It's A Circus - Unfiltered stories of motherhood, identity, and the art of self care

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes doula and doula mentor Ann Morris, a mom of three based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to discuss motherhood, birth, and postpartum. Ann shares how her first fast, intense hospital birth in New York City—ending with an ambulance ride and a late-pregnancy doula hire—sparked her passion for birth work. After becoming a doula, she planned and had a peaceful home birth...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa returns with a mid-year update on her three words—relentless, unhinged, and ascending—originally shared in January. She explains how “relentless” has shown up through committing to a new studio, creating beauty edits, and working toward fully setting up an in-person podcast recording space with a planned roster of guests. “Unhinged” has meant taking bold leaps, including...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes Dr. Rachel Smith, founder of Aspect Wellness, who shares her path from early motherhood to a career delivering over a thousand babies as a nurse midwife, then transitioning through burnout and perimenopause into obesity medicine and a cardiometabolic longevity-focused practice. They discuss the joy of parenting adult children, how midwifery differs philosophical...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes Holly, a craniosacral therapist and somatic practitioner devoted to helping people reconnect with their body’s wisdom, as they discuss motherhood as an initiation filled with grief, surrender, and honesty. Holly shares her unplanned pregnancy after leaving an engagement, an attempted home birth that became a long hospital labor ending in a vacuum attempt and C-s...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes her friend Stacey, mom of Brielle and Jamie, to discuss the micro-moments that shape motherhood, including Stacey’s planned first pregnancy and a traumatic, fast-unfolding birth marked by preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, placenta accreta, an emergency C-section, major blood loss, and a transfusion that left her unconscious and delayed meeting her baby. Stacey share...

Send us Fan Mail On a Mother’s Day special of It’s a Circus Podcast, host Elsa is joined by her husband Dimitri to reflect on the past year of parenting their two young boys and navigating constant change. Elsa shares that she’s grown more confident by surrendering control, focusing on being present, and lowering expectations instead of chasing perfection influenced by social media or others’ stan...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes Brooke, co-founder of the Mone Wellness postpartum app, to discuss motherhood, postpartum realities, and the inspiration behind building a dedicated support resource. Brooke shares her experience becoming a mom during COVID, her three home births with a midwife team (including a prolonged second pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage, and a colicky baby), and how each...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa kicks off season five of the It’s a Circus podcast with Alicia, who shares her detailed IVF journey to becoming a mom to her son, Andreas. After trying to conceive naturally starting in 2019, Alicia and her husband moved from Clomid to three IUIs during the pandemic, then traveled from Florida to New York for IVF, paying out of pocket while navigating intense physical si...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa kicks off season five with a solo episode celebrating nearly one year since launching the podcast and reflecting on recurring themes from past interviews and her own transformation. She shares key learnings: the critical importance of advocating for yourself in medical, parenting, and relationship situations; recognizing that women and mothers are more alike than differe...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa closes out season four of her solo series, reflecting on a busy, “unhinged, relentless, ascending” year and announcing a major next step: opening a studio to support in-person podcast filming and house her Beauty Edits! She introduces a limited founder circle that lets people get in early with a special rate, receive a Beauty Edit, and later return for full glam when the...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa welcomes board-certified nurse practitioner and hormone specialist Jessica Silver, who shares her path from labor-and-delivery nursing to founding Renewed You, a virtual hormone practice for women often dismissed in conventional care. Jessica discusses her motherhood journey, severe postpartum anxiety, years of debilitating 104° fevers that extensive specialist testing c...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa introduces a candid “It’s a Circus” conversation with her friend Kate, a mom of four and realtor, about the realities of parenting, identity, and self-care. Kate shares her family story with husband Ryan, including mostly easy first pregnancy, harder later pregnancies, and the shock of an unplanned fourth baby after a delayed vasectomy, plus the strain of having four kid...

