The stereotype of mushy “mommy brain” is a reality for many of us, full of brain fog and forgetfulness. But is it really a fair assessment, or one steeped in gender norms? What if mommy brain doesn’t mean we’re less sharp—what if it’s our body telling us we’re at capacity? 
Today, I’m joined by neuroscientist Dr. Jodi Pawluski, author of Mommy Brain, to break down the factors at play behind maternal brain fog, the connection to mental health, and the role of the invisible load.
Show notes: https://bit.ly/48xRsYp
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208: What Causes Mommy Brain? with Dr. Jodi Pawluski, neuroscientist, psychotherapist and author

We often enter motherhood envisioning joy, nurturing, peace, and love. But the reality can blindside us. Nobody tells us about Mom Rage, overstimulation, intrusive thoughts, or other mental health struggles. Unfortunately, when we seek help, we might face a lack of support, a system that doesn’t put moms first, and a world that turns a blind eye to the challenges of motherhood. We’re here to change that. We believe that moms deserve access to community, support, and mental health literacy. If you’re struggling with motherhood, you’re not alone–and you’re not failing. On The Momwell Podcast, host and psychotherapist Erica Djossa teaches strategies to help you cope with the psychological and emotional load of motherhood and prioritize your mental health and wellbeing. Erica shares the best kept secrets of the therapy world and interviews other professionals (psychologists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, fertility specialists, lactation consultants, and more!) who provide their expertise to empower you on your motherhood journey.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Gender norms, social expectations, and motherhood all become wrapped up in our identities, often leaving us questioning our career paths. But perhaps the answer starts with breaking away from the idea of a “dream job” and focusing instead on empowering ourselves to make active decisions driven by our internal values. 
Today, I’m joined by Lauren McGoodwin, CEO of Career Contessa, to discuss how women and mothers face barriers in the workplace and how they can start creating power moves to achieve real career fulfillment.
Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4dgFi90
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223: Busting the Dream Job Myth with Lauren McGoodwin, CEO of Career Contessa

As moms, we feel immense pressure to stay calm and peaceful even in the toughest, most triggering moments. And when we fall short, we often beat ourselves up and feel ashamed. But if we want to break this cycle, we need to move away from shame and find a way to offer ourselves the same compassion and understanding that we have for our children.  
Today I’m joined by Dr. Cindy Hovington, founder of Curious Neuron, to discuss what responsive parenting really looks like and how we can move away from the cycle of unrealistic pressure and shame.
Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3w1h3uK
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222: Understanding and Implementing Responsive Parenting with Dr. Cindy Hovington, founder of Curious Neuron

Maintaining friendships or making new friends as a mom, takes skills, intention, and deliberation. The adjustment to motherhood changes us—and it makes sense that our friendships, along with our values, priorities, and other relationships, might change too. That doesn’t mean we have to leave our old friendships behind, and it doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to make new ones. 
Today, I’m joined by Danielle Bayard Jackson, founder of Friend Forward and author of Fighting for our Friendships to discuss why friendship is vital for moms and what we can do to maintain friendships and form new connections.
Show Notes: https://bit.ly/43ZC4T2
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221: How to Maintain Friendships (and Make Friends) as a Mom with Danielle Bayard Jackson, Author

We don’t have to accept stress as our default state of being. When we can learn how stress shows up in our bodies, what our triggers are, and how to break away from the stress cycle we are trapped in, we can improve our well-being and show up the way we want for our children and for ourselves. 
Today, I’m joined by Amelia Nagoski, co-author of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, to discuss how our society sets moms up to be stressed, why it leads to burnout, and how moms can break out of the stress cycle.
Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3JbP5iQ
Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: momwell.com 
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Sign up for our weekly VIP Newsletter: momwell.com/newsletter 
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220: How Stressed Moms Can Cope with Amelia Nagoski, co-author of Burnout

Why does a messy house give me anxiety? Why can’t I motivate myself to clean since I had kids? Am I just a lazy mom? Moms often worry about these things, feeling immense pressure to keep a clean house and experiencing shame when they fall short of those expectations. 
As moms, we can’t always buy ourselves more time to clean. But we can approach the concept of cleaning differently, learn to overcome our anxiety around cleaning, and develop simple tips for keeping the house functioning without getting overwhelmed. 
Today, I’m joined by KC Davis, author of How to Keep House While Drowning, known as Domestic Blisters on TikTok and founder of Struggle Care, to discuss reframing our thinking about “the mess” and tips for cleaning with kids.
Show Notes: https://bit.ly/49mxrTY 
Book a Free 15 min Consult with a mom therapist: momwell.com 
Follow Momwell on Instagram: instagram.com/momwell 
Sign up for our weekly VIP Newsletter: momwell.com/newsletter 
Register for one of our popular workshops and courses: momwell.com/shop
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208: What Causes Mommy Brain? with Dr. Jodi Pawluski, neuroscientist, psychotherapist and author

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