What happens when motherhood becomes your whole identity, and then life forces you to reevaluate everything?

In this emotional and honest conversation, I sit down with therapist and mom of three, Shasterin Valentin, to talk about her journey through young motherhood, grief, and rediscovering herself beyond the role of “mom.”

Shasterin shares what it was like to lose both of her parents in her 20s while raising children, how that shaped the way she parents today, and why she’s so passionate about helping women reconnect with themselves outside of caregiving.

We also talk about something we don’t talk about enough, how in many cultures, especially in Latino families, motherhood is often tied to sacrifice… and what it looks like to break that pattern.

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve lost yourself in motherhood, this episode will remind you: you are still in there.

In this episode, we cover:

• Becoming a mom at a young age while pursuing higher education

• Navigating motherhood after losing both parents

• The pressure of “sacrificing everything” as a mom

• Why your identity outside of motherhood matters

• Letting go of mom guilt and redefining self-care

• Raising kids while still honoring who you are as a person

• Creating a life your children can witness, not just benefit from

Key Takeaway:
You don’t have to lose yourself to be a good mom. Your kids benefit from seeing you as a whole person, not just someone who sacrifices everything for them.

Follow respira wellness on IG @respirawellness

Respira Counseling & Wellness, LLC | Begin Your Healing Today

La maternidad puede ser hermosa, pero también puede sentirse muy solitaria, especialmente cuando no tenemos a nuestra familia cerca.

En este episodio de Mom Life Juntas, converso con Kristel Richards sobre la importancia de crear comunidad durante la maternidad. Kristel comparte su experiencia convirtiéndose en mamá lejos de su familia, los cambios de identidad que vienen con esta etapa y el momento en que se dio cuenta de que no podía hacerlo todo sola.

También hablamos de cómo muchas veces romantizamos la maternidad, la presión de querer ser “supermamá”, y por qué pedir ayuda no es señal de debilidad, sino de sabiduría.

Si alguna vez te has sentido sola, abrumada o con ganas de tener más apoyo en tu vida como mamá, esta conversación es para ti.

En este episodio hablamos de:

• Cómo muchas veces romantizamos la maternidad antes de vivirla

• Los cambios emocionales e identidad que llegan después de tener un bebé

• Qué pasa cuando eres mamá lejos de tu familia o sin un “village”

• El momento en que Kristel se dio cuenta que no podía hacerlo todo sola

• Por qué pedir ayuda como mamá es un acto de sabiduría

• Formas prácticas de crear comunidad en la maternidad

• Cómo pequeños gestos entre mamás pueden hacer una gran diferencia

• Estrategias para regular nuestras emociones en momentos difíciles

• El recordatorio que muchas mamás necesitan escuchar en el posparto:
  no tienes que estar en ningún otro lugar que no sea aquí.

Conecta con Kristel

Puedes seguir a Kristel en Instagram: @living_with_kris

Ahí comparte sobre maternidad, fe y cómo construir comunidad.

🎧 Mom Life Juntas es un podcast bilingüe donde hablamos de la maternidad real — lo bonito y lo difícil.
Soy tu host, Jocelyn Flores, mamá, latina y terapeuta, creando conversaciones honestas para recordarte que no estás sola en este camino.

What is postpartum really like when you have twins?

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Jocelyn sits down with Graciela, a first-time twin mom navigating the first six months of motherhood. From an unexpected twin pregnancy to a C-section birth, intrusive thoughts, sleep deprivation, and the reality of needing support. This episode pulls back the curtain on what no one talks about.

We discuss:

• What it’s like finding out you’re having twins

• The shock of postpartum recovery after a C-section

• Why bonding isn’t always “love at first sight”

• Intrusive thoughts and postpartum emotions

• Sleep deprivation and the reality of twin schedules

• Why support after birth matters more than during pregnancy

• Moving across the country to get family support

• The pressure moms feel to “do it all”

• The importance of taking 30 minutes alone

If you’re a twin mom, expecting twins, or simply in the thick of the newborn phase, this conversation will remind you:

You’re not alone.
You’re not a bad mom.
And it’s okay if this is harder than you expected.

