5 Beliefs That Guide My Work

Lately, I've been dreaming of building a new kind of parent support community. I've spent a lot of time thinking about the kind of space I want to create.

As I wrote down my thoughts, I realized something surprising: these weren't just principles for a community. They've been the principles guiding my work with families all along.

Curiosity over fear. No "one-size-fits-all" solutions. Positive vibes only. Unity over division. Small steps matter.

These ideas may sound simple, but they have become an anchor in a world that often feels overwhelming. Parents today are navigating an endless stream of information, conflicting opinions, and pressure to make the "right" decision. In that environment, fear can easily take the driver's seat.

I believe there is a different way forward.

A way that prioritizes curiosity over panic. A way that recognizes every child and family is unique. A way that encourages progress without perfection. A way that values collaboration over competition and support over shame. If you're in the thick of things and feeling any of the stress, pressure, or fear, my hope is that these principles help you feel a little more grounded.

Holding Two Truths

I often find myself holding two truths at once.

On one hand, I hear the frustration from parents whose concerns have been dismissed by a dentist, pediatrician, or another healthcare provider. A large part of my work is helping families feel more informed and confident as they navigate those conversations.

On the other hand, I still have a soft spot for the clueless dentist.

Not because I think families should accept poor guidance. Quite the opposite. It's because I can clearly remember times early in my career when I simply didn't know enough to be helpful.

A strong gag reflex with foamy toothpaste? I had no idea that oral dysfunction could be part of the picture.

Ceramic crowns that repeatedly fractured? I wasn't thinking about airway health.

A patient asking ME about using a neti pot? I probably thought, "Sure, do whatever you'd like with your nose. I work in the mouth."

I'm not proud of those moments. But they remind me how easy it is to mistake an incomplete understanding for a complete one.

Even years later, I continue to discover concepts that challenge what I thought I knew.

When I first heard about Invisalign First, I was skeptical. I knew compliance could be difficult, and I didn't understand how meaningful changes could occur without the type of expansion I had been taught to associate with growth and development.

Since then, I've learned about many different treatment approaches that can create significant changes without fitting my previous assumptions (ie "sutural expansion only"). Some clinicians can correct a crossbite simply by altering how the upper and lower teeth meet, sometimes with nothing more than strategically placed filling material. The first time I encountered this concept, it completely changed how I thought about what was possible.

It still hurts my brain a bit to look at an image like this and understand how this is possible without any attempts at expansion of the upper jaw. Even as a trained professional, my understanding is always evolving.

So when parents tell me that their pediatric dentist is missing important signs, sowing seeds of doubt, or even making unhelpful recommendations, I tend to believe them. In many cases, parents and allied professionals have spent more time studying these topics than the conventionally trained dentist/pediatrician/ENT they're sitting across from.

Yes, it's frustrating.

But it's also a reminder that most of us are operating within the limits of what we've learned so far. My goal isn't to create more division between parents and providers. It's to help families ask better questions, find the information they need, and stay open to the possibility that all of us still have more to learn.

{Article Referenced for Photo Purposes Only, but please feel free to read it if you're curious.} https://doi.org/10.21595/jfocg.2022.22739​

The Email That Made My Day

One thing about the way I work with families is that I'm not trying to create long-term dependence.

Of course, I love to hear how things are going. Some families send me updates months or even years later, and those messages absolutely make my day.

This month I received an email from a mom I had met with once... over a year ago.

She wasn't writing because she needed another appointment. She was writing to celebrate how well things were going with the provider she chose to work with.

The interesting part? I wasn't the one who found that provider for her (although I often do research providers for families to collaborate with, if that's the kind of help someone needs).

During our consultation, my role was simply to help her make sense of what she was hearing, validate that the recommendations aligned with what we know about growth, breathing, and oral development, and help her feel confident moving forward.

Sometimes that's all a family needs.

I'm continuing to build new ways to support families who want ongoing guidance and community. But if you're feeling overwhelmed by conflicting opinions and just need a trusted second opinion or a gut check before taking the next step, that's exactly why I created my Concierge Consulting sessions.

If you're wondering whether a conversation would be helpful, I'd love to meet you. Schedule a free 20-minute discovery call, and we'll see whether it's the right fit for where you are in your journey.

Recommended Resource

I’d like to share someone else’s summer promotion with you today.

Full transparency: I’ve never purchased this program, and I don’t know exactly what’s inside it.

What I do know is that for the past year or so, I’ve regularly used the free EFT tapping videos from Melanie Moore on YouTube. There’s something about her approach that feels grounded and trustworthy, and I often turn to these short videos when I need to reset my mindset or shift my energy.

I’ve never been particularly drawn to meditation, but tapping felt more accessible from the start. It’s a simple tool that has supported my own mental and emotional well-being enough that I keep coming back to it. That’s why I wanted to share Melanie’s summer sale for The Children’s Emotional Toolkit.

While I don’t think you can tap your way out of a breathing problem, I do see overlap between sleep challenges, stress, nervous system regulation, and big emotions. When families are navigating health concerns, having simple tools to support emotional well-being can be valuable.

Whether you explore the toolkit or simply try one of Melanie’s free YouTube videos, you may find something that resonates. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think.

By next month's newsletter, I'll have a few more GetExpanded Interviews that I'm excited to share with you!

All the best until next month,

Dr. Julia