Thank You, Mama

Welcome to episode 100! Trade unionist Tanja Vicas, shares lessons she learned from her Austrian/Canadian mom Ingrid, a prison guard and parole officer. We learn about how amazing we women are; being true to yourself; taking a break when you need one; being honest; being true to yourself and not letting anyone define who you are; and importance of education and financial independence. Tanja also talks about the difficult times her parents faced as young Austrian immigrants in Canada, their resilience and hard work. She also describes her work at the Austrian Trade Union.

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CEO and business consultant specialized in sustainability, Thekla Wilkening, is a co-author of “Bio-Pizza Dilema”. Thekla shares lessons she learned from her German mom Heidrun on being a bold woman; living consciously; having understanding and patience for people; and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative (act the way you want others to act). We also talked about sustainability and about cultural differences.

To learn more about Thekla, please visit her website. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

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Book author, journalist and editor Joanna Czechowska shares lessons she learned from her English mother Christine on being a good conversationalist; being thrifty, making things and never wasting anything; being strong-minded and never following the “herd”; loving literature and words; and loving music.

Joanna also talks about her mother’s Catholic faith sometimes being too strict, which made her learn that people, with their imperfections and frailty, are more important than dogma. Joanna also talks about her books “The Black Madonna of Derby” and “The Sweetest Enemy”, based on the experiences of her childhood in a Polish community in the UK.

To learn more about Joanna, please visit her website. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Karen C.L. Anderson, author of “Difficult Mothers, Adult Daughters”, talks about her work with complicated mother-daughter relationships, and shares her American mom Cynthia’s lessons on being bold, spirited, unexpected, and getting what you want; not being afraid of traveling by yourself; being adventurous with food and cooking; and hating one’s body and shaming oneself.

Karen talks about wishing her mother taught her that women have been socialized to believe that there's something wrong with them because it protects them in a culture that doesn't value women equally, and punishes women when they don't conform to the norms of said culture - the shame as borne of "protecting."

To learn more about Karen, please visit her website. 

You can find Karen's book on Amazon. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Prehistoric archeologist, Dr. Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, talks about her research on motherhood in prehistory and about our romanticized idea of giving birth in the old times; how our bodies have changed through evolution; the history of birth complications and c-sections; and the identity change when becoming a mother. Katharina shares her Austrian mom Monika’s lessons on juggling work and family; creating strong family ties; love of learning and travelling; but also struggling with not having time for friendships or relaxing. She also talks about how we, as senior women, must make the fusion of work and motherhood easier for the new generations.

You can read more about Katharina and her work here.

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Witches, artists, activists, and perpetual students, Risa Dickens and Amy Torok are hosts and authors of “Missing Witches”. “Missing Witches” is a labour of love, research, and web-weaving, dedicated to creating an intersectional, feminist history of ideas; and uncovering feminist and marginalized ideas about what is and what’s possible; and helping to build communities of care with other magical beings. Amy and Risa talk about their Canadian moms Sheryl and Shiela and what they’ve learned from them: not to be a slave to social norms, to look at the beauty of the world, to be compassionate and non-judgmental, to not let your gender determine who you will be, to understand where people are coming from, and to tell the truth.  They also talk about witches, the history of witch hunt, patriarchy, capitalism, and role models. 

To learn more about Risa and Amy, and "Missing Witches", please visit their website.

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Sarifa Moola-Nernæs, CEO of Ubuntu Coaching, is a Makhuwa woman, an African feminist, businesswoman, life coach and speaker with extensive experience in refugee services and social and economic inclusion. Sarifa talks about her South African mom Jamaila and her lessons on being grounded, being of service, and respecting and supporting others. Sarifa also talks about the Makhuwa matrilineal society, about the Ubuntu philosophy, and about learning to be fearless.

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

You can find Sarifa on Instagram here.  

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Dr. Galit Atlas is an internationally renowned psychoanalyst. She is a clinical supervisor and psychoanalyst at a private practice in NYC, as well as a member of the faculty of the New York University postdoctoral program in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Galit has published numerous academic books and papers, and teaches and lectures throughout the US and internationally. Her newest book “Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients and the Legacy of Trauma” explores the ways our ancestors' experiences shape our lives.

