When therapist Natasha Davalt married her college sweetheart, she didn’t picture having to navigate divorce while raising an infant just years later. As a single parent, Natasha rebuilt a life for herself and her son while balancing her career and establishing a new support system, carving out pockets of time for herself and a string of less-than-stellar dates. A COVID-era walking date changed everything, though, and Natasha knew that she’d met the one. Fast forward to today and join us on the Mama Mode podcast for her journey to blended family life, the challenges of starting over, and the mindfulness practices that have helped along the way.

Erin Wahler-Cleveland, founder of Roots and Wings Math, is an educator and mom on a mission to create a positive, enduring math learning experience. Erin joins us today on the Mama Mode podcast to reflect on our own math learning as adults and discuss the importance of conceptual understanding as it relates to math learning for toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. As a veteran teacher and school leader, her professional experience helped her to identify areas of improvement for educators and families to encourage more reasoning and conceptual understanding beyond the “illusion of mastery.” Erin talks us through both sides of the equation to understand the student and educator perspective on math learning and how families can support confidence and curiosity in math from a young age. Press play for more insight from Erin, simple and powerful ways to incorporate math into everyday play, and a discount code for 50% off her toddler math foundations course!

https://www.rootsandwingsmath.com/math-building-blocks-for-toddlers-sales-page/?mamamode

Whether you meticulously researched and planned your child’s toilet training or played it by ear, you probably encountered a few bumps in the road. But when those hang-ups become a bigger stressor, the anxiety for kids and families often builds. Today on the Mama Mode podcast Emily sits down with clinical child psychologist Dr. Lauren Fussner to discuss her work with children facing GI conditions and other health challenges and how families can encourage a positive potty training experience. Press play for insight on accidents, regression, and managing the emotions of kids and adults throughout the process.

Learn more at https://comprehensivepedspsych.com/

Former university professor Kelly George had a routine familiar to many, with early mornings, school runs, full work days, and then a scramble to get the family fed and off to bed. When a struggle with long COVID brought to light a chronic illness, life changed dramatically and Kelly found herself reliant on her support system in many areas of her life. Kelly’s experience and recovery journey inspired her to start Kelly George Coaching, where she helps clients to make more room for themselves in the midst of their busy professional and personal lives. Today on the Mama Mode Podcast, Kelly shares more about the diagnosis that changed the course of her career and family life- and offers some on-the-spot perspective as Emily experiences a bit of brain fog, too! Join us for Kelly’s incredible story and a larger conversation on career, identity, and the mental load of motherhood. For more about Kelly, visit https://kellygeorgecoaching.com/ or find her on Instagram @kelly_george_coaching

We promise, we’re not trying to make you feel old! We’re on the road this week visiting family and friends and I’m so excited to be catching up with Riley. She’s schooling us on slang and answering some of my questions about growing up as a teen today, including her thoughts on friendships, family life, and what her perfect day looks like at 13. It’s such a joy to chat with Riley, and get a peek into the future as my own kids grow. Press play to join the conversation now!

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Mary Fusillo, RN, BSN, MS to discuss her paths in business and motherhood as the founder and CEO of Family Solutions International and an IVF mom to twins. After working as a registered nurse and manager of different IVF clinics, Mary started her own business as a matchmaker for intended parents in need of third party parenting. Today, her kids are all grown up and her business has grown, too, with multiple agencies to meet a range of needs for intended parents, donors, and surrogates. We’re getting real about the ups and downs of raising kids while chasing goals and letting go of the mom guilt during postpartum and beyond. Press play to hear more about Mary’s professional experience and education in the field of fertility, her journey in business, and the seesaw of career goals and family needs.

Be honest- how often do you actually look at all of the videos and photos in your camera roll? If you’re like us, those memories in your phone are collecting a lot of digital dust. Kalee Isbell of Isbell Family Films has been creating modern archives for families since 2019, curating, creating, editing, and polishing heirloom films designed to be treasured for years to come. Her custom films allow families to continue the tradition so many of us remember by getting our memories off of our phones and into formats we can enjoy together. Today on the podcast, we’ll hear more from this teacher turned business owner about how a creative outlet helped her postpartum mental health and grew into a thriving business that now gives other families the gift of time.

https://www.isbellfamilyfilms.com/

Ready to focus less on perfection and embrace more of the messy, mundane, and in-between parts of motherhood, too? Today we’re joined by psychologist Dr. Amy Young, owner of the CBT Center for Anxiety and OCD and a mom of 3 big kids (teenagers!) to discuss what it means to be a “fellow traveler” to her clients and the ways we can approach the whole enchilada of parenting. We’re digging into common types of stinking thinking, or cognitive distortions, that often plague moms and strategies we can use to reach a healthier headspace. For more information on Dr. Young’s work and practice, visit https://cbtcenterforanxiety.com or @dr.amybyoung on Instagram.

After a diagnosis of unexplained infertility, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Danielle Chesney was overjoyed to welcome a “COVID miracle” baby with her husband. A few years later, they hoped to grow their family again through fertility treatment and were optimistic when their first transfer was successful. When her 20 week scan revealed a serious and life-limiting diagnosis, however, they faced a heartbreaking decision. TFMR, or termination for medical reasons, is an unimaginably difficult decision for expecting parents. Dr. Chesney has spent over a decade specializing in supporting clients through grief and loss, as well as other life changes. As a TFMR mom, she now uses her experience to support other parents through their own TFMR experiences. Join us on the Mama Mode podcast to hear more about Danielle’s motherhood journey, her professional work, and how her experiences empower her to help others heal.

https://www.healingaftertfmr.com/

For parents of newly diagnosed neurodivergent kids, finding the proper support is often vital- and overwhelming. Founder and CEO of Beyond Autism Services Jacquie Godwin joins us on the Mama Mode podcast today to share more about her work as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst specializing in young children and life as a mother of two. Jacquie’s experience in studying the science of behavior and developing skills with young people provides insight for neurotypical and neurodivergent families alike. We’ll discuss her opinions on ABA, common questions from parents, and her advice to families of young children seeking therapy options.