Mama's Gonna Make It

Okay but… what even is occupational therapy?! In this juicy and joyfully neurospicy episode, Anne and Sarabeth sit down with Jess Irvin-Spears (OT and founder of MoonBeam Therapies Clinic) to break it all down, complete with tangents and zero shame, as we embrace the chaotic magic of neurodivergent brains info-swapping!

We cover:

We wrap with some real-life mom banter, Jess shares gentle wisdom for parents navigating this stuff, and we end with a list of a whole bunch more that we definitely want to talk about next time. If you’ve ever wondered if OT could help your kid—or you just want to feel seen—this one’s for you.

MoonBeam Therapies Occupational Therapy 

Follow MoonBeam OT on Facebook

Occupational therapy- 

The Pyramid of Learning (Taylor and Trott, 1991)

Person First Language vs. Identity First (from autisticadvocacy.org)

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

In this tender episode about navigating grief, Sarabeth and Anne open up about their own recent experiences with loss. Guided by the insights of Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart, we discuss different types of grief and how grief is most often associated with death, but in reality, we grieve the loss of many things we love, including missed opportunities, unmet expectations, relationships, careers, and imagined futures. 

From explaining the concept of death to small children to processing our own grief and supporting others through their grief journey, we kept nothing behind closed doors in this honest and vulnerable conversation about loss. Ultimately, to love is to lose, and it takes incredible courage for us to choose to love with our whole hearts, knowing loss is inevitable. 

Links:
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Unfu*k Yourself  by Gary John Bishop

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

We are thrilled to host Emily Hughes, a Conscious Parenting Coach and founder of Finding Flow Parenting, from across the pond in East London. Emily works with parents (1:1 and with co-parents) who feel stuck in frustration, overwhelm and conflict to find more ease and flow in family life. She empowers parents to stay centred and grounded, to improve their communication skills, emotional intelligence and peaceful boundary setting skills. She also helps parents to do the deeper work to unearth patterns and limiting beliefs that are keeping them stuck. Also trained in Somatics, Emily is a big believer in brain-body parenting and parenting in tune with all the nervous systems in the household.

We discussed the importance of self-regulation in our roles as parents, somatic healing techniques, and general wellness practices to help foster emotionally safe environments for our families and model transformative self-care for our children.

Links: 

For more information on postpartum mental health, visit Moms’ Mental Health Matters: Find Help – NCMHEP

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

In this episode, we take some time to reflect on our first season of Mama’s Gonna Make It and our excitement for the season ahead! We return to some questions we asked each other in the first-ever episode, questions like “What about this venture scares you?” We reflect on our own growth as facilitators and friends, and we explore some of the collaborative background work that we do to make every episode happen. 

Our Season 2 premiere introduces our 4 Pillars, the guiding topics our episodes will engage around: Self-Growth, Relationships (all the ‘ships!), Neurodiversity, and Parenting

The OG Episode 

01: Parenting as a Practice 

📌 Follow/subscribe to Mama’s Gonna Make It podcast  — and if today’s episode inspired you, please share it with a friend or leave a review. It helps more fabulous humans find our village.

Follow us on socials (Insta, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube) @mamasgonnamakeit 

Support our mission by making a gift in any amount if you feel so led!

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

In this episode of Mama’s Gonna Make It, we set out to learn from each other—and ourselves. From timers to labels to avoiding the infamous “doom bag,” we’re sharing the ADHD-friendly hacks that help keep our chaotic brains just a little more on track.

🧠 Life Hacks We Love:

🎒 The Ultimate Go Bag

We brainstorm what a truly ADHD-friendly go bag might include. Think: practical, comforting, and always stocked with…chapstick and tweezers?

💣 What’s a Doom Bag?

We get real about those catch-all bags (or baskets… or drawers) full of random things we might need but will definitely avoid sorting.

💰ADHD Tax – The cost of being late, disorganized, or overwhelmed.

🧹 Decluttering for ADHD Brains

We debate some viral decluttering questions:

💬 Semi-Side Quest Alert:

We also dive into how our stuff holds energy, from inner child comfort objects to Anne’s yearly family memory boxes. Are we organizing—or soul-archiving?

🌅 Start Your Day Right

Set the tone early. Because once the hurdle-jumping starts, it’s hard to stop.

🔗 Links & Resources:

Stuff we mention:

💌 Got a hack that changed your life? Share it with us on Instagram! DM @mamasgonnamakeit

📸 For pics of Polly the dog and her clothes, fridge organization, and Anne’s mantelpiece memories organizing system, head to our socials on Facebook (Mama’s Gonna Make It) and Instagram! @mamasgonnamakeit

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

She’s back! In our second conversation with author, educator, and mom Lily Rosene, we explore her resilient journey of becoming a mother- one that didn’t follow the script.

From spontaneous pre-term labor at 30 weeks to supporting her baby in the NICU, Lily opens up about her real, raw experience navigating a different entry to motherhood than she planned for. We talk about those first weeks and how she coped with postpartum anxiety, PTSD, and the emotional rollercoaster that followed delivery. 

Lily also shares how her love of literacy and creativity helped her reclaim her identity — not just as a mom, but as an artist and storyteller. Her children’s books, How to Bee a Friend and How to Bee polite (co-created with Allyson Watwood), invites kids to engage with stories in a new way by teaching literary concepts in a fun way and  leaving space for them to become illustrators themselves. Her creativity mirrors her motherhood journey as a powerful metaphor for resilience and imagination.

We talk about:

Whether you’re deep in the NICU chapter, feeling lost in the newborn fog, or trying to rediscover yourself through the chaos, we see you. You are not alone. 💛

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Postpartum Anxiety (from Cleveland Clinic)

✨ Connect with Lily Rosene:

Follow Lily’s journey, books, and upcoming events at www.literacywithlily.com.

📌 Follow/subscribe to Mama’s Gonna Make It (on Facebook and Insta @mamasgonnamakeit — and if today’s episode moved you, please share it with a friend or leave a review. It helps more fabulous humans find our village. 💕

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

This week on Mama’s Gonna Make It, we’re getting lit (literally!) with local children’s book author, award-winning former high school English teacher, and literacy advocate Lily Rosene! Join us as we dive into all things reading: sparking joy, building lifelong habits, and how literacy can shape connection, curiosity, and confidence in our kids.

We talk about:
📚 What made Lily fall in love with reading
📖 How we can foster a true joy of reading—not just compliance with our kids and students
👧🏽 How giving kids choice in reading builds empowerment and identity
🧠 The brain + how different formats help all types of learners
🌟 Lily’s own delightful children’s books: How to Bee a Friend and How to Bee Polite

Books We Mentioned:

Resources + Highlights:

Libby App – Free E-books, Audiobooks, and E-magazines from local Public Libraries

Sora App– Ask your school librarian if your school has access! (WSFCS does!)

Whether you’re a book lover, reluctant reader, or trying to inspire your little ones to fall in love with stories, this episode will leave you feeling inspired, informed, and ready to get lit(erary)!

Don’t forget to like, follow, and share with your fellow bookworms! 🐝📚✨

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

Welcome to our very first Book-Ish Segment! Anne and Sarabeth—lifelong readers and narrative nerds—have been itching to dedicate an episode to the joy, function, and nuances of reading. In this conversation, we dive into our personal relationships with books: what we read, how we read, and how those habits have shifted over time. Of course, sitting in our life experiences as moms we also touch on fostering a love of reading with kiddos, and SB lends her professional experience on helping make that happen.

From audiobooks to graphic novels, ratty paperbacks to digital downloads, we celebrate the many valid ways to consume stories. There’s no one “right” way to be a reader—and no genre or format too niche to count.

We also explore how neurodivergence, particularly ADHD, can complicate traditional reading habits. Producer Tim, Sarabeth, and Anne share personal reflections and practical strategies—like reading while listening—to make books more accessible and enjoyable.

We talk:

And of course, we tackle the ultimate reader’s debate:
Do you finish every book you start, or are you at peace with abandoning a story mid-read?

Whether you’re a passionate page-turner or a recovering perfectionist learning to read for pleasure again—this episode is for you.

Links

Reading Theory: 

Windows Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors Ted Talk by 

Books as windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors

Fostering love of reading in children/kid choice

Books and Authors we discuss (buckle up, it’s a doozy of a list!)

Reading Resources

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

In this rich and reflective episode, we welcome back our friend Thao Nguyen to talk about love in all its complexity. From the 7 types of Greek love to the Buddhist concept of metta (loving kindness, compassion, equanimity, and joy), we discuss love in many forms. Within that conversation, we explore how naming our emotions helps us understand and navigate them.

We talk about anger—where it comes from, how to prevent it, and what role expectations play in our emotional lives. Together, we stumble upon our first ever MGMI framework: change, release, or communicate your expectations—a practical tool to help prevent frustration and resentment.

We go deep on forgiveness, especially in relationships where differences in values or politics can be painful. Is alignment possible even when we disagree? We also ask: Who are you when no one is around?

Finally, we debate affirmations: are they empowering, or just projections of what we think we (or our children) “should” be? Join us for an episode full of honesty, curiosity, and a few good laughs.

Links:

Mama’s Gonna Make It- our first framework!

Expectations Framework to Help Prevent Anger:

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.

In this inspiring episode of Mama’s Gonna Make It, we’re joined by the radiant and multi-talented Thao Nguyen—performer, coach, director, actor, traveler, and all-around incredible human. Together, we dive into the language of music, its healing power, and how group singing and sound practices can ground us in community and calm.

We explore how music and mindfulness can soothe our “monkey mind” and quiet the inner narrator that so often runs on autopilot. Thao discusses the practice of OM chanting and meditation, reminding us of the deep breath that can bring us back to the present moment. Everybody: OMmmmm…

We also talk:

As we wrap up, we discuss:

Whether you’re a music lover, a parent, or someone looking to feel more grounded, this episode is an uplifting reminder of the power of presence, voice, and vulnerability.

Links:
www.thaotnguyen.com
@thetaoofthao on Insta

Dr. Martha Beck on creativity as the opposite of anxiety (CNN on Insta)
Video: The Psychological Benefits of Humming (BBC Global)

Yoga Journal: The Sound of Om

Pranayama

A taste of Thao’s vocal coaching: Vocal Anchoring
Being Comfortable with Failing – Simon Sinek

Books we discuss: The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.
Theme Music by Doug Davis.