Rewrite the Mother Code with Dr. Gertrude Lyons

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Allison M. Alford, a clinical associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a scholar of communication studies, about the complexities of redefining our roles within our families of origin. As the author of the new book Good Daughtering: The Work You've Always Done, the Credit You've Never Gotten, and How to Finally Feel Like Enough , Dr. Alford ope...

In this episode, I speak with Danielle Amos, the Mystic Millionaire Mentor and a protege of Bob Proctor, about the complexities of redefining personal narratives surrounding wealth, success, and motherhood. As a dedicated transformational teacher and mother, Danielle opens up about her transition from a successful corporate career in food tourism to finding herself in six figures of debt after tak...

In this episode, I speak with Hayley Mullins, the inventor of the Joeyband and a passionate advocate for newborn safety, about the complexities of redefining the early days of motherhood. As a dedicated founder and mother of two, Hayley opens up about the personal challenges and triumphs that have shaped her philosophy on trusting your intuition and doing what works for you. Hayley shares insights...

In this episode, I speak with Sonni Abatta, an award-winning and Emmy-nominated journalist, about the complexities of redefining personal narratives and navigating the modern media landscape. As a dedicated media professional and mother of three, Sonni opens up about her transition from spending 15 years in traditional media to creating a digital platform that informs women without the overwhelm....

In this episode, I speak with Amy Briggs, a licensed speech and language pathologist and the visionary founder of Aviva, about the profound weight of the "mental load" and how we can reclaim our capacity for joy in parenthood. As a mother of two daughters, Amy shares her journey from clinical practice in public schools to creating a revolutionary tool designed to take the burden of family scheduli...

In this deeply thoughtful and expansive conversation, Dr. Gertrude is joined by Rebecca Thompson, MD—family physician, writer, and author of Held Together , a shared memoir exploring motherhood, medicine, and what she calls “imperfect love.” Rebecca’s path to this work began long before the book—rooted in a lifelong relationship with storytelling, and later shaped by her experiences both as a phys...

In this high-energy and empowering episode, I am joined by Lynn Smith, a nationally recognized media and communication expert, former news anchor for NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, and the creator of the Authority Collective . Lynn shares her journey from the intense, fast-paced world of national news to founding her own business dedicated to helping high-level leaders and entrepreneurs own their voices and...

In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with Kristin Mundy, a birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula, and the founder of The Doula Life . Kristin’s journey is one of profound resilience, having navigated the heart-wrenching loss of multiple pregnancies, including her daughter Vienna and son William, before welcoming her Earthside daughter, Senna. We explore how Kristin’s identity was shaped as...

In this powerful and vulnerable episode, I am joined by Summer Koeste, an award-winning writer, artist, cultural anthropologist, 20-year Alaskan educator, and mother. Summer describes herself as a "nonconformist" who has lived many lives, navigating everything from life-threatening health challenges to living abroad in the high mountains of Argentina and the dancehall reggae world of Jamaica. We e...

In this enlightening episode, I am joined by the talented Chellie Carlson, a premier stylist who has turned the art of dressing into a modality for deep healing and self-discovery. Chellie shares her remarkable journey, from growing up on a farm in Missouri to founding her own styling business at the age of 40, just two weeks before the world changed in 2020. We explore why the act of getting dres...

In this deeply mystical and grounding episode, I welcome Canadian author and dream worker Toko-pa Turner. Toko-pa shares the journey behind her award-winning books, Belonging and The Dreaming Way , exploring how our personal search for belonging is often a reflection of a collective epidemic of alienation. We discuss how belonging isn't just an external place to find, but a skill and set of compet...

In this heartfelt solo episode, Dr. Gertrude Lyons reflects on the transition from a monumental year of birthing her book and TEDx talk in 2025 to a year of deep nurturing in 2026. Recording from her sanctuary in Mexico, she shares her personal experiences with slowing down, the pressure of new year resolutions, and the profound lessons she's learned about planning, solitude, and self-mothering. D...