Send us Fan Mail In the 50th episode of It’s a Circus podcast, Elsa, the host reflects on how the show reached this milestone in under a year and shares recurring themes from dozens of interviews about motherhood and womanhood. She explains that many women don’t lose ambition after becoming mothers—it can be buried to avoid looking selfish—and that restlessness and resentment can be signals to ref...

Send us Fan Mail Host Elsa introduces an episode of the It’s a Circus podcast featuring Kavita Tisdale, a corporate leader at Airbnb and mom to her nearly three-year-old daughter, Alia. Kavita shares her journey to motherhood, including years of trying to conceive, the emotional toll of fertility challenges, and advice to seek fertility education and support earlier. She describes the shock and jo...

Send us Fan Mail Join host Elsa as she delves into the real-life experiences of motherhood, womanhood, and self-care in this episode of It's a Circus podcast. Elsa shares insightful conversations focused on the transitions women go through, from childbirth to menopause, and how these journeys transform their lives. Drawing from her extensive background in the beauty industry, Elsa offers a un...

Send us Fan Mail Join host Elsa as she delves deep into powerful and honest conversations with Elyse about the transformative journeys of womanhood, motherhood, and self-care. Elyse shares her personal stories of miscarriages, pregnancy, and a near-death experience, which all contributed to her understanding of womb wisdom and intuitive gifts. Together, they explore the intersection of business, s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'It's a Circus', host Elsa shares her personal journey of navigating parenting and entrepreneurship. Battling through an under-the-weather day, Elsa emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with individuals who embody the life you aspire to live. She discusses how aligning with like-minded people, whether in business or personal life, can...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode of 'It's a Circus,' host Elsa dives deep into real conversations about the unpredictability and challenges of parenthood with her long-time friend Jamie. Jamie shares her personal journey into motherhood, including the joy of raising her 14-month-old son Jackson while anticipating the arrival of her second child. She opens up about her stru...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to 'It's a Circus' with your host Elsa, where we dive into the real, unfiltered side of parenting. In this episode, Elsa discusses the challenges faced by mothers, particularly those with Type A personalities, and the importance of giving oneself grace. She reflects on personal experiences and the lessons learned from editing conversations with other moms. E...

Send us Fan Mail Dive into a heartfelt conversation on It's a Circus podcast with host Elsa and special guest Priscilla, a mother of seven and founder of the Sarasota Cabaret Community. Priscilla shares her unique perspective on motherhood, her journey through challenging times, and how she has reclaimed her voice through the arts. Discover inspiring stories about resilience, self-empowerment...

Send us Fan Mail Join host Elsa in this solo episode of 'It's a Circus' as she shares practical advice and personal experiences on building a supportive mom community. Discover effective strategies for meeting new friends through social media, parks, playgrounds, and even birthday parties. Elsa emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind, saying yes to opportunities, and ensur...

Send us Fan Mail Join Elsa, your host of 'It's a Circus,' as she dives into an enlightening conversation with Milla, the founder of Nest and Nurture. Milla shares her profound insights on postpartum experiences, the importance of community, and the necessity of self-care for new moms. Discover how Nest and Nurture provides valuable support through prenatal and postpartum wellness ci...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'It's a Circus,' host Elsa dives into the ever-evolving topic of self-care, especially within the context of intense parenting. Drawing from personal experiences and insights from various conversations, Elsa emphasizes the importance of prioritizing oneself through small, meaningful acts and redefining self-care as a commitment to being present ra...

Send us Fan Mail Join Elsa on today's episode of 'It's a Circus' as she dives into a heartfelt and inspiring conversation with Kaye, a resilient mother who shares her incredible story. From the joys and challenges of motherhood to navigating through significant life changes, Kaye's journey is one of determination, strength, and transformation. Learn about her experiences i...

Send us Fan Mail Join Elsa on her first solo episode of 2026 as she shares her excitement for the new year and discusses her unique approach to goal-setting. Instead of specific goals, Elsa introduces three words - 'unhinged,' 'ascending,' and 'relentless' - that encapsulate the energy and mindset she aims to bring into 2026. Reflecting on her personal journey and the...