Dacia Moore, licensed counselor and founder of Second Wind Counseling & Consulting, has dedicated her career to helping African Americans understand the benefits of therapy, take a proactive approach to mental wellness, and become their best selves. She's the author of Why Are So Many Students So Angry? and the forthcoming From Stuck to Unstoppable.

In this episode, Dacia traces her mission back to her Jamaican mother, Dorothy, whose struggle with depression became a living picture of what it means to be "stuck." Watching Dorothy's pain - and her resilience - taught Dacia that staying stuck has a cost, and that faith, work ethic, and getting help are how we move again. We talk about recognizing when to ask for support and take a break, knowing when to let go and move on, navigating depression with compassion, and guiding our children with the hard-earned wisdom of our own experiences.

To learn more about Second Wind, visit their website here.

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Engineer and Midlife Business Strategist Sairan Aqrawi shares her inspiring journey from Iraq to a new life in the United States—and the extraordinary story of her mother, Sidika, who was married at 14, became a mother at 15, and went on to raise seven children.

From Sidika, we learn the power of patience and trust in divine timing; the wisdom of letting go of small grievances; the importance of choosing grace over noise, and of not seeking validation from others. She reminds us that not everything will unfold as we wish—and that sometimes, peace means letting go.

Sairan also reflects on the lessons she's learned as an immigrant, a mother, and a business coach: to own your voice, to take action ("because action is confidence"), to see midlife as a triumph and a new fruitful phase, and to remember that sometimes you need to pause—and recalibrate.

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Julie Cobalt is an attorney with over 25 years of experience as a Conflict Resolution Expert with 1,200 successful mediations accomplished. After many years of working with large companies, Julie is now supporting families in resolving their conflicts, and offering workshops on navigating challenging times such as divorce. Julie shared a story of her mom who was always seeking validation through helping people outside of her family. This led to a fascinating conversation about the balance of taking care of others with taking care of yourself, but also questioning whom you seek validation from and why; how to shift perspective to see where the other person is coming from; and the importance of understanding before you react. Julie shared her inner journey of working on her relationship with her mother, and also the biggest lesson she learned as a Conflict Resolution Expert - she kindly shared her theory of "3 Buckets" which can help soften any relationship. A big thank you to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for sending such an amazing guest my way!

To learn more about Julie, her coaching and workshops, please visit her website here.

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For more about "Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Sometimes, on occasions that are getting rarer and rarer, Instagram can be a place of great discoveries, and Becky Barnicoat was one of those for me. A cartoonist published by The New Yorker, Grazia, The New Statesman, The Guardian, BuzzFeed, New York Magazine, Private Eye and Netflix, she had recently published her deeply funny and touching graphic memoir "Cry When the Baby Cries". For years, her observations of daily life and motherhood made me burst out laughing (often when I needed it the most). So join me as I finally get to laugh together with Becky! Hear her inspiring story about becoming a succesful cartoonist after years of hearing she wasn't good enough, and was dreaming of a job that didn't exist. And learn wise lessons from her and her mom Catherina about motherhood being a source the fulfilment, about creating a warm home through routine and light, about teaching our duaghters through our stories, and breaking generational cycles.

To learn more about Becky, her work, and her new book, visit her website here, or her Instagram profile here.

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Wanjiku Kiarie, an accountant and podcaster from Kenya, talks about her mama Frasia, a teacher who raised and supported her four daughters during her husband's battle with drinking. The episode is bursting with lessons on finding God; forgiving and giving; working hard, saving and investing; raising amazing women; and honesty.

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This episode is a bit different, because in this episode you host Ana Tajder will tell you her guest's mother's story. To Ana's big shock, because of technical difficulties with recording between US and China, the recording of this beautiful interview turned out blank. But Ana believed mama Chen's inspiring story had to be shared, so she shared it herself, using notes she took during the interview. Ana's guest is a Beijing based artist and industrial design professor Xue Hongyan. Xue talks about her mom Chen who, after a life of hard work in a factory, started her own business at 50. Listen for a glimpse into a life of a working-class woman in China, and for important lessons on hard work, resilience, and courage to start a new professional phase in your 50s.

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For more about "Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net

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Author and podcast host Ronit Plank, author of "Home is a Made-Up Place" and "When She Comes Back", talks about her mom who left six year old Ronit and her four year old sister to move to India and follow guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the center of Netflix documentary "Wild Wild Country". In this incredible story of personal development, Ronit shares how she forgave her mother and created a strong relationship with her. We learn that while most people don't change, some do; that the way people treat you shows who they are - not who you are; the importance of expressing feelings in a vulnerable and constructive way; and to always use more herbs than the recipe calls for.

To learn more about Ronit and her work, visit her website here.

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Lawyer from Tanzania specialized in human rights, Ashura Kayupayupa, talks about her mother Rose, who, after her husband was killed in a car accident, was disowned by his family. Ashura tells us about widow abuse and witch-hunt, a problem that's still widespread in Africa. But mama Rose stayed strong, re-built her life and started her small agricultural business. Rose teaches us about hope, endurance, hard work, patience, and focusing on your own life. We also learn not to ponder on why something happened to us, but to make the best out of any situation.

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Emmy-winning ESPN broadcaster Jenn Hildreth and FOX Sports Senior Vice President Talent Relations Aimee Leone, talk about "Tough as a Mother: Women in Sports, Working Moms, and the Shared Traits That Empower Us All", their anthology offering an intimate look at the lives of iconic women in sports and their journeys of balancing family and career. Jenn also talks about her mom Sandra, from whom she learned to love, have courage and strength, always do her best, and find her own way of doing things. Aimee talks about her mom Diane, from whom she learned to always keep evolving, be accepting of others, face her fears, and not to overthink. Aimee and Jenn also talk about what "having it all" means and if it's possible, about moxie, prioritizing, and lifting others.

To order "Tough as a Mother" please visit here.

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A published poet, author of "Novice", and mom, Nida Sophrasarun talks about how her poetry is influenced by her family on two ends: on one end, it was her family's inability to communicate emotions that lead her to finding her voice in poetry. On the other end, the birth of her son lead her to finding herself again through writing. Nida talks about her Thai mom Kobkua, "a tiger", as Nida describes her, from whom Nida learned important lessons, in spite of their challenging relationship. Nida talks about showing love and connecting through food; about the solace of mysticism; about finding her unique voice; and understanding what really belongs to us - and what is just an illusion. Nida also read her poem "Starling" for us.

To order Nida's book of poems "Novice", go here.

You can read Nida's beautiful poem Violent Femmes here.

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