Parenting on Purpose with Dr. Luz Casquejo JohnstonParenting on Purpose with Dr. Luz Casquejo Johnston
Recovery Recharged with Ellen Stewart Pushy Broad from the Bronx
If you are a professional mom who wants to break generational patterns to build co-powered families where everyone grows and thrives than Dr Luz will show you how to make that a reality. Mom’s Listen up!
26:36•10 Jul 2024
Parenting on Purpose: Raising Yourself First to Raise Badass Humans
Episode Overview
- Prioritise meaningful self-care that supports mental health and a clear parenting vision.
- Recognise that focusing on the parent’s growth helps the whole family, including children in recovery.
- Set boundaries that are firm yet kind, avoiding swings between strict control and over-giving.
- Use brief, intentional conversations instead of long lectures, especially with teenagers.
- Keep your word and avoid promises you can’t sustain to maintain trust and credibility with your children.
“The most important person in the parenting relationship is actually the parent.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol and still show up as a strong, present parent? This conversation between Ellen Stewart, the Pushy Broad from the Bronx, and parenting coach Dr. Luz Casquejo Johnston centres on exactly that question. Aimed at mums in recovery or juggling professional life and parenting, the episode looks at how family dynamics and addiction are deeply linked. Dr.
Luz lays out her core idea of "parenting on purpose": first raising yourself to your highest potential, and then "raising badass humans". She argues that "the most important person in the parenting relationship is actually the parent", shifting the focus from fixing the child to healing the whole family system. You’ll hear them talk about why self-care is essential, and why it’s much more than bubble baths. Dr.
Luz stresses daily grounding practices, even if it’s just a few minutes over tea, to connect with a clear vision of the parent you want to be. That vision then guides boundary-setting, so rules are firm but kind, instead of swinging between strict control and giving in, what she calls the "parenting pendulum". For parents dealing with a child’s substance use, the episode challenges the instinct to micromanage out of fear.
Ellen points out that overprotecting often pushes young people further away, while Dr. Luz suggests short, calm check-ins and agreements made outside the "hot moments" as a more effective way to support recovery. They also contrast the "encourager" parent, who offers support and trusts children to make choices, with the inner "critic" that tries to keep us safe but can hold us back.
Updating that inner voice, honouring your own needs, and keeping your word with your kids all come through as practical steps towards what Dr. Luz calls "co-powered families" where everyone can grow. If you’re a mum in recovery wondering how to break old patterns and build a healthier home, could this be the nudge you need to parent on purpose?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.