Bethany Braun-Silva already wears many hats -- writer, editor, podcast host, wife, mom -- and now she's adding author to the list with new book "Like a Mother: Banish Guilt, Blaze Your Trail, and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love." She joins Maria to talk about the inspiration behind this book and the realities of motherhood. Fun fact: Bethany was one of the OG guests of the show during the pandemic! Follow along on with Bethany Braun-Silva on Instagram: @bethanybraunsilva _______ Check ...
Jul 24, 2023•26 min•Ep. 76
You don't need to "fit in," but you do need to belong! In this MOM2MOM episode, parenting journalist Donna Tetreault talks about her latest children's book "Dear Me: I Belong." Donna explores what it means for kids to feel connection and belonging at home, at school, in their community, and most importantly, with themselves. This all connects to Donna's first children's book "Dear Me: Letters to Myself, For All of My Emotions." She shares tips to educate kids on naming their emotions, finding th...
Jul 17, 2023•26 min•Ep. 75
Parents are tired these days; too tired to over-parent! In a recent column for the Boston Globe journalist Kara Baskin talks about why parents in their 30s and 40s no longer "want it all" for their kids. It's not that they don't want what's best, it's that they're willing to give up the packed schedules, name-brand educations, and helicopter parenting tendencies to craft what society has named "perfect." She shares how to prioritize activities and values and the spells out the benefits for kids!...
Jun 26, 2023•24 min•Ep. 74
Hey Hun, let's talk MLMs (multilevel marketing companies)! Emily Lynn Paulson is on tour for her newest book "Hey Hun: Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing." The author and founder of the Sober Mom Squad holds nothing back as she shares her personal experience working for an MLM for nearly 7 years. She breaks down what drew her to the company and the seat of privilege she sat in to launch to the top. Emily also shares when she started to get the "icks" and began ...
Jun 19, 2023•25 min•Ep. 73
She's a woman of many talents, a mom of four beautiful boys, and newly named New York Times best-selling author! Khadeen Ellis wrote her first book, "We Over Me: The Counterintuitive Approach to Getting Everything You Want from Your Relationship," with her husband Devale Ellis. The couple has been together for more than 20 years, are raising four boys, and sharing family content with the world on their social sitcom, podcast, and beyond. The book was a way to share how they've kept their relatio...
Apr 24, 2023•24 min•Ep. 72
Dr. Oneeka Williams is a urologic surgeon by trade but her days include a lot more than that. Dr. Oneeka is on a mission to educate, elevate, and empower people to live with positivity, achieve whole health, and chase their dreams. She is no stranger to facing adversity head on and thriving. Today she shares her story, 5 tips to find positivity, and simple strategy to include S.E.L.F. C.A.R.E. in her life daily. You'll also learn about Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo who you'll want to keep in mind the next ...
Apr 05, 2023•24 min•Ep. 71
First she was "Scary Mommy" and now "She's Got Issues." Jill Smokler is one of the O.G. mom bloggers when she launched "Scary Mommy" in 2008. Now in her 40s, divorced, parenting 3 teens, and weathering life's highs and lows, Jill has launched a new platform, "She's Got Issues," to connect with Gen Z women like her. She shies away from nothing. On the podcast (and forthcoming magazine) she openly discusses her diagnosis with bipolar disorder, divorcing her gay spouse, grief, body image issues, ad...
Mar 27, 2023•24 min•Ep. 70
She is the multi-hyphenate; Morgan Harper Nichols is an artist, poet, author, podcast host, app creator, wife, mom, content creator, and more! With a passion for creating and telling stories and lessons through art, Morgan has found a way to connect with millions of people around the world. Her social media platforms boast beautiful colors and thoughtful messages based on stories of followers. Just recently she released the third book of her trilogy, "You're Only Just Beginning," to embrace what...
Mar 06, 2023•24 min•Ep. 69
Ditch the bubble baths and crystals, we're getting real about self-care. OK, maybe don't need to ditch them completely, but understand them to be tools rather than principles, which are at the heart of self-care. Pooja Lakshmin, a board-certified psychologist, wrote "Real Self-Care" after years of working in perinatal psychiatry realizing that the practices society often labels as self-care are not getting the root of the issues they are trying to solve. Dr. Lakshmin challenges readers to an int...
Feb 27, 2023•23 min•Ep. 68
Anxiety seems like a buzzword these days and we're often trying to find ways to avoid it. But what if you didn't have to? Dr. Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscientist at New York University, shares how everyday anxiety can actually be good for us. Productivity is just one of the superpowers she talks about (there are five others in her book!) She also discusses the science behind the relationship between science and the brain (spoiler: they are very connected!) Listen to the conversation and you might fin...
