Grief and Raising Resilient Kids: The Therapist & Widow Who Wrote the Parenting Book We Need

In this episode of The Dallas Duo Podcast, Andrea Overturf and Whitney Stuart sit down with Dr. Brooke West, registered play therapist and founder of Hope Child & Family Center of Texas, and Roni Proter, celebrity chef, mother, and widow, to share the deeply personal story behind their book, Open Book Parenting.

After Roni suddenly lost her husband, she brought her two young sons to Brooke for play therapy. What followed was not just healing, but a partnership that blended lived experience with clinical expertise.

Together, they created a parenting roadmap grounded in research, emotional regulation, empathy, and honesty.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why early intervention after childhood trauma matters
• How play therapy helps children process grief when words aren’t enough
• The difference between surviving loss and growing through it
• Emotional regulation vs. nervous system dysregulation
• The three E’s of parenting: expression, emotional regulation, and empathy
• Building a “tribe” during seasons of isolation
• Turning personal tragedy into purpose

This conversation is not just about grief. It’s about resilience. It’s about doing the work. And it’s about choosing connection over control in parenting, even when life feels shattered.

If you are walking through loss, divorce, major transition, or simply want to raise emotionally healthy children, this episode offers both strategy and hope.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!

📲 Connect with Dr. Brooke West and Roni Proter

Website: https://www.hopecentertx.com/about-us

Instagram:

Open Book Parenting https://www.instagram.com/open.book.parenting/

Roni Proter https://www.instagram.com/dinnerreinvented

Dr. Brooke West https://www.instagram.com/hope.center.of.texas/

📲 Connect with The Dallas Duo:

Andrea Overturf: @andreaaoverturf

Whitney Stuart, RDN: @whitnessnutrition

Download Whitney's FREE Protein and Fiber Goal Guide HERE

🌐 Learn more at: The Dallas Duo Podcast 

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