Holding Space

Becoming a parent often brings a lot of experiences from our own childhood to the surface. Patterns of interacting and engaging within a family system can be passed down through generations. Sometimes this includes special and meaningful family traditions and ways of connecting, but other times this can include unhealthy dynamics and patterns. For many of us, we don't have a choice of what we...

The journey and longing for a baby can be incredibly hard. You might be early on in your fertility journey and finding yourself surprised by the intense emotions and disappointment when you get a negative pregnancy test. Or maybe, you're further along and beginning to explore fertility treatment options. No matter where you are in your journey, I'm glad you're here. I am joined this we...

Whether you're one month in, 6 months in, or over a year into your fertility journey, it can be overwhelming to say the least. The mental and emotional load can be a lot to carry both on an individual level and within your partner relationship. Not to mention, it can be challenging to navigate and sift through all the information and myths around fertility. That's why this week I asked Dr....

Did you feel an instant connection with your baby after they were born? Or maybe, did it take a little longer to bond and grow in love? If your experience was more like the latter, you are not alone....and I share my story here. In this episode I am joined by my friend Rachel Rainbolt. Rachel was one of my greatest resources of support when I was struggling with bonding with my baby. In this episo...

Do you ever feel a sense of overwhelm when you're scrolling on social media? Or maybe you log off the app feeling not enough or like you're a project to be improved? In today's episode I am joined by LMFT Whitney Goodman of @sitwithwhit and we are talking about wellness overload in digital spaces. Maybe you follow a number of mental health professionals on Instagram or experts in the p...

A big fear and struggle for many postpartum parents is the impact that having a baby will have on their partner relationship. With postpartum there is more responsibility, less sleep, and less time to connect and repair with your partner. If your relationship feels disconnected in postpartum or you have a fear this could happen one day in the future, this is the episode for you. Today I am joined...

Why can motherhood be so overstimulating at times? The noise, the mess, the touching, it can all lead to sensory overload. Sometimes we respond to this overload with irritability, followed by guilt or shame for our behaviors. Can you relate? This is the topic for today's episode with psychologist Dr. Ashurina Reams. You can continue to follow Dr. Ream's work and find her offerings through...

In this episode I share my conversation with Dr. Kelly Fradin, Pediatrician and author of Parenting in a Pandemic. Dr. Fradin demystifies your biggest worries when it comes to the coronavirus and children, and answers questions about steps parents can take to keep their families safe during the upcoming holidays. We explore the social emotional impact of living in a pandemic for both parents and t...

In this episode I share my conversation with Chasity Holcomb, Licensed Professional Counselor. Together we explore the identity transition of becoming a mother. While we might hope and imagine that we will just connect with that new identity after our baby is born, it is very common to not feel comfortable or confident in your role as "mom" right away! You can learn more from Chasity at he...

In this episode I share my conversation with Lindsey Shipley, RN, IBCLC-certified lactation coach and founder of Lactation Link. In this episode Lindsey shares her story of grief and loss that she experienced after having a baby and being diagnosed with cancer. Together we explore how Lindsey found joy even amidst the grief and pain. You can continue to follow Lindsey's journey on Instagram  @...

In this episode I share my conversation with New York Times Best Selling Author and mom to three Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, LCSW. We discuss her most recent book Bottom Line for Baby, where she shares the science behind some of the biggest decisions new parents have to make. Tina and I explore the overwhelming feelings that come with trying to make the best decisions for you and your baby, all while n...

In this episode I share my conversation with Karrie Locher, postpartum nurse and mom to 3. We discuss a common (but not often discussed) symptom of postpartum depression and anxiety, RAGE. Karrie shares her experience with postpartum rage, we discuss the stigma around women expressing anger, and explore supportive coping skills. To learn more from Karrie you can find her on social media @karrie_lo...

In this episode I share my conversation with registered therapist, maternal mental health specialist, and Happy as a Mother founder Erica Djossa . Together we explore the invisible mental load of motherhood in that first year with baby. You know all those tabs you have open in your brain that no one else sees? That's what we are talking about today! Tune in to learn more about the not so visib...

In this episode I'm sharing my conversation with Psychologist Dr. Angel Montfort. Together we explore the impact of racism on mental health, physical health, and relationships. We discuss ways we can begin to talk to our children about race, why raising "color blind" children is not the answer, and navigating difficult conversations about privilege. Dr. Montfort shares the disparities...

In this episode of Holding Space Podcast I invited Dr. Christine Sterling , board certified OBGYN, back on the podcast! In this episode we flip the script. Dr. Sterling is pregnant and in this episode she asks me questions about how she can prepare her daughter Celeste for their new baby. I share our family's personal story and the challenges we faced in the transition to adding a new baby to...

In this personal episode, I'm sharing my two cesarean birth stories...what I learned, what I changed, and what I wish I had done to prepare. In the sharing of my first belly birth, I explore the ways that Fear showed up and led to rigidity around my birth plan and ultimately a disconnection from truly listening to my body. I unpack the challenges around healing that followed, and the key ways...

In today's episode I'm welcoming back Chrissy Powers, LMFT to Holding Space Podcast! In our last episode we discussed Anxiety in Motherhood, and in today's episode we're exploring body image and body love during pregnancy and postpartum. Chrissy shares her history with an eating disorder and the journey she took to honor and care for her body through her experiencing of becoming a...

In this episode I sit down with Robin Kaplan, founder of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center and author of Latch . Robin has her Masters in Education and is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. In this episode we explore the experience of going back to work for breastfeeding families from an emotional, relational, and logistical perspective. Robin shares some incredible resources...

In this episode I virtually sit down with online therapist and digital nomad Dr. Therese Mascardo @exploring.therapy . We talk about what it means to offer teletherapy and ways to make therapy more accessible. We also explore the ways that therapists are showing up in the digital arena in platforms like Instagram. I ask her questions about the ethical/legal considerations and why she thinks it&#39...

In this episode I share my conversation with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sophie Mort. Together we discuss our experiences with an evidence-based clinical approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. We explore the ways this approach supports a new relationship to our emotions, as well as the role of values and mindfulness in creating meaningful and sustainable change. To follow Dr. Sophie'...

In this episode I share my conversation with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Vienna Pharaon. This episode is all about boundaries! We define the different types of boundaries that can show up in our intimate relationships and the ways these levels of boundaries can lead to connection and protection. We explore how to both set and keep healthy boundaries and ways that boundaries are challeng...

In this episode of Holding Space Podcast, I virtually sit down with Lisa Olivera, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Lisa and I talk about her approach to therapy which is: human first, therapist second. We explore the power of stories, and Lisa shares her own. At the end we talk about finding our voices as therapists in the larger wellness arena and stepping into the land of social media as...

In this episode I sit down with Krystal Festerly, writer and founder of Gather the Village, a magazine aimed at building community through honest storytelling. Krystal's superpower is her ability to show up as fully human, honoring her truth and vulnerability as a bridge to connection with others. Krystal describes the impact of facing our mortality through her husband's health fragility,...

I'm back from podcast sabbatical :) and so happy to share this new episode with all of you! Ashley Neese is a breathwork teacher and author of the book How To Breathe. In this episode we explore how Ashley came to do this work. We also unpack the power of breath, and the ways that breath shows up as a landing space in both our harder moments and in the joys of simple moments. We explore the re...

In this episode I sit down with illustrator and designer Kelli Murray. Kelli is the owner and designer of children's clothing brand Rylee and Cru and their sister brand Quincy Mae . Kelli shares with us her background and how she built her businesses. We then go beyond the brand to discuss motherhood, the myth of balance, Kelli's long history with health issues and chronic pain, and her re...