Thank You, Mama

Award-winning writer, mythologist specialized in Celtic Studies, and a psychologist, Sharon Blackie, is also the bestselling author of “If Women Rose Rooted”. Sharon talks about her work with the feminine in myths, fairy tales and folklore and how these traditions can help us deal with issues we women are dealing with such as menopause, burnout, and the mother-daughter relationship. Sharon also talks about her mother Doris with whom she had a difficult relationship due to Doris’ alcoholism and controlling nature, and how she managed to distance, and heal, herself from this relationship, partially through learning how to fly a plane. She shares Doris’ lessons on tenacity, daring to be authentically yourself, and accepting that you’re not the center of every story.

To learn more about Sharon, her books and her work, please visit her website. 

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To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit here.

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

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Therapist, coach and teacher specialized in mother-daughter relationships Rosjke Hasseldine, is also the author of “Mother-Daughter Puzzle” and founder of Mother-Daughter Coaching International. She talks about the major topics she deals with in her work: mother blaming and estrangement, mapping your mother-daughter history, patriarchy and culture of female service, and identifying your needs and voicing them. She also talks about her mother Tineke who was born in Indonesia, raised in the Netherlands, spent two years in a Japanese camp during WWII, and later immigrated to New Zealand.  Tineke was a mother of five who sacrificed her teaching career to take care of others. As Rosjke describes her, she was a stoic and emotionally silent woman who carried her martyrdom as a badge of honor. We learn from her to avoid a life of self-sacrifice for others and instead to find what we need and claim it for ourselves. We also learn that martyrdom isn’t actually good for anyone – it is more valuable to find your talents and joy, and share them with the world. We also learn that caregiving should be a two-way street of giving and taking.

To learn more about Rosjke and her work, visit her website. 

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To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Dunja Bonacci-Skenderovic is an independent consultant for elimination of violence against women. In the beginning of our interview, Dunja gives us an overview of types of violence women globally are facing today (from domestic violence, rape, trafficking, to femicide), shares some statistics, and shares what we can do to prevent violence against women - not only as women, but also as mothers. Dunja also talks about her Croatian mother Tanja, a mom of three, who was a rare female professor of engineering in former Yugoslavia (now Croatia), had a drivers license when her husband didn’t, always insisted on all domestic work being shared with her husband, and who faced her cancer treatment with enviable rationality and determination. Tanja teaches us about independence, about hard work and persistency, about tackling problems. But we also learn how important it is to be able to do nothing, to show emotions, to tell our children how proud we are of them, to celebrate small things in life, and to teach our daughters about their bodies and sexuality.

To learn more about ending violence against women, visit the UN Women website here.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Lisa Friscia, Leadership Coach and founder of Franca Consulting, talks about her mother Franca who immigrated from Italy to America via Canada as a child, and later quit her corporate job to take care of her three daughters. Mama Franca teaches us to take care of people through details; to create a space where everyone is welcome and included; to respect those who have less; and to know your privilege and give back. Lisa talks about her own professional path from a teacher to the head of HR for a group of 25 schools, her dealing with burnout, and her decision to start her own consulting business. But one of the most interesting aspects of this conversation is the way Lisa connects self-care with work – she wonders if some of Franca’s frustrations came from quitting her work in order to care for others, and if keeping her work would have actually been an act of self-care for ther mom. A very important food for thought for many women. 

To learn more about Lisa and her consultancy, please visit her website. 

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Janice Malone is the founder and CEO of “Vivian’s Door”, an award-winning NPO assisting minority-owned entrepreneurs implement their ideas and grow their businesses. Janice is a mother of two who quit corporate America to become an entrepeneur in her early fifties, and subsequently  found “Vivian’s Door” in her early sixties. She talks about her American mother Pearlie who was a mother of 15 (yes, you read this right) and taught Janice to find solace in cooking; to lean on faith trusting that God will make way where we see none; to keep a clean house; and to have patience because life has a way of reshaping itself. Janice also talks about her inspiring professional journey and her new start in her 50s. She talks about being open to allowing God to work through you, about the magic that happens when we help others, and about how important it is to take care of ourselves – so we can be there for our children.

