Hey, Sisters. Most of us know there's no time like the holidays to highlight all the good (and not-so-good) parts of being in a family. Although Hallmark (and its minions) would like us to believe that all of our close family relationships are intact, this is indeed not the case. Author Fern Schumer Chapman (Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation) is on Sisters Cracking Up talking about her amazing book and her own road to reconciliation and healing with her brother. Family rifts are beyond painful for everyone involved and more common than you think. You are not alone if you have a sibling relationship that causes you strife, stress, and anxiety. The good news is this book can help. The better news is you can listen to this episode right now to jumpstart managing and healing from your own estranged relationships. Critically acclaimed Chicago-based writer Fern Schumer Chapman has written several award-winning books. She writes a blog on psychologytoday.com called "Brothers, Sisters, Strangers," and she co-hosts a podcast by the same name. Some of her blog posts are compiled in her most recent work, The Sibling Estrangement Journal: A Guided Exploration of Your Experience through Writing. Abby and Julie also discuss their journey through and after their mom's passing (yes, they're still processing it). Also, Abby suggests a new name for their podcast which Julie wholly and immediately rejects.

Sibling Estrangement with Fern Schumer Chapman

Any woman in midlife knows the complexities of this time of life have the potential to crack us. Fortunately, there just as many things that crack us up…and keep us sane.

We’re midlife sisters, psychotherapist Abby Rodman and beauty expert and coach Julie Howard, and we want to talk about all of it. We’re with you — commiserating, crying, raging, and, yes, laughing all along the way. And maybe, like us, you’ve got a sister to share it all with. If you don’t, we might just be the sisters you’ve been looking for. 

We talk openly, honestly, and (hopefully) humorously about social and psychological topics that really matter like relationships, parenting, careers, aging, stress, sex, health, and mental health.

Our goal is to listen, share, understand, enlighten, laugh and, most of all, figure out this crazy time of life together — like sisters.

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Happy Mother's Day, Sisters! We hope it will be a joyful one for you and your families. As we know well, our relationships with our moms can run the emotional gamut over the lifespan. We also know that some moms are made for mothering (or work really hard at it!), while some simply fall short because of circumstances they can't (or don't know how to) control.  In Liz Scheier's beautiful, honest memoir, Never Simple, she describes her difficult and complex relationship with her mother, Judith. As a result of Judith's borderline personality disorder (BPD), Liz's childhood was fraught with chaos and volatility. When Liz was 18 years old, her mother dropped two bombshells. One, that her mom had been married for most of the previous two decades to a man Liz had never heard of. And second, that everything she had told Liz about the man she’d claimed was Liz's dead father was entirely fictional. Never Simple is Liz's story about what happened next. We loved our illuminating and intimate conversation with Liz -- and you will, too. Never Simple has garnered praise from the New York Times, Publishers Weekly (starred review), Kirkus, Library Journal, Bookpage, Booklist, and bestselling authors Augusten Burroughs, Jenny Lawson, Isaac Mizrahi, Elissa Altman, Greer Hendricks, and Mira Bartók. It was chosen as a Best Book of March by Amazon and Apple Books, a People Picks by People Magazine, an Indie Next pick, a Barnes & Noble Top 10 Favorite Ebook of 2022, and was featured as one of “15 March Reads to Get You Through the Month” on Good Morning America. It was a finalist for a Lambda Award.  

A Mother's Love, A Mother's Lies with Liz Scheier

We love Steven Petrow for many reasons: he's funny, he's smart, he's a kickass writer, and he's tirelessly devoted to his beloved family.  Sadly, Steven lost his younger sister, Julie Petrow Cohen, to ovarian cancer in June 2023. From all accounts, Julie led a life that priortized joy, professionalism, social justice, and family. In essence, she lived her life in full throttle. At the end of her life, Julie chose when to die, accessing a little-known right in her state of New Jersey to die with dignity -- also known as Medical Aid in Dying (MAID). (MAID is currently an option in 9 states and Washington, D.C.) Steven promised his beloved sister he would write about her experience and choice so that others may learn about and consider this option if needed. In a New York Times article entitled, "I Promised My Sister I Would Write About How She Chose to Die," Steven did just that. The article, not surprisingly, resonated with thousands. Listen in as Steven talks about losing his beloved sister, how their shared experiences and humor bonded them, and what he's learned about the grief journey. Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and book author who is best known for his Washington Post and New York Times essays on aging, health, and civility. He’s also an opinion columnist for USA Today,  where he writes about civil discourse and manners.  Steven's 2019 TED Talk, “3 Ways to Practice Civility” has been viewed nearly two million times and translated into 16 languages.      

Losing a Beloved Sister with Steven Petrow

Hey, Sisters. If you're a believer in astrology or you're simply interested in what's behind the science of it, this is the episode for you. We've both experienced some pretty amazing insights since we found Omar Senior. What we absolutely love about his readings (and him!) is his vast knowledge of astrology and the science behind it. In other words, we're sold! Omar Senior is a dedicated astrologer who has immersed himself in the study of astrology for two decades. On a mission to share the profound insights of astrology with a global audience -- and a passion for making this ancient wisdom accessible to as many people as possible -- Omar is the visionary creator behind blackastrology.com. Through his work, he strives to equip others with the tools necessary to navigate life's journey and tap into the cosmic energies that shape our existence. You can also find him on his YouTube channel. Abby and Julie open the episode with their own thoughts about astrology and Abby's ongoing issues with other drivers who are clearly struggling with the rules of the road.

The Science of Your Horoscope with Astrologer Omar Senior

Hey, Sisters. We can't seem to take a breath these days without hearing some new thing about narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. How 'bout you? Enter social media's The Nameless Narcissist, Jacob Skidmore. He's all over your feeds talking about his own diagnosis of NPD -- and helping millions of people in the process understand the narcissists in their lives. Our conversation with Jacob was honest, refreshing, and (at times) disturbing, as he unveiled the inner workings, thoughts, and motivations of a someone with a diagnosis of NPD. Cluster B personality disorders (of which NPD is one) will never fail to capture our imaginations, raise our ire, and make us scratch our heads. But so much of what we think we know about the people who suffer from these mental illnesses is rarely from the horse's mouth. Listen in as The Nameless Narcissist pulls back the curtain on how narcissists feel (or not), and why they behave the way they do -- even when they know they're hurting those they claim to love. Abby and Julie open the episode discussing Karens. Who are they? And what defines a Karen?

Inside the Mind of a Narcissist with The Nameless Narcissist

This is NOT your mother's menopause, Sisters! Yes, it is the time of life when you can no longer procreate (Hallelujah to that!), but it's also the time of life to start creating the life YOU want. Don't believe it? Our guest, Julie Gordon White, will surely change your mind.  Julie Gordon White is an award-winning entrepreneur focused on improving suppportive nutrition and building community for women in midlife and menopause. She is an expert on the intersections of nutritional science and menopause. Julie is the founder of MenoWell Energy Bars (Bossa Bars). These energy bars are made expressly for women in all stages of menopause to optimize the nutrition our bodies are craving as we go through "the change." They're also one of  Oprah's selections as a Best Menopause Product. Julie is working to redefine and empower the experience of menopause and midlife for women and she herself is a glowing example of midlife reinvention. She believes in facing 50 head-on, pivoting, reinventing, and owning midlife as the best time in life. Abby and Julie open the podcast discussing why Abby is a little wary about her private psychotherapy clients discovering Sisters Cracking Up.    

Sibling Estrangement with Fern Schumer Chapman

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