suc…
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Middle School Minds Need Organized Systems
42:58
42:58
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42:58Whether it's grading, studying, or even navigating google classroom, organized systems don’t really exist for our students. How can we expect them to succeed when they have to adapt and change every hour of the day? Joe and Jamie discuss their methods for teaching and learning with middle schoolers as well as their frustrations with lack of uniform…
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Jennifer Mazzochi joins the pod this week to discuss co teaching connections. Special education teacher and coteaching aficionado Jennifer Mazzochi explains how to make the unique relationship between co teachers thrive in the best interest of the partnership and the students in their charge. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say …
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Learned helplessness and lack of perseverance and grit are plaguing our schools and children across America, but why? Join Jamie and Joe as they explore possible reasons and solutions to the very big questions that keep many educators and parents awake each night. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.…
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Joe and Jamie welcome Insta sensation AnnaK, also known as ReadAwaywithMissK, as they share their love of teaching, reading, and being funny. Anna shares her experiences in the classroom beginning in the Bronx and continuing all the way down to Louisville. Anna shares with us her love of teaching, teachers, and the profession she “never wants to le…
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Jamie and Joe are all about balance… and sometimes you need to bark out all your pettiest complaints to a friendly and compassionate ear to find your sense of zen. Listen to their hysterical banter as they swat things that drive each of them nuts both in and out of school. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancinga…
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Believe’ment is Achievement with Ed DeShazer
47:17
47:17
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47:17Director Edward DeShazer joins us to discuss teacher well being, how to maintain boundaries and his latest book, Closing the Believe’ment Gap. His powerful belief in positive behaviors, teacher support and pouring it back into the teachers of America will inspire even the most critical cynic. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say …
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Being a part of the sandwich generation means having to spread your love and care between your children, spouse and your elderly, aging parents. Jamie and Joe know and live these challenges all too well, and want to update listeners on hospice care, estate planning and balancing their daily life challenges as members of this not so super fun club. …
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Middle School Maniacs with Courtney Varner
47:31
47:31
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47:31Join Instagram and TikTok teacher/ comedian Courtney Varner as she waxes poetic on all things she loves about teaching middle school. Straight from the snowy streets of Missouri, hi_its_me_mrs._v joins forces with our hosts to share her secret to laughing her way through middle school. — We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: pod…
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Listen as our hosts discuss their “no tech teaching experience” when their boss challenged them to discard their student chromebooks for weeks. Hear their open and honest reviews of their time without tech in their classrooms. We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: [email protected] Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us …
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In this episode, we delve into child development with Dr. Danielle Dick, professor at Rutgers University and author of "The Child's Code." She discusses the genetic and environmental factors influencing children's behaviors, drawing from her experience as a mother of a high-risk child. We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: hello…
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In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, we humorously discuss our personal food favorites, including nostalgic tomato soup. The conversation shifts to the impact of recent cold weather in New York on societal behavior and local traditions like Groundhog Day. We address NJ Governor Murphy's proposed cell phone restrictions in schools, examinin…
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Join Joe and Jamie as they gab it up with fellow educator Tyler Tarver, and watch as they fan-girl over every bit of wisdom he has to share about his vast educational experiences. Whether it's YouTube teaching, administration experience or A.I. in the classroom, keep all eyes and ears focused toward your favorite tech-spert, Dr. Tyler Tarver. Check…
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Shocked, Shooketh, Shaken. Why don’t these kids like me? Season 2 - Episode 19
47:40
47:40
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47:40Lack of respect for teachers is an ongoing issue for most of us in our daily classroom experiences. Are there any tips or tricks to help change relationship habits when it comes to mean students? Join Jamie and Joe as they hash out what it means to them when students are just not buying what they are trying to sell. Starting in February, The Balanc…
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Vein Tests, Heart Tests and Praxis Tests, Oh My! Season 2 - Episode 18
47:20
47:20
