About Your Mother

Ann Fessler's critically accompanied book, "The Girl Who Went Away," gives voice to the millions of women forced to surrender their babies in the decades before Roe v Wade. As an artist and a teacher, listening to Ann tell her story feels like you are walking into a lecture hall about to learn something new, and you are.

This episode originally aired in December of 2022.

Connect with Ann
Website
The Girls Who Went Away
A Girl Like Her

Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/category/podcast

This is the story of a mother who made the ultimate sacrifice for her and her daughter’s freedom. In this episode, I’m joined by Namratha Stanley, author of Vineyard Melody, and wine entrepreneur. Namratha shares about her own mother’s sacrifices and the example of unconditional love she set throughout her upbringing.

At age 24, Namratha married into an abusive family and lost her sense of self. Twelve years later, after a near-death situation, Namratha escaped with her daughter and started her life over. With the support of her entire family, she made the ultimate sacrifice to live without her daughter so she could establish a new life for them in France. 

Listen in as Namratha shares the challenges of her journey to freedom, the contradictions of life in India for women, and how her family supported her throughout. 

Resources Mentioned

• Gloria: In Her Own Words
• Pierce’s Pledge: Life After Tragic Loss With Lesley Hu

Connect with the Guest

• Namratha’s website
• Namratha’s book, Vineyard Melody

What happens when the places that are supposed to feel safest become the places that wound us most deeply?

In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Maley to talk about her memoir, No Longer That Girl, and the extraordinary path she’s taken from childhood trauma to a life rooted in faith, resilience, love, and purpose. 

Stephanie shares her journey through grooming, sexual abuse, illness, shame, abandonment, and family instability—and how she rebuilt her life with intention, honesty, and strength. We talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic resurfaced buried trauma, how the Me Too movement sparked long-suppressed grief, and how writing became a critical tool in her healing.

This is a deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to heal—and how to create a meaningful life on the other side of trauma.

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, grooming, and sexual assault.

🎙️ Listen to This Episode If You’re Wondering:

• How do you heal from childhood trauma?
• Why does trauma resurface years later?
• Can writing help process emotional pain?
• How do you move from victim to survivor—and beyond?
• What does healthy love look like after trauma?

Connect with Stephanie:

Website: stephmaley.com

Book: stephmaley.com/memoir

How do you discover your sense of belonging when your culture and background have been erased?

In this episode of About Your Mother, I’m joined by Brittany Penner, author of Children Like Us: A Métis Woman's Memoir of Family, Identity and Walking Herself Home. She shares her story of being adopted as an infant, the history of indigenous children being taken from their families in the Sixties Scoop, and her struggle with finding where she belongs.

Brittany also shares about her writing process, how writing her memoir changed her, and how she writes about traumatic experiences. You’ll love this honest conversation about rediscovering your roots and integrating each part of your identity into a whole person. 

Resources Mentioned

• The Sixties Scoop
• Percentage of Indigenous Children in Foster Care in Manitoba
• 2021 Canadian Census Report
• Truth and Reconciliation Day

Connect with the Guest

• Brittany’s Book: Children Like Us

We've pulled a special episode from the vault for you to take a listen to! One of my favorite stories I've had the honor of sharing on About Your Mother, is that of Peter Mutabazi — a remarkable human being who survived a traumatic childhood, only to use that experience to transform lives. 

This episode originally aired in May of 2021.

He ran away from an abusive father at the age of ten and was homeless on the streets for four years until a stranger asked him his name. That gesture changed his life forever. However, that isn't Peter's story. His story is so much more than that.

He has used his experience to lift the lives of those who need our help most. It started with global relief efforts, and now he has been a foster dad to sixteen kids. His mission is to make sure every child is known.

Prepare to be in awe of Peter Mutabazi: his courage, empathy, and will to change the lives of the four hundred thousand foster children in our system.

Joining me during this episode is my partner in Adoption/Foster Stories, Jeff Forney. If you want to learn more about Jeff's story and work, please listen to episode 010.

Connect with Peter
Website: NowIAmKnown.com
YouTube: @nowiamknown
Instagram: @fosterdadflipper
Facebook: fb/fosterdadflipper

Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/category/podcast 

In honor of Valentine’s Day, my husband Mark joins this episode of About Your Mother for an honest conversation about messy and imperfect love. We’re sharing one of the most profound lessons about love we learned on a trip to France this summer, when a lovely Brazilian couple shared the secret to lasting love with us. 

