12/26/2025
✨ Merida, Motherhood, and the Path to Partnership ✨
By Andrew J. Hewitt, PMHNP-BC, Caliper Wellness
Pixar’s Brave isn’t just a coming-of-age story; it’s a powerful lens into the real-life push and pull between adolescent autonomy and a mother’s instinct to guide and protect. In his newest blog, Andrew J. Hewitt, PMHNP-BC, breaks down what Merida and Queen Elinor teach us about attachment, emotion regulation, conflict repair, and the evolving mother–daughter bond.
Drawing on 2024–2025 research, Andrew explores why misattunement (when guidance feels like control), not conflict itself, drives distress in teens. He outlines evidence-backed strategies that help families shift from power struggles to partnership, including autonomy-supportive parenting, collaborative boundaries, and early, consistent repair.
If you’re navigating adolescence at home, or supporting a family through it, this blog offers a hopeful roadmap toward understanding, connection, and growth. 🌿🏹💛
Read the full blog at caliperwellness.com/marvelous