A Mother's Space

This week I’m speaking with Rebecca Wilson, who facilitates Shamanic Womb Healing and Rites Blessings. Rebecca is the Founder of Womb Connection Healing & Awakening which has been birthed from her personal journey of womb awakening. She is a Womb Keeper, Womb Healer, Wise Womban, Spirit Baby Doula, and Birth Doula and holds a powerful Earth-filled medicine that naturally infuses all her work and offerings.\r\n In this episode, we discuss the power of conscious conception, our philosophies on and insights into miscarriages, how Rebecca guides women in conscious, grounded conception journeys. She shares valuable advice for women interested in starting a conscious conception journey and offers extremely eye-opening and comforting words for mothers who have experienced loss.\r\n

This week on the podcast I am speaking to Zandra Spencer. Zandra is an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT Tapping) and Matrix Birth Re-Imprinting practitioner, with a background in psychology and counselling. She supports women struggling with anxiety in pregnancy, and mums who are holding onto difficult birth stories, supporting them to release and reset.\r\n In this episode, we speak about the importance of processing and reclaiming our birth stories. We speak about how the energy held in our bodies after birth affects our motherhood experience. The impact of not honouring our transitions into motherhood can have and so much more. We also share our upcoming collaboration with the listeners which you can register your interest in via https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6064801f5a1c0a9e03a9615c\r\n  \r\n \r\n

This week I’m speaking with Claudia Spahr, a published author, speaker, activator, visionary and sacred space holder, and Founder of HolyMama Retreats. She’s also an integrative health coach, retreat leader, retreat facilitator trainer, fertility expert and mother. Having become a mother of three in her 40’s, Claudia is passionate about getting women to feel more in control of their health, well-being and life.\r\n In this episode, we discuss the different transitions women experience throughout their lifetime and in motherhood, as well as how we can honour and celebrate these transitions more collectively in society. Claudia highlights the effects of healing our mother wounds and honouring our rites of passage as women, sharing stories and examples of the benefits of gathering in community and in women’s circles.\r\n

This week I’m speaking with Bethany Wilde, a women\'s health bodyworker and author. Bethany offers holistic womb and pelvic healing sessions, weaving together intuitive bodywork and ceremony, energy medicine, and deep presence. She also offers online education for womb and pelvic connection and healing, for women and mothers.\r\n In this episode, we discuss how the womb has the blueprint for mothering wisdom and healing, the powerful effects of womb and pelvic connection on our minds and bodies, and how to start a simple womb-centred practice. Bethany shares about her journey with conception, loss, and becoming a mother, then we talk about the various transitions women go through in life and the role community plays in supporting and honouring these transitions. She also shares how we can integrate yoni steaming and jade egg practices into our lives to heal and care for our wombs.\r\n

This week I’m speaking with Jodi, who is a mindfulness teacher and Mum to her 3-year old son Clovis. She is a certified Midwife, Doula and Perinatal Yoga teacher, as well as the Founder of Mama Sangha, a mindfulness community for mums whose mission is to support mothers to awaken to their inherent goodness. Jodi offers online mindfulness courses and workshops, as well as a free monthly meditation Sangha, to support mums in feeling more love, peace, and joy. She believes in the fundamental wisdom of all mothers’ hearts and she shares these practices to guide us back to a place of inner knowing, trusting in our instincts and to parent from the heart. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of mindfulness and the ways you can incorporate mindfulness into your life and your children’s lives. Jodi speaks on the many issues we face as modern mothers, from competition to overwhelm, and how we can overcome these struggles by tapping into our inner knowing. She shares simple tips for becoming more mindful and enhancing the mindfulness of your kids.

This week I’m speaking with Beth Berry, a life coach, small group and retreat facilitator, mother of four daughters and author of the recently published #1 Best-Seller, Motherwhelmed. Though you may not have heard that term before, you may resonate with it… I certainly do! Mothers all over the globe experience overwhelm on a whole different level to other people, but we have the ability to release this overwhelm and find peace. In this episode, Beth and I talk about what has inspired her to connect with mothers and support them in their reclamation of motherhood, as well as the stories we’re being fed about what motherhood should look and feel like and how they affect us. We explore the unconscious contracts we allow ourselves to create before becoming mothers and how to rewrite those contracts from a new perspective, examining our worth and our true desires. Beth sheds light on the unrealistic pace that we’re striving to live in, the importance of learning to remother ourselves, and the power in coming together to create community to move away from feelings of isolation and overwhelm.