⚠️ This episode mentions postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and the postpartum period.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for professional support.

You can contact Postpartum Support International at postpartum.net.
Call 1-800-944-4773 or text HELP to 800-944-4773.

Support is available. You deserve it.Follow Graciela’s twin mom journey on Instagram: @gracielaa.p.ll

Motherhood changes you and no one really talks about how much.

In this honest solo episode of Mom Life Juntas, Jocelyn opens up about what she wishes more moms knew about motherhood. The parts that don’t always make it to Instagram. The feelings that can feel confusing, heavy, and even contradictory.

You can love your kids deeply… and still feel overwhelmed.
You can feel grateful… and still grieve your old life.
You can feel powerful… and completely unsure at the same time.

As a therapist, a Latina mom of two, and the host of Mom Life Juntas, Jocelyn shares what she sees in her office every week, and what she’s lived herself. This is not therapy, but it is real.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How motherhood reshapes your identity

• Why feeling grief and gratitude at the same time is normal

• The guilt that comes with being a working mom or stay-at-home mom

• How social media comparison fuels unrealistic expectations

• Why “repair” matters more than perfection

• How motherhood can be both healing and triggering

• Building confidence by trusting yourself

• Why finding your community is essential

• Why asking for help is not weakness

Whether you’re nursing a newborn in the middle of the night, deep in toddler tantrums, navigating school transitions, or raising teenagers, you are not alone.

There is no gold star for doing motherhood one way or another.
There is no perfect mom.
But you are the perfect mom for your kids.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with another mom who needs to hear it.

Follow, rate, and review the podcast so we can keep having these real conversations, juntas.

En este episodio conversamos con Michelle Chaffardet, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, mamá de un adolescente y host del podcast Amor Crudo. Michelle nos comparte perspectivas profundas y prácticas sobre lo que realmente sucede en las relaciones después de tener hijos, cómo manejar la carga mental, las expectativas y la importancia de la comunicación emocional dentro de la pareja.

Michelle nos recuerda que no existe un “manual perfecto” para la maternidad ni para las relaciones, y que el camino hacia una conexión más profunda empieza con conversaciones honestas y validación emocional.

During the month of love, many moms quietly wonder why their relationship feels harder, even when there’s still love there.

In this episode, Jocelyn Flores, LCSW, talks about a common but rarely named reason relationships feel strained after kids: capacity.

Motherhood reduces emotional, mental, and physical bandwidth. When capacity is low, small moments can feel overwhelming, conversations escalate more easily, and connection can start to feel like pressure instead of comfort.

This episode explores why relationship tension in motherhood is often not a sign that love is missing, but a sign that support is needed.

Jocelyn shares gentle mindset shifts and practical ways to approach communication when you’re exhausted, helping conversations feel safer and more intentional.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why relationship challenges after kids are often about capacity, not love

• What emotional, mental, and physical capacity look like in motherhood

• How low capacity impacts communication and connection

• Why timing matters more than tone in difficult conversations

• How naming your capacity can reduce defensiveness

• Why separating support from intimacy can change relationship dynamics

In this episode of Mom Life Juntas, Jocelyn is joined by weight loss and health coach Stacy Smith for a grounded, honest conversation about motherhood, movement, and the pressure so many moms feel to “bounce back” after having kids.

Stacy shares her journey into motherhood as an older mom, the realities of juggling work, childcare, and identity, and how those early years reshaped her relationship with her body. She opens up about how discovering movement she genuinely enjoyed, rather than forcing herself through workouts she hated, changed everything, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Together, Jocelyn and Stacy explore why movement doesn’t need to be intense to be effective, how seasons of motherhood change what self-care looks like, and why five minutes of walking can matter just as much as a structured workout. They talk honestly about the scale, all-or-nothing thinking, and the harm that comes from attaching worth or morality to numbers.

