Join Angela as she explores the balance between research, analytical thought, and lived perspectives. Together, we'll bring complex topics back to your kitchen table for meaningful discussion and debate. Are we mitigating risk at the cost of stifling free thought, creativity, and problem-solving? Through open dialogue and a critical cost-benefit le…

In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, Angela Geddes dives into the critical need for ongoing training to empower communities and clinicians in identifying, assessing, and supporting individuals who may have been prenatally exposed to alcohol or other substances. Angela emphasizes that building community capacity means developing clinician…

In this episode, Angela reflects on her journey as a social worker, highlighting key insights and lessons learned over the years. Join her as she celebrates the wisdom shared by like-minded professionals who continue to inspire and guide her practice. Angela also shares exciting updates, including her collaboration with Dr. Clare Mitchell, and disc…

In this podcast episode, Angela tackles a significant issue surrounding the term "FASD" (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) and whether the name itself contributes to the stigma faced by many who experience misdiagnosis and misunderstanding. While FASD has traditionally been linked to maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, recent insights hig…

In this episode, Angela opens up about her recent work and candidly addresses the challenges she's faced in raising awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). She reflects on the resistance she has encountered in spreading the message and poses important questions about why this crucial issue isn't receiving the attention needed to dri…

We all have a role to play in supporting/preventing FASD. It's up to all of us to support healthy pregnancies. As we mark FASD Awareness Month, we are thrilled to share a project that holds a special place in our hearts. A small group of young adults, collectively, with lived experiences of family disruptions, grief, loss, trauma, FASD, learning di…

In today's episode of The Power of Kitchen Table Conversations: Making a Difference in Prenatal Health, we'll explore the critical and often overlooked issue of alcohol use during pregnancy. Despite clear evidence showing that no amount of alcohol is safe, conflicting messages from the media and medical field continue to confuse expectant mothers. …

There is compelling evidence that effective learning is deeply tied to human connection, focused attention, and the internalization of knowledge—areas where technology, especially AI, falls short. As parents and caregivers, it’s important to consider these findings when managing technology use at home. Technology for some can be a game changer and …

Advocacy is a cornerstone of social work, essential in helping others learn to voice their needs. Yet, navigating the fine line between assertiveness and finesse is crucial. In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, we delve into strategies for advocating effectively while maintaining respect and avoiding further stigmatization. Join us as we…

This week, Angela is heading away for a family holiday and felt that it would be fitting to discuss some tips and strategies that can help to make summertime as enjoyable and relaxing as possible; even for people who are experiencing the impact of complex neurodevelopmental conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, T…

In this episode, Angela shares her thoughts on our broad understanding of neurodivergence and how the opportunity for inclusivity is there, but we seem to continue to miss the most common developmental disorder there is which is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Angela highlights the reason why she wrote her book, A Complicated and Beautiful Brain,(…

In this episode, Angela discusses the risks of alcohol in pregnancy and provides some evidence once again that our communication around this issue needs to change. Check out the resources below for more statistics and position papers on this subject and her social media posts to help spread these important messages. We really can make such a differ…

In this episode, Angela reviews the 5 common senses and then explores a little more deeply some less widely understood senses and how so many of our children/youth and adults struggle with sensory overload. The 8th sense in particular is interoception. Angela discusses what this means and how difficulties in this area can manifest and impact day to…

In this episode, Angela chats about the consequences of social isolation and some of what we have learned from our COVID experience. She also discusses the importance of feeling understood and a sense of belonging and folks are reminded of some strategies to support wellness, and specific programs and services that can be helpful. Check out Psychol…

In this episode, Angela shares her gratitude for the work she is honoured to do and the people she supports and walks alongside. She shares her passion for reducing both the impact and incidences of prenatal exposures and thanks you for your ongoing support of this message by listening to this podcast and taking these important topics back to your …

In this episode, Angela shares some of her recent kitchen table conversations regarding Individual Education Plans and when and how we support students in the way that they need in order to reach their potential. Sometimes our efforts are shortsighted and not as helpful as they are intended to be, and sometimes it's simply not possible to make the …

Angela is proud to be trained in Mindfulness Yoga Acceptance Commitment Therapy/training and sees the improved outcomes in individuals and families every single day in her small but growing practice. She uses elements of the modality in her personal and professional life. Angela is pleased to be able to speak to the research and the practice based …