This week I’m speaking with Clare Spink, the founder of Womb & Fertility Massage Therapy, a fusion of womb massage, pulsing, rebozo and emotional healing to enhance successful conception and womb healing. Clare’s passion is for women to truly know their bodies and their wombs. Helping women connect to the innate wisdom of their wombs enables us to release trauma, experience more pleasure and peace, and live a fuller and juicier life. In this episode, Clare and I talk about reconnecting to the womb through self-massage and why it’s so beneficial for us to practice this. We discuss conscious conception, as well as the role of the psoas muscle in our health, its function in allowing us to release trauma, and how it affects the womb when it’s in a state of tightness. Clare also speaks on the relationship between breathwork and womb health and the desensitisation of our wombs and menstrual cycle, emphasizing the power in remembering and honouring these beautiful cycles we experience as women. “Heal the womb, heal the woman.”                           - Clare Spink

This week I’m speaking with Dr. Sophie Brock, a Motherhood Studies Sociologist and single mother to her 3yo daughter, about what it means to be a “good enough mother” and what the societal expectations are around being a good mother. Sophie works with both mothers and practitioners who support mothers, to understand the ways mothers’ experiences are socially and culturally shaped. It’s so powerful to explore and understand what motherhood means to us, because it’s different for every single person and each version of that is perfect for that person. In this episode, we discuss how social and cultural conditioning leaves us feeling guilty or ashamed in motherhood when we feel we aren’t doing the best we can be doing, along with the shifts we can make to overcome that. Sophie explains how marketing and advertising, as well as so many other forms of messaging, have impacted the way women view motherhood, even long before they become mothers. We then share steps you can take and questions you can ask yourself to reframe your image of motherhood and heal from the guilt and shame you may feel or have felt as a mother.

This week I’m speaking with Manolee Yadave, a psychosexual therapist who is keen to understand the impacts of sexual experiences on couples and individuals. She believes that couples and individuals are entitled to have a sexually fulfilling life. I’m sure you can resonate with that, right? In this episode, we discuss the biggest challenges her clients face in approaching sex and intimacy after having kids, touching on the many ways sex can feel different and the many ways you can reignite your sex life after childbirth. Manolee speaks on reconnecting with your body, your sensuality, and your sexuality after having kids, emphasizing the importance of exploration, communication, and playfulness. When delving into this area of exploration and newness, what you may find can be surprising or intimidating, but remember to take it slow and start simply.

This week I’m speaking with Adele Wimsett, a women’s health practitioner and cyclical living coach, about how essential oils can support us in our day to day lives. Smell is one of the five senses, which means it has a powerful effect on our lives and our wellness. We all know how lovely essential oils can smell, but do you know the vast plethora of benefits essential oils can have for mothers, children, babies, and everyone else in between? Essential oils aren’t just great for smelling and diffusing, they have countless other uses that we’ll be passionately exploring with Adele. In this episode, we delve into the history of essential oils, the many ways they can be used, and how safe they are to use, especially with children and babies. We discuss how to choose the best essential oils for you, along with why the quality and purity of your oils matters, touching on the potential dangers of using products with synthetic perfumes and fragrances. Adele then shares with us the specific ways in which oils can be used to support you in your cycle and in times of lethargy, overwhelm, anxiety, postpartum healing, and much more.

This week I’m speaking with Maisie Hill, a menstrual health expert, author, and doula who knows the power of working with the menstrual cycle and believes that our hormones are there to serve us and help us get what we want out of life. Life affects your cycle and your cycle affects your life. If your cycle has been fluctuating and seeing changes during this pandemic, you’re not the only one. In this episode, we speak about period power for mums. Maisie helps us to understand the patriarchal conditioning around our menstrual cycles and shares methods for connecting to and tracking our cycles. She speaks about the importance of creating menstrual awareness in children and educating them on the power of our cycles, detailing the sensible ways in which we can do that. We also delve into how our first blood experience impacts our relationship with our cycle.

This week I’m speaking with Anna, also known as The Spiritual Midwife, who is a midwife, childbirth educator, Kundalini yoga teacher, coach and women’s work facilitator with over 10 years of experience in holding space for women. She offers one-on-one coaching in addition to two online courses where she assists women in embodying sovereignty in their birth space and being a part of preventing birth trauma and postnatal depression, which is seen in large numbers in the western world. In this episode, we speak about the first 40 days of post-partum life, the history and importance of honouring this time, and what exactly mothers and their community are supposed to do during those first 40 days. We discuss the common lack of preparation that most women experience while entering their post-partum period and what they can do to better prepare and have a plan for it. Anna shares with us many of the ways that mothers are supported and celebrated in different cultures around the world, opening our eyes and hearts to the vulnerability and delicacy of motherhood.

This week I’m speaking with Anoushka Florence, Founder of The Goddess Space. Seeking to create beautiful sacred spaces to support, hold, and empower women, Anoushka began hosting small Women's Circles in her living room and now offers one-to-one spirit sessions, nomadic Women's Circles, tailored pop-up events, and private ritual gatherings, including bridal and baby blessings. In this episode, we talk about Anoushka’s recent motherhood journey and how she uses rituals and creates sacred space to honour her journey and herself as a feminine being. Anoushka tells her story of transitioning from maidenhood to motherhood, detailing what she has discovered about the divine feminine and the Goddess along her life journey, as well as how we can honour our sacred space by honouring the first 40 days after giving birth. You’ll learn the purpose and meaning behind women’s circles and explore ways in which you can create sacred space and rituals in the simplest moments of life.  

