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Dr. Debra

Mandel, Ph.D.

Find Your Inner Warrior

Psychologist Author TV/Radio Personality

Available Now on Amazon

Sassy & Rude, Her New Attitude

A Tough Love Guide for Moms on How to Bring Back The Sugar and Spice in Their Not-so-Nice Adult Daughters

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Tough Love

Nationally renowned no-nonsense, yet upbeat and compassionate psychologist

Understanding that one-size does not fit all, Dr. Debra integrates multiple therapeutic modalities with expertise ranging from general life concerns to addictions, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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“Dr. Debra shares her insights with good humour and compassion. Our listeners will love how she holds space for both of the adults in the mother daughter relationship. She generously shares her personal experiences in family and clinical settings to demonstrate real human examples of how these dynamics play out in our lives. Dr. Debra is a delight to connect with and has an obvious wealth of knowledge to share that all listeners and readers could use to improve their relationships.”

Bryde

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“Dr. Mandel shows us, with compassion, how to heal the wounds we carry into our adult relationships, creating permanent, positive changes. After that, things will get better—much better!”

Russell Friedman - Author

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learn how to "take Charge"

Relationship expert with over thirty years experience helping others thrive!

Dr. Debra uses a holistic approach, encouraging her clients to focus on building their inherent strengths rather than dwelling on their weaknesses or shortcomings.

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Let Dr. Debra Help you!

As the “warrior for love” Dr. Debra will teach you how to fight for love, keep it alive, and thrive in your relationship.

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About

Dr. Debra

Dr. Debra, author of five books, including her new release Sassy & Rude: Her New Attitude, has been featured on multiple national television and radio shows as a relationship expert, and has co-hosted her own podcast achieving over a million listeners.

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A mother‘s love will never die, always there beyon A mother‘s love will never die,
always there beyond the eye!
You may not see it or know it’s there,
but in your heart, you’ll feel it’s care!
So lets never ever, ever take for granted
the mother’s seed we have forever planted.
Because in that gift of heartfelt affection,
the pulse among us solidifies the ever-lasting connection!

Although Mother's Day may be over for 2026, it takes more than one day to celebrate mothers. All that they do, create, and sacrifice for their children - and all children of the world - cannot be over-celebrated. 

celebrating Moms | Mother's Day | mothers and daughters | oldest daughter | middle child | authorgram | helpful books | inner child healing
I’m honored to assist you and your adult daughters I’m honored to assist you and your adult daughters in restoring your relationships. "Sassy And Rude: Her New Attitude" is available now wherever you get your books online.

💖 Helpful tips in layman's terms - Using stories and scenarios, the author provides examples of how mothers of adult daughters can repair their relationships. It is easy to read and helpful. ~ Anonymous

⭐️ A Must Read - I have been a fan of Dr. Debra Mandel's books since I purchased Your Boss is not your Mother. Dr. Mandel gets to the subject matter quickly in her books and gives you the tools to take on the subject matter in a way that respects both sides of the issue. For anyone that sees a Mother and Daughter dynamic in their family, Dr.Mandel's book Sassy and Rude is a must read. ~ Robert Sheehan

📚 adult daughter | self help books | Mom issues | new book alert | raising teenagers | book releases
Sadly, my mom passed away at the young age of 58. Sadly, my mom passed away at the young age of 58. I was just about the same age as my own daughter is now – early 30’s. My relationship with my mom had many trials and tribulations and, unfortunately, ended on a very bad note.

While I miss her so deeply, rather than living in regret or beating myself up with the “if only,” each day I try to choose a better and stronger path with my lovely daughter! So, for this Mother’s Day, I encourage you to cherish your own mom, yourself, and your children (if you have any). Celebrate the positives and avoid dwelling on the annoyances.

Give the gift of love and gratitude 💕

Mother's Day | mothers and daughters | oldest daughter | middle child | authorgram | helpful books | inner child healing
While some folks truly enjoy the rush of a first d While some folks truly enjoy the rush of a first date encounter, many people find the experience to be paralyzing, anxiety-ridden, and something to be avoided at all costs. So how do you keep the dating experience positive and avoid sticking your foot in your mouth? Below are 10 tips to keep in mind if you’d like to get to a second date! (BTW—these guidelines assume you’ve had only minimal contact with the person you’re meeting for the first time.)

📍 Keep the chat light & simple. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t divulge anything personal, but be careful not to explode with intimate details about the traumas and tragedies from your history.
📍 Face-to-face in a neutral space. 
📍 Pick a chill activity. 
📍 Minimize alcohol consumption. If you’re plagued by uncomfortable first-date jitters, excuse yourself to the bathroom and practice healthier relaxation tools, such as deep breathing or soothing visualizations.
📍 Dress like yourself. 
📍 Accept compliments graciously. 
📍 Keep a balanced conversation. 
📍 If you had a nice time, say so. 
📍 Be on time.
📍 No s*x. You deserve more opportunities to discover whether this is a person with whom you’d like to become intimate.

