About Your Mother

Life changing conversations can happen at any time in our lives—but what if you are 14 and your mother reveals a secret that upends your adolescence and sends you on a decades long journey to untangle from the world she brought you in, the world you were happy to be a part of? Adrienne Brodeur's best selling book, Wild Game , examines the price she paid to be her mother's confidant and h...

The experiences of our ancestors are passed down through generations. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in our connection with our mothers. Our mothers carry us, and we carry them in some ways. For Agata Izabela Brewer, it was living with her alcoholic mother that inspired a desire to know how hunger and trauma several generations ago shaped her mother's attitude toward nurturing. In her me...

Christy Warren never imagined the unexpected twist her career would take. The weight of her experiences as a firefighter ultimately led to an unexpected battle with PTSD, but her resilience and honesty shed light on the often overlooked emotional toll that many frontline workers face. As she opens up about her journey, Christy's raw account brings to light the urgent need for comprehensive me...

In the blink of an eye, Charlotte Maya's life took an unexpected turn when she lost her husband by suicide, leaving her grappling with a series of emotions. From empathy to rage to overwhelming guilt, she found herself navigating uncharted territory in the wake of tragedy. Maya's story is one of resilience and hope, highlighting how being honest with our experience can help others heal....

Do you long for the freedom of a sober lifestyle in a world that constantly celebrates alcohol? Laura McKowen joins us in this conversation to share her own experience and journey to sobriety. By unraveling the complexities of societal pressures, Laura will guide you towards a life of clarity, strength, and sobriety. Get ready to discover the solution that will empower you to thrive in a society t...

On this Mother's Day, I want to celebrate not only my guests, but also the lessons I've learned from having my show for almost two years. In my dozens of interviews with guests and casual conversations with people, I have learned that our mothers are the beginning of our identity, who we are is inherently linked to the woman who carried us directly and indirectly. The decisions they made...

Keshia Adeniyi-Dorsey is a family defender, educator, and activist who brings her experience with the foster care system into the heart of her work as a family defense attorney. Keshia tirelessly advocates for parents who risk losing their children to the system. Past episodes in our What Happened Then series highlighted a time in history— at risk of returning— where primarily white single women w...

Making it as a writer isn’t an easy task, but Linda Sivertsen has found the secret sauce. Known as the best writing coach, agent connector, and Book Mama, Linda has authored and co-authored eleven books, including two New York Times best sellers. Today, she joins us to share her journey to writing, what makes a good writer, and how she found herself sharing the stories of so many New York Times Be...

When adoptees search for their birth parents, it's the pursuit of identity. Where do I come from? Who gave birth to me? What is my medical history?   AYM guest, Jan Beatty, wanted to know her name – not the one given by her adoptive parents, but the name on her birth certificate. This quest began a decades-long search. An experience documented in her memoir, American Bastard . Connect with Ja...

Ann Fessler's critically accompanied book, " The Girl Who Went Away ," gives voice to the millions of women forced to surrender their babies in the decades before Roe v Wade . As an artist and a teacher, listening to Ann tell her story feels like you are walking into a lecture hall about to learn something new, and you are. Connect with Ann Website The Girls Who Went Away A Girl Lik...

The subject of reproductive rights has taken center stage in our society. Still, many people don't understand the tentacles those rights have in every corner of society or within most families. On this episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with writer and editor Elizabeth Hines , who spearheaded the recent anthology Aftermath: Life in Post-Roe America . Our discussion touches on mot...

In our new series, What Happened Then , AYM features stories from a part of our history unknown to many. Karen Wilson-Buterbaugh spent twenty years researching and writing The Baby Scoop Era. In 2007, Karen founded the Baby Scoop Era: Research, Education, and Inquiry (BSERI) organization to support millions of women forced to surrender their babies between 1945 and 1972. Young and in love, Karen f...

For Mother’s Day, we are recapping ten powerful episodes from the last year. This review features a short clip from each conversation, so you can quickly get a feel for the content and guest. Timestamps and guest names are listed below. An interesting thing happens when the word mother is mentioned - a conversation rooted in truth always follows. And for all of us, while she is our beginning, wher...

This episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with Steph Jagger : a seeker, explorer, and writer. Her latest book, Everything Left to Remember , documents her adventure with her mother into the Rocky Mountains while they navigate the terrain of dementia and the meaning of remembrance. Steph's life and work are as deep as the 4 million vertical feet she skied in one year to break a worl...

This episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with Beth Broday – a pioneer in producing who put music videos on the map beginning with Prince's Little Red Corvette. Beth Broday is a storyteller and has mastered the art of Becoming. Throughout the various stages of work and life, she saw the lessons in each experience, never afraid to make a U-turn that led to something beautiful. Her s...

On this episode of About Your Mother , we meet Shanti Brien, who has spent her career fighting for justice. Often, taking on the most complex cases where the rate of success is meager. When her husband's company was under investigation, her career and personal life collided. Connect with Shanti Brien Website Facebook Fogbreak Justice Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/cate...

In this episode of About Your Mother , we hear the story of Diane Danvers Simmons, whose mother left and moved next door with three college men when Diane was sixteen years old. A successful businesswoman, mother, and stepmom, Diane was on a trip with her daughter when she heard she needed to forgive her mother, which set her on a path to writing her book. The exercise launched a ten-year journey...

To honor National Adoption Month this November, I bring you a big brave story. In this episode of About Your Mother , meet Ashley Mitchell. Ashley Mitchell is the founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation, which supports birth mothers and those affected by such trauma. Her mission is unique but needed. Give it a listen, and you will understand why. Connect with Ashley Mitchell LifetimeHealingFoundati...

In this episode of About Your Mother , meet Amy Ferris. Amy is witty, brutally honest, talented, and regal, like Meryl Streep, and she looks like her too. Ruth Pennebaker of the New York Times described Amy’s memoir, Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis", as "poignant, free-wheeling, cranky, and funny. It is all those things, as well as a deep exploration of a compl...

In this episode of About Your Mother, I am pleased to introduce Angie Kim . Angie's debut novel Miracle Creek was named Best Book of the Year by Time, The Washington Post, and The Today Show. It went on to win many other prizes throughout the year. Before writing Miracle Creek, Angie Kim was the former editor of Harvard Law Review and a trial attorney. She has also written for Vogue, The New...

In this episode of About Your Mother , you will meet Peter Mutabazi - a remarkable human being who survived a traumatic childhood, only to use that experience to transform lives. He ran away from an abusive father at the age of ten and was homeless on the streets for four years until a stranger asked him his name. That gesture changed his life forever. However, that isn't Peter's story....

In today's episode of About Your Mother , we have a poignant discussion on the meaning of the word Mother. Joining us is Jeff Forney , a photographer, visual story sharer , and a dear friend. Prepare to be inspired by a touching dialogue on the meaning of the word mother, the journey to finding his birth mother, and the impact this experience had on him. Connect with Jeff Website: JeffForney....

In honor of International Women's Month, today's episode of About Your Mother brings you a story highlighting the strength and power of maternal lineage. In this dual interview, we celebrate the life of Vera Obermeyer, who recently passed away due to COVID. Our guests are here to talk about her long and colorful life full of purpose. The conversation is with Vera's daughter and gran...

What does it mean to own and share our own stories? Why would other people want to hear our stories?  In today’s episode of About your Mother , we answer those questions with our special guest, Melanie Spring. Melanie is a vibrant speaker, an approachable bad-ass woman, and the facilitator of both personal and brand stories. Today, she shares her struggles and triumphs that made her who she is now...

In the latest episode of About Your Mother, we have a conversation with Olivia Joffrey . Olivia owns an eponymous fashion line that serves as a love letter to her mother, Anne-Marie. Through osmosis, Olivia absorbed the colorful and artistic life that her mother has led — a life filled with sensory details, records, books, sand, and the ocean breeze. Imagine putting on a dress and transporting you...