Moms, we’ve heard the saying about turning pain into purpose. It’s an idea even more powerful when we consider our roles as CEO of our home and leaders within our families.

Our guest today, Ellie Ander, is an incredible example of turning challenges into advocacy, whether it be for mental or physical health. Ellie is also the entrepreneur behind our sister site Chicago North Shore Moms who celebrates the fulfilling career that The Local Moms Network launched for her.

In this intimate conversation, Ellie shares three opportunities for advocacy that sprung from terrifying situations in her life.  Rather than stay silent or stagnant, she pivoted, finding agency and empowerment. Listen in to hear:

*how losing her mother to breast cancer taught her the power of grief counseling
*why she made the brave decision to have a double mastectomy after learning she carries the BRCA gene
*what helped her regain a sense of control after she and her family survived a mass shooting in Chicago in 2022
 
Listening to Ellie will absolutely inspire you to reevaluate how you approach the challenges in your life and what action you’ll take in response. We’re grateful to Ellie for her courage in sharing her story and nudging us to create change.
Make sure to follow Ellie at @chicagonorthshore on IG and at chicagonorthshoremoms.com.

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Mom, you are pure magic during the holidays!

We all know the warm memories our children carry into adulthood are the result of a mom who worked her tail off to spark joy and smiles. Each year we get a bit savvier with making it all happen…and that’s exactly the message from our incredible guest, Kaylen Maduka of our sister site here at The Local Moms Network, South Houston Moms!

Kaylen is the grounded voice we need to help us actually enjoy the Christmas season. She shares her tips and tricks for thriving-and sometimes just making good enough, good enough…hallelujah!

Join us as we dish about:

*our favorite Christmas traditions around our neighborhoods and inside our homes

*Elf on the Shelf ideas that are manageable and fun

*our favorite ways to support small businesses while we shop

*the “it” toys and gifts that are making their way under our trees

*some wonderful ways to teach our kids about gratitude, and also to help our communities and families in need

*and most of all…how to find GRACE for ourselves as we tackle this most wonderful time of the year!

Don’t forget to follow Kaylen at @southhoustonmoms or find her online at southhoustonmoms.com

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Trigger Warning: Moms, please listen without any kids around.

Sometimes, our child needs to walk a different path than the one all of the other kids are walking. And as parents, it’s hard to anticipate how hard we’d fight to keep them on the “normal” path. Today’s guest, Alicia, gave her son space to do something unexpected; he dropped out of high school. She shares his compelling story from depression, to the desert, to Dean’s List.
This episode, though, is far more than a teenager’s story; it’s the portrait of a mother who, quite literally, walked beside her child in his most difficult moments.

Alicia opens up about a spectrum of moments and feelings in her family’s journey:

*her divorce and the ripple effect it created in her family
*signs of detachment that her son showed
*how an illness altered her son’s interests
*the terror of learning her son had run away
*why volunteerism is connected to gratitude

We hope you’ll share your thoughts with us after you listen!

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Who’s the mom behind the mic? Today, MomCast host Demetra Ganias shares her 5 Mom Truths.

MomCast is an extension of what The Local Moms Network does best; we help every mother feel seen, valued, and supported. Here, Demetra shares why she’s so passionate about that mission, and she’s spilling some mom wisdom she has learned as a mom of three.

Following a career in television news as a reporter and anchor, Demetra took an 8-year pause to build her family. She jumped back into the work force through her public speaking coaching business, Ganias Media Lab. She found her way to TLMN as an editor, creating content for our network of moms and finding confidence in her most valuable role yet: champion for moms!

Join the conversation for some relatable girl time and more:

*why “imposter syndrome” doesn’t exist anymore
*the conversation that changed Demetra’s trajectory as a mom
*how a baby in pink, noise canceling headphones sparked joy
*why “It must be nice…” got eradicated from her vocabulary
*the day that country singer Jelly Roll triggered happy tears
*why every mom is the best mom

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What a joy to chat with a TV and movie star whom we grew up watching!  Marla Sokoloff is an actor, director, and producer whose resume reads like a hit list of 90’s classic television and stretches all the way to an upcoming Netflix movie. You may have first met Marla as Gia on Full House (and more recently, Fuller House) and caught her stints on favorites like 7th Heaven and Party of Five. She spent years on The Practice, earning herself a whole new legion of fans. Most recently, she’s shining both in front of and behind the camera for The Merry Gentlemen, a not-so-traditional Christmas movie that debuts on Netflix just in time for Thanksgiving. What really makes her enthralling in our conversation is how she balances her many professional roles with raising three kids in LA alongside husband Alec Puro, a composer and drummer for Deadsy.  You will connect with so much of what Marla shares as we explore the conviction and vulnerability of motherhood:

* how she feels about everything 90’s being hot again!

