EP 64 Building healthy digital habits and relationships with Jocelyn Brewer

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi is joined by Jocelyn Brewer - psychologist, former high school teacher, and founder of Digital Nutrition - for a wide-ranging, deeply thoughtful conversation about technology, parenting, wellbeing, and what it truly means to stay human in a digital world.

With over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of psychology, education, and technology, Jocelyn brings clarity, compassion, and a refreshingly non-shaming perspective to one of the most complex challenges facing families today: how to live well with technology rather than be consumed by it.

Kristi and Jocelyn explore why online safety, digital wellbeing, mental health, and prevention cannot be treated as separate issues - and why bans, rules, and fear-based approaches alone will never be enough. They unpack how children’s behaviour online is often driven by a fundamental need to belong, how brains respond under stress and overwhelm, and why adults must build their own regulation skills if they want to support their children effectively.

This episode challenges the idea of “digital natives” and reframes young people as digital orphans - growing up in systems designed to capture attention, without enough adult guidance or modelling. Together, Kristi and Jocelyn discuss why behaviour is not identity, how shame shuts down learning, and why curiosity, connection, and co-regulation are far more powerful than control.

The conversation also touches on broader systemic pressures - cost-of-living stress, loss of community spaces, comparison culture, and constant information overload - and how these factors shape both parenting and children’s online experiences.

This is not a conversation about perfection, restriction, or policing behaviour.

It’s about intentional use, emotional literacy, and building skills for life - online and offline.

Key Themes Covered

Why digital wellbeing and online safety cannot be separated

The concept of digital nutrition and intentional tech use

Why behaviour is not identity - for children or adults

How belonging drives online choices and risk-taking