Transformed by Birth

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 patriarchy, capitalism, and shame-based conditioning shape modern family life, why so many parents feel isolated and overwhelmed, and how reclaiming agency and selfhood becomes part of the rite of passage into parenthood. This conversation is honest, layered, and deeply validating. It invites you to question what you've been taught, reconnect with your inner authority, and remember that feeling stretched, disoriented, or dissatisfied is not personal failure — it is a response to a system that was never built to truly support families. LEARN MORE

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 between the pelvic floor and identity, sexuality, confidence, movement, and healing, and why so many people are left without education or support during some of the most transformative seasons of life. This conversation invites you to step out of shame and silence, reclaim agency in your body, and understand pelvic floor health as essential, not optional. Whether you are pregnant, postpartum, navigating midlife changes, or supporting families professionally, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical wisdom. LEARN MORE

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 actually need, and how understanding the science of nervous system regulation, co-regulation, and attunement can simplify parenting rather than adding more pressure. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with your instincts, and remember that nurturing is not about perfection. Whether you are pregnant, postpartum, parenting young children, or supporting families professionally, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a powerful reframe for what truly supports both babies and parents. LEARN MORE

In this episode, we explore pregnancy and parenthood through the lens of identity, embodiment, and the ways our relationship to strength is reshaped during profound life transitions. In conversation with Peloton instructor, author, and advocate Robin Arzón, we reflect on how pregnancy interrupts productivity culture and invites a deeper redefinment of worth, power, and presence. Together, we talk about ambition, performance, and the pressure to "optimize" every stage of pregnancy and recovery, and what happens when the body asks for something different. Robin shares candidly about slowing down, listening to the body, and meeting the discomfort of change without trying to muscle through it. This conversation is an invitation to soften rigid expectations, honor the identity shifts that accompany pregnancy and parenthood, and remember that strength is not always loud or visible. Whether you are pregnant, postpartum, or navigating another season of becoming, this episode offers perspective, honesty, and permission to redefine what resilience looks like from the inside out. LEARN MORE

In this episode, we explore pregnancy and early parenthood as profound inner transformations, not just physical or logistical milestones. In conversation with Vedic meditation teacher, veteran doula, and dear friend Patti Quintero, we look at how the nervous system shapes our experience of conception, pregnancy, birth, and life with a new baby. Together, we talk about stress, regulation, and the quiet but powerful practices that help us meet change with more adaptability and self-trust. We explore meditation as a form of non-doing, the importance of creating space to de-excite the body, and why tending to our inner world is not another task on the to-do list, but a foundation for navigating this rite of passage. This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and remember that there is no one right way. Whether you are preparing for birth, newly postpartum, or supporting others through this season, this conversation offers grounding, perspective, and permission to begin again. LEARN MORE  

In this solo end-of-year episode, I share the story of La Loba, the Bone Woman, as a guiding metaphor for times of transition and reflection. Through this myth, we explore what it means to gather the bones of our lived experience, to honor the pause before change, and to wait for the song that brings vitality back into what we have built. This episode invites you to slow down at the threshold of the year and reflect on where you are in your own unfolding. Whether you are navigating pregnancy, postpartum, parenthood, or another season of becoming, this is a reminder that not all phases are meant for forward motion. Some are for listening, waiting, and remembering what animates us from within. LEARN MORE

In this episode, I sit down with doula, educator, and longtime friend Lori Bregman for a grounded and heartfelt conversation about birth as a rite of passage and the deeper role of the doula. Together, we explore how pregnancy and birth invite profound inner change, and how support rooted in presence, authenticity, and trust can shape not only the birth experience but also the transition into parenthood. Lori shares her perspective on birth as a portal, the importance of moving beyond "should," and how mind, body, and spirit support can help parents quiet the noise, reclaim agency, and meet this threshold with clarity and self-trust. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and remember that birth is not only about bringing a baby into the world. It is about becoming someone new. LEARN MORE

In this episode, we explore early parenthood as both a practical learning curve and a quiet rite of passage. In conversation with longtime postpartum doula and baby wearing expert Laura Brown, we look at how everyday decisions like baby carriers, feeding support, and leaving the house often carry deeper questions about identity, safety, and the longing to be a good parent. We talk about how fear-based messaging and social media overwhelm can pull parents away from their own inner knowing, and how returning to presence, responsiveness, and relationship can bring grounding back into the experience. This episode is an invitation to soften, breathe, and remember what babies need most. Whether you are expecting, newly postpartum, or supporting someone in this tender season, this conversation offers reassurance, perspective, and space to trust yourself. LEARN MORE  

In this episode, we explore VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) as both an evidence-based option and a deeply personal rite of passage. Together, we look at how surgical birth, primary cesareans, and labels like "failure to progress" shape future choices, and how tools such as VBAC calculators can offer clarity while also limiting possibilities. This conversation invites you to meet VBAC with curiosity, grounding, and self-trust. We talk about voice, agency, and the inner work of navigating a system that often feels inconsistent and confusing. Whether you are preparing for your first or planning for another birth after a previous cesarean, this episode offers perspective, compassion, and space to breathe into what feels right for you. LEARN MORE

