When you're going through the challenges of TTC, pregnancy, and postpartum, we often hear about the physical challenges and mental health - but how are those things connected?

If you find the challenges of becoming a parent difficult both physically and mentally, you are definitely not alone!

Today, we're talking all about that physical and mental health connection with Krystle Howald from Expecting and Empowered. We're sharing our own experiences as parents, addressing the connection between physical and mental health symptoms, and discussing the ways physical therapy and being proactive about your mental health can be used to support your overall wellness in parenthood.

Krystle Howald specializes in orthopedic and women's health- treating patients in her clinic Empower Movement Physical Therapy in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. She also owns Expecting and Empowered- a prenatal and postpartum business aimed at helping women navigate both periods with safe and effective workouts.

You can find more from Krystle here:

https://www.expectingandempowered.com/

Instagram: @expectingandempowered

Expecting and Empowered App

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Friendship in motherhood and parenthood is life-giving -- but it's also really challenging!

Do you find yourself struggling to balance your friendships with your new role as a parent? Or feeling awkward trying to meet new friends after baby? If so, you're not alone.

This is an all-too-common challenge of parenthood which is why I invited my friend Miriam Kirmayer to talk all about friendships after baby on today's episode. We're talking about our personal experiences with friendship after baby, strategies for making and sustaining friendships, and the importance of meaningful and supportive friends in parenthood.

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer is a clinical psychologist and leading expert on friendship and social connection. Grounded in over a decade of research on the science of friendship, her work focuses on helping people to cultivate resilience and build healthier relationships and more connected lives.

You can find more from Miriam here:

Website: www.miriamkirmayer.com

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Parenting can be...A LOT, and today we're talking all about PARENTAL BURNOUT.

We often hear about burnout in the context of work or career, but burnout and exhaustion can absolutely show up in parenting. If you find yourself dreading the end of naptime because there wasn't enough time, feeling depleted, struggling with the idea of attaining perfection in parenting... you're not alone.

I invited my friend Dr. Morgan Cutlip to talk about her experience as a professional and a mom in navigating burnout. We're discussing what parental burnout looks like, how you can identify it in yourself, day-to-day signs that burnout is creeping in, and what you can do about it.

We hope you leave this episode feeling seen, understood, and supported with helpful tips to navigate the many challenges of parenthood and how to protect yourself from burn out!

You can find Dr. Morgan Cutlip at the following links:

Instagram: @mylovethinks

Website: mylovethinks.com

Podcast: Love Thinks Podcast

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

How does your past impact your parenting? Today we're talking all about the ways that motherhood and parenthood can trigger our past pain or trauma.

I invited my friend Yara Heary on this week's episode to discuss her own story with healing in parenthood. We're sharing our own experiences and hope you leave this episode with actionable steps and a better understanding of how we can heal and re-wire our past wounds.

Yara is a Perth, Australia psychologist who works exclusively with women throughout conception, pregnancy, and motherhood. Yara started Life After Birth Psychology following the birth of her first son which started her on yet another journey of self-rediscovery. Her experiences throughout early motherhood sparked her passion to support other women as they navigate their own family of origin dynamics, the social programming of the “good mother”, relationship changes with those around them, identity shifts, and role changes to find their place of balance and authenticity as mothers.

You can find Yara here:

On Instagram: @lifeafterbirthpsychology

On her website: www.lifeafterbirth.com.au

Work with Yara: The Rebirth Coaching Group

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Compassion is something we often give to others with ease, but it's so much harder to give ourselves that same type of grace -- especially in tough parenting moments. If you are a highly sensitive parent (or suspect you may be!) these difficult moments can feel even MORE intense.

If you are struggling to navigate sensitivity in you or your child, you are not alone.

I invited my friend Runda Ebeid on the podcast today to talk all about self-compassion for sensitive parents and sensitive kids. Runda is a pediatric Occupational Therapist & brings her expertise to her Instagram @mothercarejourney.

Today, we're talking ALL about self-compassion, shame, guilt, and ways we can make space for compassion in some of those most difficult, overwhelming parenting moments. We hope you'll take away actionable exercises and steps for practicing more self-compassion in your journey as a parent.

