Poised & Powerful Parenting

This is a simple grounding body meditation that you can do while standing. If you are someone who likes to walk or exercise, this would be a great reset to implement beforehand.

Remember - stand like a person!

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews 

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Listener Warning: This episode discusses how Obstetric Violence and Sexual Assault are interconnected through language and physical touch.

When a doctor repeatedly told artist Michelle Hartney, “lie on your back” during the birth of her second child– not in Michelle’s birth plan, and not medically indicated – this got her thinking, and took her work in a new direction. What happens when care violates trust and consent? And how can we inspire new conversations in order to make a change? Episode 16 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is linking art to advocacy in maternal healthcare issues! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Michelle and I discuss the following:

• The surprising conversations she has in her studio. How art can educate in a different way than facts and statistics. 
• We have a culture in the United States around pregnancy and birth, it’s important to acknowledge that contest and its interconnected history. The conversation of consent is relatively new, and it’s important to inform and empower yourself. 
• The interconnection of obstetric violence, sexual assault, and sexual autonomy for womxn – that they all come from attitudes of control towards womxn’s bodies. 
• How she’s been handling parenthood and making art during the pandemic. 

We hope this episode gets you thinking about the issues YOU care about, and how you can be an advocate. Parents are change-makers! 

Please check out the projects mentioned in  this episode (with images): 

https://www.michellehartney.com/birthwords 

https://www.michellehartney.com/kimberly-said-no

https://www.michellehartney.com/freidmans-curve 

https://www.michellehartney.com/black-pregnant 

https://www.michellehartney.com/mothers-right

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH Michelle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellehartneyart/

References: 

On history of childbirth in the US: Deliver Me From Pain: Anesthesia and Birth in America by Jacqueline H. Wolf 

“Failure to Progress” and debunking Friedman’s Curve

What is informed consent, really? 

RAICES TEXAS 

CW: premature birth, pregnancy loss 

At what point does a medical term go from useful and clarifying, to a detrimental word that can lead to guilt, shame, and “what ifs” in the minds of parents? Today we chat with Madeleine Michalik who expresses how being told her baby was born prematurely due to an “incompetent cervix” changed her life - and how she plans on changing the lives of others through her advocacy. Episode 15 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing about Early Cervical Opening! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. You don’t have to “push through” the aches, pains, and everyday stresses - learn ways to take care of yourself that you can fold into your busy, everyday life. 

Madeleine Michalik is the Founder of “Early Cervical Opening” and a board member of the I.C. Aware campaign, where she advocated for the elimination of shameful medical terminology as well as the detection and prevention of the ECO diagnosis. Madeleine earned her MA in communication studies at UNC Charlotte, where she wrote her award-winning thesis; The ‘Incompetent’ Cervix and the ‘Good’ Mother”.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Maddy and I discuss the following:

• Maddy’s story of (very possibly preventable) preterm delivery after trying to advocate for herself but being left unheard by medical professionals.
• Patient/ medical professional communications and how that can affect a patient’s experience and sense of empowerment. 
• Maddy shares her research on womxn being silenced through interactions with providers and in the literature around the diagnosis of ECO.
• How certain terminology can imply that a parent is at fault for their or their child’s condition or diagnosis. 

Maddy’s biggest message is to advocate for yourself as a patient, as a mother to your children, and with your community. Maddy plans on continuing to change the narrative until the terminology has been replaced, and physicians are utilizing narratives of patients (particularly womxn), to improve both research and patient care.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH MADELEINE MICHALIK:

Blog: read and share personal ECO experiences 

Instagram: Early Cervical Opening

Instagram: IC Aware Campaign 

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Work with Sarah! 

References/ related: 

The episode of Call the Midwife with a plot point re: cervical cerclage

Tressie McMillan Cottom: I Was a Pregnant and in Crisis: All the Doctors and Nurses Saw Was an Incompetent Black Woman (CW: racism, pregnancy/ infant loss) 

This is a guided audio practice you can put into your day whenever you'd like a little break, or a chance to come back to yourself. Episode 14 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is a guided breathing exercise to supplement the last episode with Pelvic Organ Party. These two episodes are intended to answer some commonly asked questions about the core and breathing. 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews 

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

Instagram

Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

Ep 13: Pelvic Floor Myths vs. Facts with Pelvic Organ Party

Inhale: How Do the Core Four Work Together When we Breathe? (Pelvic Organ Party)