Feb 06, 2023•24 min•Ep. 67
If you've ever said "I could never be conned into a cult!" Listen up! You may be more vulnerable than you think. After 12 years in a cult Canadian actor Sarah Edmondson fought her way out. Once she was out, along with others, knew exposing the group was the right thing to do. It wasn't easy but they did it. Today she shares her story: how she got started, why she stayed, and what made her "wake up" to the realities. She does this in her book "Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM" and o...
Jan 30, 2023•26 min•Ep. 66
We've said it before and we'll say it again: your mom squad is SO important when it comes to raising your kids. It's more than just the helpful carpool pick up or meal, it's the relationship with the person (or people!) Having close friendships in adulthood are crucial for both our physical and mental health according to Dr. Marisa Franco's research. The new author of Platonic has studied the science behind friendships (and lack thereof!), making friends, and fostering them in healthy ways in a ...
Jan 09, 2023•22 min•Ep. 65
She's a life coach, author and mom of SEVEN...Hannah Keeley is a mom you want to know! With a background in behavioral therapy combined with her experience parenting she is on a mission to help empower moms and rescue them from overwhelm. She has cracked the code on staying sane during the holidays by ditching unrealistic expectations, maximizing pockets of time, keeping our minds healthy, and more! Oh, and she has NEVER fought with her husband in their 30+ year marriage; she's sharing the secre...
Dec 19, 2022•25 min•Ep. 64
A longer, healthier, and happier life? Sign us up! Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow and New York Times best-selling author, has learned the secrets to longevity by studying the areas of the world where people live the longest, or what he calls 'blue zones. Over time has has learned what they eat, what they do, who they spend their time with. When the pandemic hit the US in 2020 he brought that curious eye to the States. He began working on his newly released "The Blue Zones American Ki...
Dec 12, 2022•23 min•Ep. 63
Destini Davis is a VIP...a very intentional parent! The certified parenting coach has a background in psychology and traded her stylist sheers to coach parents to become the best parental version of themselves. On social media and in her new book, "Very Intentional Parenting," Davis explains that the peaceful/gentle/conscious parenting approach is a way of raising kids using respect, boundaries and limitations rooted in compassion, and nonviolent communication. She offers real-life solutions to ...
Dec 05, 2022•21 min•Ep. 62
There's very little Holly Robinson Peete doesn't do -- she's an actor, autism and parkinson's advocate, children's book author, founder, mom, wife, and so much more! The superstar chats with Maria about her newest book "Charlie Makes a Splash!", her Hollywood star, raising her family and more. She also reveals the secret to her 27-year marriage! ------ Check out all of the MOM2MOM episodes: nbcboston.com/mom-2-mom Follow along on social: @thehubtoday & @mariasansone Follow along on with Holl...
Nov 28, 2022•24 min•Ep. 61
Tik Tok star Clare Brown, also known as Clarabelle, is teaching “European Americans” what it’s like to feel othered in society - straight up with no chaser - but there is a dash of humor. Brown tackles implicit bias, sexism, religion, and more in her social videos to show people what those in marginalized groups experience daily. Her cast of characters encourages uncomfortable chuckles and honest conversations. ------ Check out all of the MOM2MOM episodes: nbcboston.com/mom-2-mom Follow along on...
Nov 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 59
In her new book psychotherapist Niro Feliciano wont' give you the tips for happiness, but she will give you the keys to find true contentment. So, what's the difference? Feliciano shares that contentment is wanting everything you have while happiness is having everything you want. Sounds pretty simple, right?! Feliciano shares how you can make small changes to find that sustained fulfillment including ways to ditch a comparison mindset, identify what's important to you, and have some fun doing i...
Nov 14, 2022•27 min•Ep. 60
Overwhelm is an overwhelming theme of parenthood; too much to do, too little time. Dr. Yael Schonbrun knows this through her practice as a clinical psychologist and has experienced it as a mom of three. So, she wrote a book about it! "Work, Parent, Thrive" suggests that the identity conflict of a working parent can actually be shifted (with some mindset work!) to leverage each role to support the other. Schonburn uses 12 science-backed strategies to ditch guilt, manage overwhelm, and build conne...
Nov 07, 2022•24 min•Ep. 58
Raising kids takes a village. When Krystian Gabrielle became a mom for the first time she wanted to find her community - one that she could connect and laugh with. She found it on social media when she switched her Instagram account from private to public. Since that moment she has connected with thousands of women virtually, and even hosting an in-person meet up. She joins Maria to talk all about the humor behind raising two small kids with her wife in Florida, finding a the right parenting pat...
