This is your go-to Podcast, where we help parents navigate the complexities of family life. Hosted by Ali Kessler of Greyson’s Choice, we’ll cover everything from understanding domestic violence to navigating the legal system, finding the right therapists, life hacks, family law, mental health, custody battles, and how to protect children in dangerous situations.

Welcome to Grey Minds Think Alike. In this episode, we speak with Sandy Ross, former president of California Protective Parents and Executive Director of Family Court Awareness Month. Sandy brings her extensive expertise in child safety issues in child custody cases, drawing on her work in forensic and child and adolescent psychology. She has played a pivotal role in passing California's Piqui's Law and received numerous accolades, including the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council's Breaking Silent Survivor Activist Award. Sandy shares her personal journey, the challenges within the family court system, and effective advocacy strategies. Join us as we explore the critical issues and impactful efforts to protect children and support survivors.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:04 Sandy Ross: Advocate and Survivor

00:57 Billboards and Awareness Campaigns

02:59 Personal Journey and Family Court Challenges

04:28 Systemic Issues in Family Court

09:00 Advice for Protective Parents

14:47 The Need for Systemic Change

18:56 Cross-System Challenges and Personal Experiences

23:47 Personal Struggles and Coping Mechanisms

24:47 Support Groups and Peer Support

25:40 Involvement with Advocacy Organizations

27:55 Piqui's Law: A Personal Mission

30:23 The Tragic Story Behind Piqui's Law

33:49 Advocacy and Legislative Challenges

42:00 Celebrating Advocacy and Future Plans

About Sandy Ross

Sandy Ross is the President of the California Protective Parents Association and the Executive Director of Family Court Awareness Month, where she works tirelessly to reform the family court system and advocate for child safety in custody cases involving abuse. With a master’s degree in forensic psychology and a graduate certificate in child and adolescent psychology, Sandy has spent more than a decade training professionals and educating the public about dangerous personality traits and systemic failures that endanger children. A survivor and the protective parent of a now-adult child survivor, she played a key role in the passage of Piqui’s Law and was honored with the Breaking Silence Survivor Activist Award for her leadership and courage.

Contact:

California Protective Parents Association

Family Court Awareness Month

About Ali Kessler: Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”

Ali’s advocacy efforts culminated in successfully passing Greyson’s Law during the 2023 legislative session. This bill now requires the court to consider threats...

This is your go-to Podcast, where we help parents navigate the complexities of family life. Hosted by Ali Kessler of Greyson’s Choice, we’ll cover everything from understanding domestic violence to navigating the legal system, finding the right therapists, life hacks, family law, mental health, custody battles, and how to protect children in dangerous situations.

In this episode of 'Grey Minds Think Alike,' host Ali Kessler dives into the emotional lives of parents with experts Hillary Jacobs Hendel and Dr. Juli Fraga. They discuss their new book, 'Parents Have Feelings Too,' which offers practical tools for parents to manage and honor their emotions. The conversation covers why parents often neglect their own emotional needs, the impact of attachment styles, and practical steps to bring calmness and joy into family life. Hendel and Fraga share their professional insights and personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of emotional education and self-awareness for the entire family's well-being.

Parents Have Feelings, Too book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/788442/parents-have-feelings-too-by-hilary-jacobs-hendel/

About Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW: Hilary Jacobs Hendel is a Certified AEDP psychotherapist and supervisor, and psychoanalyst. She is the author of the award-winning and acclaimed It's Not Always Depression, and her work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, TIME, and Oprah.

hilaryjacobshendel.com | IG: @hilaryjacobshendel | Facebook: @AuthorHilaryJacobsHendel

About Juli Fraga, PsyD: Juli Fraga is a psychologist and parenting educator. She has contributed to national outlets like The New York Times, Parents magazine, and NPR. She is also on the medical advisory board of Baby Center and teaches classes for expectant parents at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) hospital.drjulifraga.com | IG: @parentshavefeelingstoo | X: @dr_fraga

About Ali Kessler: Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”

Ali’s advocacy efforts culminated in successfully passing Greyson’s Law during the 2023 legislative session. This bill now requires the court to consider threats against ex-partners or spouses when making child visitation and custody determinations in the court, expanding to include the following factors: evidence of domestic violence, whether a parent in the past or currently has reasonable cause to believe that they or a minor child is, or has been in imminent danger of becoming the victim of domestic/sexual violence by the other parent, even if no other legal action has been brought or is currently pending in court.

Contact Ali:

Email

LinkedIn

Website

This is your go-to Podcast, where we help parents navigate the complexities of family life. Hosted by Ali Kessler of Greyson’s Choice, we’ll cover everything from understanding domestic violence to navigating the legal system, finding the right therapists, life hacks, family law, mental health, custody battles, and how to protect children in dangerous situations.

Join host Ali Kessler on Grey Minds Think Alike as she dives deep with Nicole Hernandez, a board-certified hypnotist, success coach and human design advisor from New York City. Nicole shares her journey from corporate anxiety to becoming a healing guide, specializing in transforming anxiety into an edge through her high-frequency success approach. Discover how Nicole's unique combination of hypnotherapy, mindfulness, and human design helps high achievers and anxious individuals lead more fulfilling lives. Learn about the misconceptions of hypnosis, the impact of childhood trauma on present anxiety, and the holistic healing potential of human design. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone seeking to overcome stress, anxiety, and emotional blockages to achieve true clarity, confidence, and success.

About Nicole Hernandez

Known as The Traveling Hypnotist, Nicole Hernandez is a clinical Board-Certified hypnotist based in New York City with globe-trotting tendencies. She is also an anxiety educator, speaker, and Resident Healer for the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. Nicole specializes in helping anxious high achievers become impactful, conscious leaders that can navigate life transitions with a sense of clarity and ease. After healing her own anxiety-related illness with hypnosis, she felt a deep calling to demystify the healing modality and help others. Her signature approach combines modern hypnotherapy, mindfulness, somatics, and her intuitive gift. She has been featured in Cosmopolitan, BeLatina, BestLife, Forbes, Success, Texas Monthly, Wall Street Journal, and more.

Guest Links

Free Love Yourself Hypo-Meditation Download: www.thetravelinghypnotist.com

Nicole Hernandez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetravelinghypnotist/

Nicole Hernandez Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenicolehernandez/

About Ali Kessler: Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”

Contact Ali:

Email

LinkedIn

Website