This episode is a reminder that your body is not a problem to fix, your needs are allowed to shift, and caring for yourself can look different in every season of motherhood. Whether you’re in the thick of newborn life or navigating later stages, this conversation offers permission to move gently, let go of unrealistic expectations, and find what works for you.

Listen to Stacy's Podcast- ⁠Biking Wellness ⁠

If The Scale is Ruining Your Day Listen to⁠ This⁠

Ever feel completely at capacity, even on days when nothing “big” is happening?

In this episode of Mom Life Juntas, Jocelyn talks about the invisible mental load so many moms carry: all the small, unfinished tasks that stay open in our minds and quietly drain our energy. The texts we haven’t sent, the appointments we need to schedule, the errands that would only take a few minutes, but somehow keep getting pushed off.

Jocelyn shares how intentionally “closing the loops” has helped quiet her mind and make space for more presence. From scheduling tasks the moment they come to mind, to using reminders and scheduled texts, she walks through simple, realistic ways to stop carrying unfinished business in your body and nervous system.

She also reflects on a recent moment of feeling truly present with her kids at Disney on Ice and how that presence didn’t come from having a shorter to-do list, but from freeing up mental space by finishing small things ahead of time.

This episode isn’t about doing more or becoming more productive. It’s about being intentional, supporting your nervous system, and letting go of what’s quietly exhausting you.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, mentally tired, or like it’s hard to stay present, this conversation is for you.Follow Mom Life Juntas for more honest conversations about motherhood, mental load, and making space for yourself. And if this episode resonates, send Jocelyn a message on Instagram and share which loop you’re ready to close.

Creator with the "How long does it actually take" series. @christi.newrutzen

In this episode, Jocelyn sits down with Sara Putney, a body-led prosperity professional for moms, to talk about the parts of motherhood we do not prepare women for enough. Together, they explore the identity shift that happens after birth, why postpartum can feel destabilizing even with support, and how motherhood activates old patterns we thought we had already healed.

Sara shares her personal journey into motherhood, including how pregnancy felt grounding and expansive, while postpartum challenged her sense of self in unexpected ways. The conversation dives into nervous system regulation in real life with young kids, why being regulated does not mean being calm, and how children mirror our internal states more than our words.

They also discuss the pressure of modern motherhood, the mental load moms carry, and why sacrificing yourself does not actually serve your family. Jocelyn and Sara reflect on how unprocessed emotions live in the body, why talking is not always enough, and how somatic practices like breathwork can help moms release what they have been holding in for years.

Sara explains her work facilitating group experiences and retreats for moms, including how somatic breathwork differs from calming breath practices and what to expect if you feel hesitant about guided breathing. The episode wraps with candid reflections on community, boundaries, bathroom breaks as regulation, and the reminder every new mom needs to hear that she is exactly who her child needs.

This episode is for any mom who feels constantly on edge, disconnected from herself, or caught between caring for everyone else and losing touch with her own needs. It is also a powerful listen for therapists and wellness providers interested in community-based healing and alternative ways of supporting mothers.

You can find Sara’s work, upcoming retreats, and resources below:

Instagram: @remotheringmamas https://www.instagram.com/remotheringmamas/

Website: https://remotheringmamas.com/

ReMothering Mamas Programs

The Reclamation Retreat (Virtual): https://remothering-mamas.newzenler.com/courses/the-reclamation-retreat

Feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or emotionally exhausted as a mom? In this solo episode of Mom Life Juntas, licensed therapist and Latina mom Jocelyn Flores talks about what it really means to be at capacity, and why being at capacity doesn’t mean you’re failing at motherhood.

This episode is a continuation of last week’s conversation on fantasy capacity, the belief that one day you’ll have more time, more energy, and more emotional space. Jocelyn explores why that future version of you doesn’t magically appear, and how listening to your body now can reduce mom guilt, emotional overwhelm, and burnout.

If you’re a mom who feels irritable, overstimulated, or guilty for wanting rest, this episode offers validation, clarity, and a gentle reframing without pressure to “fix” anything.