In this episode, Galit talks about her Syrian/Israeli mother Shoshi from whom she learned about the joy of food and hosting, to be brave and outgoing, and to work hard. We also discussed inherited trauma, motherhood, and learning to take care of yourself and to be alone.

To learn more about Galit an dher book, please visit her website. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

 

Laura Davis is the author of six non-fiction books, including “The Courage to Heal: For Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse”, “Becoming the Parent You Want to Be” and “I Thought We'd Never Speak Again: The Road from Estrangement to Reconciliation”. Her ground-breaking books have been translated into 11 languages and sold more than 1.8 million copies.

Laura shares her American mom Temme’s lessons on valuing friendships, forgiving and learning to love someone who hurt you in the past, travelling the world, and cherishing community. We also talk about Laura’s battle with cancer, her mother’s reaction after Laura remembered she was sexually abused as a child, Temme’s Alzheimer’s, about learning deep intimacy with a partner, and allowing your children “psychic privacy” and emancipation.

To learn more about Laura, her books and writing retreats, go to her website here. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Psychology professor, neoclassical composer, and mom of three, Antonija Pacek, shares lessons she learned from her Croatian mama Slavica who grew up after WWII in very harsh circumstances, abandoned by her own mother. From Slavica, we learn that everything is possible and that we should believe in our dreams; to invest in education; to leave something behind; to have the courage to express our creativity; and to be kind, smile and give to others. Antonija also talks about leaving toxic relationships, and about learning to love ourselves, know ourselves, and be alone, so that we don’t even enter those relationships. She shares how she escaped Croatia during the war at the age of 17, and supported herself throughout university to build a new life in Austria. With this episode, we honor all people who had to flee Ukraine and are now building new lives in new countries – all while dealing with their loss and trauma.

To learn more about Antonija and listen to her music, visit her website here. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

 

A single mother of an autistic son, Alessandra Bester is the CEO and founder of NONO, a functional food company. She invented functional chocolate for her son who has autism, celiac, epilepsy and various allergies, and started NONO after other parents asked her to make some for their children with special needs. Alessandra shares her Polish mom Regina’s lessons on caring for others without giving up oneself; moms taking care of themselves, so children don’t feel like they must; the possibility of a happy new life after decades of challenges; the importance of addressing issues in the family; purposeful neglect; and surviving extreme circumstances by staying calm. At NONO, Alessandra employs people with autism, single mothers, and autistic women artists. And right now, instead of increasing prices due to inflation, she decreased prices to help with the increased cost of living. You can learn more about NONO here. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

 

Marcelle Little is an Executive Coach and a Holistic Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in trauma-integration and spiritual psychology. Marcelle’s American mama Claudette nursed her husband during his battle with HIV and AIDS, and later fought her own battle with alcohol, which she did with the help of AA. Marcelle shares Claudette’s lessons on loving with wisdom, without attachments and self-sacrifice; seeking support when needed; not allowing trauma to define you; and surrounding to the source. Marcelle also talks about compassion burnout, inherited family trauma, codependence, finding the right support, and soul psychology.

You can learn more about Marcelle and her work on her wesbite. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

TV Presenter and Voice Coach, Jasmin Gonzales, just published her first book “We are the Daughters of the Witches You Couldn’t Burn”. Jasmin had a very difficult childhood, marked by physical and psychological abuse, alcoholism and mental disease. In this episode, she talks openly about her German mom Greta Marie, who suffered from manic depression, and shares lessons she learned from her. We learn about the importance of self-care, especially of taking care of one’s mental health; about why it’s important to follow your dreams, especially as a mother; and about asking for help being a sign of strength, not weakness. Jasmin also talks about the witch hunt, both throughout the history, and in current times. As you will hear, in spite of all the challenges Jasmin met in life, her optimism, strength and joy are contagious. 

