This episode is a gentle invitation to reflect. Not to overhaul your life, but to notice what's no longer helping you—and what you're ready to release.

As mothers, we often carry things we never meant to: guilt, pressure, expectations, habits that no longer feel like us. This week, I’m guiding you through a simple life audit to help you get honest about what’s taking up space in your body, your mind, and your calendar.

I also share 9 things I believe every mother can benefit from letting go of right now, plus one bonus tip that’s often overlooked. None of this is about being perfect. It’s about creating breathing room for the life you’re craving.

Let’s do this gently. Let’s do this together.

As mothers, we spend so many years showing up for everyone else’s needs. Somewhere along the way, our own dreams get quiet. Or buried. Or put off for someday.

But what if someday is now?

In this episode of the Abundance Series, I invite you to pause—just for a moment—and reconnect with your vision. The life that would feel deeply meaningful, nourishing, and true to you.

Not what the world says you should want. But what you quietly long for, deep down.

We’ll talk about the science behind visualization and why imagining your dream life isn’t silly or selfish—it’s the first step toward abundance. You’ll also be guided through a gentle exercise to help you remember what you really want in this next chapter.

Because midlife isn’t the end of the story. It’s the moment you get to pick up the pen—and start writing on purpose.

Are you waiting until the kids are asleep to care for your body?

In this episode of the Abundance Series, we explore why your health can’t wait—and why treating your body with love during motherhood (not just around it) is a radical act of abundance.

Johanna shares her personal story of burnout, healing, and how embracing the 8 pillars of the NEWSTART model helped her reconnect with her body in sustainable, mother-friendly ways. This episode is a loving reminder that you don’t have to choose between showing up for your kids and showing up for your own well-being.

When you care for your body, even in the chaos, you’re not just surviving—you’re modeling something powerful for the next generation.

Because your dream life needs a healthy body to live in.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to:

Stop postponing your well-being

Integrate health habits with your family

Redefine self-care as a daily practice of self-respect

This series is part of the Doula Johanna Podcast, created to support women through every life transformation—from motherhood to midlife and beyond.

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Abundance for Mothers Series with Doula Johanna.

In this opening episode, we explore the most powerful yet often overlooked key to abundance: gratitude.

You’ll learn why gratitude isn’t just a feel-good practice—but a scientifically-backed tool to rewire your brain for more joy, creativity, and financial flow.

I share my personal story of how choosing gratitude—especially in hard, chaotic, or uncertain moments—helped me shift from survival mode into a more grounded, expansive life as a mother, partner, and entrepreneur.

🌟 In this episode:

• How gratitude activates abundance (even when life is hard)

• The neuroscience behind gratitude and your nervous system

• Simple daily gratitude practices that actually work

• Why motherhood is a powerful mirror for gratitude

🎧 Save this episode to revisit anytime you feel stuck in scarcity, stress, or self-doubt.

💗 Let’s build a new model of abundance—one that nourishes you while you care for others.

👉 Subscribe for the full 8-part series and share with another mother who needs this today.

Are you a mother in midlife dreaming of more clarity and abundance – but struggling to even clear your kitchen counter? This episode is for you.

In today’s episode of The Doula Johanna Podcast, I share why decluttering is the first powerful step toward creating more abundance – not just in your home, but in your whole life. Especially if you’re not naturally tidy (like me!), you’ll love this gentle, real-talk approach.

This is the foundation for my upcoming 8-part Abundance Series, launching next week.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss it – and please share this episode with a mother who needs a little hand-holding in her midlife reset.

Because that’s what this podcast is about: learning to be your own life doula and embracing your next chapter with clarity and confidence.

💛 Let’s declutter together and make room for more of what matters.

You can use my link to get the book "Decluttering at the Speed of Life": https://amzn.to/46e9Abs

Have you ever looked at your career after becoming a mom and thought…

“This just isn’t it anymore”?

You're not alone.

In this episode of The Doula Johanna Podcast, we dive deep into what happens when motherhood transforms your identity—and how to realign your career to reflect who you are now. Whether you're in your 30s, 40s or 50s, this is your invitation to step into a more fulfilling chapter.

✨ We talk about:

Why so many moms feel disconnected from their careers after kids

The emotional and spiritual shift that often happens in midlife

My own story of shifting from academia to birth and end-of-life work

What reinvention really looks like in real life (spoiler: it's not quitting everything)

How to start listening to the quiet whispers of your deeper calling

Encouraging research that shows it’s never too late to start over

What your own rich life could look like—and how to build it, one small brave step at a time

👩‍👧 This episode is especially for you if:

You're a midlife mom craving more purpose and authenticity

You’re questioning your current path and wondering: “Is there more to life than this?”

