Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

What happens when you've spent your entire career caring for others, only to find yourself facing a life changing health challenge of your own? On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys , Nikki sits down with Dr. Tiffany Troso Sandoval, a mother of three, medical oncologist, author, and women's health advocate who spent more than 25 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center helping wome...

Can you love being a mom with your whole heart and still need something more? In this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with former Denver news anchor, public relations professional, author, and mom Katie Trexler for a raw conversation about motherhood, career, identity, and the choices women make along the way. Katie shares what it was like to walk away from a career she lov...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Sylvia Alvarez, Founder and Executive Director of the Housing and Education Alliance and author of It's Hard to Kill a Bougainvillea: From Slavery to the American Dream. Sylvia shares the extraordinary story of her mother, Cello, whose childhood in Cuba was marked by unimaginable loss, hunger, abandonment, and enslavement before...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Lizette Espinosa, a mom, attorney, entrepreneur, and creator of Zooby, a baby monitor designed to give parents greater peace of mind while driving.   Lizette shares honestly about the exhaustion and isolation of early motherhood, raising capable children without clipping their wings, and finding the balance between protecting our...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Gina Schrek and Lea Costello for a candid, funny, and refreshingly real conversation about motherhood, stress, burnout, healing, and the impossible expectations women often place on themselves. Lea shares the story behind her upcoming book, Be Your Own Medicine: Healing from Chronic Stress and Reclaiming Your Rhythm, which she sa...

What happens when you're raising children while also caring for aging parents, all while trying not to lose yourself in the process? In this episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with international guest Zumrut Vardar, joining us all the way from Istanbul, Turkey, for an honest conversation about motherhood, caregiving, and life as part of the "sandwich generation." After spendi...

What happens when men are taught to stay silent, hide their struggles, and figure life out on their own? In this powerful episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Zach Zachman, founder of Be Men, a Colorado nonprofit dedicated to helping men become healthier, more connected, and more emotionally aware. Zach shares the deeply personal story that inspired his work, including his...

Motherhood doesn't come with a manual, and even if it did, every child would rewrite it. In this heartfelt episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with educator, author, and mom Christianne Meneses Jacobs to talk about the realities of raising children, balancing career and family, and learning to trust yourself through the ups and downs of parenting. With more than 27 years in ed...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Dr. Victoria Vaughn for a heartfelt and often hilarious conversation about motherhood, reinvention, love after divorce, and finding yourself again later in life. After spending decades as an educator, dean, wife, and mother, Dr. Vaughn found herself unexpectedly navigating divorce at 55 years old and reentering the dating world a...

Welcome to our 5th year of Podcast interviews!  209 weeks of insight, laughter, tears, and lived experience.  We are beyond thankful for everyone who has been a part of this! On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Lisa Skinner for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about dementia, caregiving, and the emotional impact memory loss has on entire families. Drawin...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with psychologist, author, and motherhood researcher Dr. Erika Horwitz for a heartfelt conversation about the beauty, complexity, and lifelong impact of motherhood. Drawing from decades of clinical experience, her doctoral research, and her own journey as a mother, Dr. Horwitz shares powerful insights into what it truly means to suppo...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with JoAnne Chitwood for an honest and heartfelt conversation about motherhood, caregiving, and the lessons that come from walking alongside families during life's hardest moments. With more than 40 years of experience as a hospice nurse, JoAnne brings a unique perspective on love, resilience, grief, and what truly matters in life. Jo...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Paola Brown for an honest conversation about motherhood, chronic illness, and the journey toward finding true health for both herself and her family. Living in rural Idaho with her husband and three children, Paola shares how her experiences with autoimmune struggles and severe food intolerances while raising young children compl...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Kristen Jenson for a courageous and incredibly important conversation about protecting children in today's digital world. As the author of the internationally recognized book Good Pictures Bad Pictures, Kristen has spent years helping parents navigate conversations around pornography exposure, internet safety, and raising kids wi...

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Shauna Hull for a deeply honest conversation about motherhood, identity, and navigating life through unexpected challenges and transitions. Shauna opens up about the realities of balancing family, personal growth, and the emotional weight that so many mothers quietly carry while trying to show up for everyone around them. Togethe...

Anette DeMattio  In this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Anette DeMattio for a deeply moving conversation about motherhood, trauma, resilience, and the hidden emotional cost of always being "the strong one." A six time cancer survivor, wellness coach, and author of Too Strong for Your Own Good, Anette shares how surviving childhood cancer shaped her life, identity, rel...

Brian Dixon, a Colorado-based adventurer, author, and speaker, joined us to talk about something many women feel but can't always name: when something is "off" with the man they love. For 20 years, Dixon lived a successful life on paper, but underneath, he had drifted out of alignment. After a painful divorce and a life-changing wake-up call, he faced a truth many men avoid: he hadn't failed, he h...

In this episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Marybeth Brush for a raw and relatable conversation about motherhood later in life, the pressure to "do it all," and the reality of building a career while raising a toddler. Marybeth shares her journey to becoming a mom at 42, including pregnancy after loss, navigating motherhood as an entrepreneur, and the constant balancing a...

In this unique and thought-provoking episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Taj Simrit, joining from Greece, to bring a rare and powerful perspective on parenthood, personal growth, and healing. Taj shares his deeply personal journey from corporate life and fatherhood to divorce, loss, and ultimately, transformation. Through years of travel, self-reflection, and spiritual pra...

In this honest and empowering episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Susan McKeown, a pediatric nurse practitioner of over 40 years, author, and mom, for a conversation that every parent needs to hear. From the raw and chaotic reality of early motherhood to the pressure moms place on themselves to "get it right," Susan brings both professional insight and lived experience to...

In this deeply moving episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Cindy Eich, a mom of four, grandmother, and author of Love Goes Further, to share a story that will stay with you long after the episode ends. Cindy opens up about her journey through motherhood, from becoming a young mom and navigating life without a built-in village, to experiencing the joy of raising a busy, spor...

In this heartfelt and unexpectedly joyful episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with artist and former nurse practitioner Edi Matsumoto, creator of Otter Therapy, a whimsical art collection transforming iconic figures into playful sea otters. But this conversation goes far beyond art. Edi shares her journey from nearly 30 years in healthcare to finding healing and purpose through...

In this episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Lori Taggart, a longtime banker, Harley rider, mom of four, and proud "Gigi" to nine grandchildren, for a conversation that feels like sitting down with someone who just gets it. From raising kids far from home as a military spouse to navigating motherhood without a built in support system, Lori shares what it really looked like...

What happens when motherhood doesn't look anything like you expected? In this episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Shannon Harrell, a mom of four, including triplets born prematurely, to talk about the reality behind the highlight reel. From navigating infertility and IVF, to the emotional rollercoaster of the NICU, to going from one child to four overnight, Shannon shares...

In this inspiring episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Beth Leeds, an 84-year-young author, activist, and mama whose life is a testament to the power of positivity, purpose, and taking action. From advocating for change as a child to building businesses as a single mom and influencing real policy, Beth shares how "inspired action" has shaped every chapter of her life. Her j...