You can learn more about Jasmin and her book on her website, or find her on social media. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

 

 

Norway’s most famous feminist, Marta Breen, is the author of many books including “How to be a Feminist” and “Women in Battle”. She travels the world talking about equality and feminism, especially its Scandinavian model. In this episode, Marta talks about her mom Elisabeth who took part in Norway’s feminist movement in the ‘70s and shares her lessons on the importance of getting involved as an activist, on self-sufficiency, and on teaching our children by modeling ethics. We also learn about Norway’s recent history, its communist movement in the ‘70s, and its current ways of supporting women.

You can find Marta's graphic novel on history of feminism "Fearless Females" here. 

To learn more about Marta, please visit her Wikipedia page. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Best-selling author, book critic and journalist, Meredith Maran, shares a deeply inspiring story about how, after a lifetime of aversions, she and her mom Rita became friends when Meredith was 69 and Rita 93. We learn so much from these exceptional ladies: not to give up before a miracle, that no one is just good or evil (not even our mothers), that anger is like drinking poison, and that people do change – even at 69. Or 93.

To learn more about Meredith, and to read the article she wrote "O Magazine" about her and Rita becoming friends late in life, please go here. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Ivona Brandić is a Professor for High Performance Computing Systems at the University of Vienna. She shares lessons she learned from her Bosnian mom Manda about not being afraid to follow a career in tech & science, making life plans but not sticking to them, the value of hard work, focusing on good things in life, and how cooking skills translate to computer sciences. Ivona also shares lessons she learned through her experiences of being a teenage war refugee, starting a life in a new country, and being successful in a male-dominated field: always have the courage to try something new, and always trust your own skills and abilities.

You can learn more about Ivona's work here and here. 

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

In this mini episode, I'd like to wish you happy holidays and let you know how grateful I am for you, share exciting news about "Thank You, Mama" workshops and book, and - as a special holiday treat - let you listen to the whole "Thank You, Mama" song composed with love by Oliver Kraus. Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a fantastic 2022! 

To contact me, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

Yours, 

Ana

Sanaë Lemoine is the author of “The Margot Affair”, a debut novel about a mother-daughter relationship that won highest praise from reputable outlets such as “New York Times”, “”Financial Times”, “The Economists”. Sanaë shares lessons from her Japanese mama Akiko who grew up in South America, moved around the world, and went through a surprise divorce in her mid-sixties – to become Akiko 2.0, a better and happier version of herself. We learn about the importance of creativity, showing love through food, not comparing yourself to others, and feeling good in your skin. Sanaë also talks about how a mother-daughter relationship can evolve and improve, and how we should learn that what we see in our parents’ relationship doesn’t need to be a blueprint for our relationships. 

To read Sanaë's beautiful essay about her complex relationship with her mom, visit here. 

To learn more about Sanaë and her book, visit her website. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

After learning from my guests that women wish their mothers taught them about two important topics: money and sex, I went on a quest of finding guests who do just that. In the last episode, we heard Dr. Mara Harvey, an advocate for financial literacy in girls and women. And in this episode, I’m excited to introduce sex and relationship coach specialized in women of faith, Octavia E. Vance. Octavia shares her American mom Betty’s lessons on dealing with marital abuse and using these experiences to empower others, on second chances, and on empowering your children. Octavia talks about domestic violence, teaching our daughters about their bodies and sexuality, and turning our mothers’ un-teachings into teachings.

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

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

 

After 21 years in banking, Dr. Mara Harvey became a founder and CEO of “Smart Way to Start”, as well as a public speaker and advocate for financial literacy in girls. She is the author of five beautiful books aiming to educate girls about money and finances. In this interview, she beautifully connects her Swiss mom Vera’s story of being abandoned by her husband with Vera’s teachings about financial independence, and her own passion for financial education for girls and women. You will learn not only about women and money, about the significance of financial independence, but also about why nature is important, why we need to let go of grudges, and how to recognize our parents’ unique ways of showing love.

You can learn more about Mara and order her financial literacy books for children here. 

To contact Ana, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net

For more about “Thank You, Mama" and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net