The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast

33 episodes

S2 EP 24 - Leveling Up Self-Regulation: The Final Countdown
04/28/2026 | 35 mins.
Screen time is not going anywhere, so instead of arguing about whether it is “good” or “bad,” let’s get specific about what it is actually doing for our kids.
This is episode two in our technology series, where we explore how digital tools can be used in more intentional, supportive ways for kids and families.
WEBSITE: www.mightier.com
COUPON CODE: MARYPOPPINS (15% OFF)
In this episode, I share a surprising tool I vetted myself: a set of video games that use heart-rate biofeedback to help kids practice emotional regulation while they play. If your child melts down quickly, struggles with anxiety, or gets stuck in frustration, this conversation offers a concrete way to think about intentional screen time and digital wellness at home. Please note: I am not being paid in any capacity for this interview. I simply am absolutely mesmerized by this software. Share the knowledge!
A VISIT FROM JESSICA RAGNIO FROM MIGHTIER:
Suzanne is joined by her first-ever guest, Jessica Ragnio, a clinical social worker, therapist, and mom of three who serves as Clinical Director at Mightier. She breaks down how the program grew out of research at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and why real-time practice matters more than simply talking about coping skills when a child is already flooded.
We dig into how the games respond to rising heart rate, what “red zone” and “blue zone” cues look like, and how kids are rewarded for bringing their bodies back down to calm.
We also cover what families tend to notice over time, including stronger emotional awareness, better frustration tolerance, and calmer recovery in school and friendships. For parents who want visibility, we talk through the companion app and the progress data it tracks, including cooldowns.
If you want to explore it yourself, head to www.mightier.com and use the code MARYPOPPINS for 15% off.
If this episode helps you rethink screen time, subscribe, share it with a parent friend, and leave a review so more families can find practical mental health tools.
Contact Suzanne M. Swain EdS LMSW:
[email protected]
Website: msmarypoppins.com
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Productions
Special thanks to our producer, StellaMix podcast productions, another Palm Beach County School of the Arts collaboration. Need a podcast? Connect with Janine Stella ASAP: http://www.Stellamix.com
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
Support the show
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps keep the podcast free, research-based, and focused on emotional health for kids—especially neurodivergent tweens and teens.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛
S2 EP 23 - The Screen Time Clash: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
04/20/2026 | 17 mins.
Screens: the ultimate villain… or your kid’s emotional support sidekick? In this playful (and eye-opening) episode, Suzanne dives into the nightly showdown every parent knows too well—the “put the phone down” battle—and flips the script in a way you probably didn’t see coming.
What looks like defiance might actually be overwhelm. What feels like obsession might be regulation. From dopamine hits and digital comparison to cyberbullying and late-night scrolling, we unpack what’s really going on behind the screen—and why simply taking the phone away might be missing the bigger picture.
With relatable stories, a dash of humor (shoutout to Lieutenant Steve 🐾), and practical strategies you can actually use, this episode helps parents, educators, and caregivers move from power struggles to real connection. Because the goal isn’t to win the screen time war—it’s to understand the kid on the other side of it.
Tune in for a fresh perspective, a few “aha” moments, and maybe even a little peace at bedtime.
————-
PRO BONO: Currently, MSMP does not profitize nor monetize as an effort to avoid bias & to help build trust with new listeners. (Too many commercials ruin messaging.)
Trust is everything & worth earning first. MSMP will only support rigorously vetted advertisers that commit to bettering the lives & mental health of kids and their families - no fluff. Your time is valuable. ——————————-
4/21/26: 🍎 Issue: Currently working with Apple to fix the incorrect rating & reviews. There is a glitch in the system currently but please feel free to continue to add your ratings & written review if possible! They hope to have it back soon. Thx -Suz 🤦‍♀️
For current & accurate ratings, please see MSMP’s page on Spotify. 2600 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Wow y’all! 🥳
Contact Suzanne M. Swain EdS LMSW:
[email protected]
Website: msmarypoppins.com
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Productions
Special thanks to our producer, StellaMix podcast productions, another Palm Beach County School of the Arts collaboration. Need a podcast? Connect with Janine Stella ASAP: http://www.Stellamix.com
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
Support the show
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps keep the podcast free, research-based, and focused on emotional health for kids—especially neurodivergent tweens and teens.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛
S2 EP 22 - Growing Up Neurodivergent: Karma Chameleon
04/10/2026 | 16 mins.
You can be smart, creative, and deeply caring and still walk through life feeling like you’re getting “thrown to the curb.” That ache hits a lot of neurodivergent adults, especially when old childhood labels keep playing on loop: too sensitive, too emotional, too intense, too distracted, so much potential if you could just… I’m busting those cognitive distortions and telling a truer story about neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, giftedness, and what it’s like when your brain takes in more than the room expects.