* the weekly tradition that keeps her marriage strong and doesn’t budge from her calendar

* why she reads her daughter’s texts and didn’t put off “the talk” with her tween

* the rollercoaster of becoming-and staying!-relevant in Hollywood for decades

* how Marla found fulfillment on the other side of the camera as director and producer

* her evolution from new mom to 3-time girl mom…and the confidence that comes with experience

Be sure to follow Marla @marlasokoloff on Instagram and check out The Merry Gentlemen on Netflix starting November 20.

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There’s a universal truth in motherhood: we’re doing too much. Whether for our kids or for our home, we most often fulfill the overwhelming majority of demands…and we’re not happy about it. In fact, we feel disappointed, frustrated, resentful and burnt out. So what can we do about it?

Today’s guest, Paige Connell, is an influencer-turned-advocate who gives us the vocabulary and the confidence to ask for what we want: an equitable division of labor. A podcaster and mom of 4 based in Massachusetts, Paige says wanting our needs met is NOT nagging!  Yet advocating for change does require some strategy and honest conversations.  You won’t want to miss this empowering hour that speaks to every mom:

* defining invisible labor and equitable division of labor

* the foundations of the “Fair Play” method as created by Eve Rodsky

* discussion about whether moms should have to get “buy in” from husbands and partners

* why moms become the “default parent” who manages the family’s schedule and needs…and how to break the cycle

* creating more equitable examples for our kids so we create a new dynamic 

* asking ourselves where we require appreciation and acknowledgement

You can find Paige Connell on Instagram @sheisapaigeturner and make sure to listen to her podcast On the Same Page with Abby and Paige wherever you listen to your shows.   

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Surviving the day to day of motherhood doesn’t often leave time or energy to think about building a dream career-we get it.  But what if there was true progress in small steps? It’s true! Whether you need a nudge or a (gentle) shove to get thinking about what actually fulfills you, this episode delivers.

We’re talking to Mary Olson-Menzel - a celebrated career coach, founder of MVP 360 Coaching, and an industry leader across media, tech, healthcare and more.  She is also author of a new book What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career.

Mary’s experience is on both sides of the job market: hiring for major corporations and coaching people on how to get hired. In this rapid-fire interview, Mary offers her wealth of know-how whether you’re a work-from-home mom or work out of the house:

*breaking out of your routine and comfort zone to WANT the upgrade
*deciding if you’re truly ready to make a leap
*how to talk about a career pause to stay home and raise kids (hint: play it up!)
*polishing your social presence: we’re talking LinkedIn, Instagram, and more
*tell your career story unabashedly by owning it!
*how to ask your boss for more flexibility and/or more money

You can find Mary Olson-Menzel at maryolsonmenzel.com and on IG @maryolsonmenzel

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Trigger Warning: Today’s episode discusses drug addiction and suicide

How often have you heard a family’s heartbreaking story and thought, “Not my family,” or “Not my kid.” Yet, nothing is impossible. 

Our episode this week is the courageous testimony of Anita Devlin, a business owner based in New York and mother of 2 grown kids, who describes how her son’s drug addiction engulfed him and their entire family for many years.  His recovery will span the rest of his life.

Anita’s not a doctor, nor does she give professional advice; she shares her mission to eradicate shame, urging parents to take off the blinders, face reality, and get help. She has traveled the country with her message, connected countless families with treatment facilities, and even co-written a book with her son called S.O.B.E.R.

Anita is proof that vulnerability is a superpower.  No matter how old your kids are, you’ll be moved by her story as she explains

*the warning signs of addiction that she ignored or explained away

*how her entire family experienced consequences from her child’s addition, including the family dog

*why toxic masculinity had to go out the window in order for her son to get help

*the turning point that drove her to separate herself from her son

*how family therapy paves the way for healing

Anita runs We Heave Ho, a moving business, and makes the interesting connection between the secrets of addiction and the secrets people have inside their home when she and her team go in to help them move. We all have aspects of our lives we don’t want anyone to know!

You can find Anita Devlin at weheaveho.com (@weheaveho)

She also mentions a podcast by Zac Clark that she loves for the awareness it brings to addiction and recovery called The Zac Clark Show (@thezacclarkshow) 

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Embarrassing OB/GYN question? No such thing! Today’s episode is one you’ll want to listen to solo, Mom, because we get into ALL THE THINGS related to womaning and mothering from a medical perspective. Our guest is Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, board certified OB/GYN, who has been treating patients for more than 25 years and has delivered countless babies.  In her signature style that melds honesty and empathy, Dr. Shieva explains everything moms need to know about our reproductive health.  

Topics include:

*painful sex after pregnancy or during perimenopause
*know your own anatomy…lesson included!
*VBAC? What makes you a good candidate to have a vaginal birth after c-section
*how close is too close to have back-to-back pregnancies
*what exactly is a PAP smear test and what it detects
*how to spot the symptoms of a urinary tract infection
*the various types of birth control and which is best suited for you
*detecting fibroids and endometriosis

To learn more about Dr. Shieva you can find her on IG @drshievag or on her education platform @tribecalledv

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Send us your ideas for our next podcast!
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