Lael Stone
Lael Stone, Parenting Educator, Author, Co-Creator of Woodline Primary.
The Stories We Carry
Lael Stone, Parenting Educator, Counsellor, Author, TEDx Speaker and Co-Creator of Woodline Primary.
What if the way we react today has more to do with what happened to us in the past than we realise?
We all carry stories about who we are, what makes us lovable and what we need to do to feel safe and connected. Many of those stories begin in childhood and, without us necessarily realising it, can continue to shape the way we respond, relate and connect as adults.
In this episode of the Let’s Check In Podcast, Suzie McErvale sits down with Lael Stone for a deeply insightful conversation about the stories we carry, the emotional imprints of childhood and how they can show up in our relationships, parenting and sense of self.
Drawing on her work with children, parents and adults, Lael explores why we can become disconnected from ourselves in an increasingly distracted world and what helps us find our way back. She explains the importance of attachment, attunement and co-regulation, and why feeling emotionally safe enough to be ourselves sits at the heart of human connection.
The conversation also turns to what happens when our younger selves enter our adult relationships. Lael shares a powerful personal story about an argument with her husband that changed when they stopped trying to prove who was right and became curious about what was happening underneath the conflict. What emerged were two much younger parts of themselves, each carrying their own story about love, safety and belonging.
Together, they explore how recognising these patterns can help us move beyond blame, take greater responsibility for our own stories and relate to the people we love with more awareness and compassion.
Together they discuss:
Why we may be becoming increasingly disconnected from ourselves
Helping children develop connection and emotional awareness
Attachment, attunement and the role of co-regulation
How childhood experiences can shape the way we relate as adults
Recognising when our younger selves are being triggered
The stories we can form about love, worth and belonging
Breaking patterns of blame and making each other wrong
Why emotional safety matters in relationships
How to invite a partner into emotional work without trying to change them
Parenting, letting go and the grief that can come as children grow
What it means to own our stories with greater awareness and compassion
One of the most powerful ideas in the conversation is also one of the simplest: Can I be me with you? Beneath attachment, parenting and relationships sits a deeply human need to feel safe enough to be seen as we are.
Understanding where our patterns come from doesn’t mean remaining defined by the past. It can give us the opportunity to notice what we are carrying, understand why it is there and decide what we want to carry forward.
It’s a conversation about childhood, parenting and relationships, but underneath it all is something more universal: understanding the stories we carry so we can stop unconsciously repeating them and create greater connection with ourselves and the people we love.
Connect with Lael Stone
📖 Own Your Own Story
📖 Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children
📱 @laelstone
📱 @woodlineprimary
Competition Details
Season 3 is proudly supported by Pulito Group. To celebrate, they're giving one lucky business the chance to win $1,000 towards a professional commercial clean for a retail, hospitality or commercial space. To enter, follow @pulito_group on Instagram, like the competition post and comment by tagging a business owner or someone opening or refreshing a commercial space.
About the Let's Check In Podcast
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