The Sparkle Project

Is motherhood supposed to come naturally? Or have we been sold a myth that leaves moms feeling broken and inadequate when reality doesn’t match the script? In this deeply validating episode of The Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily sits down with therapist, writer, and mom Vanessa Spinarsky to unpack the cultural myth of the “natural mother.” 

Together, they explore:

• Why so many women feel like they’ve “signed an invisible contract” in motherhood
• How societal expectations and “corporate motherhood” keep moms stuck in survival mode
• The concept of self-forsaking and how it erodes identity over time
• Why joy, neutrality, and authentic self-return are acts of resistance
• Practical ways moms can reconnect with themselves through markers like movement, music, and emotional honesty

This conversation will leave you feeling less alone, more empowered, and ready to question the unrealistic standards surrounding modern motherhood.

🔗 Connect with Vanessa Spinarsky:

Instagram: @vanessaspinarsky
Website: themamahealinghubinc.squarespace.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

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This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same.

Tune in to the full episode How to Transform Your Life With Gratitude with Holly Bertone.

Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscribed to Worthy Mother Podcast wherever you like to listen.

For more motherhood content and support, connect with me on Instagram @honestlyemilyrose. Follow the podcast on Instagram @worthymotherpodcast.

You are worthy, Mama.

Send us Fan Mail

Raising kids isn’t meant to be a one-woman job. In this episode, Emily reflects on her first family vacation as a single mom, and how the experience reshaped her understanding of the age-old phrase: “It takes a village to raise a child.” From airport chaos to beachside lounging, she explores how her support system, AKA her village, stepped up in big and small ways, reminding her (and us) that motherhood isn't meant to be a solo mission.

This is a must-listen for any mom craving connection, support, and a reminder that you don’t have to carry it all alone. Whether your village is built from family, friends, or community, this episode gives you permission to lean in and reach out.

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review—it helps more mamas find this message.

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We’re diving into one of the most taboo topics in motherhood: maternal ambivalence. In this validating episode, Emily sits down with psychotherapist and author Dr. Margo Lowy, whose book Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood opens the door to honest conversations about the full emotional spectrum of mothering. Dr. Lowy explains why the mix of love, frustration, joy, sorrow, and even resentment is not only normal but essential to understanding ourselves as mothers. 

You’ll hear powerful insights on:

• Why striving for perfection in motherhood sets us up for shame and disconnection
• How ambivalence is not indifference, and why that distinction matters deeply
• The importance of naming our feelings to access healing and transformation
• How maternal guilt differs from maternal shame
• What it looks like to truly flow with your mothering experience, messiness and all

Whether you're in the thick of early motherhood, navigating the emotional terrain of adult children, or just beginning to reflect on your own maternal journey, this conversation offers both warmth and wisdom to let you know you're not alone.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Margo Lowy:

Instagram: @drmargolowy
Website: www.drmargolowy.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review — it helps more mamas find this message.

Send us Fan Mail

This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same.

Tune in to the full episode How Inner Child Healing Can Positively Impact Parenting with Lavinia Brown.

Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscribed to Worthy Mother Podcast wherever you like to listen.

For more motherhood content and support, connect with me on Instagram @honestlyemilyrose. Follow the podcast on Instagram @worthymotherpodcast.

You are worthy, Mama.

Send us Fan Mail

Ever felt like you’ve lost yourself since becoming a mom? You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not broken. In this episode of Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily sits down with Krissy Bold, former teacher turned stay-at-home mom and identity advocate, to unpack the real, raw experience of navigating identity after motherhood. Together, they explore the identity crisis so many moms experience, why it’s actually normal (hello, matrescence!), and how you can begin to reconnect with the woman behind the "mom" title. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the identity shift in motherhood is both common and normal
• How to recognize the signs of an identity crisis
• What “matrescence” means — and why it matters
• Simple ways to reconnect with joy, creativity, and your whole self
• How connection, silliness, and micro-habits can help you rediscover who you are

Now is your moment to get in touch with your identity beyond the role of mom, and this episode will help you do just that!

🔗 Connect with Krissy:

Instagram: @momidentityproject
Website: www.momidentityproject.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review — it helps more mamas find this message.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you a mom navigating life with ADHD - diagnosed or undiagnosed? In this honest conversation, therapist and late-diagnosed mom Samantha Skvaril joins Emily to explore the emotional rollercoaster of ADHD in motherhood. From unpacking the shame we carry, to redefining what it means to be a “good mom,” we dig deep into how ADHD uniquely affects women and mothers.

The episode covers:

• How ADHD presents in women and the unique factors for moms 
• Shame, school struggles, and late-diagnosis identity shifts
• The mental load of parenting with a neurodivergent brain
• Why many moms miss the signs of ADHD in themselves
• Tools for managing executive dysfunction and sensory overwhelm

If you've ever felt like you're failing at motherhood, especially under the crushing weight of mental load, this is a must-listen. 

🔗 Connect with Samantha:

Instagram: @scatterbrainshrink
Threads: @scatterbrainshrink
Resources: https://msha.ke/samanthaskvaril

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review — it helps more mamas find this message.

Send us Fan Mail

This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same.

Tune in to the full episode Redefining Motherhood as a Relationship and Caregiving as a Job with Hannah Olson.

Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscribed to Worthy Mother Podcast wherever you like to listen.

For more motherhood content and support, connect with me on Instagram @honestlyemilyrose. Follow the podcast on Instagram @worthymotherpodcast.

You are worthy, Mama.

Send us Fan Mail

Are impossible standards stealing your peace in motherhood? In this solo episode, Emily challenges the “perfect mom” myth and offers a bold reframe: doing less might actually make you a better mother.

From the pressure to keep a spotless home to the guilt around saying “no,” Emily dives into why so many moms are chronically burned out, and what you can do about it. Learn how to redefine your own expectations, embrace imperfection, and reclaim your energy, joy, and connection with your kids.

This episode is your permission slip to let go of the unattainable and start showing up as the present, loving mom you already are.

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review—it helps more mamas find this message.

Send us Fan Mail

Why does motherhood seem to resurface wounds you thought were long buried? In this episode, Emily sits down with trauma therapist Lilly Risch to explore the deep, often surprising ways parenting can trigger unresolved trauma, and how healing is not only possible, but transformational.

Together, they discuss:

• Why becoming a parent often brings up your "stuff"
• The difference between normal parenting stress and trauma-based reactions
• What “mother wounds” really are, and how they show up
• How to identify when your triggers are rooted in past experiences
• Ways to respond more intentionally to your child without shame
• The power of repair, self-awareness, and breaking generational cycles

Whether you’re navigating mom rage, guilt, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm, this conversation is a validating reminder that you are not alone, and healing can happen even in the messiness of motherhood.

🔗 Connect with Lilly:

Instagram: @forward.healing.therapy
Website: www.forwardhealingtherapy.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review — it helps more mamas find this message.

Send us Fan Mail