The Good Enough Mother

In this episode, I have a personal and powerful conversation with Suzy Reading, a mother of two, an author, Chartered Psychologist and Coach. Suzy shares her profound journey of becoming a mother while simultaneously losing her father, exploring how this experience shaped her understanding of "energetic bankruptcy" and the vital importance of self-care. Through her story of navigating new motherhood amidst grief and challenge, Suzy challenges cultural narratives around motherhood that demand endless sacrifice. She offers gentle yet powerful insights about the incomplete nature of kindness when it doesn't include ourselves, and provides practical wisdom for anyone navigating loss, change, or the demanding journey of motherhood. Suzy is the Psychology Expert for wellbeing brand Neom Organics and is a founding member of the ‘Nourish’ app. She figure-skated her way through her childhood, growing up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and now makes her home in the hills of Hertfordshire, UK.

Connect more with Suzy’s work and grab a copy of her latest book, Self-Care for Winter.

Website: www.suzyreading.co.uk

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzyReadingPsychologyAndYoga/

Twitter: @SuzyReading

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Doors are now open for The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification: Legacy Edition. Including lifetime access to the full classic curriculum, which has provided the cornerstone for Motherhood Studies professional development and continuing education for practitioners, professionals and business owners worldwide. Also included is a bonus module packed full of resources for you to use in your mother-supporting work, equipping you with templates, worksheets, speaker documents, client-facing materials and other resources.

The Certification is discounted by $1,000AUD for a limited time only. Learn more here: https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies/

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*Language warning for this episode

In this episode, we're joined by Amanda Montei, the author of "TOUCHED OUT: Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent, & Control."

Amanda's work, which spans from The New York Times to ELLE, brings a critical eye to the experiences of motherhood under the weight of societal expectations.

We talk about the line between the institution of motherhood and our experience of mothering, referencing back to Adrienne Rich’s work and trace some of Amanda’s experience of mothering as transformational, creative, and even radicalizing. Amanda’s work explores the body and consent, and the ways in which parenting is not just an arena where we may pass on beliefs about our bodies, but also for learning about them.

Motherhood as an area for self-inquiry and discovery, as well as social and political activism and exploration, is something we discuss - moving between both the broader social and cultural institution and intimate lived experience. Amanda shares her insights on boundaries, good girl conditioning, consent, maternal ambivalence and maternal identity, and motherhood as a source of both constraint and power.

Tune in to explore how motherhood can serve as both a refuge and a form of rebellion, reshaping identity and challenging societal norms. Follow Amanda's ongoing exploration of motherhood on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amontei/ or read a copy of her book https://www.amazon.com.au/Touched-Out-Motherhood-Misogyny-Consent/dp/0807013277 or subscribe to her newsletter https://amandamontei.substack.com/

*Download your free checklist here: https://drsophiebrock.com/checklist

*The Mothers at Work program starts August 26th, 2024. Learn more here: https://drsophiebrock.com/mothersatwork

What is the Care Career Conundrum, and how does it impact mothers in paid work? How can understanding this concept transform our approach to supporting mothers?

Download a free tool I've developed called The Care Care Career Conundrum Checklist and see how many indicators you or your clients tick off.

This checklist is part of my broader Mothers at Work program, a 5 week Training program for coaches, facilitators, consultants and leaders to drive change for working mothers.

In this episode you'll learn about the social construction of motherhood and the 'fish tank' analogy, the perfect mother myth and its impact on 'working mothers', a reflection on the language we use to describe mothers in paid work, and what the Care Career Conundrum is.

In this conversation, I speak with digital creator, speaker and mental health advocate Libby Ward from Diary of an Honest Mom, whose work has touched millions of women worldwide. I ask Libby about her journey and we talk candidly about some of the challenges that come up in opening honest conversations about modern motherhood. We speak about what it’s like to ‘go against the grain’ of normalised motherhood, and how this impacts our experiences of relationships and finding a sense of belonging within communities.

Libby also shares about the complexities of working within this space of motherhood-support, and the sometimes amplified pressure we can place on ourselves as advocates. Libby emphasises the complexities that socioeconomic factors can bring to the mothering experience through sharing some of her own life journey, and we reflect on the ways that motherhood can be a force for connection through shared experience, AND is also such a profoundly individual journey unique to each of us.

We hope you enjoy this authentic conversation about all things ‘honest motherhood’. Libby has been recognized as a mental health advocate by TikTok and her best-selling guided journal, "The Honest Mom Journal: The Struggling Mom's Guide to Struggling Less," has been a lifeline for countless mothers. You can connect with her further below.

Libby Ward - https://diaryofanhonestmom.com/

@diaryofanhonestmom on TT and IG

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Register to listen to free private podcast training for current and aspiring mother-care professionals and practitioners, '10 Ways Patriarchal Motherhood Can Show Up in Your Clients' - https://drsophiebrock.com/patriarchal-motherhood-register

In this episode I speak with Dr Sam Casey, an integrative child therapist who specialises in play therapy, trauma informed practice and maternal mental health. Sam shares her journey into play therapy, which started from an interaction when she was working at a childcare centre, and saw her through to gaining a PhD. You’ll come away with interesting insights and strategies from this episode, regardless of whether you’re a parent who has never heard of play therapist before, or whether you’re a registered play therapist yourself. We talk about the ‘play prescription’ model that Sam has developed that can be used by both parents and professionals to bring the power of play into their lives, relationships and work, to facilitate healing and growth. You’ll hear me share some reflections from my own mothering for us to explore as examples of the power of play in both connecting with our children, that goes beyond the ‘shoulds’ of intensive mothering that are so culturally pervasive.

