First Light Books is thrilled to host clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Shefali in conversation with bestselling author and podcaster Jen Hatmaker for an intimate evening on what it takes to raise steady, self-aware kids in a chaotic, anxious world.

Monday, September 21 · Central Presbyterian Church · Doors 6:00 PM · Talk begins 6:30 PM · Book signing to follow

"Dr. Shefali’s companion books arrive at a moment when parents are asking harder, more complicated questions about raising sons and daughters in a fast-changing world. She writes with rare humanity, offering a developmentally grounded roadmap for raising emotionally healthy, authentic kids—clear, wise, and genuinely practical. Essential reading from one of the wisest voices in parenting today." - Aliza Pressman, PhD, developmental psychologist, host of Raising Good Humans, and bestselling author of The 5 Principles of Parenting​

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About the event

Today's kids are growing up under a kind of pressure no previous generation has faced. Dr. Shefali, the Columbia-trained clinical psychologist who founded the Conscious Parenting movement, has spent decades guiding families toward a different way — one rooted in presence over control, connection over correction, and inner authority over outer approval. Her two new books, Raising Conscious Daughters: Building Confidence, Courage, and Inner Power in an Anxious World and Raising Conscious Sons: Cultivating Purpose, Connection, and Inner Power in a Chaotic World, offer parents and educators a practical, deeply researched framework for parenting today.

She'll be joined in conversation by Jen Hatmaker, New York Times bestselling author, host of the beloved For the Love podcast, and one of the sharpest, funniest voices writing about family and womanhood today.

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About the Books

Rather than offer a one-size-fits-all approach, Dr. Shefali wrote two books that meet each child where they are.

Raising Conscious Daughters: Building Confidence, Courage, and Inner Power in an Anxious World

A guide for raising girls who know who they are before the world tells them who to be. Drawing on decades of clinical work and the core principles of Conscious Parenting , Dr. Shefali unpacks the specific pressures shaping girls today — perfectionism, people-pleasing and comparison culture. She offers parents a framework for helping daughters build genuine confidence, name their emotions , and root their sense of worth in something sturdier than approval.

Raising Conscious Sons: Cultivating Purpose, Connection, and Inner Power in a Chaotic World

A guide for raising boys who can feel, connect, and lead from the inside out. Boys are coming of age in a landscape of contradictory messages about masculinity, achievement, and emotional expression. Dr. Shefali offers parents a way through: how to raise sons who are emotionally literate , ambitious without being hollow, and strong in ways that don't require anyone else to be small.​

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About Dr. Shefali

Dr. Shefali is a clinical psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and the founder of the

Conscious Parenting movement. Blending Western psychology with Eastern wisdom, she has redefined how families understand selfhood, connection, and the inner life of children. Trained at Columbia University, Dr. Shefali has spent decades guiding parents beyond patterns of fear and control toward presence, authenticity, and inner transformation. Her groundbreaking work explores the hidden forces that shape identity, relationships, and the way we inhabit the world—creating a path for both children and the adults who raise them to awaken and evolve.

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About Jen Hatmaker

Jen Hatmaker is a bestselling author, award-winning podcaster, speaker, and fierce advocate for women living in freedom and agency. With 15 books—including five New York Times bestsellers—along with her beloved For the Love podcast, Jen Hatmaker Book Club, and more, she reaches millions with her signature mix of humor, vulnerability, and wisdom. Her newest book, Awake: A Memoir, released September 23, 2025, and chronicles her raw, real-time journey through the shocking end of her 26-year marriage and surprising reinvention. She lives in a creaky old farmhouse, loves 90s country, and drinks Almond Joy creamer like it’s a personality trait.

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Getting Here & Parking

Central Presbyterian Church, 200 East 8th Street, across from the Omni Hotel.

On-street parking is free after 6:00 PM on Mondays — try 8th Street a block or two east of the church. Paid garages within a block include the Omni (across the street), St. David's (Trinity between 7th and 8th), and First Baptist (Trinity between 8th and 9th).

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