In this vibrant and deeply insightful episode, I sit down with best-selling author and "happiness expert" Karen Salmansohn. Karen shares her fascinating journey from a high-powered career as an award-winning creative director in advertising to becoming a leading voice in personal development and behavioral change. We dive into her latest book, Your To Die for Life , which explores how embracing ou...

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Courtney Boylan, the founder of LeiLolo, a brand dedicated to revolutionizing the postpartum market by turning sterile, clinical accessories into beautiful, empowering essentials. Courtney shares her personal journey from corporate life at Target and Amazon to becoming an entrepreneur, driven by her own postpartum struggles and the desire to feel like her...

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with my friend Susie Transou, founder of Hearth and Soul , a unique retail concept that feels more like a home than a store. Susie shares her fascinating journey from growing up in the beer industry and running a large beverage distributorship with her husband to launching a completely new venture at age 50. We discuss the pivotal moment at a birthday party wh...

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Harper A. Bailey (the pen name of Teosha Bailey), a public health leader, speaker, and author of the powerful new memoir It Was Her . Harper shares the deeply personal and spiritual journey of bringing her book to life, a process she describes as a "co-creation with God and my ancestors." We discuss how the idea for her memoir came to her four years ago a...

In this profound episode, I sit down with Chameli Ardagh, a yogini, mystic, and founder of Awakening Women . Chameli shares her powerful personal journey, beginning with a childhood in Norway deeply connected to nature but marked by family volatility. She recounts her early escape into spirituality as a way to transcend suffering, only to realize later, through a pivotal moment of reckoning, that...

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Whitney Walker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, recovery coach, spiritual guide, and host of the Women Waken podcast. Whitney shares her incredibly raw and vulnerable journey, from a childhood marked by an absent father and an emotionally immature mother to struggling with debilitating low self-esteem, addiction, and eating disorders in her 20s....

In this insightful episode, Dr. Gertrude Lyons welcomes Emily Paulsen, an award-winning entrepreneur, brand strategist through her studio Electric Collab, and host of the Curious Life of a Child-Free Woman podcast. Emily is dedicated to shining a light on the often-overshadowed child-free by choice perspective. Their conversation centers on the powerful collision of the "mother code" world with th...

In this deeply moving episode, I speak with Ronit Plank, a writer, teacher, editor, and host of the Let's Talk Memoir podcast. Ronit is the author of the award-winning memoir When She Comes Back , which chronicles the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation. Ronit shares her powerful story of growing up with a mother who left her and her sister to fo...

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Diane Ortega, a Certified Nurse Midwife and co-founder of the first nurse-midwife-owned freestanding birth center in Arizona. Diane shares her personal journey from being an office manager to becoming a midwife, a path inspired by her own "profoundly different" and empowering birth experience with midwives after a conventional hospital birth. Our conversat...

In this deeply personal and full-circle episode, I sit down with my dear friend, creative collaborator, and "sister-daughter," Megan Taylor. I was blessed to be one of Megan’s first-ever life coaches when she was in her 20s, and our relationship has beautifully evolved into a rich, mutual friendship and powerful partnership. Most recently, Megan was the visionary producer behind my Rewrite the Mot...

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Anna Lozano, a mom, founder, investor, and host of the Prosperity Playground podcast. Anna shares her powerful story, beginning with her upbringing as a Polish immigrant in Canada, where she was programmed to "work hard, study hard, get good grades, [and] climb that corporate ladder". She followed that path to an Ivy League business school and a "soul-dra...

In this solo episode, Dr. Gertrude Lyons returns to the mic after a couple of months away to reflect on the sacred spaces that shape us - our homes, our communities, and the fires that keep us connected. Broadcasting from her Chicago home after time in Ireland, Gertrude shares stories from her 2 retreats in Ireland, her 95-year-old mother traveling to Ireland, and even returning to her childhood h...

In this episode, I sit down with the wonderfully multifaceted Stephanie Sprenger—a writer, podcaster, producer of live storytelling and comedy shows, and single mom to two teenage girls. Stephanie shares her journey from being an early childhood music therapist to reclaiming her identity as a writer, a path that led her to create vibrant communities for women to find and share their voices. Our co...