Adult Conversation Podcast

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.