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.
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.
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.
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.
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 we’re all living through right now.
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.
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 she changed the show, and what life is like beyond rose ceremonies. So join me for the most dramatic (and hilarious) episode ever!
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 of her life, and tells us how she’s keeping her sanity as an introvert who’s now home with her kids 24-7.
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 be more inclusive, a hilarious conspiracy theory, and the one article of clothing Uzma’s dad was most fearful of raising a daughter in America. One of my favorite parts of this episode is that my two guests disagree on some things, proving there’s not one right way to do anything.
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 parenting – can inform us so our kids have a better chance at becoming confident problem solvers who have a strong struggle muscle.
Witness my brain being exploded by progressive mom coach, community builder, and writer, Graeme Seabrook. Graeme shares what she sees most as a mentor to mothers, and what’s really at the center of all of it. We also talk about dads, how they are the wardens of their own prisons, and how they deserve - and are capable of - so much more. Graeme helps answer my question: are moms more essential than dads? And we go DEEP there. So join us as Graeme lays down some much-needed wisdom, advice, perspective, and humor.
What’s a midlife renaissance? You’ll have to listen to find out – but I can tell you that it includes rule-breaking, and sex. Sometimes with people other than your spouse. It may sound scandalous, but Nora reveals why changing her marriage helped her achieve true happiness, growth, and radical acceptance. She also talks about breaking out of the “good girl” role, and how the loss of her father gave her unexpected clarity. So join us for today’s episode which looks at one woman’s choice between fulfilling her own deep needs and desires, or sticking with her status quo marriage.
Seasoned author, Emily Liebert, joins me to talk shop about writing, supporting other writers (or not), motherhood, friendship, and Real Housewives. She shares the greatest piece of writing advice she ever got, what she didn’t know when her first book published, and her refreshing take on the illusion of balance. Together, we give a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the glamourous writer life (ha!), even the stuff we’re not supposed to talk about.
My normally private husband transforms into an open book as he talks about fatherhood, marriage, surviving childhood trauma, and what it’s like to have a wife who openly talks about (and writes a book about) gender inequality in parenting, dad privilege, and marriage after kids. Join us at our kitchen table for an intimate conversation with laughs, real talk, and surprises - along with the telling of one of his most humiliating moments while wearing our son in a Baby Bjorn.
I’ve been holding onto this story and these words for what feels like forever, and I am excited to finally share with you my heart spilled out onto pages, and all the TMI that goes along with it. In this super professional “interview,” I answer personal questions about my book, its characters, my writing process, my life, and more, along with a sneak peek excerpt.
I’ve been meaning to cover this topic for over a year. It focuses on one of the most impactful parts of our parenthood journey – our baby’s birth, the story, and what we tell ourselves about that story – the meaning we give it. My guest, Virginia Bobro, offers her expert insight into the nuances of our birth events and stories, and the potential pitfalls of sharing these raw stories with others. Have you ever shared your birth story and felt worse after doing so? You’re not alone. Virginia and I talk about the polarizing effect of telling birth stories without guidance, how birth regret differs from birth trauma, and how our birth stories are ever-changing inside of us. We also discuss how our agreements about our birth set the stage for how we mother, and the truth about empowerment and activism. We also give lots of suggestions and specific questions to ask yourself if you want a new relationship with your birth story so you can free yourself from narrow-minded self-judgment. Yeah, so this episode might feel like a mini therapy session that again, goes along with my belief that a well-timed conversation can change your life.
This episode is not for the faint of heart as me and my sex-therapist guest, Jo Robertson, leave nothing to the imagination as we discuss the importance of talking to our kids about porn. We cover Jo’s TED Talk that shook me, the likelihood of early exposure to porn in the internet age, how this wires our kids’ minds about what is normal, and Jo offers lots of practical things we can do to mitigate the damage. We also talk about ethical porn, the messaging around pleasure that our kids are (and are not) getting, and what conversations we need to be having with them, even in middle school, elementary school, and before. There is a lot of laughter, partially because I have the mind of a 13-year-old boy, but also because Jo pretty much challenges me to bring up something sex-related that she hasn’t heard. And guess what? Challenge accepted! Am I victorious? You’ll have to listen to find out.
Learn from the bravery and heard-earned wisdom of my guest and close friend, Mary, as she tells us all about how she handled the unimaginable - a cancer diagnosis for her son. Full disclosure, there are a few breakdown moments in here, but also, we laugh so much, my god, especially at the beginning and then at the end when she reminds me of one of the funniest moments we had together. We also talk about that one time she betrayed me, how her son’s diagnosis completely changed the way I parent, and a Britney Spears moment we shared when we both lived in Santa Monica. Mary also talks about how her son’s health emergency affected her marriage, which part of her life she had to completely put on hold, and her advice for any parent going through a medical crisis – and their friends who want to help but don’t know what to say or do. Mary was a self-proclaimed crunchy mom before her son got sick, and she gets real about how she had to lose her crispiness in order to save her son. I know you are going to love her as much as I do.
Learn about a four-step anxiety response technique by Barry McDonagh called “DARE” (which I have had huge success with in my life), as I explain its out-of-the-box way of defusing anxiety that works wonders! This episode serves as a mental health check-in, and provides validation, education, laughs, and dare I say, optimism?
Real talk about mothering during a pandemic, including commentary, analysis, and validation. I cover panic shopping, what I’m flabbergasted by, what we all need to be doing (not doing) to keep each other safe, how women cannot bear all the burden of this crisis, why you shouldn’t keep your kids quiet for your working spouse, how I’m handling schedules, the rule I had to make one day one, and why business cannot be as usual.
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