Exhale: How Do the Core Four Work Together When We Breathe? (Pelvic Organ Party) 

Music: https://www.purple-planet.com 

When it comes to our own bodies, and how they work, knowledge is power!  There are a lot of myths that have circulated about our pelvic floors, core muscles, and changing bodies. This week, Episode 13 of Poised & Powerful Podcast with Denise Gittins of the Pelvic Organ Party is sharing some of the *core misconceptions* around the pelvic floor and accompanying organs! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parenting will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Pelvic Organ Party is a fun way to meet and learn all about your pelvic organs! These little party organs do A LOT for us, especially our super important pal, the pelvic floor. This comic is designed to educate, and focus on the pelvic organs so that we can talk about them without shame. Denise Gittins, is the Canadian artist behind it all. She is also a Fit for Birth Pregnancy Saf Coach with her pre/post natal corrective exercise specialist and her diastasis and core consultant background which help to inform her posts.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Denise Gittins and I discuss the following:

• There are so many myths around prenatal and postnatal physiological changes. 
• Pelvic floor: everyone’s got one! Where it is and how it responds to breathing, movement habits, and the mind-body connection. 
• How we can get more comfortable talking about often-taboo topics of body parts and bodily functions. 
• We don’t need to be ashamed or think “that’s just how it is” when it comes to pelvic floor & postpartum issues (incontinence, diastasis recti, low back pain, pelvic pain, and more). We can educate ourselves and team up with knowledgeable professionals. 

We want to encourage people to take charge of their bodies, but you can’t address issues if you don’t understand what is happening inside.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews

CONNECT WITH PELVIC ORGAN PARTY:

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CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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For visuals on sitting posture, see: When Sitting Is a Pain in the Butt

If you want to know more about comfort in sitting, Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

SitFit Cushion/ Wobble Cushion

The transition to becoming a parent can involve many mixed and complicated emotions, and naming those emotions can help us navigate and understand them. Kathryn wrote this poem about becoming a mother - new motherhood is already an isolating and demanding experience for so many of us, and this was compounded by the isolation and losses of the pandemic period. Kathryn shares her poem with us today, and I hope it inspires you to pause, reflect, and find your own words to express yourself. 

Sending special love to all those who became parents during COVID, those who missed milestones with dear family members, and those who did not get the support they needed. We are not meant to do this alone. 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parentings will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Kathryn Holt is a psychotherapist in private practice in Boulder, Colorado. She works with people around deepening embodiment, embracing appetite, and accessing intuition which can initially appear as struggles with food and body image. She weaves a psychospiritual approach that invites dreamwork and somatic knowing with a behavioral background in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Kathryn earned her masters in social work from Columbia University and her masters of arts in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Kathryn is currently completing her PhD in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal psychology. Her research is focused on how women make peace with their bodies without weight loss. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH KATHRYN HOLT:

True Hunger

DBT Path Class

True Hunger online course 

Stronger than BPD Guided Journal 

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

The Grieving Tree Project 

TW: Pregnancy Loss

From conception to birth plans to postpartum - the parenthood journey can throw a lot of curveballs. It’s important to understand what’s important to you, and make choices step by step.  In episode 12 of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Heather Stegmaier shares her process of making the next right decision for her at each moment, relying on her sense of agency through infertility and an unexpected cesarean birth. 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parentings will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Heather Stegmaier is a mother, wife, identical twin, classically trained flutist, and certified Alexander Technique teacher. Training to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique was one one of the most rewarding experiences of her life...until she became a Mom, of course! Heather received her Alexander Technique teacher certification in 2009 and is certified through the American Society of the Alexander Technique. She also holds music degrees in flute performance from The Hartt School of Music (West Hartford, CT (M.Mus)) and Moravian College (Bethlehem, PA (B.Mus)). In addition to teaching AT lessons and workshops privately, playing her flute in a flute orchestra and ensemble, and working full-time in higher-ed administration, she has taught AT on the adjunct faculty at the University of Connecticut in the MFA Acting Program and at the National Flute Association convention. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and six-year-old daughter.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Heather Stegmaier and I discuss the following:

• Heather shares her journey with IVF treatments and how she paused before making those decisions to ensure that they truly were the next right thing for her.
• Remember that agency over your body during pregnancy and birth is important. Yes, you can rely on professionals to help guide your decisions but the decisions should ultimately be up to the person giving birth.
• In the Alexander technique, we talk a lot about support. Getting the right support for you during labor/ birth and postpartum.
• Even if you have an “uncomplicated birth,”  recovery is different and difficult for all of us who give birth.

