Mama's Mental Health

Can you feel that? It's holiday stress, combined with pandemic stress, and it's creeping up on all of us!

Today, my sister Kate Matthews and I talk about all the expectations we can drop in order to make this a peaceful and happy holiday season.

We are hoping that you'll join us in letting the kids bring the magic, not going overboard, not making everything from scratch, and not trying to be superwoman!

We also shared a few of our recommendations to make your holiday season even more fun.

Make Ahead Turkey recipe from Simply Rebekah

James Taylor at Christmas on Spotify or Amazon

Narada Christmas Collection Vol. 2 on Spotify or Amazon

Arthur Christmas on Amazon

Illumination Presents: Dr. Suess' The Grinch on Amazon

If you want to hear more of Kate's thoughts about motherhood and faith, you can find her @milkandhoney.market on Instagram.

This is the last episode of Season 2, and I'll be back in the new year, once I have moved this crazy family to Kuwait! Wish me luck!

If you're feeling a little stressed about Lockdown 2.0 this week, you're in the right place. This week my sister-in-law Bethany Vaughn and I are breaking down our top 10 tips for making lockdown easier and more fun.

• Lower expectations and ditch the guilt
  • Julie Hanks on Instagram
• Burnout by Emily Nagoski
• The Popcast with Knox and Jamie
• Olive and June - at-home manicures
• Karey's Grid - four tiny daily goals to help you feel recharged
• Schedule a weekly virtual girls' night
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  • Matt Haig on Instagram
• Do something you really enjoy in the morning
• Schedule a movie time for your kids every afternoon
• Have regular dance parties and hikes

Stay safe and well, and above all - sane!

Feeling stressed? Uncertain about the future? Anxious to know how everything is going to turn out? You're not alone!

You're also in the right place. The last few years of my life have gradually desensitized me to uncertainty, so I'm sharing a few things I've learned along the way.

Hang in there, and hop on over to Instagram @mamasmentalhealthshow for more discussion.

Who are you? What makes you tick? What are your unique gifts, and what drives you crazy?

Today, I'm talking with Sandra Etherington, a certifed Family Type Practitioner, owner of familypersonalites.com, and host of the Family Personalities podcast. Sandra and I talk about her mental health journey and how learning about your personality type (and your kids') can help you strengthen your strengths and understand your own personal potential pitfalls.

Sandra helps families figure out their personality types, so they can tailor their parenting and their relationships to each unique individual in the family. If that sounds helpful and interesting to you, you can find Sandra at familypersonalites.com.

If you're interested in reading a little bit more about cognitive functions, Personality Hacker has a great explainer here.

Who are you? What makes you tick? What are your unique gifts, and what drives you crazy?

Today, I'm talking with Sandra Etherington, a certifed Family Type Practitioner, owner of familypersonalites.com, and host of the Family Personalities podcast. Sandra and I talk about her mental health journey and how learning about your personality type (and your kids') can help you strengthen your strengths and understand your own personal potential pitfalls.

Sandra helps families figure out their personality types, so they can tailor their parenting and their relationships to each unique individual in the family. If that sounds helpful and interesting to you, you can find Sandra at familypersonalites.com.

If you're interested in reading a little bit more about cognitive functions, Personality Hacker has a great explainer here.

Jill Freestone, Certified Life Coach and mindfulness practitioner joins us today to talk about what she has learned even more deeply during this year. We have all experienced a new level of adversity during 2020 navigating our first global pandemic, and Jill is no exception.

Here are a few of the topics Jill and I talked about: Adversity (in its many forms) can help us to become who we are meant to be How to pull ourselves back to mindfulness amidst all the distractions of life Processing emotions and connecting with God through mindfulness You can find Jill at her website: https://jillfreestone.com/ and on Instagram @Jillfreestonecoaching

Hi there ladies! It has obviously been a while since we last had a chat, but here we are, back again to talk about all things motherhood and mental health! I'm *so happy* to bring you Season 2 of the podcast. The last time we spoke, I interviewed Dr. Michelle Cassarella of Mental Wellness Mamas, and she's back again today to talk about how all our lives have changed in the last few months and what challenges we might have encountered along the way. As you listen, I think you'll feel seen and come away with a few ideas that will help you in your everyday life.

We chat about burnout, overwhelm, decision fatigue, anxiety, division of labor at home, making peace with the new normal, and how you are so much stronger than you might think.

At the end of the episode, Michelle mentions a group coaching program starting in her Facebook group. The starting date has been changed to Monday October 19th, so you still have time! Hurry to the link below to join the Facebook group and grab your spot.

Here's how you can find Dr. Cassarella:

Website

Facebook Group

Instagram

Featured on Forbes.com

I am chatting today with Michelle Casarella of Mental Wellness Mamas. She is a psychologist in New York, and she helps mamas all over the world prepare not just for the birth or breastfeeding, but for establishing a healthy new life as a mom.

I love what Michelle is doing, and I wish I had found her years ago when I was going through that transition.

Here's what we cover:

• what led Michelle on this journey

• why it's so important to prepare for the postpartum time period with regards to our mental health

• what is matrescence, and what does it mean for every mom, not only the ones who suffer from postpartum mental illness?

• what expectations we should drop as we become mothers

You can find Michelle at www.mentalwellnessmamas.com and you can access her Postpartum Plan here. Michelle has offered $50 off her program when you mention the podcast. I think this program is a fantastic investment in your well being as a mom and would make a perfect baby shower gift (or group gift!) for a friend or loved one.

This summer has taken me on a wild ride, and my podcasting time has really disappeared. But I'm back today to give you an update, share some thoughts about impostor syndrome, and to tell you about some books I've read and enjoyed recently.

Here are the links to the books:

Boundaries with Kids

Come As You Are

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Joyful

Hope you're having a great summer, and maybe, just maybe, I'll be back next week with a new episode! ;)

Hey, if you have found this show helpful, please consider sharing it! I would love to reach more women with hope and help for mental wellbeing in motherhood.

Today's episode has to do with baby sleep, which I know can become quite the controversial topic in mom circles. Let it be known that I am not *anti* anything. I am *pro* finding what works for you and your baby. My personal experience, and one that I share with Carly, was that I expected to approach sleep through sleep training. It really didn't work for me and my babies, and I was left feeling like there was something wrong with me, rather than thinking that the method was wrong for us. If what you are doing is working for you and your baby, that is awesome! And if you feel like you're floundering, you are not alone! Carly has so many pearls of wisdom to share with us, so listen up, and enjoy our conversation.

Here's where you can find Carly all around the web:

The Beyond Sleep Training Project

The Beyond Sleep Training Project Facebook Page

The Beyond Sleep Training Project Facebook Group (63,000+ members as of July 2019)

The Beyond Sleep Training Project on Instagram