"Vivian's Door" was named after Vivian Malone Jones, the first Black University of Alabama graduate. To learn more about "Vivian's Door" please visit their wesbite. 

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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In this beautiful Christmas special, we’re learning from the most famous of all mothers: Mary, the Mother of God. My guest Christine Valters Paintner is the author of “Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal”. Christine has a PhD in Christian Spirituality, is an abbess and the author of over twenty books on spirituality. Christine tells us about her American mother Suzanne, a United Nations employee, who struggled with rheumatoid arthritis but turned her suffering into a gift for others as she earned an MA in social studies to became an advocate for people with disabilities. Suzanne teaches us to empower other people, to not be victims but turn challenges into gifts for others, and to embrace the power that comes with older age. In the second part of the episode, we talked about Holy Mary and her lessons: to show up in the world, to accept the calling to create, to embrace the power of the sacred feminine (such as the intuition, creativity, dreams, gestation), and to be a loving and present witness both in birth and death, positive and negative. Suzanne also talked about one of the most important lessons for most women: that we’re not responsible for everything, and that sometimes, we also need to be taken care of. Finally, she talked about healing our ancestors by healing ourselves. And I invite you to think about Mary and her presence, and what she represents to you, during these holidays. I wish you, dear listeners, blessed holidays and a happy 2024! 

To learn more about Christine, please visit the Abbey of the Arts website.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Einat Nathan is a mother of five, a parenting expert, a counselor, and the bestselling author of a parenting book called “My Everything”, which got translated in 11 languages. Einat talks about her Israeli mother Miriam who died at a young age from Multiple Sclerosis. From Miriam, we learn about connecting to others and being able to rely on yourself; about beauty and importance of the whole spectrum of emotions; and about learning not to be a people pleaser. Einat openly talks about raising five children and having a career, about stillbirth, and raising an autistic child. From her, we learn one of the biggest and most freeing truths: that life is messy. And that it’s good that way. 

To learn more about Einat, please visit her website. 

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

To connect with Ana on social media:

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Jojo Mehta is a co-founder of “Stop Ecocide”, the global campaign to make ecocide (destroying the environment) a crime at the International Criminal Court. Jojo shares lessons she had learned from her mother, singer and poet Jehanne Mehta, whose work is deeply connected to nature and her Celtic roots, but also lessons she had learned from Mother Earth. From Jehanne, we learn about grounding and finding joy in connecting with our land and planet Earth; about writing and love of language; and the fine balance of simultaneously liberating and supporting our children. From Mother Earth, we learn to recognize that we are part of a whole; that life is cyclical and comes in seasons; that we can regenerate if we allow ourselves time and peace; and that we need to keep a large perspective in mind, not get bogged down by little dramas. Jojo also talks about her inspiring work, tells us how to take action - and together, we celebrate a huge milestone: a day before our conversation, EU criminalized environmental damage “comparable to ecocide.”

You can learn more about Jojo and "Stop Ecocide", and take action here. 

To learn more about Jojo's mom Jehanne Mehta, please visit her website.

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Author of “The Baby on the Fire Escape: Creativity, Mothering and the Mind-Baby Problem”, Julie Phillips, talks about what she learned through writing a book about the intimate struggles of brilliant 20th century artists as they tried to balance the demands of creative work with the demands of motherhood. Jullie's lesson: we can keep centered in our creative space even if we do it in little bits. Julie also shares her mom Kit's lessons on being curious and wanting to understand the world by naming things; connecting with loved ones by reading out loud; and the value of not parenting too much. Julie also talks about setting boundaries, and having to figure out the professional world by herself as her mother was a stay-at-home mom. 

To learn more about Julie's work, please visit her website.