To follow up on our last conversation, where we discussed the holes in our social safety net, Angela focuses on the need to increase awareness within our system and within our communities regarding the incidents and the consequences that result from prenatal substance exposures. She gives examples of how misinformation and resistance does harm to t…

In this episode, Angela shares information about programs and services aimed to support people in need. She also discusses how sometimes these programs and services fall short and that we all can help to clarify the myths associated with income and disability support and realize that the system is not always easy to navigate, and oftentimes it is n…

In this episode, Angela shares a few tips and strategies that may be helpful when supporting our children with ADHD, and she also discusses some overlapping characteristics for other mental health and learning difficulties that should be considered and talked about around our Kitchen tables. Resources to Learn More: PsychCentral | Parenting Kids wi…

A chance to reflect and evaluate. In this episode, Angela talks about different needs and approaches to special days like Valentine’s Day and acknowledges that for some this can be a very difficult day, and there are no rules; no 'right' or 'wrong' way of doing things. She discusses the power of music and messaging that can help to inspire us and h…

In this episode, we are chatting about prioritizing our efforts, keeping busy and meeting our kids and the people we love and support where they are at and without so many assumptions and blame. We will discuss how important prevention efforts are, but also, how important it is to just be helpful no matter what the diagnosis is or what caused it. I…

Let's all see what we can do to bring these conversations home to our kitchen tables so we can all do our part to reduce the stigma and deepen our understanding of how we can support mental wellness beyond just a superficial level. In this episode, Angela touches on how Bell media is doing wonderful things to keep the conversation going, but also, …

What are we really looking for? In this episode, Angela chats about how we define and understand happiness, and how sometimes the quest for happiness can be counterproductive. It can leave us feeling like our efforts are not working and that we must be doing something wrong. Angela also points out that these elements are in line with ACT and highli…

In this episode, Angela chats about why there continues to be such resistance in communities and within systems to learn more and share more of this important messaging that could really be game changing in terms of the health and wellbeing of future generations. Angela encourages you to check out training opportunities from FASD ONE and CanFASD to…

A new year is a time to reflect and often involves the opportunity to look ahead and set some new intentions/resolutions. It's also o.k. to not and to just keep plugging away and working towards living our best life. There are no 'rules' here but we all can do little things that can increase our overall wellness. This episode has some tips to suppo…

Our final podcast for the year!! Hoping it finds you well and looking forward to some quiet time with family and friends. We're also mindful of those who do not celebrate or find this time of year as peaceful as they would like for a number of reasons. Our thoughts are with you. In today's episode, we are reminded of the importance of community and…

In this episode, we’re going to take some time to talk about happiness and the thing we can be doing to experience more of it. Please take a time some time to read the article I mention by Psychology Today that shares 23 ways to be happier. Take time to reflect on what’s most important to you. While happiness all day every day is not a realistic go…

This episode reminds us all of where the most meaningful learning takes place and there are times when we need to challenge historical understandings, and approaches particularly when it comes to relationships and parenting strategies. Research is evolving, and this means that there are things for us to learn and bring home. My focus continues to b…

This episode originally aired as EPISODE #17 on December 21, 2022. In this repeat episode, today's conversation will centre around the holiday season as we explore all the 'feels' and consider the needs of people who may find the season particularly stressful. These tips and considerations will be helpful to all of us, but in particular for people …

This episode addresses the urgent need for us to do things differently; to consider things like the impact of financial stress, housing issues, and overall mental wellness of the family when considering ways to improve children's mental health. We also need to consider one concrete way that we all can mitigate the risk of children's mental illness,…

I am excited to be presenting at the Canadian Mental Health Ontario Conference. My goal is to broaden the audience and invite more people to explore training opportunities to become more competent and confident in their ability to screen and identify when what people are presenting with is more than Mental Health, trauma and parenting issues and ma…

In this episode, we’ll look at some surprising statistics and what people do not know about some of our most complicated and beautiful brains. Listen in to hear of some of Angela’s recent and upcoming efforts to increase awareness and build system capacity. A shout out to MPP Rob Flack for giving us so much of his valuable time to listen to the nee…

