The Motherlands Podcast

When it comes to being a woman, pleasure is not really something as a culture we are taught to explore or prioritize. For Marissa Correia, it is her passion to share about the importance of pleasure in our lives and how it allows us to be more connected to our bodies and our environment. In our conversation, we discuss what it means to build a practice of embodiment. She explains that embodiment i...

Kim is an outspoken, fiery mother of three children. Her husky, confident voice immediately puts you at ease. You can tell within a few moments of speaking to her that she really has a lot of life experience that informs the incredible work she does as a doula. You may also know her online as Mama Three Birds . In this episode, she shares about how her childhood impacted her ability to provide sup...

It is with great pleasure to share this incredible conversation with Nkem Ndefo about trauma and resilience. We examine how our bodies uniquely adapt to our surroundings. Every person has their own internal system of regulation, or how our bodies filter and respond to our environment. Sometimes we can tolerate stressful conditions, and other times it can take us over the edge into overwhelm. Nkem...

Part of the reason why I love being the host of the MOTHERLANDS Podcast is because I get to interview guests about deep and meaningful ideas about what it means to be a woman. But when it comes to myself I find it difficult to open up about my own process. This episode is my attempt to be both brave and vulnerable. I talk about how doula work found me. My childhood prepared me well for the job of...

A couple of years after the birth of her first son, Yvonne Strahovski became pregnant with her second child and was determined to have a radically different experience. In this episode, we discuss how birth is just as much a mental and emotional experience as it is a physical one. As she begins to prepare for the arrival of her third baby, Yvonne shares her journey of learning how to listen, prior...

Dawn Huckelbridge is a mother and the Founding Director of Paid Leave for All . In this conversation we discuss (and lament) how the United States is one of the few countries left in the world that does not have any national Paid Family Leave program. Nearly 1 in 4 employed mothers have to return to work within two weeks of giving birth and only 25 percent of US workers have access to paid family...

It is with great pleasure I introduce the next guest on the MOTHERLANDS Podcast. I first encountered Nicole Morales when I was a new doula, seeking out additional training and education on supporting clients through birth. I attended a Spinning Babies course in San Diego and Nicole was my instructor. She left such an impression on me as she taught me to be deeply curious about how a baby’s positio...

Allison Oswald (PT, DPT, WCS) is a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic wellness. She takes a personalized and holistic approach to women’s wellness, integrating different modalities, such as pelvic mapping, manual techniques, visceral mobilizations, and movement education. She supports women who are pre, mid, or post pregnancy or experiencing pelvic pain, incontinence, or pelvic injury. W...

You may have heard of hypnosis before. It is often portrayed in movies and books as something quite dubious, as if it is some kind of mind control.  But did you know that self hypnosis has incredible physiological benefits? This next guest teaches hypnobirthing to support clients through the process of giving birth.  Ashley Mitchell Scott, MA HBCE, is a mother of two, a doula, and an educator. I h...

Molly Nourmand, LMFT, is a Psychotherapist that specializes in perinatal mental health. She started an incredible company called Life After Birth where she facilitates group sessions with new mothers as they process the complexities of becoming a parent, shifts in identity, changes related to intimacy and so much more. We discuss what are some common ways that Postpartum Anxiety and Mood Disorders...

Jennifer Davidson and Kimmy Mills are a team of lactation consultants best known as the Milky Way Mamas who are on a mission to educate and empower clients on the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. Our conversation covers a variety of common breastfeeding topics such as milk supply, engorgement, thrush, and mastitis.  While honoring the unique journey of every nursing mother, Jennifer and Kimmy sh...

Jules Blaine Davis is a mother, writer, wayshower and coach. She has been called the "midwife to life", encouraging women to live the life that is right here, right now. We go deep in our conversation where we discuss giving ourselves permission to listen to the body, how we often say "No" to ourselves. We also talk about how every person is a mother - including men. And that w...

Lina Bardovi, L.Ac , found her calling to Chinese medicine in her 20s when she discovered that her boyfriend had brain cancer. The one treatment that seemed to make him feel better was acupuncture. In this episode we discuss how all humans are a delicate balance of yin and yang energy, the importance of the 5 elements within the body, as well as the 5 pathogens according to traditional Chinese med...

This episode is very special as I interview my mentor, Julie Freitas. Julie was a childbirth educator and doula for over forty years. She taught in hospitals, clinics and in her home in Los Angeles. Her intimate style of teaching was coveted by the hundreds of families she taught from all different cultural backgrounds. In this episode, Julie describes the way in which women give birth has changed...

In this episode we exchange ideas on the importance of doula work, and how each birth signifies the brilliance and miracle of new souls choosing their arrival. Rima Thierry has given birth four times, four different ways, in which she says, her children's personalities distinctly shine through each experience.  Rima Thierry is a birth doula, yoga teacher, and cofounder of SovernLA, a healing a...

In this episode Olivia Van Dyke, a wife, a mother, and a CEO, speaks about her experience conceiving her first child at 24, the self-imposed pressure to get pregnant before her ailing father passes away, along with grieving the loss of her father while simultaneously preparing to give birth. This conversation is exceptionally moving as we examine together the heartbreak and the beauty found within...

In this episode, Michelle divulges how how she relates to her career after having a baby, and the stigma around being a mother whilst being a female business owner. We discuss topics that are often perceived as taboo such as sex and intimacy post birth, sleep training, and gender roles. The episode concludes with the story of her son's birth. Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz is the founder of Holist...

Kristina Dahlin is a physician assistant and homebirth midwife assistant. While deeply respecting the physiological process of childbirth, Kristina eloquently bridges the gap between the medical world and the holistic/natural world. Additionally, she offers pregnant clients gentle bodywork rooted in the indigenous practice of the rebozo technique to help ensure the baby is in an optimal position f...

Lara Elliott is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who teaches integrative healing techniques such as reiki and meditation. She works with clients individually and in groups as well as leads trainings worldwide. She resides with her family in Ojai, California. To find out more about Lara Elliott and her offerings, please visit  https://www.laraelliotthealing.com . *This episode is not medical...

Justine Malick is a certified Pilates instructor, trainer, and owner of Sapphire Pilates. She works with clients from all walks of life to facilitate a sense of ease within the body. Justine specializes in Somatics, Body Mind Centering (BMC), Deep Bodywork Massage, Resistance Flexibility Strength Training (RFST), Chinese Medicine, and Prenatal/Postpartum Corrective Exercise (PPCES). To visit her s...

Nancy Beyda is a homebirth midwife in Los Angeles. Prior to becoming a midwife, she was a birth doula for over 20 years. Nancy believes that the way we birth has a profound impact on how we move through life. She is also the Executive Director of FoodCycle LA, a nonprofit that recovers food to communities that are experiencing food insecurity. Nancy finds that there is a deep connection between ch...