Links mentioned in the episode:

ENCANTO Live

Runda's Instagram @mothercarejourney

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

On the first day I dropped my daughter off at preschool, she came home and said "Mommy, there are ouchies in my mouth." -- as it turned out, she had the hand foot mouth disease & I had to call her daycare on DAY ONE to let them know!

If you have a child in daycare, this may be a familiar story. You're not alone! Navigating healthy habits and immunity with children in daycare and school is a challenge and can bring up a lot of difficult feelings like anxiety & guilt.

Today, we're talking all about keeping your daycare and school-aged kids healthy with pediatrician Dr. Krupa Playforth from ThePediatricianMom. Dr. Playforth is a mom and pediatrician who shares her expertise on social media to help parents just like you. 

We're talking all things immunity including what is "normal" for illness at this age, daily habits to support health, nutrition for immunity, stress reduction to support health, and the feelings that come up when our children get sick. I hope you find some helpful takeaways from this episode that you can implement to better support the health of your child and family!

Dr. Playforth is a board-certified pediatrician in Northern VA. She can be reached on social media (Instagram or Facebook) or at her website. 

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Let's talk about Anxiety, particularly when it shows up around money.

Money and finances can feel complicated, overwhelming, and anxiety-inducing! Our own individual and family stories around money can inform the way we think about money as adults, and as we navigate the discussion around money with our own children.

Today, we're talking all about Money Anxiety with Financial Therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin to address all things personal finance, financial anxiety, finances in relationships, and how to talk about money with your children.

Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (she/her) is a biracial financial therapist, podcast host, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution." In her therapy practice, Mind Money Balance, she uses shame-free financial therapy to help people get their minds and money in balance. She's expanded her services to help private practice therapists with their money mindset, sustainable pricing, and authentic marketing so they can include financial self-care in their work. She lives with her partner and their dog on the traditional land of the Fox, Peoria, Potawatomi, and Anishinabewaki peoples, also known as Michigan.

Links and resources below!

www.mindmoneybalance.com

Mind Money Balance Podcast

Financial Archetype Quiz

The Financial Anxiety Solution Workbook

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

New parenthood comes with so many challenges--sleep deprivation, so many decisions, new identities, and the monumental shift in the relationship with your partner as you become parents.

With all this stress, how do we find each other again? How do we get on the same team?

Today, I'm talking with Matthias Barker all about partner relationships and parenting. We're covering everything from the research behind relational satisfaction in parenting to tangible tips for supporting your parter relationship in the trenches of early parenthood and beyond.

I hope you find this episode supportive and takeaway some actionable tips for navigating this challenging transition, together!

To learn more about Matthias, you can check out all of his offerings (including books and courses on grief, burnout, anxiety, trauma, and couples) at matthiasjbarker.com. Matthias Barker has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and has been formally trained for treating complex trauma, anxiety, and marital issues. Matthias shares weekly content to support people in moving towards what's meaningful in the midst of hardship on Instagram and TikTok @matthiasjbarker and on his podcast.

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Do you experience driving anxiety as a parent? Dread getting in the car because your kiddo seems to hate it? Feel overwhelmed by picking and installing a car seat?

If this sounds like you, you're definitely not alone!

I've invited my friend Michelle from Safe in the Seat to talk all about driving anxiety and car seat safety. You'll leave this episode with steps to build your car seat confidence and tools for navigating the anxiety triggered by driving.

Michelle is a parent and the founder of Safe in the Seat. She is recognized as a Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Expert. You can find her on Instagram @safeintheseat & find her courses and consults at safeintheseat.com!

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Remember when we thought we would stay home for a few weeks and this pandemic would be behind us?!

Well, here we are a few years later and it's still impacting our every day in so many different ways.

Caution fatigue, decision fatigue, anxiety, uncertainty, isolation, grief, sadness...if you're feeling it, you're not alone.

In today's episode I sit down with my colleague Dr. Veronica Eyo, mom to 3 and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, to discuss pandemic burnout for parents. You'll walk away with a better understanding for WHY you're feeling burnt out, and WHAT we can begin to do to care for ourselves, replenish (and repair when needed) amidst it all.

To continue to follow Dr. Eyo's work and learn more from her or about her private practice, you can follow her at @drveronicaeyo or check out her website here!

Did you connect with that episode? The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.