Madness Cafe

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

Is motherhood the default? Are people without children monsters? Is it ok to be childfree and happy? Raquel and Jennifer talk about all of this and more with this week's guest Therese Schechter.

Therese Shechter is an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of the production company Trixie Films. Over the past 20 years, she has created a body of work that fuses humor, activism, and personal storytelling to explore a host of thorny questions around women’s roles and identities.

Therese’s most recent film My So-Called Selfish Life, is a revolutionary documentary about one of our greatest social taboos: choosing not to become a mother. Released in 2022 to critical acclaim, it has reached audiences in over 35 countries, and has become a powerful tool for fostering conversations about reproductive autonomy in this post-Roe v Wade era.

Where to find Therese and her work:
Websites: https://trixiefilms.com/, https://myselfishlife.com/
IG: @trixiefilms, @mysocalledselfishlife
FB: https://www.facebook.com/mysocalledselfishlife/
Twitter/X: @trixiefilms

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

Project 2025 - it's all over the news and everyone's talking about it. Or they should be. What is it? Why should we care? To be fair, it's to be expected that a candidate for president will have a plan (not just a concept of a plan...) for how they will govern. But Project 2025 is more than that, it is The Heritage Foundation's plan which would have lasting negative, earthshattering consequences. In short, it's a plan to dismantle democracy. In this episode, Raquel and Jennifer discuss Project 2025 and their feelings about it. This is just the tip of the Project 2025 iceberg so don't stop here, do your research.

Links to Project 2025 and a few resources to help you make sense of what it's effects would be:

• Project 2025 | Presidential Transition Project
• What is Project 2025? See full PDF summary document (19thnews.org)
• A Guide to Project 2025 - FactCheck.org
• Project 2025 summary: What's in the blueprint for a second Trump term? (slate.com)
• Project 2025, Explained | American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org)

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

Are boys destined to become incels, misogynists, and emotionally stunted? When it does happen is patriarchy to blame? Can parents do something to prevent toxic masculinity from ruining their sweet little angels? Can grown men reparent themselves to get back to who they were before society took control? In the wake of #MeToo, pregnant with her third son, this week's guest, Ruth Whippman, was thinking about all of this and much more. Have a seat and listen in to our conversation with Ruth about her new book, Boymom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity, which explores the role (and toll) of toxic masculinity as little boys become men. 

Ruth Whippman is a British journalist and cultural critic. A former BBC documentary director, she has written for The New York Times, Time magazine, New York magazine, The Guardian, HuffPost, and other publications. Fortune described her as one of the “25 sharpest minds” of the decade. She is also the author of BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood In the Age Of Impossible Masculinity. 

Where to find Ruth Whippman:
IG: @ruthwhippman
Substack: I Blame Society
Website: www.ruthwhippman.com

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

What do most of us really know about car insurance? Why is it necessary, besides that it might be legally required? What choices are best for me, for my family, for my new driver? We get into all of this (and more) with guest Caroline Monsewicz.

If you have a question for Caroline, scroll down for her contact information. (Don't forget to ask her about add-on uninsured/underinsured motorist and bodily injury insurance!)

Caroline Monsewicz is a trial attorney with Tobin Injury Law in Atlanta, GA where she focuses on helping injured people seek justice through some of the most difficult times in their lives. With over a decade of experience in law, her areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, trucking collisions, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and legal malpractice. Caroline is a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, WV, where she was a NCAA Division I goalkeeper for the Thundering Herd women's soccer team for four years. Determined to use her passion and commitment, Caroline attended and graduated from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, GA, where she was recognized as a Graduating Woman of Excellence and Dean's Award recipient for her service and leadership. When Caroline is not advising clients of their rights and how best to navigate complex legal issues, she can be found watching professional wrestling with her husband, Justin and her two cats, cooking, or playing Dungeons & Dragons with her friends.

Where to find Caroline Monsewicz:
Tobin Injury Law: https://www.tobininjurylaw.com/caroline-h-monsewicz/, 404-JUSTICE (404-587-8423)
Email: [email protected]
Direct Dial: (678) 941-0109

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

We are beyond excited about Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee! We share all of our feelings, hopes and dreams about the future of our country with Kamala Harris as our next president. Join the discussion and share your thoughts with us.

Mentioned in this episode:
YouTube: (1) Kamala Harris - YouTube

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

We are all in relationship - with ourselves, family, friends, society. With that comes great joy and, sometimes, pain. How can we handle that pain in a way that doesn't add to the pain? How can we handle that pain so that we can show up for our loved ones in a way that is helpful rather than harmful? We delve into all of this and more with guest Celia Landman as we discuss her book When the Whole World Tips: Parenting Through Crisis with Mindfulness and Balance.

Celia Landman is a mindfulness educator offering support to teens and adults. She draws from her range of experience working with folks impacted by trauma, addiction, and anxiety to create customized meditations, visualizations, and trainings that reconnect us to our wholeness.

Where to find Celia Landman:
Website: https://celialandman.com
Instagram: @celiasacct

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

What happens when a racist goes to jail? In George Sedberry, Jr.'s case, he becomes vulnerable enough to listen and learn, and his life opens up. Then his mission to visit all 100+ HBCUs and tell the little-known history of Black Americans begins. After all, Black history is American history.

Where to find The White George:
TikTok: @whitegeorge
IG: @thewhitgeorge (no “e” on the whit)

Apply to several HBCUs with only one application: https://commonblackcollegeapp.com/

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

The conversation around Christian patriarchy continues in this week's episode as Raquel and Jennifer discuss Tia Levings memoir A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. Learn more about the movement that threatens to destroy our democracy and how Tia Levings escaped it and is now a shining example of how others can escape it as well.

Where to find Tia Levings' work:
Website: https://tialevings.com
Substack: @tialevings - The Anti-Fundamentalist
Instagram: @tialevingswriter

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer talk to guest A'magine Goddard about the intersection of medical training and consent. 

A’magine Goddard has been teaching and speaking about feminism and sexuality for over two decades. As a queer sexuality educator, she wanted to impact people who were entering the field of medicine about sexuality and gender. 

She earned her master’s in Human Sexuality Education at New York University and studied film at New School University. She worked as a Gynecological Teaching Associate for 10 years in New York City and At Your Cervix is her first feature film.

Where to find A'magine Goddard:
Instagram: @atyourcervixmovie, @sexualempowerment
Website: www.atyourcervixmovie.com

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!

Thanks!

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!

Being a surrogate is a selfless and noble act but it's also complicated and emotional. Add in religious considerations pregnancy loss and everything is heightened almost beyond measure. In this week's episode, Raquel and Jennifer speak with guest Kelila Green Siciliano about her decision to become a surrogate and the journey that has grown from that decision.

Kelila Green Siciliano is a mom, a surrogate, a pregnancy loss survivor, the founder of OursAndYRS: A Pregnancy Loss Survival Toolkit, a speaker, the host of the podcast, “Pushing Through Loss”, and a coach. Kelila speaks about her experience with surrogacy and pregnancy loss, creating her loss survival toolkit, and how she learned to use personal challenges to work with and not against her in order to help others feel empowered to activate their own inner strength warrior.

Where to find Kelila:
Website: https://www.kelilagreenspeaker.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oursandyrs/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelila.green
Podcast: Pushing Through Loss

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!

Thanks!