Raising Good Humans
Dear Media, Aliza Pressman
As a parent, do you ever wish someone could just whisper some realistic and trustworthy support in your ear? And not make you feel awful for not having all the answers? Well, that’s what I’m here for.
I'm Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, parent educator, asst. clinical professor, and co-founder of both Mount Sinai Parenting Center and SeedlingsGroup. And I'm a mom... trying to raise two good humans myself, so I'm in this with you!
In each episode, we'll go deep (but brief) with both experts and parents to share the most effective approaches and tools and talk about the important bigger picture of raising good humans. My goal is to make your parenting journey less overwhelming and a lot more joyful!
Please join me every Friday for new episodes of Raising Good Humans.
I'm Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, parent educator, asst. clinical professor, and co-founder of both Mount Sinai Parenting Center and SeedlingsGroup. And I'm a mom... trying to raise two good humans myself, so I'm in this with you!
In each episode, we'll go deep (but brief) with both experts and parents to share the most effective approaches and tools and talk about the important bigger picture of raising good humans. My goal is to make your parenting journey less overwhelming and a lot more joyful!
Please join me every Friday for new episodes of Raising Good Humans.
Episodes
Mentioned books
7 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 49min
Understanding Status: The Science Behind Respect and Influence (And What It Means for Parenting) w/ Professor Alison Fragale
Alison Fragale, research psychologist and business school professor who studies power, status, and negotiation. She explains what status really is and why respect matters. Short takes cover warmth versus competence, how self-deprecation can backfire, and practical ways to help kids practice confidence and read social cues.
30 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 52min
Real Ways to Stay Regulated When Parenting Feels Overwhelming w/ Dr. Elisha Goldstein
Dr. Elisha Goldstein, clinical psychologist and mindfulness author, shares practical ways to break the overwhelm in parenting. He talks about tiny shifts that beat perfection, why insight alone does not change behavior, and simple in-the-moment tools to interrupt reactivity. Expect short practices for calming the nervous system, savoring positives, and reinforcing new patterns to stay regulated.
29 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 33min
How to Reduce Mealtime Tension
Practical tactics to ease mealtime tension, including a simple BALANCE routine to ground caregivers before meals. Advice on fostering child autonomy around eating and avoiding power struggles. Tips for offering diverse nutrition without drama and making meals about connection through rituals, stories, and a sacred 15 minutes. A discussion on parents doing their own body-image work to support kids’ healthy self-view.
70 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 1h 18min
The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness w/ Professor Arthur Brooks
Professor Arthur Brooks, social scientist and author on happiness and meaning, shares ideas about coherence, purpose, and significance. He discusses love and relationships as the heart of a meaningful life. He warns against an optimization culture that turns people into achievements and offers practical ways to model leisure, reduce suffering, and nurture real belonging.
10 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 1h
Resilience: What It Really Means & The “Ordinary Magic” It Takes to Build It w/ Professor Ann Masten
Professor Ann Masten, leading resilience researcher and author of Ordinary Magic, explains resilience as systems adapting to serious challenges. She explores how caring relationships, schools, and communities combine to protect children. Short, practical conversations cover distinguishing trauma from growth-building challenges and why 'good enough' support across systems matters.
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 7min
Behavioral Genetics 101: How Genes Shape Mental Health w/ Professor Kathryn Paige Harden
Professor Kathryn Paige Harden, behavioral geneticist and author, studies how thousands of tiny genetic differences shape mental health. She explains why genomes did not give simple answers and how diagnoses are messier than assumed. The conversation covers family history, why genes are not destiny, variable child sensitivity, and practical parenting approaches like warmth and consistent limits.
Feb 20, 2026 • 1h 16min
The Nature of Nurture with Professor Jay Belsky
Professor Jay Belsky, a developmental psychologist and author of The Nature of Nurture, explores why children differ in how much they’re shaped by experience. He discusses temperament, orchids versus dandelions, developmental plasticity, limits of attachment research, and how the same parenting can affect kids very differently. The conversation examines realistic parenting expectations and how to support sensitive children.
44 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 1h 5min
The Power of Real Optimism: What It Actually Means (and How to Practice It) w/ Dr. Deepika Chopra
Dr. Deepika Chopra, a clinical psychologist and researcher who studies optimism and resilience, shares what real optimism looks like versus toxic positivity. Short takes cover how language shapes thinking, growing optimism through modeling and routines, managing parental capacity, and when affirmations help or backfire.
61 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 41min
10 Practical Ways to Boost Cooperation and Listening in Kids
Practical strategies for getting kids to listen and cooperate, including tailoring expectations to temperament. Clear, non-negotiable requests and offering two choices to support autonomy. Tips on praising effort, assigning meaningful chores, and using natural consequences. A short micro-mindfulness practice for parents to stay calm and accept imperfection.
16 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 48min
How to Parent When the News and World Feel Really Heavy
Practical advice on staying calm so children do not absorb parental stress. Research-based notes on co-regulation and why caregivers’ nervous systems matter. Age-based scripts for talking about scary news without politics. Concrete tips for setting news boundaries, protecting connection, and sustaining parental capacity with self-care.
