In this week's episode, we are thrilled to welcome back Attorney Jolee Vacchi, founder of Foundations Family Law & Mediation, to discuss how modern parenting  – and all the stress that comes with it –  can impact our relationships with our partners.

We chat about the recent surgeon general's advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents  -- and explore how we got to this point. Jolee shares how she sees the stresses of parenting contribute to many couple's decision to divorce and also affect how they coparent, including the trend she's witnessing in couples who have children with special needs. Plus, practical advice for managing stress, staying connected with our partners and ensuring we honor the woman inside the mother.

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When was the last time you had a good night's sleep? If you are a midlife mama, you may be experiencing some trouble with this thanks to fluctuating hormones. Dr. Daniella Marchetti joins me this week to discuss how hormones (and age!) affect sleep -- and what we can do to improve the quantity and quality of our sleep. Plus, some reassuring new if you tend to be a night owl!

About our guest
Dr. Daniella Marchetti is a licensed clinical health psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep medicine. She earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Miami, where she also completed her psychology residency and clinical fellowship at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She is currently a staff psychologist at the Miami VA and runs a private practice focused on treating sleep disorders, such as insomnia, CPAP adherence, sleep training, and nightmares.

Dr. Marchetti is passionate about helping individuals and families navigate sleep challenges, particularly supporting parents of young children. She offers specialized treatments for conditions including chronic insomnia, sleep apnea, nightmares, and circadian rhythm disorders. She also provides cognitive behavioral therapy for individuals with hypersomnia, narcolepsy, and mood disorders like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Dr. Marchetti is licensed to practice in Florida (PY 12008) and is PSYPACT-certified to provide care across 42 states. Learn more.

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Mom guilt is nothing new — but our 2024 guilt survey reveals it’s negatively affecting our mental health, daily lives and self-worth at alarming rates. Therapist Kimberly Solo and I sat down to discuss these results, the difference between guilt and shame and how these feelings affect our mental health -- plus what we can do about it. 

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In this week's episode, I had the opportunity to chat with Mary Catherine Starr, the artist behind the beloved Instagram account, @momlife_comics. You likely have seen her viral motherhood comics from the account, which has completely exploded over the last few years

With both wit and warmth, she regularly explores motherhood, marriage, double standards and the invisible load in her work, making moms laugh, feel validated or fired up depending on the day. Her work has also drawn some critics (hint: they're angry dudes who seem to believe that sharing how common double standards show up in her own marriage must mean she is a terrible person who hates her husband. Sigh.) and we get into those experiences, too. 

Her work has been featured in Motherly, the Huffington Post, and next year she's releasing her first book: a comic memoir, Mama Needs a Minute! where she shares her own journey in modern motherhood and the relatable challenges we all face.

We discussed how she built her brand, double standards, the danger of mom guilt and the time her comic about a peach went viral leading to threats and personal attacks --  but ultimately a movement for moms to prioritize themselves more. I know you'll love our conversation!

Learn more about Mary Catherine Starr and her work here.

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In this week's episode, I chat with Suzette Mullen, author of the powerful memoir, The Only Way Through Is Out.  Born from an essay she wrote for the New York Times, her book is both an empowering coming-out and coming-of-age story, as well as a rallying cry to live authentically and trust our inner voices. It's also a story of second chances and second acts, proving there are not time limits when it comes to these things, an important reminder for all middle-aged moms. 

We discussed how midlife presents an opportunity to examine what we want in life and why women often struggle to follow their inner voices. If you're feeling a little lost these days or find yourself wondering what you're meant to do, this is a must-listen! 

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In the world of Instagram therapy speak, we often hear words like "trauma" and "triggered" thrown around. But what exactly constitutes trauma and how does it impact mothers when not processed appropriately?

In this week's episode, we had a powerful conversation with Allie Stefanelli, LICSW, LCSW, PMH-C, about maternal trauma, trauma in general and women's mental health. Allie shares how trauma in women is often left unvalidated, how trauma can affect us as parents and how different approaches -- from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy to compassion and community -- can make a world of difference within our minds and nervous systems.

Whether you have experienced trauma in motherhood, in other instances, or have supported loved ones through it and want to understand how our minds process life experiences, you will learn something from this week's episode.

About our guest
Allie Stefanelli is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and founder of Riverview Psychotherapy. She has more than a decade of experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds who are coping with complex physical and mental health diagnoses in a variety of settings, including the NICU. Since starting her private practice 4 years ago she has focused her work on perinatal trauma. She holds a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies and is certified in Perinatal Mental Health and EMDR. She has extensive experience in supporting those navigating trauma in the maternal and perinatal period, as well as supporting clients coping with a wide range of mental health concerns

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In this week's episode, we are discussing millennials and menopause. Specifically, how the awareness and treatment surrounding menopause has changed dramatically in the last decade. White knuckling through significant symptoms is out. Having options, whether hormone replacement therapy or mental health support, is in.

Dr. Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist and author of the new weekly newsletter Hot Flash, breaks down all the information and treatment options millennial women should know -- and why hormone replacement therapy got such a bad rep to begin with. We also cover how to advocate for yourself when seeking treatment and what to do when you feel as though you aren't being heard.

More about our guest

Dr. Gillian Goddard is an endocrinologist and an adjunct assistant professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Hospital. She has more than 15 years of clinical experience and consults with patients regarding thyroid disease, PCOS, menopause, nutrition and weight loss, and diabetes. She has particular expertise in endocrine diseases affecting women during the reproductive years, pregnancy, and through perimenopause. She is the author of Hot Flash, a weekly newsletter from ParentData by Emily Oster .

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“Life is a seesaw, and I am standing dead center, still, and balanced: living kids on one side, living parents on the other. Nicky here with me at the fulcrum. Don’t move a muscle, I think. But I will, of course, You have to.” -Rocky, from Sandwich

I had the opportunity to chat with New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman about her latest novel, Sandwich, a moving and funny story of a family vacation told from the perspective of a mother navigating the precarious middle space of life with grown children and aging parents. 

In this episode, we chat about her inspiration for the novel, the heartbreak and joy of watching your children grow into adults, pre-emptive grief, the freedom that comes with aging as a woman and the disparities we face in our health. She also shares the very best advice for parenting during the teen and young adult years. If you're a mom in the middle years, this is a must listen! 

Catherine Newman is also the author of memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the best-selling how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novels We All Want Impossible Things. She writes the Substack newsletter Crone Sandwich and has been a regular contributor to the New York Times, Real Simple, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. You can learn more about her work here.

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In this week's episode, I compare notes with Kristen Reed when it comes to the five things we see being most important for middle-aged moms to feel their best through nutrition and fitness. 

Kristen is multiple-award-winning National Board Certified Holistic Registered Nurse and Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and Founder of Nursing Your Way to Wellness. As a sought-after women's wellness expert and leader, she has been featured in Glamour Magazine, Mind Body Green, Women’s Health, Eating Well, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe and more. 

Did we have a similar top 5 list? Are you doing these five things? Where should you start if you're not? Listen in for an empowering conversation on what matters most for optimal wellness in the middle years. 

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If you're an older millennial mom, you experienced becoming a mother -- and the subsequent journey -- as social media completely exploded, offering opportunities for connection and education but also judgement, misinformation and toxicity.

In our season two opener, we chat with Kara Alaimo, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and author of “Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls - And How We Can Take It Back" about our use of social media, new dangerous trends, what it means for our mental health and should we quit it......or take it back? 

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