Our guest today is quite the Podcast veteran. Sophie Walker is the host of the Australian Birth Stories Podcast, which has just released its 300th episodes. The journey of pregnancy and birth is an important part of the Matresence picture, and it is vital that we are not telling women that birth looks the same for everybody. Listen as Amy and Sophie discuss:How our own birth experiences are closely tied to that of becoming a Mama.While birth is only one day, it is a very powerful and important day.How we don’t always feel comfortable sharing our birth stories because we don’t want to scare anyone off and/or because we don’t want to boast or celebrate what we have been through in fear of making the person who’s listening feel bad or undermined.The leap straight into motherhood that is often hard to see when we are in the pregnant phase and concentrating on birth.
You can find out more about Sophie’s work and Podcast at https://www.australianbirthstories.com/ which includes stories for women across all sorts of experiences. As mentioned in this episode you can also access the walk through heal your birth meditation via the Mama Rising Audiobook. We are here to spread the whispers of Matrescence together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#192 - Our Birth Stories Tell a Story with Sophie Walker


 Motherhood changes us. As the generation who were told we could do anything and be anything we want to be, accepting the changes that come with motherhood can be very difficult. This podcast is a collection of stories of matrescence, motherhood, womanhood and change, told by our Mama Rising coaches and mothers around the globe. Through our stories and community, we hope that the wisdom of the rite of passage of matrescence spreads far and wide, and that we can begin to change the way we see, value and support ALL mothers everywhere. Because we really need it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Where did we get this idea that six weeks after birth, a woman is completely healed and ready to re-enter the world?
Why do we rush this process, simply checking in how her body is feeling, and even suggesting she is now ready for sex again?
Imagine what would happen if we looked at a mother's becoming as something way beyond the first six weeks, and nourished her with a true acknowledgement of what she has been through and the process of healing and matrescence?
This is what Rachel wanted to share with us all when she took the mic this week.
Rachel Bettinzoli is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Wellness coach and Mama Rising Facilitator, specialising in women's health and matrescence, and mama to four beautiful children (ages 9, 7, 3 and 1).
She supports women through the cycles of motherhood with gentle and intuitive movement and simple strategies that support our whole-self, body, mind and soul. Helping women reconnect and regain confidence and strength in their bodies and redefine what health and motherhood means for them and their family.
She also has a background in dance and clinical Pilates, has studied the psychology of nutrition and behaviour change. She has a professional wellness coach certification and is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) MamaRising Facilitator.
And with FOUR experiences of becoming a mother, plus all the hours of supporting mothers in her work, she sees the possibility of doing it a very different way.
You can follow Rachel's work and reach out to her at anytime at instagram here. 
And watch the full video of this podcast on Youtube here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#265 | TAKE THE MIC | BEYOND THE 6 WEEKS OF HEALING | WITH RACHEL BETTINZOLI

What would our world be like if we had matrescence-informed public policy? What would those policies even look like? And what impact would they have on our experience of becoming a mother - and the wider experience of parenthood?
In this week's episode, mama of 2 Sarah Cleggett share's her own personal experience of becoming a mother, and how that has led her to not only establishing a Social Enterprise-based Mother's Community Group 'Middle Ground Motherhood', but recently completing her Masters on Matrescence-based public policy.
Sarah's research highlights how patriarchal and neoliberal motherhood concepts in Australia underestimate the profound changes of motherhood, meaning "mothers are left without the structural support they require to thrive." Sarah was also a part of a national study on parents working conditions, pregnancy leave and return to work, which you can read here.
Ultimately, this episode highlights how one mother's experience can spark a commitment to making a difference in the world, and impact an understanding of Matrescence and mother-led support policies would flow on to the rest of society - and the world.
You can see Sarah's Social Enterprise work at Middle Ground Motherhood here, and read and subscribe to her Substack here.
SARAH IS ONE OF OUR GUEST EXPERTS AT OUR NEXT 'WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW' SERIES. You can join our panel discussion and online workshop on 8th May here.  All proceeds from this event will go towards our Global Matrescence Foundation. 
FULL VIDEO VERSION of this episode can be found here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#264 | WHAT WOULD MATRESCENCE-INFORMED PUBLIC POLICY LOOK LIKE? | WITH SARAH CLEGGETT

