783. How Childhood Shapes the Adults We Coach - With Paddy Ney

In this episode, I speak with parenting coach and documentary maker Patrick Ney about why modern parenting has become so challenging, and what it reveals about human psychology far beyond family life. Drawing on his experience of working with more than 165,000 parents around the world, Patrick explores how our own childhood experiences quietly shape the way we parent, relate to others, and show up as coaches and helping professionals.

Together, we examine the powerful influence of attachment, emotional development, and inherited family patterns, discussing why many of the struggles we experience as adults begin long before we're aware of them. Patrick argues that parenting is less about finding the perfect techniques and more about understanding ourselves, questioning the assumptions we inherited, and developing the emotional awareness to respond rather than react.

The conversation also explores why modern parents are under unprecedented pressure, the myths of the "perfect childhood," and how unresolved experiences continue to influence our relationships, leadership, and coaching. Whether you're raising children or not, this episode offers valuable insights into the formative experiences that shape every client, helping coaches better understand the roots of behaviour, build deeper compassion, and support lasting change.

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