In this episode, I sit down with midwife and storyteller Nicole Morales, LM, CPM for a soulful conversation about birth, story, and the courage required to meet the unknown. We explore how birth unfolds far beyond cervical measurements and timelines, and how physiology, culture, and personal history weave together to shape every experience. Nicole shares her perspective on restorative midwifery, the power of story as a guide, and how breech birth invites us to see the world differently. Together, we look at the humility and curiosity needed in birth work and the importance of staying present when the path ahead is unclear. This conversation reminds us that birth is never just a clinical event. It is a living, human rite of passage that asks us to listen deeply and step into the mystery with an open heart. LEARN MORE

In this episode, I sit down with trans Papa Herbie Huff for an eye-opening and deeply human conversation about pregnancy beyond the gender binary. Together, we explore what it means to carry a baby (twins even!) while living outside traditional gender expectations, how identity and physiology intersect, and what truly affirming prenatal care looks like. Herbie invites us into the realities of being a pregnant papa in today's world and shares with honesty, humor, and clarity what this experience has meant for him, his partner, and their growing family. This conversation widens the story of birth and reminds us that pregnancy is a profoundly human experience. LEARN MORE 

I'm joined by mindfulness teacher and parenting mentor Hunter Clarke-Fields for a heartfelt exploration of mindful communication. Together, we look at what it truly means to listen, to acknowledge, and to meet one another with presence. We talk about the power of reflective listening, the relief that comes when emotions are named instead of dismissed, and the deep human longing felt by children and adults alike to be seen and heard. This conversation invites us to slow down, soften, and consider how communication rooted in compassion can transform both parenting and our own inner landscapes. LEARN MORE

What does liberation in birth really mean? In this episode, author and educator Sabia Wade, founder of Birthing Liberation, invites us to explore how power, consent, and even kink shape the way we give and receive care. Together, we trace how the body becomes both a mirror and a teacher, revealing our beliefs about worth, control, and freedom. This is a conversation about reclaiming the body as sacred, about rest and pleasure as acts of resistance, and about remembering that true healing happens when we center humanity in every act of care. LEARN MORE

Big rites of passage invite big feelings. In this episode, I sit with psychotherapist Molly Nourmand, LMFT, to explore perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and the emotional landscape that so many parents quietly navigate. We talk about how to recognize when worry becomes disruption, why practical support matters, and how community loosens shame. You'll hear ways to build a real village, plan your care before exhaustion sets in, and bring partners into the circle of support. Together, we look at therapy, mindfulness, and spiritual anchors as guides for meeting this tender threshold with presence and compassion. LEARN MORE

What does it mean to reclaim birth as a sacred, embodied act? In this episode, somatic coach and Ecstatic Birth founder Sheila Kamara Hay shares how reconnecting with your body, and your pleasure, can shift birth from something to endure into something deeply transformative. Together, we explore the intersection of sexuality, spirituality, and birth, and why honoring your body as a sacred vessel matters more than ever. This is a conversation about trust, embodiment, and remembering that your body holds profound wisdom. Listen in and begin to explore what becomes possible when you birth from within. LEARN MORE

Big rites of passage invite big feelings. In this episode, I sit with Stacey Ramsower to map the terrain of postpartum rage and grief, offer grounded somatic practices, and show how clarity and community can turn survival into support. We reframe rage as a signal for connection, practice titration to build nervous-system capacity, and use expressive arts, movement, and voice to move emotion without getting lost in it. You'll hear simple scripts for naming limits, ways to choose witnesses who can hold intensity with care, and guidance for protecting partnership when life is loud; a steady, compassionate companion for anyone walking the underworld of becoming a parent. LEARN MORE

Why is "trust your intuition" offered so often and explained so rarely? In this solo episode, I tell the Slavic fairytale of Vasilisa the Beautiful and journey with listeners into the forest to meet Baba Yaga—the wild hag who tests, teaches, and returns us to our own inner knowing. We explore intuition not as a switch to flip, but as a practice to tend: feeding the tiny "doll in your pocket," setting clear boundaries, and carrying home the fire of creativity and vitality. I'll also share a simple yarn-doll ritual you can tuck into a diaper bag or pocket as an everyday reminder to pause, ask "Which way now?", and listen for what feels right.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dan Doty, fatherhood guide and founder of Fatherhood Unlocked, to explore the rite of passage dads experience as they cross the threshold into parenthood. We talk about the "skills gap" many men face, why today's dads are called to show up in ways their fathers often weren't, and how this transition reshapes identity, partnership, and legacy. Dan shares how fatherhood, when embraced with intention, can redefine masculinity, rooting it in presence, tenderness, and love. LEARN MORE

Why is matrescence, the developmental transition to motherhood, so often invisible and unnamed? In this episode, I talk with Victoria Trinko and Julia Sarewitz, co-founders of Seed Mother, about the rite of passage of matrescence, why naming this shift matters, and how ritual, resilience, and community can support mothers through the challenges and growth of becoming a parent. Together, we shine a light on the "messy middle" of great change and explore ways to center mothers in their own transformation. LEARN MORE

Why is it so hard to advocate for yourself in birth even when you know what you want? In this episode, I talk with HeHe, a doula and educator and host of The Birth Lounge, about how cultural conditioning shapes our ability to speak up, why advocacy is a skill we can practice, and ways to protect your birth space with curiosity, confidence, and support. LEARN MORE