Nov 01, 2022•23 min•Ep. 57
Don't Wait. Rabbi Steve Leder sums up his newest book "For You When I'm Gone" with those two words. The book dives into the idea of an ethical will and how we can leave our loved ones with the truths of our lives rather than just the facts. Rabbi Leder chats with Maria about how he developed the questions and how to begin to answer them (it can be tough to pull back the curtain on our own lives!) He reminds us that it is never too early or too late to tell those we love how we feel. Check out al...
Oct 24, 2022•25 min•Ep. 56
Motherhood is full of peaks and valleys but no one really explains that to your boss; that’s where The Returnity Project comes in. Drawing on her own “returnity pains” after the birth of her first child, Lauren Brandt is on a mission to make work-life balance more than a corporate catch phrase. She reveals how she’s working with some of the biggest companies in the world to make work a better place…for everyone. Check out all of the MOM2MOM episodes: nbcboston.com/mom-2-mom Follow along on socia...
Oct 10, 2022•19 min•Ep. 55
She's President of the "Ratchet Mom Club," a dynamite Peloton tread instructor, and proud mama of two. Yes, the inspiring Kirsten Ferguson is joining Maria today. Despite her enormous success after just one year at Peloton, she reveals that she wasn't always a big fitness girl. Kirsten shares how fitness found her at the right time and the moment she recognized it was her calling. She also gets vulnerable with her road to motherhood -- the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Both her fit...
Oct 03, 2022•26 min•Ep. 54
We are excited to welcome Jana Kramer back to the show! Jana is a country music star, actor, podcast host, author, and mom of 2. She dishes on her new single "The Nicest Thing," where she draws her inspiration from, life as a single mama, and more. Jana really opens up about healing after her divorce and what it's been like to dip her toes in the dating game. And stick around until the end, Jana holds nothing back in a game of rapid fire! Check out all of the MOM2MOM episodes: nbcboston.com/mom-...
Sep 19, 2022•25 min•Ep. 53
How many times have you wanted to fit in some "me time" - a workout, time to journal, a walk, sitting in silence - but couldn't find the time? You're not alone! Raina O'Dell, a life coach and mom of teens, knows this struggle and has the tools to not only find the time, but also structure it to help you climb closer to being the highest version of yourself. Raina jokes she has lived "10 lives" in her 35 years. She shares the highs and lows of her life, the pivotal moments, and the freedom routin...
Sep 12, 2022•26 min•Ep. 52
Don’t let stress ruin back-to-school! All change is stressful, the good and the bad; it’s all in how you handle it. Dr. Deborah Gilboa, resilience expert and author, shares her no-nonsense strategies to managing stress and working through it to be the best version of yourself. The most important thing to remember when building resilience, according to Dr. G, is empathy. It’s important to allow yourself the room to feel the stress of the change, validate those feelings, and then act. Dr. G also e...
Aug 29, 2022•25 min•Ep. 51
You know them as the "Broadway Husbands," and now they are dads! The couple, Stephen Hanna and Bret Shuford, started to share their lives openly on social media to be a positive example for LGBTQ+ couples. They are open about their journey, including their path to parenthood. They talk about the importance of representation, the struggle and success of surrogacy, raising baby Maverick, and more! Check out all of the MOM2MOM episodes: nbcboston.com/mom-2-mom Follow along on social: @thehubtoday &...
Aug 15, 2022•26 min•Ep. 50
Social media was created to help us connect. In some ways it does that; it allows us to keep up with people around the world, explore different cultures, and learn new things. Social media can also make us feel disconnected and that’s where Isa Watson has focused her work. The chemist turned corporate VP of Strategy turned entrepreneur understands the value of IRL (in real life) friendships. Watson launched Squad to help people connect with their friends on a deeper level. Watson shares how soci...
Aug 12, 2022•24 min•Ep. 49
When was the last time you slept through the night uninterrupted and woke up feeling refreshed? Well we're about the help you get a night like that soon! Dr. Wendy Troxel, a sleep expert and author of "Sharing the Covers," discusses why sleep is so important for people and the health of their relationships. Dr. Wendy also shares the most popular sleep concerns (like snoring!) and why filing for a "sleep divorce" could help your partnership. Finally, she spills three things you can start doing to...
Jul 25, 2022•30 min•Ep. 48
Today we're adding more parenting tools to our tool box! Parenting journalist Donna Tetreault shares the seven evidence-based foundational principles to build your perfect family (while there is no perfect family, your own version of it does exist!); she calls it the C.A.S.T.L.E. Method. On the show, and in her book, she breaks down how grounding values in compassion, acceptance, security, trust, love, and expectations and education can set your family up for healthy growth. Donna also encourage...
Jul 18, 2022•26 min•Ep. 47