Your journey is unique - even identical twins don’t have identical birth stories!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

The Fertile Female by Julia Indichova

If we can open ourselves up to curiosity and creativity, it can help us navigate the complexities and difficult emotions that come with parenthood. In episode 10 of Poised & Powerful Podcast, clinical psychologist Fabrice Lubin shares his story of fatherhood and self-discovery! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parentings will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

Fabrice Lubin is a clinical psychologist, poet, first-generation Haitian immigrant, and father. His professional experience is reflected across the lifespan and in a variety of settings including trauma-work, college counseling, IOP/PHP hospital programming, depression, anxiety, self-injury, career changes, and cultural identity exploration. For Real Therapy (& For Real Spaces) offers an opportunity to interweave evidence-based practice with an emphasis toward radical change. He works to create concise, supportive, and tangible interventions.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Fabrice Lubin and I discuss the following:

• How to deal with worry as a father: instead of judging it as “good” or “bad,” consider what your worry is trying to tell you.
• Finding your own parenting and fathering identity.
• You are enough. Problems are opportunities for engagement and to be curious about ourselves.
• How to change our language to connect with ourselves and our children. 
• There’s a lot more power in looking at things from a place of gratitude rather than apologizing.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  If you liked what you heard, please share with a friend or write a review - these really help new listeners find us! 

Learn more about Sarah and her guests at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/

CONNECT WITH FABRICE LUBIN:

For Real Therapy

For Real Spaces

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CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

Facebook

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Work with Sarah! 

Mentioned: The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik

I’m getting vulnerable today and telling some of my story, and why I believe you are the expert of your own body. Minisode #4 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing my journey from “stressed out floating head” to comfortable in my own skin, with some help from the Alexander Technique! 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parents will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, I discuss the following:

• How my own chronic pain brought me to discovering the Alexander Technique and how this discovery truly changed my life.  
• How our culture teaches us to tune out our body’s signals, and how we can re-learn to tune in, in order to take care of ourselves and release self-criticism.
• The secrets performers know to stay poised under pressure and how parents can use these skills to release tension and be more present. 
• Parents don’t need more things to do - this method allows you to spend less energy, and save it for what you really care about. 

I don’t believe you need fixing, just to remember some skills you’ve forgotten along the way to adulthood. You are enough. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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30% of people giving birth this year in the U.S. will birth via Cesarean section. This week, Episode 10 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is about Hannah Villhauer is sharing her transformative cesarean birth story! 

CW: Baby experiencing respiratory distress at birth, and being separated from newborn after birth. Everyone ends up healthy. 

Book your FREE 15-minute virtual consult to learn more about working with Sarah! She offers virtual sessions for expecting and new parents. Expecting parentings will have a framework for considering and building positive habits for not just the baby - but also yourself. New parents will learn how to move like a kid again, so you have more energy for what matters.

“Crunchy, mindful, modern mama of 1, Los Angeles born and bred, Hannah Villhauer lived on the East Coast after college and met my husband in Boston, where we lived for 7 years and birthed our kiddo. I moved back to California 3 months postpartum to be close to family. I was very privileged to be able to take a ten month maternity leave before going back to work, and I have anxiety-tears whenever I think about the brevity of our eventual next maternity leave. When I'm not working full-time, we are hiking, cooking, dancing, and encouraging our kiddo's curiosity. He loves to slide down my legs like a firehouse pole when I'm doing yoga. We don't share his face or information on social media. Like a typical mom, the hardest part of this form was finding a nice picture of myself.” 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Hannah Villhauer and I discuss the following:

• Hannah’s mother’s experiences disrespect & limitations during her births - even as a labor and delivery nurse, and how this was a big influence on Hannah. 
• How Hannah prepared for a birth center birth. Her birth did not go according to her birth plan, but she still felt transformed by her birth and becoming a mother to her son. 
• Societal pressures that are present when you become a parent, and finding your own voice in the process. 
• Key decision points during the birth experience. Hannah’s process to be an active participant in her birth and to experience agency in her experience, even when plans changed. 

You contain multitudes. 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH HANNAH VILLHAUER:

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CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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Work with Sarah! 

LINKS MENTIONED:

A Good Birth: Finding the Positive and Profound in Your Childbrith Experience