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Although this week's guest, Melissa Tiers, focuses professionally on coaching the unconscious mind via hypnosis, she speaks passionately and often on social media about issues near and dear to our hearts here at Madness Cafe; specifically, patriarchy, decentering men, and how we've all been primed to act (and, yes, believe) in certain ways by the world we live in. And that world is shaped in very large part by patriarchy. In this discussion, we wrestle with the following questions: How much are we effected by our environment? Are we even aware of the ways in which we're influenced by the world around us? How does that show up in our day-to-day interactions? What can we do about it? Heady stuff but, we're here for it. 

Melissa Tiers is a multi-award-winning author, speaker, and hypnosis trainer. She is also the founder of The Center for Integrative Hypnosis and The Ethical Coaching Collective with an international private practice.

Where to find Melissa Tiers:

Instagram: @melissatiers

Facebook: @melissa.tiers

Website: Melissa Tiers | Coaching the Unconscious Mind

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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The next book in our Banned Books Series is Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Published in 1993, this near dystopian, post-apocalyptic allegory explores themes of adaptation and change, environmental and social breakdown, survival and resilience, and hyperempathy and interconnectedness. Tune in to hear our discussion about the book, its relevance, and why society needs to hear the message contained in its pages.

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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Cheri Bergeron always knew that motherhood was in her future. Indeed, she made it her mission to become a mother. Cheri chronicles all that she went through on the way to motherhood in her memoir Mission Motherhood: Writing A New Fairy Tale of Love and Family. Tune in to this candid discussion to learn about all that our guest goes through to build her family. "If the glass slipper doesn't fit, screw the fairy tale! Become a mother on your own terms."

Where to find Cheri Bergeron:

Website: https://www.cheribergeron.com/

Cheri's Choice: https://www.cherischoice.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheribergeron/

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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According to Psychology Today, parasocial relationships are "one-sided relationships in which a person develops a strong sense of connection, intimacy, or familiarity with someone they don’t know, most often celebrities or media personalities. These relationships exist only in the mind of the individual, who experiences a bond despite the lack of reciprocity. The term was coined by psychologists Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl in 1956 when televisions became widely available, they noted that TV viewers began to develop the 'illusion of intimacy' with the characters on the screen.”

In our increasingly digital and online world, parasocial relationships can develop with YouTubers, content creators on social media, podcasters, celebrities - the list is practically endless. Tune in to hear about our parasocial relationships and our feelings about the phenomenon. Don't forget to share whether you have any parasocial relationships and with whom?

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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"Dry January", "Sober Curious", "taking a break" - does any of this sound familiar? Many of us have questioned our relationship to alcohol, whether because of a rough morning after a night of debauchery, just because, or for any number of reasons. Our guest, Suzanne Warye, had her own reasons for stopping drinking. She writes about her experience in her new book The Sober Shift: A Moder-Day Guide to Living an Abundant Sober Life. In sharing her sober journey, Suzanne also provides helpful information and tools along with stories of other women's journeys with sobriety. Our conversation with Suzanne is hopeful, helpful, and full of compassion and humor. 

Where to find Suzanne Wayre:

Instagram: @suzannewayre, @thesobermomlife

Podcast: The Sober Mom Life

Book: The Sober Shift

Support the show

Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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We've talked about consent and autonomy in relation to a number of topics on the show, but this is a bit different - unsolicited advice. We don't usually think about consent and autonomy in this regard but maybe we should. We dive right into how to handle receiving unsolicited advice and what to consider when tempted to give it. 

After listening to the episode, let us know about your experience with unsolicited advice - either receiving it or giving it. Join the conversation!

Support the show

Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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The 1st book in our 2026 Banned Books Series is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Whether you've read the book or not, many of us know the story of Little Women. In this episode we go beyond the story told in the pages of Little Women to discuss Louisa May Alcott, how Little Women was influenced by her own life, the effect the book has had on so many, the movie adaptations, etc. We also dive into why it was important to us to include Little Women in our Banned Books Series. 

If you've read Little Women, seen any of the movies or other adaptations, we'd love to know your thoughts. If you haven't read the book or seen any of the movies, why not - not interested, don't think it applies to you, haven't had time, etc.? Join the conversation and let us know!

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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In this week's episode friend of the pod Tiffany Mazurek is back! This time she joins us to talk about retirement - current reality, dreams, possibilities, and underlying money stories. True to form, we're candid and vulnerable about our reality and fears around money and retirement. After tuning in, join the discussion and let us know your thoughts about your own retirement and how you're thinking about it. 

Photo by - Landsmann - on Unsplash

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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This week's episode is chock full of our musings about life and the things on our minds. Tune in to hear what we're thinking about these days - from last minute pivots to what to do for the next 50 years.

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Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

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Our guest this week, N.G. Avant, is an award-winning indie author who made the leap into fiction after working in municipal politics. Her first series, Capital City, grew out of her experience in politics. She joins us to discuss her new book Nexus, which is the first book in her new series, Witchy Women. This series continues N.G,'s focus on strong female leads, resilience, and empowerment while weaving in themes of politics, justice, and magic. Women, their journeys, their friendships, and their resilience are at the heart of both series. Tune into the discussion to hear how writing has been a huge part of N.G.'s healing while shaping her voice and her process. 

Where to find N.G. Avant:                                                                                      

Website: ngavant.ca

Instagram: @NGAvantAuthor

Email: [email protected]

Support the show

Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at [email protected].

Share the episode with a friend and have your own conversation. And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!

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