Our children are looking for and needing a connection with us, and our main job as parents is to foster a secure attachment with our children. Does disciplining our child and "making them unhappy" interfere with our bond? Is there a difference between respectful boundaries and being permissive? How do we handle discipline and still build that relationship positively? This can be done with respectful parenting where the goal is to see the real need behind the behavior and that the behavior is the...
Mar 10, 2021•57 min•Ep. 59
As you welcome your new child into your family, your identity and relationship with your partner instantly change. While navigating your new roles, it takes time to adjust our expectations of parenthood with the reality of our new roles. This can give birth to resentment, especially in new parents. A lot of this resentment comes from our needs being unmet and then how these feelings are communicated. In this episode, Aushurina and I unpack what exactly resentment is, how it shows up, and the imp...
Mar 03, 2021•53 min•Ep. 58
As women, the connection with our mother is typically the foundation of our relationship with ourselves. To form our own sense of self, as a young child we internalize deeply, even into our brain chemistry, so much about who our mother is as a person. A lot of this is unconsciously inherited from one generation to the next including pain which is referred to as the Mother Wound. This wound can become particularly noticeable when you become a mother and are constantly reflecting on your own exper...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 57
As women, our bodies are constantly experiencing hormonal changes whether it’s during our menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and so on. Did you realize there is a correlation between our hormones and how our brain functions? These shifts affect how our neurons work, the actions of our neurotransmitters, and the levels of our hormones which can result in fluctuations in mood for some women. In this episode, Kristin and I discuss the connection between our hormones and brain chemic...
Feb 17, 2021•53 min•Ep. 56
Do you experience these thoughts?....I should be a better Mom. I’m a fraud. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be a Mom. What am I going to do when others find out I have no idea what I’m doing? Why can’t I be a perfect Mom like everyone else? Then this episode on Imposter Syndrome is for you! Imposter syndrome loves to creep in when you are trying something new, different, and challenging. It can be especially prevalent in motherhood because motherhood doesn't come with clear guidelines or a manual. When ...
Feb 10, 2021•58 min•Ep. 55
We know that becoming a parent will bring worry and anxiety. It comes with the territory. You’ve never been responsible for something more important than this tiny human you are now caring for. But where is the line between normal amounts of worry and paralyzing amounts of anxiety? Do you worry and wonder whether it takes up to much of your focus? Do you get very stuck in over researching what is "right"? The thing is, anxiety shows up in many different ways. The key is to be aware that somethin...
Feb 03, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 54
Isolation, loneliness, self-blame, shame, and guilt. These are all things that, unfortunately, a lot of women report feeling in the aftermath of a miscarriage and loss. One in four pregnancies will experience a miscarriage. There is nothing that anyone did to cause this. However, our culture needs to recognize that grief and loss are real, so women will not feel intimidated to share their feelings. In this episode, Jessica and I discuss the stigma around miscarriage, why our society needs to tal...
Jan 27, 2021•50 min•Ep. 53
As a parent, we are stretched and transformed in ways that we never expected. Think about all the ways we are pushed beyond our capacity in ways that we never could have imagined. It’s important for us, as parents, to gain new skills to help us during this demanding time. If we learn the right skills, we can make changes to our life and change patterns of behavior that will impact our children also. In this episode, Diana and I talk about mindfulness, how our brain affects our emotions, and how ...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 52
When we hear the word hormone, we tend to think of estrogen and progesterone. Actually, there are many other hormones that each have a unique role to play. Stress, medication, supplements, the food we eat, and how our body reacts all have an effect on our hormones. In this episode, Amanda and I talk about the role hormones play in our body, how hormones are affected postpartum, and some basic ways to implement a good foundation for hormone balance. Show Notes: http://bit.ly/39rhteC Book a Free 1...
Jan 13, 2021•56 min•Ep. 51
Your whole life you look forward to becoming a mom. You’re excited to start a family! But then unexpectedly, you struggle to get pregnant. You start to wonder why this is happening as the unknown starts to set in. Thoughts of worry, anxiety, and feeling behind as others are having babies start to creep in. Infertility is a roller coaster and more common than you might think. In today’s episode, Dr. Natalie Crawford and I discuss all things infertility including how common it is, the causes of in...
Jan 06, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 50
While pregnant, you read all the books in anticipation for the day your baby is born. Then you head home with your baby without a guide and you’re left wondering how do I navigate this fourth trimester? On top of figuring out the health of your baby, worry sets in. You start to wonder how am I qualified to take care of this baby? Are they eating enough? How is their sleep schedule? In this episode, Dr. Mona Amin and I talk about the important fourth trimester and how to lessen worry and anxiety,...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 49
As a parent, you may feel overwhelmed with all of the decisions you need to make about your child, their care, and ultimately how you are going to handle parenting decisions. In the end, there are many ways to be a great parent. If we look to science, it has shown us that secure attachment is one decision that will aid in brain development and build a connection with your child. In this episode, Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and I talk through the four pillars of secure attachment, the importance of sec...
Dec 09, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 48
We can all agree that children need boundaries, but it’s HOW we go about setting the boundary that makes ALL the difference. We can learn to set boundaries in a gentle and mindful way, while also preserving our connection and relationship with our children. In this episode, Family Psychologist Ashleigh Warner and I discuss conscious discipline, the importance of boundaries, tangible ways to maintain boundaries, and how to make sure your kids have a clear idea of your family’s boundaries. Show No...
Nov 25, 2020•57 min•Ep. 47
During pregnancy, your body is changing so much! It goes through so much in the span of 9 months and grows an entire human being in the process! It is truly mind-blowing to think about! After our baby is born, we are met with so much pressure to snap back and look like we never gave birth. Our body is more than an ornament. It is an instrument that as moms, we need to embrace. It’s important for us to realize that how our body looks does not define who we are as a mom. In this episode, Co-Founde...
Nov 11, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 46
Did you always daydream about the day you would hopefully become a Mom? Or envision yourself holding a new baby with all the magical feels? Then the day arrives and you have to shift into the reality of motherhood, an all consuming role we've had no training for. How do we make the shift into motherhood without losing who we are? How do we retain our pre-Mom identity? Motherhood has a way of shaping each of us. Every Mom evolves over time. We are challenged to explore depths of ourselves we've o...
Oct 28, 2020•58 min•Ep. 45
Do you find you get stuck trying so hard to do things “the right way”? Do you have incredibly high expectations of yourself, both as an individual and now as a mother?. If so, you aren’t alone and are likely to be rewarded by society for this mentality. When you become a parent, suddenly you can’t do everything perfectly. You want so badly to give 100% in all areas, all the time….but then it happens, a sense of burnout and not knowing what to prioritize. How will others accept you if you are not...
Oct 14, 2020•55 min•Ep. 44
Having to handle our child’s behaviour and big emotions is to be expected, it comes with being a parent. But goodness, it is exhausting. The true work of parenting is being able to regulate ourselves in the face of their big reactions. To better understand what causes our children to react this way, we’ll learn about what’s actually happening in their brains. In this episode, we are joined by Cindy Hovington to help understand this perspective, discuss tantrums, big emotions, and how to make a c...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 43
Cue the confetti, it’s time to celebrate! The Happy as a Mother podcast is celebrating 1 year! A year ago, I had a mission and a clear vision to provide a space for Moms to learn and grow. It needed to be non-judgmental and acknowledge both the amazing blessings of Motherhood but also the taboo hardships that very few Moms speak openly about. I have loved every single moment together this past year! To celebrate today, we are going to take a look back at the five most downloaded episodes of the ...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 42
We’ve all experienced parenting moments where our children just get under our skin. All the scripts and best practices go out the window, and we find ourselves struggling to parent the way we want to. What most of us don’t realize is that our own childhood plays a role, both in how we show up as parents and in how our children learn to behave. But reparenting and diving into our memories and experiences can help us shift our reactions, regulate ourselves, and help our children navigate their emo...
Sep 02, 2020•59 min•Ep. 41
As Moms, we feel like we are constantly cleaning. Picking up a mess that you didn’t make is so hard and triggering. The trick is to find ways that make these times easier. Doing a few simple things to create an organizational system and part of our Mom routine is key. Once these are in place, you will experience more calmness, ease, and disconnect from the mess. Join professional organizer Holly Blakey today for some organization hacks to help you conquer all the mess in your home. Show notes: h...
Aug 19, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 40
Have you found that Covid is triggering stress and anxiety from a previous traumatic experience? Has it been reminiscent of the early motherhood stages? For many Covid has resurfaced stressful experience of health-related traumas or other significantly impactful life events. Learn more about why this is happening and ways to cope with these feelings in this week’s episode with marriage and Family Therapist Sahar Martinez. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3CMZU7w Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom t...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 39
Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that seem to become stuck in the mind. They usually cause distress, as the nature of the thought may be upsetting. Up to as many of 50% of pregnant and postpartum women experience these thoughts, but due to their nature, many are too ashamed to talk about them. Join Marriage and Family therapist Dr. Cassidy Freitas and I as we dive deep into these thoughts and how to help improve them. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2VBFf1a Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therap...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 38
Surprise! It is a bonus episode! Welcome to day 6 of the mom guilt mini-series. Today we highlight the importance of practice and having realistic expectations. We unpack how this marks the beginning of a journey not the end of one! You have the skills and now it’s time to unlearn the things that hold you back! If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the worksheet downloads, you can get them here: https://bit.ly/35NmziU Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2WAQlED Book a Free 15 min Consult wit...
May 16, 2020•20 min•Ep. 37
Welcome to Day 5 of the letting go of mom shame and guilt mini-course! In today’s final mini-episode we focus on how to reframe your shame beliefs and how to create a cheat sheet for hard days. You can learn to do things differently. You can unlearn behaviours and patterns adopted from your parents. You can unload the baggage that you don’t want to carry. You can break the cycle and you can heal! If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the worksheet downloads, you can get them here: h...
May 15, 2020•21 min•Ep. 36
Welcome to day 4 of the letting go of mom shame and guilt mini-course! In today’s mini-episode we focus on shame manifests in the body and how to access your logical brain in the heat of the moment. You are not a helpless bystander of your emotions; you are the conductor and can learn to change the pace, tempo and feeling. Tune into today's episode to learn how. If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the worksheet downloads, you can get them here: https://bit.ly/35NmziU Show Notes: h...
May 14, 2020•21 min•Ep. 35
Welcome to day 3 of the letting go of mom shame and guilt mini-course! In today’s mini-episode we focus on how to identify what a shame storm looks like. If shame goes unchecked, what starts as a seed grows into deeply rooted self-loathing weed. Recognizing shame when it is trying to sink its teeth in is essential to uproot it! If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the worksheet downloads, you can get them here: https://bit.ly/35NmziU Show notes: https://bit.ly/2Ln2U03 Book a Free 1...
May 13, 2020•25 min•Ep. 34
Welcome to day 2 of the letting go of mom shame and guilt mini-course! In today’s mini-episode we focus on identifying the most commons shame triggers women experience, where these shame triggers come from and how you can uncover your personal shame triggers. Naming it is the first step to taming it! If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the downloads, click here: https://bit.ly/35NmziU Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2YVt8i2 Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: happyasamothe...
May 12, 2020•24 min•Ep. 33
Your 5 Days to Feeling Less Mom Guilt and Shame start TODAY!! Welcome to the mini-course that over the next 5 days will teach you the practical skills to quiet the voice of mom shame and guilt! Day 1 focuses on helping you understand the difference between shame and guilt so that can work on naming and taming the shame! If you are not yet signed up for the emails to get the downloads, click here: https://bit.ly/35NmziU Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2YR60RW Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom ther...
May 11, 2020•23 min•Ep. 32
I’m sure you’ve heard the buzzword mindfulness floating around these days, but what is mindfulness really? And how can we practically incorporate mindfulness in our lives as busy exhausted moms? Psychologist Terra LaRock of Founder and CEO of the Mindful Mamas App is here to unpack mindfulness for us mombies. Our discussion covers what mindfulness is, why it’s important and how to practically build a mindfulness practice when taking care of tiny humans. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/2ya2J55 Book a ...
Apr 29, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 31
Managing the mental load is a struggle on the best of days. During covid we are being pulled in a million different directions, all of which feel equally important. The reality is that we are not humanly capable of doing all. of. the. things. so it is essential for us to learn how to prioritize what is truly important/ urgent that needs to be done. This solo show is jammed packed full of practical advice to help ease your overwhelm and equip you with a plan to tackle the essential things! Show N...
Apr 22, 2020•36 min•Ep. 30