Connect with Dr Sam Casey further at https://www.drsamcasey.com/ follow her @drsamcasey on Instagram, and check out her upcoming free webinar here - https://www.drsamcasey.com/registration-page

In this episode, we speak to the PhD-qualified Neuroscientist, psychotherapist, meditation teacher, maternal mental wellbeing consultant, international speaker, author, and host of the podcast ‘Mama, Unleashed!’, Dr Jennifer Hacker Pearson. Within this conversation we delve into the fascinating world of neuroplasticity, the maternal brain, and how all of this information can be relevant in practical ways to our daily lives as mothers. Dr Jen explains how our brains continuously adapt and change in response to both internal and external stimuli. We explore the concept of self-directed neuroplasticity, and how we can begin to reshape our neural pathways. In this episode you’ll hear personal insights and stories that are shared to help explore the practical application of tools shared to help us as mothers in reshaping our experience of mothering and what it means to be a mother, to help us reclaim and push back against the normative ‘shoulds’ and structures of motherhood.

Purchase the mini-course ‘Harness Your Motherhood Brain to thrive: A science-informed introduction to matrescence and the brain’ by Dr Jennifer Hacker Pearson and Dr Jodi Pawluski here - https://matrescencebrain.drjen.com.au and for 10% off, use the discount code SOPHIE - exclusive to The Good Enough Mother podcast listeners.

Website - www.DrJen.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drjenhackerpearson/

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/dr-jennifer-hacker-pearson-phd-60293452

*The Motherhood Studies Certification 2024 is open for enrolment until April 19th*

What possibilities exist beyond patriarchal motherhood? How can sociological understandings of motherhood liberate our individual experience and contribute to broader social change? These are the sorts of questions I'll reflect on in this episode, considering the transformative potential of motherhood, liberated from patriarchal norms. I mention an upcoming article examining the outcomes of participants who completed the Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification in the context of matricentric feminism. I talk about some of the differences between 'empowered mothering' and feminist mothering, and share the term that I use to guide me in my mothering, business, and other aspects of 'self'. I share one benefit I've received from engaging in Motherhood Studies work that I've been hesitant to talk about, talk about maternal ambivalence and mothering as an art and a practice. I finish by sharing some of my favourite quotes on motherhood, liberated.

If you're interested in diving further into this work for both yourself and your current career or future work aspirations, join us in The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification, enrolment for this live round is open until April 19th, 2024 - https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies/ Here is the other link mentioned in the episode: https://drsophiebrock.com/thefishtankofmotherhood

In this episode I speak with Dr. Emma Svanberg, an award-winning clinical psychologist and author of the recently released, "Parenting For Humans." Dr. Emma is the founder of The Psychology Co-operative and co-founder of Make Birth Better CIC. She also facilitates a vibrant parenting community on Facebook called The Village – A Parenting Community For Humans. I ask Dr Emma about the key themes from her book, exploring the beautiful analogy she uses of understanding children as ‘mapmakers’ whose maps are shaped by their temperaments, environments, context, and how we as parents can guide and connect with our children - through understanding our own stories. We talk about the role of play in connection with our children, as well as boundaries in the context of technology. Dr Emma reflects on the pressures parents face today in an information-rich and distracted society, and how we can try to navigate these contexts drawing on a sense of agency and power, and calling in opportunities for presence both for ourselves and our children. You’ll hear us reflect on the role of disappointment and the ruptures that inevitably occur between us and our children, and reflect on ‘good enough’ and Winnicott’s work as part of our parenting practice in fostering connection and growth.

Website - https://dremmasvanberg.com/

Email - [email protected]

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mumologist

Buy Emma’s Book: https://ebury.lnk.to/ParentingForHumans

Show notes page: https://drsophiebrock.com/podcast106

In this episode, you’ll hear from Jessie Ann Elliot and Mary Sotiropoulos who share their personal journeys through early motherhood and postpartum in building community, finding their power, and collaborating together to birth a book into the world. Jessie and Mary met through a mother-membership I facilitated called Liberated Motherhood. They share their experience of connecting with the work of the sociology of motherhood early on in their mothering journeys, and the passion they each developed in making the world a better place for mothers. Together, they started a kickstarter, and raised over $8,000 to create the children’s book, "The Mom Who Found Her Sparkle”, a testament to their shared experiences encapsulating a mother’s quest to rediscover purpose, identity, and joy. The inclusion of prompts and activities within the book encourages families to engage in meaningful discussions about what brings them joy and makes them feel alive. In this episode, we explore embodiment, presence, connection, and creativity.

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themumwhofoundhersparkle

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-mum-who-found-her-sparkle-jessie-ann-elliott/book/9780646886831.html

https://www.amazon.com.au/Mum-Who-Found-Her-Sparkle/dp/0646886835/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=30Z8QMJPRS7VS&keywords=the+mum+who+found+her+sparkle&qid=1700598921&sprefix=the+mum+who+found+her+sparkl%252Caps%252C227&sr=8-3

Show notes: https://drsophiebrock.com/podcast105

I share a brief life update of what's been present for me over the last few months, talk about transitions, honouring the stage we're in, taking our time, and orient to what will come this year for The Good Enough Mother podcast.

This is the free training I mention in the episode: https://drsophiebrock.com/patriarchalmotherhood

Here is a link to join the waitlist for The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification for 2024 - https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies/