Parenting & You With Dr. Shefali Breaking Generational Trauma and Making a Difference
Mar 10, 2026
Brittany Pettersen, U.S. Congresswoman and mental health and addiction reform advocate who rose from an at-risk childhood, shares her story. She discusses childhood trauma, the lifeline of teachers and mentors, and how personal pain shaped her policy work. The conversation covers balancing motherhood with public service and the push for compassionate addiction reform.
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Parentified Child Became a Driven Public Servant
- Brittany Pettersen became the family caregiver early, juggling cooking, childcare, and phone calls as a child while her mother used substances.
- That parentified role taught her competence and drive, which later propelled her into public service and long work hours.
Focus On Long Term Wins Through Bipartisan Work
- Keep long-term perspective and focus on collaborative wins: Brittany suggests working across divides to achieve tangible legislative impact even when systems feel dysfunctional.
- She contrasts productive bipartisan state work with current national stalemates.
Subtle Bias Causes Women To Be Undermined In Meetings
- Brittany highlights persistent gender bias in professional settings where men speak to junior male staff instead of elected women.
- She gave a concrete meeting example where a lobbyist addressed her aide rather than her as the elected official.