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47:20Recently in New Jersey there has been discussion of the elimination of a step toward your teaching certificate. Where do tests begin and where should they end? Join our hosts as they discuss testing, personal and professional ones, and listen as they share their fears associated with failing them. Big announcement on today's episode! Can't wait for…
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New Year, Same Old Friends - Season 2 Episode 17
45:11
45:11
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45:11New Year’s Resolutions? Are they a thing of the past, or a goal setting achievement? Join co-hosts Jamie and Joe as they recap their winter holiday vacations spent with family and friends, and listen in as they discuss what is coming up in 2025. Big announcments are on tap for 2025! Stay tuned friends...can't wait to share! Learn more about your ad…
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2nd Annual Holiday Special - Season 2 Episode 16
38:37
38:37
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38:37Join co-hosts Jamie and Joe as they discuss their favorite holiday traditions from ornaments to dinners to gift giving galore. In the last episode of 2024, the Balancing Act podcast wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and a very Happy New Year. We will return in 2025 with regular episodes on January 14th, 2025! Exciting things a…
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Holiday Stress? The Teachers Health Coach is in Session - Season 2 Episode 15
50:06
50:06
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50:06Join our hosts as they get some great guidance and advice from their new pal Charley Burley, who comes to the pod all the way from across the pond. Known as the.teachers.health.coach Charley, an educator himself provides advice and methods that are applicable to ensure our listeners make their way through this holiday season with less stress. Give …
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Join our hosts as they speak to a fellow New Jersey teacher and influencer getting to the root of the root and the bud of the bud of this thing called, Money. Teacher Pay with K talks about all things pension, contracts and what a strong union means to the teaching profession. Check out @teacherpaywithK on Instagram and TikTok for all things pensio…
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Gobble Gobble, It’s Time to Talk Turkey - Season 2 Episode 13
45:06
45:06
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45:06Can you guess what was the first Thanksgiving food to be grown in space? How much did the largest pumpkin pie weigh? Join our hosts as they review their favorite parts and pieces for the upcoming holiday. Jamie and Joe talk sides, turkey, balloons and their plans for their Thanksgiving holidays with their favorite people. Learn more about your ad c…
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Employable Teens? Dishin’ out advice with Nicholas Creamery owner Jodie Edwards - Season 2 Episode 12
53:40
53:40
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53:40Listen in as marketing and hiring expert Jodie Edwards sits with our hosts to provide insight into developing employable teens. The best generation? It's quite possible that you might be underestimating the wide open spaces your teen has yet to conquer. Co-owner of the popular New Jersey ice cream chain of small batch handcrafted ice cream, Jodi Ed…
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Tech Break? Helpful or nearly impossible? - Season 2 Episode 11
45:54
45:54
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45:54We are discussing the town of Kenilworth, New Jersey, who recently implemented a tech free school day. All educators continually discuss the implications of tech on students and wonder if it is causing more harm than help. Listen in as we applaud Kenilworth public schools for trying something different and wonder if it is something we should all be…
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Tommy Ho!!! It's our Canadian amie, Dawn Wiseman - Season 2 Episode 10
43:52
43:52
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43:52Dawn Wiseman is officially our first international guest. Bonjour to our new amie (that’s French for friend) Dawn Wiseman who has been teaching for 17 years, and has morphed into an AI enthusiast. Her tips and tricks for teachers on how to maximize their AI experience with multiple platforms will have you running to the computer to try them all. Ch…
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To Halloween or Not to Halloween - Season 2 Episode 9
47:10
47:10
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47:10Jamie and Joe wax poetic about Halloween past, and what it was like to be a Mom in the 80’s before the invention of Trunk o Treat. Should schools promote Halloween activities or not? Favorite candy and memories of the holiday make us all nostalgic for the romanticized version of this fall festival. Check out videos of our episodes on our Youtube Ch…
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Coworkers: True Friends or Trauma Bonded? Season 2 Episode 8
47:31
47:31
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47:31Our hosts discuss coworkers: true friends or trauma bonded? Which is a topic close to their hearts. Are your co-workers really your true friends, or are you just not that close? Listen as they share their point of view and experiences in different schools with various groups of coworkers who became their lifelong friends. Learn more about your ad c…
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The Queen of Mean Girl Moms - Dr. Noelle Santorelli Season 2 Episode 7
50:48
50:48
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50:48Join us for an enthralling conversation with relationship and Mean Girl Mom expert Dr. Noelle Santorelli as we unravel the generational issues faced by those in the know, how to navigate being a mom, or a dad in today's culture parenting of exclusivity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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