In this episode we will look at the passing of a ‘friend’ and have further discussion about complicated mental health and addictions from the real experts. Check out the links below for Rebecca Tillou's work and we recommend Matthew Perry's book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. We feel that hearing from people with lived experience is …

Today's episode centres once again around the role of prenatal exposure to alcohol and how so few of us understand the impact on individuals and families every day. Angela speaks of what she learned while attending and presenting at the London Region FASD Conference (Learn more by following #LFASD and @FASDLondon). Our goal here is to broaden the a…

In this episode we look at the importance of checking our biases once again, and realizing that when typical parenting, or mental health supports are not working as expected, we need to be open to trying things differently. There is resistance to change, and families feel the blame and shame everyday. So do some of the service providers who are try…

Join us for a short mindfulness practice. This episode explores acceptance commitment therapy and ways that we can both settle and evaluate our thoughts in order to learn and move forward in ways that bring us closer to the things and people that are important to us. Check out the Programs section on our website to learn more about individual and g…

This podcast discusses the importance of being able to identify when we have a problem and how best to get diagnostic clarification. We also discuss how, in our efforts to build more inclusive supports and services, we sometimes become more exclusionary by requiring prenatal exposures to be confirmed before getting a full assessment. We discuss the…

In this episode, we’ll look at the responsibility to provide accurate information around alcohol use and pregnancy. I remain passionate about reducing both the incidents and the impact of prenatal exposures. We can do better and we have a responsibility to provide people with evidence based information. Listen in to this episode and please feel fre…

In the spirit of FASD awareness month, let's keep these important conversations going! Did you know that so many people with FASD have been misdiagnosed with ASD and ADHD? Listen in to find out more facts about FASD and head to the website to learn more.Di Angela Geddes

We've known about FASD since the 1600's - What???? Why are we still so confused about this largely preventable condition? Listen in to hear why we continue to get so many mixed messages and how we can contribute directly to healthier pregnancies, people and communities by bringing this conversation home to our own kitchen tables. Head to the websit…

This episode of Kitchen Table Conversations focuses on our ongoing efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding complicated mental health and learning difficulties that are often associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and FASD. We will also discuss ongoing opportunities to reduce both the impact and incidents of prenatal alcohol exposure and h…

September, which is FASD awareness month, is fast approaching. Let's get a head start!! Listen to this episode where we discuss opportunities to learn more about the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), and hear more about some surprising statistics. We will also learn more about what we all can do to improve our prevention efforts and to sup…

Today's episode will touch on how we can make the transition back to school as good as it can be. We have to be mindful and creative when addressing resistance about going back to school. We will discuss how important it is for us as parents and caregivers to be mindful of our mood and messaging, and how we can support and validate feelings while e…

In this episode, we aim to normalize the benefit of therapy/counselling and doing our best to provide early access that can really help to lighten the load, and to prevent chronic difficulties or illness. Let's bring this conversation back home to our kitchen tables so others who struggle with feeling stuck, low energy, high stress or anxiety and m…

In this episode, we’re talking about supporting healthy pregnancies and clarifying some language and messaging. When we know better, we can do better! Feel free to send me some ideas on how to share messages in ways that help people realize that FASD can happen to anyone, not just for those who struggle with “problem drinking." Head to the website …

The theme for this year's World Breastfeeding Week is "Let's make breastfeeding and work, work!" We still have some work to do to support working mothers in their breastfeeding efforts. Visit my website to read an article by the WHO outlining their research regarding children's health and how breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition, and how childr…

This is a repeat episode that originally aired as EPISODE #12: A Positive Look at Anxiety. We think it’s worth another listen. People with anxiety often really struggle with many things, and often with their view of themselves. They often find themselves frustrated with their perceived shortcomings and often with inability to deal more effectively …

Using music as a medium. Let’s take another listen to this episode, which originally aired as EPISODE #44: Challenging Our Biases Around People Who Don't 'Work', and the song recently released by Dean Brody called Broke. I think it warrants another listen with a little more explanation as to why this discussion should come home to your Kitchen Tabl…

In this episode, Angela discusses the importance of noticing, honouring and learning from our feelings and evaluating whether or not our responses help or hinder us. Listeners are invited to take a few minutes to breathe and imagine a temporary button and explore ways to help us avoid getting stuck when things get very difficult. Angela and her tea…