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Beating all odds, as a young female student, in a country ruled by men, archeologist and writer Parveen Talpur single-handedly set wheels in motion for the establishment of the Department of Archeology at the University in Karachi, Pakistan. She went on to Cornell University, where she worked on decipherment of the ancient script from the Indus Valley Civilization, and publish a few books. Parveen tells us about her mother Zeib, who as a newly married woman lived in purdah (women’s segregation). After giving birth to six children, Zeib moved with her family to the city, received education and started writing stories of the women in her village. Hear Parveen’s inspiring sotry of determination, and Zeib’s story of cher hange  – relatively late in life - from a simple village girl to an open-minded city woman. In this beautiful and informative conversation, Parveen shares Zeib’s lessons on determination; it never being too late for personal evolution; fighting for women’s rights, whatever the circumstances; and the magic of storytelling.

You can learn more about Parveen and her work on her website. 

To learn more about Parveen's writing retreat in Greece, please visit here.

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Psychotherapist, coach and consultant, author of “Reinventing Supermom”, co-host of “Motherhood Uncut” podcast, and founder of “Parent and Family wellness Center”, Kate Kripke, talks about her family legacy of strong and successful women. Kate’s great-great aunt Margaret Fuller was a pioneer in suffrage, the first American female war correspondent and the author of the first major feminist book in United States. Her mother Margaret was a groundbreaking lawyer, a leading expert in mediation and arbitration in New York in the ‘70s, who kept breaking glass ceilings. Kate tells us how her mother ran herself to the ground to achieve great things and be loved and accepted, never learning to give herself acceptance and self-love. We learn from her that as women, we can do and be anything we want to be; to give our children unconditional love by accepting all of their sides; and to be gentle with yourself, and question what is worth your self-sacrifice. Kate speaks about accepting that you are enough, and don’t need to be perfect; about a definition of “fierce”, which we concluded is a definition of “female”; and about anxieties of high-achieving mothers.

To learn more about Kate and her work, please visit her website. You can follo Kate on Instagram. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Gerontologist, biohacker and advocate for women’s health during the menopausal journey, Zora Benhamou, is also a host of “Hack my Age” podcast. Zora’s motto is “Menopause is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” Zora lost her Ukrainian mom Anastasia to breast cancer at the tender age of 23. She shares her mother’s lessons on never forgetting where you come from; taking care of yourself by always looking your best, while also caring for your health; death being a solitary experience; and not caring what people think. Zora also talks about her work with menopause, about making healthy choices, about being a nomad and raising multi-cultural children, and wishing her mom taught her the importance of being financially independent. 

You can learn more about Zora on her website here, and listen to her podcast here. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Psychotherapist specialized in the “Mother Daughter Journey”, and co-host of “Motherhood Uncut” podcast, Deb Rubin, talks about her American mom Lois. Lois is a mother of two who went back to school to earn her Bachelor’s Degree once her daughters left for college – which beautifully teaches us that it’s never too late to take the next step. We also learn from Lois to be true to ourselves and follow our unique paths, and to honor our emotions and give them room in order to not get stuck in them.  Deb also shares many wisdoms she gained in her long experience as a therapist, especially with supporting mothers in raising adolescent daughters. Her most important tip: conscious listening instead of immediate problem solving! Because, as she explains, “we all want to be heard.”

To find out more about Deb and her work, visit her website here. 

You can listen to Deb's and Kate's podcast here. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Michelle Grosser is a former attorney and law professor turned mom, motherhood coach, and host of “The Calm Mom” podcast, in which she discusses high-impact habits, work-life rhythms, parenting, marriage, spirituality, and more. Michelle talks about her mom Nancy, who worked while raising five children, which resulted in burnout, and later she divorced her husband – only to fall in love with him again. From Nancy, we learn not to give all of us away until there’s nothing left; that we have infinite worth just by our existence; and that we’re more resilient than we think. Michelle also talks about parenting and staying calm; about the loss of identity we sometimes experience in motherhood; and the way our mothers’ decisions influence our lives.

