What does it mean to mother with joy—not martyrdom? In this heart-opening episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with litigation strategist, writer, and mother Bernadette Catalana, whose book Daughter Lessons began as a private gift to her daughters and turned into a healing manifesto for mothers everywhere.

From navigating the heartbreak of divorce in her childhood to raising her own daughters with fierce love and lightness, Bernadette shares how choosing joy, rewriting generational narratives, and embracing imperfection became the cornerstones of her motherhood journey.

This conversation is a warm hug for every woman wondering: Will my kids be okay? Will they still need me? Will I still matter when they leave the nest?

Tune in for:

• Reframing the grief of empty-nesting
• Rewriting painful family legacies with grace
• The power of believing in your own story—and teaching your kids to do the same
• Why failure isn’t fatal, and rejection is redirection
• Daily rituals that ground, heal, and remind us what really matters

Whether you’re a new mom, an almost-empty-nester, or someone healing from a mother wound, this one will stay with you.

Grab your coffee. Take a deep breath. This one’s soul food.

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