Emotion-Savvy Parenting

A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening connection

Available for pre-order on april 16, 2025

Whether you are the parent of a toddler or a teen, imagine how freeing it would be if intense, painful emotions could visit your home without ruining the day or dictating your every move. In Emotion-Savvy Parenting, licensed clinical psychologist and mom of two, Dr. Alissa Jerud, presents the very keys needed to actualize this vision.

With compassion and wit, she shares science-backed tools to help you better accept, regulate, and tolerate your emotions (as well as your children’s), along with a compelling, theory-driven argument for striving to change the only behaviors you really have control over: your own. Her research-informed, refreshing approach will not only enable you to enjoy parenting more and connect more deeply with your kids, but will also help you model for your children invaluable lessons that words alone cannot instil.

Become your ideal, most emotionally adept self with this life-changing, strategy-packed guide designed to help lighten the heavy load of parenting by empowering you to grow alongside your kids, thus gifting them a roadmap for a more emotionally agile, values-congruent future.

Praise for Emotion-Savvy Parenting…

"Emotion-Savvy Parenting is an inspiring, paradigm-shifting book for traversing the beautifully rocky road of parenting. Rooted in science, full of wisdom, and entertaining throughout, Dr. Alissa Jerud has packed this book with powerful skills and memorable anecdotes to help parents manage their own emotions, thus radically transforming their parenting journeys for the better."

Eve Rodsky, New York Times best-selling author of Fair Play

"It’s one thing to say you don’t want unruly emotions in the driver's seat during the most challenging moments of parenting life, but it’s hard to know where to begin. This book provides the roadmap. With engaging personal and clinical stories, practical tips, and a clear science-backed framework, Dr. Alissa Jerud equips parents to more confidently and enjoyably navigate the emotional tumults of parenting."

Yael Schonbrun, PhD author of Work, Parent, Thrive

"Emotion-Savvy Parenting is a nonjudgmental, indispensable guide to peaceful, enjoyable parenting. Through research, relatable anecdotes, and her own professional experience, Dr. Alissa Jerud empowers parents to focus on controlling their own (rather than their children’s) behavior. This must-read book provides all the practical, science-backed tools caregivers need to stay calm, loving, caring, and respectful — even in the midst of the most chaotic, emotionally charged moments."

Phyllis L. Fagell, LCPC, school counselor, and author of Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond—and How Parents Can Help and Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times

"Emotion-Savvy Parenting provides wise advice on how to be a better parent in today's chaotic world. Reading it, I couldn't help wishing this book had been written 20 years ago, when I started my  journey as a parent. Powerful, practical, and a must-read for all adults who strive to positively impact children's lives."

Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD is the founder of Happiness Studies Academy and the New York Times bestselling author of Happier

"As a clinical psychologist who specializes in helping mothers cope with the many stresses of parenting, I couldn’t wait to read Dr. Alissa Jerud’s new book, Emotion-Savvy Parenting. Dr. Jerud’s book highlights such an important premise: that parents need to focus less on changing their children’s emotional responses (an impossible task, we can all agree) and focus instead on learning to manage their own. With warmth and candor, Dr. Jerud shares research-supported, user-friendly tools that parents can employ in the moment to help them cope more effectively with their frustration, respond to their children with more patience, and yes, even enjoy parenting more. I am so excited to recommend this book to my patients!"

Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Mom Brain: Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood―and Relax into Your New Self

"Whatever the size of the emotional storms in your child, your family or yourself, Dr. Jerud can help you skillfully navigate these by focusing on changing what's yours to control and accepting what isn't."

Christopher Willard, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and author of Growing Up Mindful and Raising Resilience

"Dr. Alissa Jerud has broken new ground by weaving together her own personal experiences as a parent with a refreshingly clear set of instructions to give parents validation along with evidence-based tools to tackle the most common challenges of modern parenthood. Emotion-Savvy Parenting invites parents to first delve into our own experiences and vulnerabilities without falling into tactics that focus exclusively on “fixing” our kiddos. Dr. Jerud’s approach is validating and compassionate and should be required reading for all parents and parents-to-be who would like a game plan to bring a more balanced approach to the wild ride of parenting!"

Dan Singley, PhD is a licensed psychologist and Founding Director of The Center for Men’s Excellence

"In her new book, Dr. Alissa Jerud compassionately convinces parents to confront the frustrating, humbling - and simultaneously liberating - reality that learning to manage our own emotions is the key to weathering and calming our children’s emotional storms.  As the mom of 11 and 13 year old boys, I started using her practical strategies immediately, including last night when teen emotions ran high.  Dr. Jerud is in the trenches with us, and her book is a must-read no matter the age of your child!"

Lori Mihalich-Levin, JD, CEO of Mindful Return, and author of Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave