Being a mom is hard—harder than anybody bothers to tell you. We believe in an image of the perfect mother: nurturing, patient, and joyful. So why are so many modern moms battling inner rage? Minna Dubin, author of New York Times pieces “The Rage Mothers Don’t Talk About” and “‘I Am Going to Physically Explode’: Mom Rage in a Pandemic,” joins me to discuss the cultural and societal context of mom rage. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3KoKdFe Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: happyasamot...
May 04, 2022•53 min•Ep. 119
Do you ever feel like you’re losing your identity in motherhood? If so, you aren’t alone. Motherhood can feel all-consuming—especially when you’re carrying beliefs around it that have been prescribed to you. Life coach Dr. Gertrude Lyons calls those beliefs The Mother Code—the wiring given to us from family, culture, and society. She joins me to share how to see the myths of the mother code, write our own code, define motherhood for ourselves, and use it as a vehicle for transformation. Show Not...
Apr 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 118
We talk a lot about the invisible load of motherhood—the way that so much of the labour in the home falls to moms, even before a baby is born. But that load has an impact on our partners too—leaving them without a role, unsure how to bond with the new baby. It’s easy to think that nursing moms have to take on the role of feeding. In reality, non-nursing partners can help with breastfeeding too (beyond just bringing snacks and water)! “The Breastfeeding Father,” psychologist Eric Taylor, explains...
Apr 20, 2022•59 min•Ep. 117
In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, I am happy to welcome women's mental health and reproductive psychiatry specialist Dr. Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu. Black moms face health struggles and discrimination in the medical system, and they also carry an additional invisible load specific to women of color. Dr. Jennifer shares valuable insight into the world of Black maternal health. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3rjGfH4 Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: happyasamother.co/wellness Follo...
Apr 13, 2022•57 min•Ep. 116
Whining is potentially one of the worst sounds we hear as parents. For most of us, it almost feels painful—like fingernails on a chalkboard. In those moments, we don’t always navigate the situation the best way. So, how do we get kids to stop whining? To find the answer, I chatted with Joanna Faber and Julie King, authors of the bestselling book, How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen. In a recent episode, Joanna and Julie discussed navigating defiance. Today, they’re back to discuss how to talk...
Apr 06, 2022•44 min•Ep. 115
Is co-sleeping right for your family? Is bedsharing the same as co-sleeping? What are the risk factors? Can you bedshare safely? Many families have questions about co-sleeping but aren’t sure where to find answers. In our previous episode with holistic sleep expert Lyndsey Hookway, we learned that infant sleep is nuanced. Today, Lyndsey is back for part 2, to talk about co-sleeping, bedsharing, and making an informed decision for your family. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3NusWgx Book a Free 15 min...
Mar 30, 2022•45 min•Ep. 114
Little kids can be masters of defiance. We ask them to put on their shoes or brush their teeth and chaos erupts. The more we try to force them to listen, the more they defy and rebel. So how do we get our kids to listen, especially in moments of defiance? I sat down with Julie King and Joanna Faber, authors of How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen, to find out more about their simple, but effective strategies for getting kids to comply. (For the second part of our conversation, how to navigate ...
Mar 23, 2022•53 min•Ep. 113
If there’s one hot topic in motherhood that can get everyone riled up in an instant, it’s sleep. We often try to measure our worth as moms in terms of baby sleep, feeling like failures when we simply can’t get it to work. Unfortunately, conversations about a holistic approach to baby sleep can easily devolve into extreme feelings on both sides. Paediatric Nurse and Holistic Sleep Coach Lyndsey Hookway brings a balanced viewpoint to this hot topic, offering a judgment-free look at infant sleep. (...
Mar 16, 2022•47 min•Ep. 112
In last week’s episode, we took a look at how to recognize overfunctioning—when one partner tries to control situations and do everything themselves because of their own anxiety. Today, Dr. Kathleen Smith returns for part 2—how to stop overfunctioning in relationships. With the right strategies, you can understand where overfunctioning comes from and how to evaluate when to stop. You can also develop the tools you need to step back and manage it, breaking the cycle and letting your partner and c...
Mar 09, 2022•36 min•Ep. 111
Do you find yourself being the overfunctioner in your relationship? Overfunctioning happens when you take on more than your fair share of the parenting tasks in an attempt to control or fix a situation that triggers your anxiety. It often leads to unhealthy relationship and parenting patterns, and ends up increasing the invisible load moms are carrying. I sat down with Dr. Kathleen Smith, therapist and author of Everything Isn't Terrible, to talk about the relationship between anxiety and overfu...
Mar 02, 2022•45 min•Ep. 110
Whether you have heard the phrase “after school restraint collapse” or not, if you’ve experienced it, you know exactly what it is—when your child starts melting down as soon as you pick them up from school. If your child behaves wonderfully at school but falls apart when they see you, it can be frustrating for everyone. So what causes those after school meltdowns? Dr. Kristyn Sommer leverages her PhD in Early Cognitive Development and shares her insights on why after school restraint collapse ha...
Feb 23, 2022•54 min•Ep. 109
Becoming a first-time mom is a huge change. Most of us have romanticized expectations of what being a mom will be like. We think that it will be a time of love, cuddles, and joy. The reality of sleep deprivation, struggle, and difficulty stepping into the role can leave us sinking deep into mom guilt mode. This transition into motherhood has a name—matrescence. Perinatal Psychologist Dr. Katayune Kaeni (Dr. Kat) walks us through what matrescence is and how we can help ourselves through the proce...
Feb 16, 2022•57 min•Ep. 108
Preparing your dog for a baby is important and intimidating. What steps can you take to get your dog ready? How do you handle the introduction? Will your baby be safe? Will your dog become stressed? Certified Dog Trainer Dominika Knossalla provides safety tips for how to prepare your dog for a baby—creating a plan, introducing your dog to the baby, and minimizing the stress (for you and your pet)! Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3ox50Oz Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: happyasamother....
Feb 09, 2022•59 min•Ep. 107
Your personal core values are an important part of who you are—as a person, as a parent, and as a partner. But discovering, prioritizing, and applying your personal core values is easier said than done—especially when we don’t even know how to define “values!” I sat down with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Dr. Cassidy Freitas to talk about defining your personal core values, why they’re important, and how to live in alignment with them. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3gfKpKq Book a Free 15 m...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 106
Managing mommy rage can be tough. We expect motherhood to look nurturing, peaceful, and loving. So when we end up feeling rage or losing our cool, we start to wonder if there’s something wrong with us. Guilt, shame, and regret weigh on our shoulders. But without the right coping tools and skills, we end up falling right back into the mommy rage pattern. Dr. Ashurina Ream of Psyched Mommy and I answer all your questions and discuss where the rage comes from, why we aren’t prepared for it, and how...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 105
The invisible load of motherhood is a common vicious cycle for families. One parent (often the mom) becomes the default parent. That default parent takes on a disproportionate amount of labor in the home. They find themselves drowning in unpaid and unappreciated labor. The resentment and overwhelming load lead to mom rage, resentment, and even marital problems. New York Times Bestselling Author Eve Rodsky sheds light on why this happens and the system she’s created to put an end to the cycle and...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 104
Postpartum blues are a common part of having a baby. Between sleep deprivation, hormone changes, and the overwhelming responsibility of caring for a newborn, “normal” life can seem impossible. Many moms experience weepiness, irritability, and mood changes as they adjust to life as a new parent. But these symptoms aren’t always typical baby blues—they’re also signs of postpartum depression. So how can new moms tell the difference? When should they seek care? And can they ever expect to feel “norm...
Jan 12, 2022•52 min•Ep. 103
Can you remember the last time you slept for five hours in a row? If an infant lives with you, there’s a good chance you can’t. Sleep is essential for us to function and makes us better parents, but sometimes when we talk about sleep training our kiddos, moms can be consumed with guilt. Are we putting our own needs above the babies? And does sleep training automatically mean allowing babies to cry it out? Dr. Aubrie is a psychologist who specializes in sleep, and she’s going to help us unpack wh...
Jan 05, 2022•57 min•Ep. 102
Do you find yourself being the “stuff manager” in your home? Do you struggle with keeping up with all things toys? Or have you fallen into the myth that “once I find the perfect bins, the right shelves, color code and label everything - it will solve this constant mess?!” The thing is, mess is not an organization issue, it’s a clutter issue. Declutter expert Katy Wells is here with practical advice and sustainable tips to FINALLY put clutter in its place and regain control of your home. Show Not...
