You don’t want to miss this episode where I share some BIG news, and my close friend and guest, Britta Bushnell, helps me process it all, as she talks about the Apollo and Artemis myth and the mind-blowing way it applies to my news, and also to motherhood. Britta and I discuss phases and seasons of life, why one part of ourselves is always starved in this culture, how to transition into beginnings and endings more intentionally, and more....
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 67
My guest, Emily, and I talk about parenting a special needs child - the real deal of it, not just the saintly “special needs mother” archetype that can only be endlessly patient. Emily shares about her early motherhood journey and how she knew something was different with her daughter, the endless searching for answers, the lifelong theme of “othering” she’s felt, and the elevated expectations, stress, and beauty that parents of special needs kids live with. We also discuss recurrent grief when ...
Jul 26, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 66
There are lots of stats about pandemic divorce, but few personal stories because of the sensitivity of this topic. Lucky for us, fellow writer, Tara, opens up about her story and how it went down, the agreements she had about romance and soulmates, her insecurities about being a single mom, what’s getting her through it, other people’s opinions about her choice to write through her wounds, and more.
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 65
My favorite medium of over 20 years, Tim Braun, shares how his gift felt like a curse as a child, a dream that changed his path, and responds to my question about if we can contact my favorite dead famous people! He also answers the very light question of what happens when we die (and he has specifics!), shares what happens when he watches Forensic Files, and divulges his most memorable sittings of the past 23 years (PG and R-rated). This episode is beyond interesting!
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 64
Working mom advocate and researcher, Leslie Forde, and I talk about moms’ needs, the destabilizing effect of motherhood, the positive shifts she’s seeing in workplaces, the three things moms reported wanting most in the pandemic, and the “grabbing the crappy potato” theory, which you’ve likely experienced too.
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 63
Mom coach, Graeme Seabrook, and I discuss what I call “The Great Reckoning” that’s coming for us parents after the pandemic. We talk about what moms have lost most during the pandemic, unexpected side effects of returning to some normalcy, the summer ahead, and what Graeme sees coming up for moms after this wild year of emotional and logistical scrambling. And I also share a maddeningly relatable story about my teen and the violence that is wearing a belt....
May 31, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 62
Writer and feminist, Zawn Villines, drops lots of (uncomfortable) truth about gender inequality bullshit in marriage and parenting. We discuss the thing she heard in a mom’s group that shocked her, the kind of man who cannot be “fixed,” an equitable solution that isn’t just leaving your marriage, and innovative ideas about what we do about these inequalities for ourselves and our children.
May 17, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 61
Join me for this remarkable episode where a dude, author Jordan Shapiro, is doing the important work of fighting the patriarchy! Feminism is funny, apparently, because we laugh a lot as we talk about what he learned in the locker room that stayed with him as he grew into a man, the problematic narrative of men thinking they’re the hero of everyone’s story, subtle anti-feminist sentiments dads don’t realize they have, how they can shift their thinking which benefits everyone around them, and more...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 60
Join me as my guest, Meredith of “Perfection Pending,” and I de-stigmatize mental illness, anxiety, depression, and taking medication for relief. We both share our very personal stories and also discuss the surprising ways anxiety shows up for each of us (which I didn’t even know until I was on the other side of things), along with the most successful ways we’ve gotten help. Meredith opens up about how her anxiety directly affected her mothering, and I offer my newfound mid-life hack that’s a ga...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 59
This interview might be one of my all time favorites as Braunwyn so openly shares her misgivings about being on the Real Housewives, along with the parts she absolutely loves. She also divulges her rock bottom moments and the hardest part of getting sober on TV, why coming out as a lesbian happened sooner than she’d wanted it to, how she’s co-creating an out-of-the-box partnership with her husband, Sean, and how kissing a costar cost her tens of thousands of dollars. This episode is full of real...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 58
If you like using data to make your job as a parent easier, your brain will love today’s guest, Sandra, who is a Myers-Briggs expert and counselor who helps families figure out their personality types. She breaks things down in such a simple way, and you will witness me processing my own personality in real time. We discuss how personality typing can help you help your kids, which personality types have a harder time with motherhood (and the pandemic), and how to fill your kids’ specific buckets...
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 57
Gabrielle Blair (aka “Design Mom,” and the person behind the viral Twitter thread about the actual root cause of abortions) talks with me about how we prioritize male pleasure even at an extreme risk to women, men’s aversions to vasectomies, easy ways to make our houses more functional and enjoyable during a pandemic, and more in this whiplashy episode.
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 56
Join me for this delightfully unexpected conversation that feels more like stand-up comedy than parenting advice. I had no idea what I was in for when I asked my guest, parenting coach and Washington Post columnist, Meghan Leahy, to come chat with me. She’s like the anti-parenting-expert expert, if that’s a thing. I don’t even know, but her words will be the balm you need as we talk about why the one-size-fits-all Super Nanny approach doesn’t work, the pitfalls of rigid parenting philosophies (a...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 55
Author, Lyz Lenz, talks about what happened when she realized she was the only one supporting her dream, and how she finally got that equality she was seeking. Lyz also shares the dangers of marrying someone with political differences, how to negotiate the contract of marriage, and why it’s important to show our kids that there is no invisible lunch-making fairy. There are lots of laughs and divorce real talk here as well as a ha moments about our own mothers, and Lyz shows us why when life give...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 54
Ronnie and I continue the real talk about how 2020 changed us, including a surprising insecurity the pandemic brought forth for me. We also discuss the various layers of stuckness many moms feel, the reshuffling of friendships (and how we found our ride or dies), and what small things are giving us hope and bandwidth for 2021.