We start with a memory from childhood that’s equal parts funny and revealing: walking up to neighbors’ houses and asking if they had kids who wanted to be friends. Through that lens, we talk about why connection can become a core driver for neurodivergent people and why shame is often just misunderstood wiring. Then we get into brain science that matters, especially for parents and educators: the middle school brain renovation where the limbic system runs hot and the prefrontal cortex is still under construction. Add sensory sensitivity and emotional intensity, and the world can feel loud, fast, and harsh, even when you’re doing your best.

From there we connect the dots to adulthood: executive functioning challenges, workplace expectations, the “inconsistent but brilliant” stereotype, and why “failure to launch” is often about planning, time management, stress regulation, and systems that weren’t built for neurodivergent minds. We also talk hyper empathy, reading body language, and the loneliness of being highly attuned. Most importantly, we practice reframes that are fair, specific, and actually usable and we translate that into how we can support neurodivergent kids without trying to fix them, by getting curious about their thinking steps and honoring their process.

If this resonates, subscribe, share with someone raising or living as neurodivergent, and leave a review so more people can find language that replaces shame with clarity. What’s one label you’re ready to rewrite?

Contact Suzanne Swain:
Email: [email protected] Website: msmarypoppins.com
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Productions
Special thanks to our producer, StellaMix podcast productions, another Palm Beach County School of the Arts collaboration. Need a podcast? Connect with Janine Stella ASAP: http://www.Stellamix.com
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
Support the show
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps keep the podcast free, research-based, and focused on emotional health for kids—especially neurodivergent tweens and teens.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛
S2 EP 21 - Cancer Changes Everything: Listen to Your Heart
03/17/2026 | 18 mins.
What I thought was a routine appointment turned into an 11-hour stretch in the ER—and then the words no one is ever ready to hear: stage four metastatic cervical cancer. I’m sharing this with a shaky voice but a steady purpose, because my best friend Tanya is fighting for her life, and right now, I’m one of her primary caregivers.
This has made me really think about what chosen family actually means when the crisis isn’t abstract. Tanya is my person—the friend who crossed countries, built a life from nothing, cared deeply for others, loved animals like family, and showed up for me through surgeries, pain, and all the messy parts of being human. Now she’s facing cancer that has spread to her bones, lungs, liver, and lymph nodes, and I’m trying to navigate pain management, treatment decisions, and the emotional whiplash that comes when someone you love can’t even sit up in a chair.
And I have to say the part people don’t always want to talk about: the cost. The reality of U.S. healthcare. Insurance questions, growing medical bills, and the impossible math of losing income while caregiving becomes a full-time job. If you’ve ever carried caregiver stress, unresolved grief, or that deep wound of losing someone too early, you’ll understand—this is raw, unfiltered, and straight from the heart.
If you can, please listen. Share this with someone who believes in showing up for others. Help Tanya in her fight by donating or spreading the word. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell me—what does showing up for your person look like in your life?
Contact Suzanne Swain:
Email: [email protected] Website: msmarypoppins.com
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Productions
Special thanks to our producer, StellaMix podcast productions, another Palm Beach County School of the Arts collaboration. Need a podcast? Connect with Janine Stella ASAP: http://www.Stellamix.com
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
Support the show
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps keep the podcast free, research-based, and focused on emotional health for kids—especially neurodivergent tweens and teens.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛
S2 EP 20 - Unpacking Neurodivergence: She Blinded Me With Science
03/10/2026 | 10 mins.
What if the behaviors we rush to fix are actually signals from a beautifully organized, differently wired brain? In this episode, we explore new neuroscience showing why attention differences, sensory intensity, and big emotions often appear together—and why that combination makes biological sense. Recent research suggests that thousands of small genetic variations shape overlapping pathways linked to ADHD, autism, and mood regulation, pointing to a more connected “systems view” of the brain.
We also look at how brain networks—like the default mode network and executive control system—affect imagination, focus, and the ability to shift between tasks. That’s why things like the “rabbit hole effect,” zoning out, or struggling to transition between activities happen so often for neurodivergent kids.
Instead of blame, we focus on understanding and practical strategies—visual timers, movement breaks, previews of what’s next, and sensory tools that help kids transition from inner focus to outward tasks. The takeaway: neurodivergent brains aren’t broken—they’re wired with unique strengths and challenges. When we reduce the friction, those strengths have room to shine.
Contact Suzanne Swain:
Email: [email protected] Website: msmarypoppins.com
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Productions
Special thanks to our producer, StellaMix podcast productions, another Palm Beach County School of the Arts collaboration. Need a podcast? Connect with Janine Stella ASAP: http://www.Stellamix.com
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
Support the show
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps keep the podcast free, research-based, and focused on emotional health for kids—especially neurodivergent tweens and teens.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛

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About The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast

🍎 Apple is currently fixing a glitch affecting ratings/reviews. If yours doesn’t show yet, it’s coming! Spotify: 2,800+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Practical magic for real middle school life. Regulate. Connect. Thrive. 💜New here? Start with “Ridiculous Joy: It’s a Beautiful Life.” It captures the heart of the show—helping middle schoolers (and the adults who love them) navigate emotions, pressure, and growing up with warmth, humor, and honesty.Middle School Mary Poppins™ is for the kids who don’t fit the mold—and the adults who care about them. Maybe even still are.What if middle school wasn’t something to survive… but something to unlock?Welcome to a smart, playful, research-informed podcast reimagining the most misunderstood years of human development.Think a little everyday magic meets emotional intelligence— with a dash of 80s–90s nostalgia, a spark of divergent thinking, and a whole lot of heart.☂️ Hi! I’m Suzanne M. Swain—veteran middle school teacher, child therapist, educational sociologist, and proud advocate for kids who think differently.I’ve spent over two decades inside classrooms, counseling offices, and school systems watching one truth play out again and again: Everything important starts in the middle.Middle school is where identity forms, emotions intensify, creativity explodes—and where far too many kids are misunderstood, mislabeled, or managed instead of taught. This podcast exists to change that.Each episode blends real classroom stories, clinical insight, and pop-culture joy to explore how creativity, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, and mental health intersect during the tween and teen years.We talk autism, ADHD, anxiety, executive functioning, and emotional overload—not as deficits, but as signals of untapped potential.🎮 Expect: • Gamified thinking, imaginative worlds, and creative metaphors kids actually remember • Practical strategies for parents and educators supporting divergent learners • Honest conversations about post-pandemic brains, emotional overload, and school culture • Humor, warmth, and a retro remix that makes learning feel human againAt its core, Middle School Mary Poppins™ is about flipping the script.What if the traits we’re trying to suppress are actually superpowers in disguise? What if arts-based education and emotional literacy were foundational, not optional? What if preventing school violence, burnout, and disconnection really does begin here?We’re here to prove it does.So grab your metaphorical quarters, hop in the arcade, and join us on a multiverse ride through the messy, magical middle years. We’re the Goonies at heart.🎧 It’s time for a retro remix of middle school. Ready, player one?If this show helps your family or classroom, you can support it at msmarypoppins.com → Support the ShowHosted by Suzanne M. Swain, EdS, LMSW

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