Episode 13 explores our physical senses. We each share our reactions to watching videos of our moms, smells we can’t get past and other experiences that bring back memories of our moms. Join us for an exercise to connect with our sensory memory through writing. We encourage our listeners to participate in this exercise.

Resources:

Media Preservation:

Connecting with Sensory Memory through Writing: https://whatsyourgrief.com/sensory-memory-grief-and-loss

Connect with us: 

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Surprise! We recorded some amazing interviews with some of our closest friends and discuss our relationships with them related to our mother loss. We couldn’t keep this content from the world, and wanted to share these relationships with you in this bonus episode. Get ready for some raw content full of love, laughter, and some shared sadness.

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Episode 12 explores the nature and structure of our friendships both before and after our mothers died. We talk about friends we’ve had who knew our moms, and friends that we’ve had to share our mother’s death with years later. What makes these friendships special? What are things we’ve struggled with about our friendships over the years and how they relate to our mother loss?

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Episode 11 is all about intimate relationships. We look back at some of our most impactful experiences in relationships and how they have influenced the trajectory of our lives. We imagine what life could have been like had we not experienced the death of our moms at such a young age. We share ideas for showing yourself love, which many of us have learned (the hard way) is a prerequisite for being in a healthy relationship with someone else.

Resources: 

The 7 Elements that Define an Intimate Relationship: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/romantically-attached/201802/the-7-elements-define-intimate-relationship

Attachment Theory: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337

Attachment Parenting, Dr. Sears: https://www.amazon.com/Attachment-Parenting-Book-Commonsense-Understanding/dp/0316778095

Attachment Quiz: https://dianepooleheller.com/attachment-test/

Coping with an Insecure Attachment Style: https://www.verywellmind.com/marriage-insecure-attachment-style-2303303#:~:text=People%20with%20an%20insecure%20attachment,2%EF%BB%BF

**If you or anyone you know are questioning whether you are in an emotionally abusive relationship + what to do about it: https://www.crisistextline.org/topics/emotional-abuse/#what-is-emotional-abuse-1

Connect with us: 

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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In Episode 10, our hosts explore their unique relationships with their dads before, during, and after the deaths of their moms. They discuss their complex emotions related to their fathers, as well as their shared experience of navigating loss with a surviving parent who struggled to provide the emotional support that was needed. The hosts end by acknowledging the gratitude they hold for their fathers.

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Episode 9 explores family relationships in connection with mother loss, grief and trauma. We remind our audience who our families were when our moms died and who they are today. We dive deep into how our families have struggled and how our families have come together since the loss of our moms. Finally, we imagine what our family dynamics would be if our moms were still alive.

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Episode 8 explores the concept of boundaries in relation to our early mother loss, grief, and trauma. We unpack the meaning of personal boundaries and the types of boundaries experienced specifically through a grief and trauma lens. We discuss trauma and how it impacts our ability to create healthy and safe boundaries, and what it feel like when boundaries are crossed. We also discuss the roles of caregivers in our lives, what it looks like/doesn't look like to model and teach healthy boundary setting, and how we are adapting to setting healthy boundaries in our lives now. We end by sharing some tangible ways that we are all choosing to set healthy boundaries in our own lives currently.

Resources:

Brené Brown quote: "Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others."  https://brenebrown.com

Glennon Doyle’s Podcast: We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle:

Dr. Nicole LePera: https://theholisticpsychologist.com

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

Episode 7 explores the relationship between early mother loss and mental health. We’ll unpack mental health as a concept, and challenge the notion of ‘balance’ as the ideal state of being. We’ll discuss the importance of emotional duality and how to hold seemingly opposing feelings at once. Expect some psychoeducation from Sarah on trauma, and the difference between what is considered Big “T” trauma and little ‘t’ trauma. We’ll also share how we create emotional safety in the wake of grief, as well as provide some tangible coping skills for navigating and healing from loss.

Thinking about therapy or medication for yourself? Check out Psychology Today’s extensive directory of clinicians all over the world: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists - fyi this is not a paid partnership…. yet ;) 

Resources:

Different Types of Trauma, small ‘t’ versus Large ‘T’: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/trauma-and-hope/201703/different-types-trauma-small-t-versus-large-t

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

The premise of our podcast is that the early loss of our moms entirely shifted our lens, how we navigate the world, and who we have become. On today's episode and in the 3 episodes to follow, we dive deeper into the topic of “The Impact of Early Mother Loss.” We’ll touch on a study conducted in the UK and then discuss the death of our moms and the many additional factors that impacted us, including sudden death or death from a prolonged illness, our relationships with other family members, relationships with friends and romantic partners, our support system outside of our nuclear family, and, of course, secondary losses. We'll also discuss how children grieve differently than adults and how the impact of our loss has shown up for us adults in regards to mental health, boundaries, hyper-independence, and relationships (family, friendships, and romantic).

Resources:

Denmark study: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201802/when-child-loses-parent

UK study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569022/

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

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Go behind the scenes and find out what it took to pull this podcast off, including technology, branding, music and more. We’ll also share the meaning behind the images on our cover logo.

Resources:

She Climbs Mountains is a non-profit organization based in the Twin Cities serving adult women and girls ages 8-18 (Girls Rise Up) who have experienced mother loss through death at any age. https://Sheclimbsmountains.org 

Motherless Daughters book by Hope Edelman

This book is located within the image for Episode 5. More to come on this book in future episodes. https://www.amazon.com/Motherless-Daughters-Legacy-Loss-Anniversary/dp/0738217735 

Podcast Equipment:

Microphone: AKG Lyra

Erin’s Drugstore mascara suggestions:

**NYX On the Rise Volume Lift mascara $8

** Erin’s personal fave

Connect with us:

You can email the podcast at [email protected].

Partners:

Theme song by: https://www.thegemnize.com/