No matter what you believe BEFORE you go into motherhood, there is always a moment when you realise:  this isn't what I thought it would be. 
Maybe it comes immediately - birth was nothing like you thought, the first days were completely different. 
Or maybe it comes years later, when you think your life - and that of your children or your relationship - is on a certain path, and you realise: that's not my reality anymore. 
In that moment, there is an invitation mama: 
Will I open to a new way of thinking, and grieve the old way? 
And will I be the one who creates this change? 
Abby Kamen is an artist, activator, and the author of Generation WE: Healing Together to Create Better, a truly thought provoking book that looks at generational trauma and the cyclical effects of survivalism. 
This podcast brought up how we deal with our own trauma, 
How our kids push us to do better and upgrade our thinking, 
And ultimately, how WE are the ones to do this work. 
One of my fav conversations this year. 
Listen, and let Abby and I both know what you got out of it. 
x
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ABBY HERE: https://www.abbykamen.com/ https://www.instagram.com/abbykamen/?hl=en
Abby Kamen is an artist, activator, and the author of Generation WE: Healing Together to Create Better. With candor and wit, she provides a thought provoking look at generational trauma and the cyclical effects of survivalism. In addition to her own projects, she collaborates with other folks and organizations vested in protecting our human rights and providing resources for our mental health and well-being. She lives in Louisville, KY.
You can check out Abby's website here. She is a passionate and articulate speaker who brings a deeply human perspective to the conversation about generational trauma, and we will officially be launching the book with a panel titled "Ths Ends With Us" at SXSW 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#263 | NAVIGATING BELIEF GRIEF IN MOTHERHOOD AND RELATIONSHIPS | WITH ABBY KAMEN

In this episode Amy takes a moment to reflect on ten years of coaching mothers, and both her personal journey to get to this point, and how she sees the focus on mothers changing. Just a few short months after becoming a mother 16 years ago, Amy started writing and researching the question: what happens to us?  Why does it feel this way? How can we do it better?
And since then, she's listened to thousands of hours of coaching and interviews, with both experts and mamas around the world. But, as she shares in this episode, she's also had to find her own confidence and voice.
How can you talk about motherhood when no-one really respects it as a professional focus? How can you stand up and speak out when you don't think you have the answers? How do you keep going when you're dealing with your own inner turmoil? And, most important of all, are we making any difference?
The answer? yes. In small and big ways. And we can't stop now!
May this episode be both an inspiration and a reminder that we are all in this together - imperfect but activated and committed to changing the support and understanding of mothers. 



 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#262 | REFLECTING ON A DECADE OF COACHING MOTHERHOOD | WITH AMY TAYLOR KABBAZ

Throughout a woman's life, she experiences so many metaphorsis and change - and until very recently, most of these have been hidden and unspoken. Like matrescence - and menopause. 
Why is that? Why is it that we, as a society, have kept so many of these huge transformations hidden? And what does that do to a woman as she experiences it? 
And imagine if you were experiencing not one, but TWO of them at the same time? 
That's what today's podcast episode is all about. 
CiCi shares her story of finding her passion for women’s wellness following the birth of her first child; when the intensity of becoming a mother left her struggling to find herself within it all. By the time she had her second child in her early 40s, she was navigating postpartum alongside perimenopause.    It was then that her passion for finding balance, led her to qualify as a yoga teacher, earning specialisations in Restorative and Menopause Yoga. As she pursued her own healing, she qualified as a Health Coach from The College of Naturopathic Medicine and became an ICF accredited Mama Rising Facilitator, specialising in matrescence.   As The M Coach, she now helps women transform their journey through motherhood and peri/menopause by guiding them into becoming the expert over their own journey and hormones. She is passionate about helping women find the evolution that exists within the menopause transition but also ensuring women feel knowledgeable about what happens to their body hormonally throughout their life. Through her honest & compassionate approach she provides a safe space to explore these difficult transitions throughout a woman’s life. 
⁠In the journey of motherhood, we often find ourselves carrying heavy burdens—the weight of our own struggles, the hopes and fears of our children, and the responsibilities we bear. Let alone the societal expectations and the overwhelming stress of being in the world at large. 
Imagine setting down the burden of these backpacks full to brimming with all these concerns and responsibilities we've been carrying for so long, taking a moment to breathe, and sorting through each item with intention. 
What's essential? 
What's worth carrying forward? 
What's better left behind?
It's a powerful metaphor for embracing motherhood with a lighter heart and a brighter outlook. We don't have to carry every burden alone. It's okay to let go of what no longer serves us, to travel light, and to embrace the beauty of the road ahead.
SPECIAL OFFER:  Cici is offering a 20% discount off her 90-minute MOT when they use the code HAPPYMAMA. These sessions begin identifying what may be causing issues in your hormonal journey and how they can begin to feel better. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS WEEKS PODCAST GUEST CICI GOKTAS HERE:
Website: www.themcoach.co⁠ ⁠ Instagram: @the.m.coach ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#192 - Our Birth Stories Tell a Story with Sophie Walker

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