This week I’m speaking with Sarah Tobin, who has discovered the power of Tapping/EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)after experiencing PTSD from the loss of her first child. During her journey learning the Tapping technique, she has given birth to two beautiful boys and has helped many mothers through the effects of trauma with EFT. In this episode, we speak about how Tapping can release trauma, specifically ancestral trauma and motherhood-related trauma. Trauma is an experience that has affected us in a negative way and it can show up in different forms and sizes. Sarah shares about her journey in motherhood and how EFT has helped her and other women through traumatic experiences, as well as the science behind how Tapping works. Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion around baby loss. https://www.tappingformums.com

This week I’m speaking with Registered Nutritional Therapist, Thalia Pellegrini. After spending 10 years as a broadcast journalist for BBC, Thalia followed her passion for nutritional science. She specializes in women’s health, with an interest in maternal health, and works 1:1 with mothers to help them feel themselves again and stay nourished. Following many years with fertility struggles, she became a mum in 2010 and had her second son in 2012. In this episode, we speak about how nutrition is intrinsically linked to anxiety and motherhood and Thalia offers great insight into the fundamentals of a healthy diet with balanced nutrition. She shares what you can do to heal postnatally, including incorporating dietary changes into family life and getting the support you need. Thalia shares her thoughts on supplements, probiotics, and diet culture, detailing when it’s time to see a professional for guidance and nutritional advice, which is crucial information everyone needs to know.

This week I’m speaking with Registered Nutritional Therapist, Thalia Pellegrini. After spending 10 years as a broadcast journalist for BBC, Thalia followed her passion for nutritional science. She specializes in women’s health, with an interest in maternal health, and works 1:1 with mothers to help them feel themselves again and stay nourished. Following many years with fertility struggles, she became a mum in 2010 and had her second son in 2012. In this episode, we speak about how nutrition is intrinsically linked to anxiety and motherhood and Thalia offers great insight into the fundamentals of a healthy diet with balanced nutrition. She shares what you can do to heal postnatally, including incorporating dietary changes into family life and getting the support you need. Thalia shares her thoughts on supplements, probiotics, and diet culture, detailing when it’s time to see a professional for guidance and nutritional advice, which is crucial information everyone needs to know. www.thaliapellegrini.com  

This week I’m speaking with Emma Cottam, photography teacher, podcaster, and Owner and Founder of @isabella_and_us  a mum-focused online gift shop. Emma is a mother and wife who is passionate about raising awareness of maternal mental health and encouraging mums to make time for themselves. Emma is also the Editor of the Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums, a quarterly publication all about self-care, wellbeing and motherhood. In this episode, we speak about the importance of taking time to nourish and look after yourself in ways that are suited to you, while seeking out the support you need after giving birth. Emma speaks on some of the biggest challenges she faced postpartum and how she overcame them, speaking openly about topics that are usually cast as taboo or shameful in society. She details the significance of her business and magazine, emphasizing how it’s been a saving grace for her mental health.

This week I’m speaking with Clio Wood, women’s health and sex-positivity advocate and Founder of &Breathe, an award-winning fitness and well-being retreat for pre/postnatal parenthood and perimenopause. She created &Breathe following the birth of her daughter in 2014 and her postnatal experiences with rehab, fitness and well-being, birth trauma, depression, and painful sex/pelvic floor issues. Clio is passionate about helping women to be their best selves. In this episode, we speak about moving your body in a new way after becoming a mother, noting the emotional and mental benefits of exercise. We discuss what affects our bodies during those early days of motherhood, from body image to the effects of exercise on our mental health, and how we can start the journey towards recovery and building up our strength again. Clio talks to us about pelvic floor health and the power in scheduling in time to move.

This week I’m speaking with Alissa Timoshkina, Author, Chef, Writer, Podcast Host of Motherhood, Event Curator & Mama. Alissa has had an interesting journey in life, moving from her home country of Russia during her formative years, struggling with an eating disorder (ED), becoming fascinated with food, and then becoming a mother. Women are much more likely to have an ED than men and Alissa wants to liberate women from the grasp of the patriarchal norms of how we should look and what we should eat. In this episode, we talk about the importance of nourishing the mother, what that means, and how we can work towards a healthy relationship with food. Food cultivates nourishment, community, and connection. Alissa explains how our relationship to food transitions alongside our motherhood journey and the importance of healing our relationship with food, leading to creating positive relationships with food for our children.

This week I’m speaking with Catherine Topham Sly, a BCAP accredited counsellor, writer and speaker who specialises in relationships, and particularly the challenges of staying connected with your partner while raising a family together.Catherine works with adult individuals and couples, in Brighton, Hove, and online, who want to make changes and feel better by working together to make sense of their problems and find a way forwards. In this episode, we dive into the most common and biggest challenges couples face after having children, including communication, the mental load, resentment, sex and intimacy, and so much more. We share stories and examples of experiences with disconnection after having kids, differences in desire, default parenting, and societal expectations and judgements of parental roles. Catherine shares powerful tips and techniques for staying connected and aligned with your partner so that you can resolve conflict and foster a loving relationship.