Jan 25, 2021•48 min•Ep. 53
I’m talking with one of my favorite people about how we’re arriving at 2021 differently after getting pantsed by 2020. We both share the adorable goals we had for 2020 and process our grief and laughter around those specific losses. We also talk candidly about how this year triggered postpartum feelings and what the hell to do with 2021 goals, if anything.
Jan 11, 2021•42 min•Ep. 52
In this episode, I am talking to someone we all need right now - a psychologist! Join me and Dr. Claire Nicogossian as we talk about all things mental health including the difference between responding to the pandemic and actual depression, how to cope with shadow emotions such as anger, what self-care is and isn’t, and the one thing she filed in the back of her brain as a therapist all these years. This is the honest, compassionate pep talk (and therapy) we all need to remind us that we are eno...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 51
Author, Nefertiti Austin, stops by to discuss Black motherhood, adoption, single parenting, and why white motherhood is the default reflected in the media. We also talk about her book, how she healed her own mother wound, the discrepancy between white and Black adoptions, and how Black women and mothers are dehumanized (which was not on my radar). Lots of important stuff here.
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 50
Today’s episode is fun, full of laughs and insight, and dare I say whimsy mixed with swearing? My talented guest lets us into his creative life as a father, while also opening up about marriage, mental health challenges, calisthenics as a parenting tool, his new podcast, how he’s making sure his kids don’t grow up to be “boring” adults, and more.
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 49
Emily Calandrelli from Netflix’s “Emily’s Wonder Lab” stops by to talk about her experience as a woman in the STEM world, and how she’s raising her daughter to be science-minded. We also discuss the coronavirus, show business, and just how pregnant she was filming her show! I didn’t think it was possible for her to be more likable than she is on TV, but I was wrong.
Nov 16, 2020•49 min•Ep. 48
No matter if you’re an introvert, extrovert, or don’t know what the hell you are, this episode is for you. My guest, Joanne, discusses the telltale traits for both, and then offers practical tips on how to better support the introverts you love – whether that be your kids, your spouse, or even yourself. With Joanne’s help, I learned a lot about myself and my kids. So join us as we talk personalities, laugh a lot, and overshare.
Nov 02, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 47
Big-time podcaster and writer, Zibby Owens, stops by to discuss the challenges of motherhood, sibling age gaps, the illusion of motherly balance, how the pandemic has changed her parenting, and her favorite podcast interviews with A-Listers.
Oct 19, 2020•51 min•Ep. 46
Join me as I ask past Survivor contestant turned social justice warrior, Eliza Orlins, hard-hitting questions. So basically, all about bathroom logistics while on the show. But we also discuss why she doesn’t hold grudges from the game, why you can’t get an untrue edit, what trauma many contestants now live with, who her favorite Survivor player is, what is Jeff Probst really like, and more.
Oct 05, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 45
This bonus episode is a raw, unpolished, late night cry for help with my favorite professional organizer, Rebecca Mezzino! The stuff in my home feels like it’s closing in on me and this was the pep talk, therapy session, and advice I needed. Maybe you need it too.
Oct 02, 2020•51 min
Author and wonder woman, Asha, and I discuss the pandemic, our new normalcy, and the impossibility of making school and daycare choices right now. We also get real about the ridiculous expectation that us moms will keep bearing the brunt of this global crisis, and the idea that no one is coming to save us. But we don’t totally spiral downward! We also talk about seeds from our childhood that later bloom into badass women. And, the interview starts with one of the most relatable mom moments that ...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 44
My brave guest, Rachael, and I talk about divorce and a taboo topic - mothers who don’t have primary custody, or even any custody of their kids. The goal of this episode is to give a voice to those mothers and to break down the stereotype that a non-custodial mother is always unfit, an addict, or unstable. Prepare to have your mind expanded.
Sep 07, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 43
Past Bachelor contestant, Ashley Spivey, is an open book as she spills the Bachelor Nation tea! She tells so many secrets, such as how the girls really felt about Brad, the show’s torturous methods to make great TV, what it’s like to live in a house full of women whose periods have synched up, and the deets about Chris Harrison – is he shady? In addition to dishing about reality TV and dropping a bomb that leaves me speechless, Ashley also talks about how being on the Bachelor changed her, how s...
Aug 24, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 42
Author, Kristen Howerton, and I somehow laugh our way through a conversation about some pretty deep topics such as infertility, divorce, toxic positivity in the face of miscarriage, and coping with life’s unknowns. We talk a lot about the pandemic, the similarities between it and Kristen’s past struggles, as well as what parts of ourselves this crisis is bringing out. Kristen also gives me a lesson on faking it ‘til I make it, she shares a mantra that helped her get through the hardest moments o...
Aug 10, 2020•54 min•Ep. 41
Join me and two Muslim-American moms who give such honest insight and unexpected laughs while sharing what it’s like “Mommying While Muslim.” Zaiba and Uzma discuss how feminism fits into their religion and culture, along with the role expected of women and how that relates to fertility, breastfeeding, and motherhood. I ask some tough questions, and we also get into how the events of 9/11 changed their lives, and the lives of their children. They also offer specific ways that non-Muslim moms can...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 40
This episode’s theme is on all of our minds as parents: resiliency. We hear a lot about “grit” and “entitlement” these days, and my guest, Denise, shares her expert view as someone who worked for years in the study abroad department at a university. She has seen what happens when our young adults are put to the test and must problem solve all by themselves. Spoiler alert: it’s not pretty. But lucky for us, Denise’s professional behind-the-scenes insight – along with how it affected her own paren...
Jul 13, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 39