I’ll be honest: our marriage hasn’t always been easy - what union is? If you’ve been part of a blended family, your parents divorced, your mother was a tad crazy, or you’ve experienced sudden loss, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned

• Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
• Grit by Angela Duckworth
• Both Sides of Then by Jennifer Griffith

Is determination and skill innate? There are athletes… and then there are the stories that shape them. A young boy who didn’t like the rules of youth team sports. A mom who brings home a flyer for a local BMX track. And a path that changes everything.

For Connor Fields, that path is as remarkable as it is far-reaching. A three-time Olympian (2012, 2016, and 2020), each Games brought a new chapter—new pressure, new triumphs, and new heartbreaks. He entered all three as a favorite, ultimately leaving with gold. But along the way came disappointment, setbacks, and a near-death experience that reshaped his entire outlook on life.

Yet Connor has always believed he was destined to be a champion. When you hear the moment he knew, you’ll understand exactly why he’s been able to persevere and achieve the extraordinary.

In this episode of About Your Mother, Connor shares the highs and lows of being an Olympic athlete in an emerging sport. He talks about how his parents’ support made his dream possible, what his accident taught him about resilience, and what life looks like after the Olympics. Trust me—you’re going to love Connor’s story, his unique perspective, and his heart.

Resources Mentioned

• Donate to Team USA
• Team USA Shop

Connect With the Guest

• Speaker Demo Reel: Hire Connor
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connorfields11/
• Website: connorfields.com 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnorFields11/
• Instagram: instagram.com/connorfields11 

A mother’s love knows no limits, and Lesley Hu’s story on this episode of About Your Mother perfectly illustrates that.

Content warning: this is an incredibly emotional and painful story that contains an episode of violence that is hard to reconcile with our conscience. However, it’s also a story of hope and a mother’s love that is tested beyond comprehension. 

Five years ago, to the date this episode was released, on January 13, 2021, Lesley Hu’s son, Pierce, was killed by his father in San Francisco. It’s a multi-layered story of divorce, custody, madness, and violence. Lesley bravely shares her story with us today.

Connect With the Guest

Pierce’s Pledge

Lesley Hu

Pierce's Pledge IG

Oftentimes, our fears are our best guide. The things we don't understand can be our greatest teachers. In this episode of About Your Mother, we examine the mother we all share: Mother Nature. 

Today, we reflect on Mother Earth through one of her most misunderstood teachers, the wolf. For a long time, I've been following the story of Takaya, the lone wolf. He found himself alone on an island in Canada.

We've been taught to fear predators, and yet when we pause long enough to look honestly, we begin to see that humans have become the true apex predators on this planet. Wolves don't take more than they need. They live in balance. What we fear in them often reflects what we struggle to face in ourselves.

I'm joined today by Cheryl Alexander, photographer, filmmaker, and the storyteller behind Takaya: The Lone Wolf. Through years of quiet witnessing, Cheryl invites us to see a wolf, not as a threat, but as a teacher, and to consider what it might mean to protect what we've long been afraid of. 

Resources Mentioned

Jane Goodall

Women For Wolves

Joe Rogan’s take on wolves

Cody Robert’s wolf story

Take Action for Wolves

Connect With the Guest

Instagram: instagram.com/takayalonewolf

Website: takayaslegacy.com 

Cheryl’s books: takayaslegacy.com/books 

Takaya the Movie: A Story of Survival Against the Odds

 Have you ever watched the Olympics and wondered what it takes to get on the podium? Sure, there are the physical demands, but what about the mental strength? You are competing in front of the world against the best in the world. No pressure. Right? We all know it is most likely the athlete who puts the most pressure on themselves. So, when does someone decide they will be an Olympian?

For my next guest, Mari Holden, who started as a triathlete, the 1984 Olympics in LA marked a turning point, and she knew then that the Olympics were her destiny. So she leaned into the bike and eventually won a silver medal in the 2000 Olympic Games, A UCI World Championship and six national championships.

In 2016, she was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame as a modern road and track competitor. So what does it take to get there? Guts, grit, belief, and an incredible amount of tenacity.

We also explore her relationship with her mom, including how they inspired each other throughout their lives and how Mari gained a new perspective on her mom as she grew older. Listen in for an honest and vulnerable conversation about a lifelong dedication to athletics and what it teaches you along the way. 

Resources Mentioned

• Brené Brown
• USA Cycling
• Ironman, Hawaii 
• THEMOVE: Lance, Mari, and Alison

Connect With the Guest

• Mari on IG
• Mari Holden- Wikipedia