Previa Alliance Podcast

October is National Physical Therapy Month , and you might be wondering, "Why would I need a physical therapist as a mom?" Grab your headphones as we replay one of our most valuable episodes featuring Emily Gilmore, DPT , a pelvic health physical therapist. Whether you're pregnant, preparing for birth, newly postpartum, or years into motherhood, your pelvic floor plays a vital role...

Grief doesn’t always arrive when you expect it—or look the way you thought it would. It can sneak into ordinary moments, surprise you years later, and change parts of you that you never saw coming. In this episode, we talk honestly about the unpredictable nature of grief, the ways loss can reshape us, and what it means to keep living while carrying someone or something we’ve lost. If grief has cau...

Grief is something we all experience, but few of us truly understand. In this episode, Sarah Parkhurst and Whitney Gay, LCSW, take a deeper look at the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—and discuss what they really look like in everyday life. Whether you're grieving the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a dream, or a season of life, this conversatio...

You're scheduling pediatrician appointments, packing lunches, answering school emails...and helping your parents navigate doctor's appointments, medications, and life's next chapter. Welcome to the sandwich generation . In this episode, Sarah and Whitney explore the emotional weight of caring for children while also supporting aging parents—and why so many moms feel like they'r...

You've heard of an OB-GYN. You've probably heard of a psychiatrist. But have you ever heard of a reproductive psychiatrist? If the answer is no, you're not alone. In this episode, Sarah sits down with reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Claire Smith to explain why one of the most important specialties in maternal mental health remains one of the least known. Together, they discuss what re...

She scheduled the doctor's appointments. She Googled slime recipes. She packed lunches, answered school emails, signed permission slips, and showed up for her kids. So...how could she possibly be struggling? In this episode, Sarah and Whitney use the Lindsay Clancy trial to examine one of the biggest misconceptions in maternal mental health: we mistake functioning for wellness. Why do we have...

Hayden Panettiere helped bring postpartum depression into the national conversation more than a decade ago. Her story reminds us that postpartum depression doesn't always look the way people expect—and that's exactly why so many mothers go unseen. Sarah and Whitney unpack Hayden's experience, the stigma that still surrounds maternal mental health, and why mothers deserve to be belie...

Sarah and Paige unpack the Lindsay Clancy trial through the lens of perinatal mental health and the gaps in care that can leave maternal mental health crises overlooked. Paige, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the Motherhood Center, explains why conditions like postpartum depression and anxiety often go undiagnosed and how postpartum psychosis, while rare, requires urgent attention...

Everyone talks about helping kids adjust to a new school year—but what about the parents? Behind the first-day-of-school photos are moms juggling schedules, worrying about teachers, packing lunches, coordinating drop-offs, paying activity fees, and wondering if they're doing enough. For many parents, back-to-school brings excitement, but it also brings stress, grief, and an enormous mental lo...

Ever notice your patience gets shorter, your anxiety feels higher, and everything seems harder during a heat wave? You're not imagining it. Extreme heat doesn't just make us sweat—it affects our brain, nervous system, sleep, hormones, mood, and even how we interact with the people we love. In this episode, Sarah and Whitney unpack the science behind why hot weather can leave us feeling e...

Do you ever feel like you're not giving enough to each of your children? You're not alone. Sarah and Whitney unpack the guilt that often comes with raising multiple kids, what research says children truly need, and practical ways to let go of the pressure to be everything to everyone. A must-listen for moms navigating mom guilt, sibling dynamics, and the mental load of motherhood. Follow...

Sometimes the healthiest response is no response at all. In this episode, Sarah and Whitney explore why not every action deserves a reaction. We discuss boundaries, emotional regulation, people-pleasing, protecting your peace, and how choosing silence can be one of the strongest forms of self-care. If you've ever struggled with difficult relationships, conflict, or knowing when to walk away,...

Nobody should walk into labor, an epidural, or a C-section feeling like the process is a mystery.  In this episode, we discuss why clear patient education is often missing, how fear of the unknown can increase anxiety and contribute to birth trauma, and the real-world challenges providers face in preparing families for delivery.  We also share practical ways to advocate for better communication, s...