Dec 29, 2021•54 min•Ep. 101
The Happy as a Mother Podcast has been live for 100 episodes now, can you believe it?!?! I polled my stories for ideas on how we should celebrate the occasion and y’all said you’d like to hear from my husband and get his perspective. Well, you asked and we delivered! Frenel Djossa aka Mr. Happy as a Mother is here to answer YOUR questions about his transition to Fatherhood, what it's like being married to a therapist, and his experience as we navigated my journey through postpartum depression. S...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 100
Have you ever felt like a simple parenting decision was going to have a lifelong impact? Have you been paralyzed with indecision because you don’t know what is best and don’t want to make the wrong choice? Parenting this way is suffocating and erodes your trust in your own intuition. Psychologist and Stanford clinical assistant professor Dr. Jen Douglas is back to help us break free from this pressure of perfectionism and learn to trust ourselves more. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/321GzRg Book a F...
Dec 15, 2021•56 min•Ep. 99
Conversations with our partners become very high stakes after children are born. We come from different upbringings with different ideas of what parenting looks like, yet need to learn to work as a team. This can be a recipe for tense conversations or conflict with those we love. Licensed marriage and family therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw is here to introduce key skills that strong and thriving couples use so we can learn to disagree in a way that strengthens our relationships rather than weakens ...
Dec 08, 2021•59 min•Ep. 98
Do you find yourself wrestling with whether to have more children? Many moms I work with struggle with this decision for a number of reasons such as finances, the ideal family they had envisioned, their past birth or postpartum experience, and the readiness of their partner. While other parents may have come to the conclusion that they only want one child but feel pushed towards having more by the opinions and expectations of others. The choice to be one and done can come with a lot of guilt, sh...
Dec 01, 2021•50 min•Ep. 97
When you first learned you were expecting a baby, did you have a preferred gender in mind? Some people do and for a variety of different reasons. It can be hard to admit, but you may have even experienced some sadness if you learned the baby wouldn’t be your preferred gender. This is completely okay and more common than you might think. But since it can be hard to admit, it can also be hard to work through. Dr. Renée Miller has spent her career helping parents overcome gender disappointment, and...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 96
Do you worry about how your child will adjust to a sibling? Do you fear you will struggle with dividing your love and attention between children? Expanding your family comes with many mixed emotions about what this transition will mean for you and the relationship you have with your first child. Marriage and family therapist Bryana Kappadakunnel is here to help us ditch the worry and guilt about adding a sibling and embrace being imperfectly perfect for our children. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3...
Nov 17, 2021•59 min•Ep. 95
Do you find that you are keenly aware of the shifts in the emotions of those around you? Are you wired to please others? Have you ever found yourself feeling panicked for no reason? Anxiety and trauma responses can cause our bodies to act in ways that may not make sense, and that can be scary. Clinical psychologist Dr. Quincee Gideon joins us to help us better understand our nervous system and how to more effectively manage its responses. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3qnZQqe Book a Free 15 min Con...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 94
Do you struggle with family showing up unannounced? Does your family buy too many gifts for your child? Does your mother or mother-in-law ignore your parenting values and do things their own way? You are not alone. In today’s episode, Dr. Ream and I answer your questions to help unpack why boundary setting feels so difficult especially when it comes to dealing with our moms and mothers-in-law, and provide some advice for how to set those boundaries. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/31rpvno Book a Free...
Nov 03, 2021•59 min•Ep. 93
There are many roads that lead to motherhood, and some moms even start their journey solo. But what happens when you’ve chosen a partner to start a family, and it doesn’t work out? What does ending the partnership mean for your parenting situation, and your child’s situation? When we’re thrust into single parenting unexpectedly, the custody agreements that mean time away from our child can be devastating, and co-parenting is its own can of worms. Therapist and founder of Mimosas with Moms Abbey ...
Oct 27, 2021•50 min•Ep. 92
In the wake of George Floyd, many parents’ eyes have been opened to the injustices that BIPOC communities face on a day-to-day basis. This has also left many parents questioning how to "do the work" and raise inclusive children. Figuring out where to start when it comes to anti-racism and social justice work can feel quite daunting. Dr. Traci Baxley is here to teach us about ways we can use our parenting as a form of activism, teaching our children to show up and intervene on behalf of others. S...
Oct 20, 2021•50 min•Ep. 91
Do you ever feel more disorganized and frazzled compared to other moms? Do you regularly forget things you know are important because of how much you hold in your mind? While these might sound typical of most mothers, major factors of ADHD that often go undiagnosed in women include forgetfulness, inattentiveness, distractibility, and disorganization. Dr. Melissa Shepard is going to help us understand what ADHD is and the impact it can have on our parenting. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3v5X212 Boo...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 90
