Emily Rose MacDonald
The Sparkle Project
The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design. The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more lik...
Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: thesparkleproject.buzzsprout.com
Author
Emily Rose MacDonald
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Oct 13, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
How To Overcome The Identity Crisis of Motherhood with Krissy Bold 29.07.2025 37:07
Ever felt like you’ve lost yourself since becoming a mom? You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not broken. In this episode of Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily sits down with Krissy Bold, former teacher turned stay-at-home mom and identity advocate, to unpack the real, raw experience of navigating identity after motherhood. Together, they explore the identity crisis so many moms experience, why it’s...
ADHD in Motherhood: Shame, Identity, and the Mental Load with Samantha Skvaril 22.07.2025 45:18
Are you a mom navigating life with ADHD - diagnosed or undiagnosed? In this honest conversation, therapist and late-diagnosed mom Samantha Skvaril joins Emily to explore the emotional rollercoaster of ADHD in motherhood. From unpacking the shame we carry, to redefining what it means to be a “good mom,” we dig deep into how ADHD uniquely affects women and mothers. The episode covers: How ADHD prese...
[Self-Care Snippet] Spend Time On What Lights You Up with Hannah Olson 18.07.2025 4:05
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Redefining Motherhood as a Relationship and Caregiving as a Job with Hannah Olson . Like what you hear? Make sure you are su...
The Case for Doing Less: Why Lowering Your Standards Might Be the Key to Peace 15.07.2025 20:54
Are impossible standards stealing your peace in motherhood? In this solo episode, Emily challenges the “perfect mom” myth and offers a bold reframe: doing less might actually make you a better mother. From the pressure to keep a spotless home to the guilt around saying “no,” Emily dives into why so many moms are chronically burned out, and what you can do about it. Learn how to redefine your own e...
Why Motherhood Triggers Past Trauma & What To Do About It with Lilly Risch 08.07.2025 51:37
Why does motherhood seem to resurface wounds you thought were long buried? In this episode, Emily sits down with trauma therapist Lilly Risch to explore the deep, often surprising ways parenting can trigger unresolved trauma, and how healing is not only possible, but transformational. Together, they discuss: Why becoming a parent often brings up your "stuff" The difference between normal...
[Self-Care Snippet] Lean on Your Support System with Shannon Bonardy & Tabita Ramos 04.07.2025 2:07
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Childcare in Crisis: Moms Advocating For Change with Shannon Bonardy and Tabita Ramos . Like what you hear? Make sure you ar...
Raising Justice: Everyday Activism For Mothers [IG Live] with Breanne Smith 01.07.2025 1:23:55
This episode is a bit different than normal - but for a good reason! So many moms right now are feeling called to engage in activism while faced with the reality that they can't necessarily leave the kids to hit the streets in protest. Earlier this week, I joined Breanne Smith for an Instagram Live to get her insights on parenting as activism and to answer the question so many moms are asking...
Feeling Lost in Motherhood? How to Reconnect With Your True Self with Rachael Smith 24.06.2025 30:24
Motherhood can be beautiful — and also deeply disorienting. So many moms experience a sense of loss of self in the transition into motherhood and struggle to reconnect with who they are in this new season of life. This week, licensed professional counselor Rachael Smith joins Emily for an empowering conversation on how moms can reconnect with themselves after having kids. In the episode, they talk...
[Self-Care Snippet] Practical Tips For Regular Self-Care with Lisa Zawrotny 20.06.2025 5:00
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Spring Cleaning: Compassionate Productivity & Whole-Life Decluttering with Lisa Zawrotny . Like what you hear? Make sure...
From Comparison to Confidence: How to Stop Measuring Yourself Against Other Moms 17.06.2025 19:28
Raise your hand if you’ve ever measured your motherhood against someone else’s—especially in the age of Instagram highlight reels and Pinterest-perfect parenting. In this solo episode of Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily explores why modern moms are stuck in the comparison trap and how to break free. From the hidden reasons why comparison is so common in today's motherhood culture to the emotiona...
The Power of Pause: A Mindfulness Framework for Moms with Azia Whitted 10.06.2025 32:28
What if the secret to thriving in motherhood isn't doing more — but pausing more? In this powerful episode of Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily sits down with TEDx speaker, coach, and founder of Pause with Azia Ranea, Azia Whitted, to explore how intentional pauses can transform your daily life, energy, and the example you set for your children. Azia walks us through her 5-part PAUSE Framework, gu...
[Self-Care Snippet] Go Take A Nap with Brittany Reinke 06.06.2025 2:28
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Mothering with a Disability: Everything is Figureoutable with Brittany Reinke . Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscr...