Ever feel like your brain has 47 tabs open at all times? Same. This week Sarah and Whitney are talking about the invisible mental load moms carry every single day — the constant remembering, planning, anticipating, organizing, managing emotions, and making decisions for everyone around us. From school forms and meal planning to emotional regulation and “default parent” responsibilities, motherhood...

Motherhood can be beautiful and grief-filled at the exact same time. In this deeply honest episode, Sarah and Whitney talk about something many moms feel but are terrified to admit: missing their freedom, independence, identity, and old life after becoming mothers. This is not about regret. This is about the very real identity shift that happens in motherhood. Together they discuss: loss of indepe...

From the moment our babies are born, we become experts in them. We notice every pattern. Every cry means something different. Every shift, every need—we just know . We become mind readers. But what happens when that same mindset shows up in our adult relationships? When we expect our partner to just know what we need… When we don’t say it out loud because it feels obvious… When the expectations go...

Ever felt like you were the only one seeing the truth? Something felt off. The charm didn’t sit right. The stories didn’t fully add up… But everyone else? Completely pulled in. Almost like they were under a spell. In this episode, we break down the “narcissist spell”—why some people are so convincing, how they draw others in so easily, and why you were able to see what others couldn’t. If you’ve e...

In honor of Infertility Awareness Week, Sarah sits down with crowd favorites Erin and Stephen Mitchell from Couples Counseling for Parents to discuss how trying to conceive, infertility, and pregnancy loss affect relationships. From self-blame to communication breakdown, this honest conversation explores navigating this incredibly difficult journey and having hard conversations with yourself and y...

The fourth episode we cover during Maternal Mental health month is a topic that is often felt but not talked about, postpartum rage. Postpartum rage is a mood disruption that causes intense anger, aggression, and agitation in the weeks and months after giving birth. At Previa Alliance, one of the most frequent questions we get is, “Why do I feel so angry?” Today, the ladies break down what postpar...

The final episode we discuss during Maternal Mental health month is one that is a true medical emergency, postpartum psychosis. This episode comes with a trigger warning as this condition, which is rare, is tough to discuss and understand. Our hope for this episode is that you gain knowledge about this little-talked about condition and know to get help. Follow Previa Alliance! Previa Alliance (@pr...

The second episode in maternal mental health month is "What is Postpartum Anxiety?" Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious about your new role? Do you find yourself struggling to cope with the changes in your life after having a baby? Well, we've got your back! In our latest episode of The Previa Alliance Podcast, we're diving deep into postpartum anxiety and sharing some seri...

In this episode, Sarah and Whitney talk about postpartum depression, also known as PPD. They describe signs and symptoms of PPD, risk factors for developing PPD, and what PPD looks like and sounds like in real life. We encourage everyone to download this episode and share with your friends and families so everyone knows what PPD is and how to help moms who experience it! Follow Previa Alliance! Pr...

What if I can't do this? Is the baby, ok? Why do I feel this way? Sound familiar? Pregnancy anxiety is common but often not talked about. Listen in as the ladies break down why you may experience anxiety during pregnancy and how to manage it. Follow Previa Alliance! Previa Alliance (@previa.alliance) • Instagram photos and videos Previa Alliance Podcast (@previapodcast) • Instagram photos and...

This week, Sarah goes back to a fan favorite episode for Maternal Mental Health Month, Depression During Pregnancy. You know about postpartum depression, but do you know about depression that occurs during pregnancy? Listen in as Sarah and Whitney talk about the risk factors, what depression during pregnancy looks like, and how to advocate for yourself. Follow Previa Alliance! Previa Alliance (@pr...

You’re not “just tired.” You’re overloaded. In this episode, we break down the difference between stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression — and why high-achieving moms often miss the warning signs. We talk about chronic cortisol, invisible labor, perfectionism, and why burnout often shows up as irritability before sadness. If you’ve ever thought, “I should be grateful… so why am I so exhausted?”...