Transformed by Birth

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by visual artist and mother Kallen Mikel for a conversation about creativity, transformation, nature, and the profound ways pregnancy, birth, and parenthood shape both the artist and the art. Together, we explore creativity as a process of opening, the symbolism of transformation, the relationship between motherhood and artistic expression, and w...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by Sarah Trott, creator and host of the Fourth Trimester Podcast, for a conversation about preparing for postpartum and why the support we receive after birth matters just as much as the preparation we do before it. Together, we explore the realities of the fourth trimester, the importance of redefining productivity, building meaningful support s...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by trauma-informed somatic educator, practitioner, and speaker Darshana Avila for a conversation about eroticism, intimacy, desire, and reconnecting with ourselves during the perinatal period and beyond. Together, we explore the difference between sex and erotic energy, the impact of pregnancy and parenthood on our relationship with pleasure, bod...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by fatherhood advocates Bobby Brown and Brandon Rennels for a conversation about the often-overlooked transformation men experience when they become fathers. Together, we explore identity shifts, healing childhood wounds, father-son relationships, mental health, birth preparation, advocacy, and the profound responsibility that can emerge when a n...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by elder, midwife, educator, and visionary Whapio Diane Bartlett for a conversation about birth as a journey of consciousness and transformation. Together, we explore what it means to move beyond a purely medical understanding of birth and into a multidimensional experience that includes emotional, relational, and spiritual layers. Whapio shares...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by full-spectrum doula, assistant midwife, and "baby whisperer" Sufi Ertur for a conversation about the inner emotional and spiritual world of pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Together, we explore intuition, labor trance, conscious conception, nervous system sensitivity, symbolism during pregnancy, and the ways birth can open us to experie...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by human rights in childbirth advocate and Birth Monopoly founder Cristen Pascucci for a conversation about bodily autonomy, respectful maternity care, and what it means to navigate birth inside increasingly corporate healthcare systems. Together, we explore the growing monopolization of maternity care, why concepts like informed consent and trau...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by author, therapist, and creator of the Mother-Centered Approach, Jessica Tomich Sorci, for a conversation about the inner landscape of motherhood. Together, we explore why parenting has a unique way of activating the many voices inside our minds, from the inner critic to the parts that try to hold everything together, and the ones that step in...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by award-winning journalist and author Lucy Jones for a conversation about matrescence and the profound metamorphosis of becoming a mother. Together, we explore how motherhood reshapes the brain, body, identity, relationships, and sense of self. Lucy shares insights from her book Matrescence, helping to name an experience that is often minimized...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I sit down with Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, Nurse-Midwife, Lactation Consultant, and Professor of Nursing, Sarah Shealy, to explore the often-overlooked connection between postpartum recovery and long-term health. We talk about how pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and perimenopause are not separate experiences, but deeply connected physiological...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by Dr. Nicole LePera, clinical psychologist and New York Times best-selling author, for a deeply insightful conversation about inner child activation in parenthood. Her new book, Reparenting the Inner Child, expands on this work in powerful ways. Together, we explore why becoming a parent can bring unexpected emotional responses, how early childh...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by childbirth educator, TEDx speaker, host of the Plus Mommy Podcast, and founder of Plus Size Birth, Jen McLellan, for a powerful and necessary conversation about weight bias in pregnancy and postpartum care. Together, we explore how BMI continues to shape medical decision-making, the difference between perceived risk and actual risk, and the em...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by heart-led spiritual mentor and master doula Haize Hawke for a conversation about ritual, what it is, why it matters, and how it shapes our experience of pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Together, we explore how ritual creates a container for transformation, why so many families feel disconnected from it, and how simple, intentional prac...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by herbalist, childbirth educator, and founder of Rising Matriarchs, Montse Olmos, for a conversation that asks us to widen the lens of birth work. Together, we explore how current immigration policies and systemic violence are impacting pregnant people, families, and communities, and why birth, postpartum, and parenting cannot be separated from...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by financial counselor and former doula Jen Mayer for a conversation about a part of becoming a parent that often goes unspoken: money. We explore how finances shape the postpartum experience, not just in practical ways but also emotionally and relationally. Jen shares her experience returning to work just three weeks after giving birth and how t...

In this solo episode of Transformed by Birth, I share the story of Demeter and Persephone through the lens of archetype, grief, and transformation. This is not just a myth about seasons. It is a story about what happens when life takes us somewhere we didn't choose, how we make meaning from those experiences, and why motherhood so often holds both joy and loss at the same time. If you've ever felt...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space, for a potent and deeply practical conversation about partnership, fairness, and the invisible labor of parenthood. Together, we explore what happens when equal partners become unequal parents, why the mental load and emotional labor of family life still fall so heavily on women, and...

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, trafficking, systemic abuse of power, reproductive rights, and medical trauma. Please listen with care and tend to yourself as needed. In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by somatic practitioner, embodiment coach, feminist health care advocate, and full-spectrum doula Pamela Samuelson for a courageous and deeply...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by certified advanced birth doula, perinatal educator, international speaker, bestselling author, and the voice behind the Birthful podcast, Adriana Lozada, for a conversation that feels like it needs its own music intro. Together, we explore the time warp of pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood. We talk about why minutes can feel like days while...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by perinatal care specialist and Resilience Toolkit facilitator Mikaela Lynn for a grounded conversation about stress, nervous system regulation, and what it means to build resilience in the perinatal year. Together, we explore why stress isolates us from our bodies, our relationships, and our sense of choice, and why resilience is not about push...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I am joined by coach, doula, and author Jessie Harrold for a rich and deeply validating conversation about matrescence, the profound identity transformation that unfolds as we become mothers. Together, we explore motherhood as a rite of passage rather than a pathology. Jessie shares her four elements model of radical transformation and helps us name what so...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by somatic trauma consultant, author, and maternal health advocate Parijat Deshpande for a deeply grounding conversation about high-risk pregnancy, preterm birth, and the NICU experience. Together, we explore what the term "high-risk" actually means, how it is often misunderstood, and why hearing that label can be so destabilizing to the nervous...

In this episode, I'm joined by licensed therapist and author Vanessa Bennett for a powerful conversation about the stories we've inherited about motherhood, identity, intimacy, and worth. Together, we explore what Vanessa calls "the motherhood myth," the cultural narrative that tells parents they should feel endlessly fulfilled, selfless, and complete through parenting alone. We unpack how patriar...

In this episode of Transformed by Birth, we explore the pelvic floor as a powerful and often misunderstood center of physical, emotional, and relational health with pelvic floor physical therapist, educator, and author Dr. Sara Reardon. Together, we unpack why pelvic floor care matters not only during pregnancy and postpartum, but across the entire lifespan. We talk about the deep connections betw...

In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of nurturing, connection, and early brain development with neuroscientist, author, and mother Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum. Together, we unpack why the first three years of life are such a critical window for mental health, emotional regulation, and relational resilience. We talk about how modern parenting culture often pulls families away from what babies act...