Remember these are just guidelines, not absolutes. Also, keep in mind that sometimes people deserve a second chance. Just like tasting a fine wine—the first sip is not always representative of how it will ultimately either delight or repel your taste buds. Sometimes people also need more than one sampling to truly know whether their flavors will tickle your fancy. So don’t be too hasty and rule someone out at first glance, unless, of course, you see blazing deal-breakers right out of the gate!
Hallmark cards abound with sentiments of love, app Hallmark cards abound with sentiments of love, appreciation, and joy; yet so many of us have had strained relationships with our moms. Some have suffered ab*se and neglect, whereas others feel they were controlled and unappreciated. For those of you who fall into this category, it may be harder for you to engage in the celebration of Mother’s Day. However, unless the patterns of dysfunction were so severe that the relationship was entirely null and voided, you can apply a few tips to try to bypass your resentment and show some love.

❤️ Think positively. More than likely, your mom filled up your cup to some degree. Reflect on a few of the good times with her.
❤️ Make a list of three things you appreciate about your mom. You can share these by writing a gratitude list on a blank card or sending an email.
❤️ Put your mom in a context. Try to remember that for the most part, your mom probably tried to do the best she could with the tools and resources available to her at the time.
❤️ Practice empathy. If you are a parent, think about all the times in which you behaved less than ideally in raising your own children. If you are not a parent, I’m sure you have not been your stellar self in every relationship. Remember, we are all human.

So, for just this “special day,” try to get over yourself. Let your mom know you care. After all, you are an adult. You make your own choices. You have the power to stop the hurt and heal your own wounds now!

Mother's Day | inner child healing | mothers and daughters | oldest daughter | middle child | authorgram | helpful books
You aren’t required to love every aspect of yourse You aren’t required to love every aspect of yourself to achieve self-acceptance. In fact, it’s good to regularly evaluate our behavior, and the choices we make, to determine their value in our present surroundings. Then we can make changes where we have control.

🏁 But it’s not okay to shame and berate ourselves or deny our emotional baggage. 

💙 Without integration and acceptance of ourselves, we cannot thrive!

💖 self care tip | you're doing great | relationship issues | author speaker | positive thinking
Welcome back to Inner Child week! 🧸 🚀 Are you re Welcome back to Inner Child week! 🧸 🚀 

Are you ready to begin creating a positive relationship with your inner child? Practice the following tips:

⭐️ Stop being mean to yourself and practice self-love! State five positive affirmations daily. For example, pick a quality you possess such as “compassion” and say aloud: “I am proud to be able to be compassionate and understanding toward others.” Keep the affirmations simple and realistic. Either repeat the same ones or create new ones each day.

⭐️ Look in the mirror every day and say these words aloud to your reflection: “I am here for you and will love you no matter what.” This is a trust building exercise between the “adult” you and the “child” within you.

⭐️ Observe a parent who is exceptionally loving toward her infant or toddler. Then practice treating yourself in the same manner. If you don’t know of anyone whom you can emulate, find a character in a movie of TV show, or go to a local park and observe a parent-child interaction.

⭐️ Smile at least 10 times per day. Don’t feel happy—then fake it, ‘til you make it. And, if you can muster up a good belly laugh or two, that will get you there quicker!

⭐️ Commend your inner child regularly on having made it through difficult times in the past. Take this a step further and state how grateful you are for being able to give yourself the emotional nurturance you deserve.

⭐️ Vow to do something playful every day. For instance, play a game you truly enjoyed as a child to remind yourself of fun times or think of a favorite memory and recreate it!

⭐️ Make sure you attend to your basic needs on a regular basis. You wouldn’t deprive an infant of food if she were crying out with hunger pains, so why would you skip eating when you’re hungry? This applies for all basic needs such as sleep, affection, nurturance, etc.

🚀 Above all, use your imagination! After all, “play” is what children do best—so let your inner child have fun!
No one had a perfect childhood. Rather, most of No one had a perfect childhood. 

Rather, most of us endured some sort of hardship, trauma, or adversity while growing up. As a result, whether we are consciously aware or not, we have an “inner child” who carries forward some sort of negative fallout from those early years into our adulthood, and who often aches for some healing. 

This week, we're going to pay your inner child some extra attention. Happy Inner Child Week! 🧸🚀

Ideally, the emotional healing we often crave for our wounds should have occurred at the time the wounds were created. But more often than not, no such healing comes from the original source, or at the optimal time. As a result, you may have boxed away feelings, memories, or other painful remnants of the past as a way of disconnecting from your inner child.

This split-off part of you will continue to hold anger, resentment, sadness, hurt, etc., until you address these buried feelings. The little beast could wreak havoc somewhere in your adult life.

How your inner child inevitably draws attention to her/himself is varied and unpredictable. Regardless, some negative fallout with regard to interpersonal relationships or self-worth will likely occur. For instance, if you were mistreated as a child by someone significant, such as a parent, you might be drawn toward emotionally abusive relationships in adulthood—not because you are masochistic, but because you are attempting to resolve what wasn’t resolved with your caregiver. Or, you may suffer from an undercurrent of irritability and resentment, causing you to be snippy with others.

The examples above are just a few of the situations where your inner child begs to be acknowledged, yet she doesn’t turn her attention to you because she doesn’t trust that you will be the best source of her healing. Hence, your inner child turns into an inner monster & continually seeks healing in all the wrong places and from all the wrong people, with no satisfaction.

If this speaks to you, it’s time to nip this negative feedback loop in the bud and start treating your inner kid like the superhero she/he is! 

💐 mental wellbeing | golden rule | be kind | rough waters | break the cycle | inner child work
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Dr. Debra received her master’s and doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles

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Psychologist, Author, and TV/ Radio Personality

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