You’re tired of choosing between a paycheck and your wellbeing

You’re feeling called to something creative, healing, or service-based—but don’t know where to start

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, give it a thumbs up, and share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it. Your story isn’t over—it’s just beginning. 💫

#CareerChangeForMoms #MidlifeReinvention #MomLifeAfter40 #DoulaJohanna #PurposeDrivenWork #WorkingMoms #CareerRealignment #LifeAfterKids #BurnoutRecovery #SoulfulCareer #WomenOver40 #MotherhoodAndIdentity #MeaningfulWork #RichLife #LifeDesign

Your child is in crisis — overwhelmed, heartbroken, maybe even acting out — and suddenly you're flooded too. How are you supposed to be the calm, grounded one when your whole body is reacting to their pain?

In this episode of The Doula Johanna Podcast, we explore what it truly means to be there for our children when they’re struggling — not by solving the problem or taking their pain away, but by staying steady and present so they can feel safe feeling all of it.

If you’ve ever felt helpless in the face of your child’s big emotions, or questioned whether you were doing it “right,” this conversation is for you.

We talk about:

Why it’s so hard to stay grounded in our child’s pain

The difference between reacting and holding space

How empathy and presence shape emotional resilience

What Gabor Maté says about trauma, and why it’s not the pain itself that causes harm — but the absence of an empathetic witness

A simple but powerful reminder: You don’t have to fix it. You only have to be there and sit with them in their pain.

This isn’t just about parenting — it’s about trusting your child’s inner strength and showing up for them with calm, loving belief.

✨ Let’s raise resilient humans, together.

👉 Share this episode with a friend who might need it, and connect with me @doulajohanna to share your own story.

This episode didn’t come out the way I hoped — emotionally raw, technically flawed, and deeply personal.

I recorded it on a very hard morning. The kind of morning where you’re maxed out, running on empty, and wondering how to hold a marriage together when you can barely hold yourself together.

My mic wasn’t even properly connected — and in trying to fix the background noise and echo, I ended up sounding like a glitchy robot who’s about to cry. It’s not perfect, but neither is life. So I’m sharing it anyway.

Because the topic is real.

Because maybe you’ve been there, too.

In this short solo episode, I open up about a recent low point in my marriage — a time when work stress and emotional burnout left me feeling completely disconnected from my husband. We both felt unseen, unsupported, and stuck. What helped me start to shift wasn’t a quick fix — it was the reminder that marriage is not about perfection, it’s about returning. Again and again.

I draw from the work of renowned relationship therapist Esther Perel, and her teachings on curiosity, emotional resilience, and the evolving nature of love in long-term relationships.

🎧 Listen in to explore:

What it means to channel your inner Esther Perel in a relationship crisis

Why disconnection isn't failure, but a signal to pause and reflect

How to use curiosity, not blame, when tension arises

Why it's okay to fall apart — and still come back to the table

How to stay emotionally present in a long-term relationship even when life is loud

This episode is for anyone navigating the messy middle of marriage, partnership, parenting, and the pressure to be everything to everyone — and who needs the reminder that love, like life, is a practice.

If you're going through a rough patch in your relationship — or simply want to feel more connected — Esther Perel’s Mating in Captivity is a game changer. It helped me feel seen, and it might just help you come back to the table, too. → https://amzn.to/3ZOPctn

Is manifestation real—or just a comforting illusion? In this episode of The Doula Johanna Podcast, we dive deep into the heated debate around the law of attraction, karma, and whether our thoughts can truly shape our reality.

I share insights from a recent conversation with friends—some believers, some skeptics—and unpack what science actually says about manifestation. We’ll explore powerful psychological tools like the placebo effect, confirmation bias, and behavioral activation to understand what might really be happening when manifesting seems to "work."

Whether you're a total skeptic or a vision board queen, this episode will help you think more clearly about the power of mindset—without blaming yourself when life gets hard.

✨ Curious about how to bring more clarity, intention, and grounded support into your own life journey? I’d love to connect. You’ll find more about my 1:1 work and resources at www.doulajohanna.com or on Instagram @doulajohanna.

Do you feel emotional, heavy, or unexpectedly sad around your child’s birthday?

You’re not alone — and you’re not broken.

In this episode, I talk about the complex, tender feelings many mothers experience around their children’s birthdays: joy and gratitude, yes — but also grief, nostalgia, exhaustion, and even sadness.

This emotional wave is rarely talked about — especially when it’s not our birthday, but our child’s. And yet, so many mothers feel it deeply:

The end of a baby chapter

The challenge of letting go

The invisible labor of making birthdays magical

The longing to be seen, acknowledged, and held

🎧 This episode is here to normalize those feelings and to give you permission to feel whatever is coming up. You’ll also hear about a beautiful little practice you can do before or on your child’s birthday — to honor yourself, your journey, and the love you pour into motherhood.

💛 And starting June 18, 2025, you can also listen to a free guided meditation for mothers on their child’s birthday on Insight Timer. I created it just for you.

Whether you’re preparing for your child’s birthday or still feeling tender after it — this is your space to exhale.

—

🧘‍♀️ Free Meditation on Insight Timer (from June 18):

“Birthing Day Meditation”

https://insighttimer.com/doulajohanna

Follow for more reflections, meditations, and support for mothers:

Instagram: @doulajohanna

Website: doulajohanna.com

Please share this episode with a mother who might need it today.