The Un-Perfected Pod

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke Jean discusses the power of journaling for mental and emotional well-being. Journaling is a practice that allows individuals to process their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a conscious manner. It serves as a self-care ritual that sends a message to oneself and the universe that they matter.   Brooke highlights the five reasons why journaling i...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke interviews Sybil Cummin, Sybil is a licensed professional counselor and clinical supervisor who has extensive experience working with survivors of these types of abuse. She shares with us how she got started in this niche and explains what narcissism and narcissistic abuse really look like.   Narcissist abuse is a particularly insidious form of domest...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke tackles a heavy topic: the recent school shooting in Denver, Colorado. She shares her own experience of rage, anger, frustration, anxiety, and fear in the face of such senseless violence. Instead of succumbing to burnout or shutting down completely, she invites listeners to navigate these emotions by taking action aligned with self-care and rest.   Sh...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke explores a topic that is near and dear to many mothers' hearts – reclaiming time for themselves. She talks about how subconscious core beliefs affect the behavior of modern-day moms. The outdated belief that good moms spend every waking minute with their children is incongruent with the need for self-care and wellness. She talks about updating these b...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke explored the difficult and emotional experience of parenting a teenager. She discusses the grief that can come with this transition, from changes in identity to questioning our own abilities as a parent. She talks about how parents can cope with their own feelings of grief while helping their teenagers navigate these hard years. Brooke emphasizes the...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke welcomes Allison McQuaid, LCPC, PMH-C, Allison is a Maryland-based licensed professional counselor and certified in perinatal mental health. She discusses how to implement self-care and boundaries into our lives as working moms. She dives deep into the importance of taking breaks and pauses throughout the day to recharge and remain present for our fam...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke emphasizes the importance of slowing down, turning attention inward, engaging in practices such as morning rituals, daily walks, journaling, and joining process groups. She discusses the various coping mechanisms, such as meditation, breath work, nature, visualization, and journaling. She explains the significance of becoming a mother and how it can l...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke shares how anxiety is often a response to the overwhelming amount of change that comes with motherhood and can be caused by external factors such as news or social media. She offers tangible tips on managing anxiety, introducing the concept of regulating our nervous system through that vagus nerve to think our way out of whatever loop we are in. Learn...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke explores why so many working mothers struggle with perfectionism and how it affects our mental health, emotional well-being, and energy. She discusses how to get in touch with your needs and desires, prioritize what matters most, assess areas that need improvement, and let go of your mom's guilt. She shares tips on successfully balancing career and fa...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke dives into the messy reality of being a working mom. She shares her own struggles with balance, mental health, and navigating life transitions, and talks openly about hard things without judgment or shame, from never having time to wear regular clothes on the weekend to constantly being asked for snacks and getting drunk with her eldest in college. Br...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke dives into the psychological phenomenon of conditioning in order to explain how high-achieving mamas can shed their "shoulds" and find freedom by embracing their messiness. Through her conversations with struggling working moms, she encourages us to identify and let go of the "shoulds" that have kept us stuck for a long time. She emphasizes how our th...

In this episode of the Unperfected Pod, Brooke discusses navigating motherhood and the messiest moments while ditching perfectionism. She talks about her experience of transitioning from being a retail manager to becoming a therapist. After experiencing a community crisis in their store, she realized her passion for helping people and decided to pursue a career in counseling psychology. After grad...

This an introduction to the Unperfected Pod, which is aimed at helping overwhelmed, high-achieving, and secretly anxious working mothers find freedom through a life unperfected. The host, Brooke Jean, a therapist, a recovering perfectionist, and a struggling working mom herself and shares her own healing journey and life transformation. She uses storytelling and her mental health expertise to teac...