To learn more about Michelle and her work, please visit her website. 

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Sara Petersen is the author of “Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture”. Her essays about feminism, domesticity, and motherhood have appeared in the New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Washington Post, InStyle, Glamour, and elsewhere. Sara shares her American mom’s lessons on connecting with the natural world, finding pleasure in small things in life, and keeping a sense of humor in difficult situations. Sara also talks about feminism, avoiding the empty-nester syndrome, the image of the ideal mother, and teaching our daughters that motherhood is a choice.

You can learn more about Sara on her website. 

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Kanwal L. Haq is a Medical Anthropologist specialized in Women’s Health and author of "Taking Care of You: The Empowered Woman's Guide to Better Health". She talks about her Pakistani mom Zahida who has been struggling with a connective tissue disease for more than 20 years. Zahida’s stuggle inspired Kanwal to dedicate her work to women’s health. From Zahida, we learn that if you believe in something, you have everything you need inside of you to make your dreams true; that education and knowledge is something no one can take away from you; and the importance of community. But most importantly, we learn that by taking care of yourself, you take care of people you love.

You can find Kanwal here:

Website: www.takingcareofyoubook.com

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To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

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For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Interior designer Fabiana Hoy talks about her Peruvian mother Maria del Rosario and shares many valuable lessons she learned from her, like having faith (Rosario hosts a weekly prayer group of 45 women, which Fabiana joins from South Africa by Zoom), being a present mom, the importance of having a tribe of women (having these friends is Rosario’s way of self-care). She also teaches us to find beauty and good, even in the simplest situations, and to care for others. Fabiana also speaks about wishing her mother was able to have woman-to-woman conversations with her, and about accepting that a woman’s life comes in various stages.

To learn more about Fabiana, vist her website. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Hilary Truong is a therapist for teen girls, and a mother-daughter relationship expert. She talks about her mother Nancy, who raised four children and turned her love for cooking into running a cooking school. From mom Nancy, we learn about empathy, caring for others, and connecting with the world around you; that it’s possible to support your family by doing something you love; and that you always make it work out, always find a way. Hilary also talks about raising teenage daughters, about managing your children’s social media and phone usage, and about learning to take care of yourself, not only of others.

To learn more about Hilary and her work, please visite her website.

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Kanchan Koya, author of “Spice Spice Baby”, combines her PhD in Molecular Biology from Harvard and her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to bring healing spices and their health benefits to kids and families everywhere. Kanchan talks about her Sindhi mother Shohba who taught her about the importance of self-care, and that self-care can be simple; to put her emphasis on education and career first, because “every donkey can get married.”; to pay attention to detail and use this to slow down and be present; and to have fun with making herself look presentable. Kanchan also talks about learning to accept failure as a possibility, especially when we’re trying new things; and accepting that sometimes, it’s ok to relax and to do nothing. Kanchan talks about healing properties of spices and healthy nutrition, and about the challenge of collecting the courage to make a big change in your life. 

You can find Kanchan's recipe's on her website here. Or connect with her on Instagram here. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Zoryana Kushpler is an opera singer who performed with the Vienna Opera, Carnegie Hall, and Royal Albert Hall. She talks about her Ukrainian mom Ada (herself a pianist), and shares her lessons on resolving your problems by yourself, making decisions and sticking to them, previewing every situation a few steps ahead, finishing what you started, and thinking about what you’re going to do in your 60s, 70s and 80s. Zoryana also talks about inheriting her intuition from her mom, and being grateful about her mom always focusing on Zoryana’s career instead of pushing her to get married and have children. She also talks about their relationship being quite complex, and how she managed, with the help of books and therapy, to set healthy boundaries. 

To learn more about Zoryana, please visit her wesbite. 

To subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…” newsletter, please go here. 

To learn more about "Thank You, mama" creative writing workshop, visit here.

To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

To connect with Ana on social media:

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