Supermom Myth: The True Cost of the Mental Load with Stacy McCann 03.06.2025 44:55
Are you tired of being told you can “do it all” — and somehow feel like you’re still falling short? In this episode, therapist and mom Stacy McCann joins Emily to unpack the Supermom Myth and reveal the invisible forces that leave so many mothers burned out and overwhelmed. They talk about: The truth about the mental load and why it’s rarely acknowledged How patriarchal systems and internalized pr...
Prioritizing Personal Growth & Healing In Motherhood with Kayla Moffett 27.05.2025 35:52
Motherhood can feel overwhelming, messy, and all-consuming — but it can also be the space where we grow the most? In this raw episode of Worthy Mother Podcast , Emily sits down with Kayla Moffett — host of the Shift Happens Podcast, mom of five, and no-nonsense truth-teller — for a deep dive into personal growth, grief, identity, and healing through the chaos of motherhood. From navigating teen pr...
[Self-Care Snippet] Your Energy Is Finite with Lindsay Tompkins 23.05.2025 3:40
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Body Confidence In The Face of Diet Culture with Lindsay Tompkins . Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscribed to Wort...
How I've Cared For My Mental Health Through My Divorce 20.05.2025 21:16
May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, and in this episode, Emily is opening up about what it really looks like to care for your mental health during life’s toughest transitions. As a mom navigating divorce, co-parenting, and the nonstop demands of motherhood, She's had to get intentional about building a strong mental health foundation. In this reflective episode, Emily is sharing: H...
The Truth About Anxiety & Overthinking In Motherhood with Dr. Kristin Calverley 13.05.2025 41:11
If you're a mom who lies awake replaying every decision, every tantrum, every tiny moment—this one’s for you. In honor of Maternal Mental Health Month, Emily sits down with Dr. Kristin Calverley, a licensed clinical psychologist and mom of two, to talk about the all-too-common cycle of anxiety and overthinking in motherhood. From postpartum panic to the daily doom spirals over simple decision...
[Self-Care Snippet] The Emotional & Mental Aspects of Self-Care with Caitlin Douglas 09.05.2025 3:13
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode How Journaling Can Empower You Through Motherhood with Caitlin Douglas . Like what you hear? Make sure you are subscribed to...
Millennial Moms & Mental Health: Pressure, Perfectionism, and Pandemic Parenting with Allie McQuaid 06.05.2025 43:08
Millennial moms, where you at?! With May being Maternal Metnal Health Awareness Month, Emily is sitting down with therapist and perinatal mental health expert Allie McQuaid (@millennialmomtherapist) to explore the complex and often overwhelming reality of mental health for millennial moms. From pandemic parenting and the intense mental load to breaking generational cycles and managing perfectionis...
Building Generational Health: Why Prioritizing Yourself Matters with Precious K. Williams 29.04.2025 42:56
Are you a mom who’s always putting herself last? This conversation will change how you see self-care—and show you how it can transform your family for generations to come. In this episode, Emily sits down with Precious K. Williams, mom coach, motivational speaker, and wellness advocate, to talk all about building generational health by prioritizing YOU. From reframing mom guilt to creating healthi...
[Self-Care Snippet] Set A Strong Foundation of Self-Care with Avril Brown 25.04.2025 4:28
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Regulating Your Nervous System & Reconnecting With Yourself with Avril Brown . Like what you hear? Make sure you are sub...
Breaking the Silence: The Power of Sharing Your Motherhood Struggles 22.04.2025 27:06
Motherhood is hard — and far too often, we’re struggling in silence. In this episode, Emily is getting real about the emotional toll of unspoken challenges in motherhood. From the guilt of not “enjoying every moment” to the pressure of doing it all, this episode is a call to break the silence and connect through shared experiences. Emily is opening up about my own journey — from postpartum mental...
Can Women Have It All? Exploring Happiness in Motherhood with Dr. Giselle Goodwin 15.04.2025 56:30
Can women really have it all? And what does that even mean? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Giselle Goodwin—author, researcher, and expert on women’s work and wellbeing—to explore this question and dive in to what it means for moms to achieve true happiness. Dr. Goodwin shares insights from her book "Can Women Really Have It All? A Happiness Handbook for Working Mothers" ,...
[Self-Care Snippet] Protect What Keeps You Good with Sara Springer 11.04.2025 2:30
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the same. Tune in to the full episode Mom's Mental Health Matters: How to Make Your Mental Wellness a Priority with Sara Springer . Like what you hear? Make...
Why Moms Deserve Better Support in Postpartum & Beyond with Dr. Phoebe Ajayi 08.04.2025 45:18
The postpartum period is often overlooked, leaving many new moms struggling with recovery, emotional health, and lack of proper support—often lasting years after birth. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Phoebe Ajayi, a dedicated advocate for maternal health, to discuss the real challenges moms face after birth—and what needs to change. From pelvic floor recovery to mental health struggles and w...
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