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Madness Cafe

Author: Raquel Howard and Jennifer Bolanos

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A feminist current events/social commentary podcast where we discuss politics, health and wellness and women's rights issues.

250 Episodes
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Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode author Emily Meg Weinstein joins us to discuss her memoir Turn to Stone. Emily does so much more than just chronicle a significant time in her life or regale the reader with tales of her rock climbing adventures, she examines her own fears and desires, leading to realizations that are simultaneously personal and universal. This is a conversation of and for the heart. We hope you enjoy it. More ab...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode, we discuss Just Pills: The Extraordinary Story of a Revolution in Abortion Care by Rebecca Kelliher. This book details the history of mifepristone and misoprostol - the two pills used in medication abortions. Support the show Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jen...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! This month's installment of our Banned Books Series is all about The Vagina Monologues - the play written by V (formerly known as Eve Ensler) in 1994. "Based on dozens of interviews V conducted with women, the play addressed women’s sexuality and the social stigma surrounding rape and abuse, creating a new conversation about and with women." The Vagina Monologues is just as important and powerful now as it was more tha...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We talk often on this show about the collapse of patriarchy, listening to new and different voices and perspectives, and the envisioning of a new way forward for society. It's also important to talk about how women are supporting patriarchy. This week's guest is one of those voices examining our present while envisioning a new future - Mansi Sethiya is an advocate, teacher, and institutional critic whose work bridges t...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Content warning: In this week's episode, we share our thoughts about The Epstein Files. This is a heavy topic riddled with powerful emotions. Please take care of yourself and prepare yourself however you need to in order to listen. Or sit this one out if that is what is best for you. Support the show Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conve...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Although this week's guest, Melissa Tiers, focuses professionally on coaching the unconscious mind via hypnosis, she speaks passionately and often on social media about issues near and dear to our hearts here at Madness Cafe; specifically, patriarchy, decentering men, and how we've all been primed to act (and, yes, believe) in certain ways by the world we live in. And that world is shaped in very large part by patriarc...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! The next book in our Banned Books Series is Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Published in 1993, this near dystopian, post-apocalyptic allegory explores themes of adaptation and change, environmental and social breakdown, survival and resilience, and hyperempathy and interconnectedness. Tune in to hear our discussion about the book, its relevance, and why society needs to hear the message contained in its pages. ...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Cheri Bergeron always knew that motherhood was in her future. Indeed, she made it her mission to become a mother. Cheri chronicles all that she went through on the way to motherhood in her memoir Mission Motherhood: Writing A New Fairy Tale of Love and Family. Tune in to this candid discussion to learn about all that our guest goes through to build her family. "If the glass slipper doesn't fit, screw the fairy tale! Be...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! According to Psychology Today, parasocial relationships are "one-sided relationships in which a person develops a strong sense of connection, intimacy, or familiarity with someone they don’t know, most often celebrities or media personalities. These relationships exist only in the mind of the individual, who experiences a bond despite the lack of reciprocity. The term was coined by psychologists Donald Horton and R. Ri...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! "Dry January", "Sober Curious", "taking a break" - does any of this sound familiar? Many of us have questioned our relationship to alcohol, whether because of a rough morning after a night of debauchery, just because, or for any number of reasons. Our guest, Suzanne Warye, had her own reasons for stopping drinking. She writes about her experience in her new book The Sober Shift: A Moder-Day Guide to Living an Abundant ...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! We've talked about consent and autonomy in relation to a number of topics on the show, but this is a bit different - unsolicited advice. We don't usually think about consent and autonomy in this regard but maybe we should. We dive right into how to handle receiving unsolicited advice and what to consider when tempted to give it. After listening to the episode, let us know about your experience with unsolicited ad...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! The 1st book in our 2026 Banned Books Series is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Whether you've read the book or not, many of us know the story of Little Women. In this episode we go beyond the story told in the pages of Little Women to discuss Louisa May Alcott, how Little Women was influenced by her own life, the effect the book has had on so many, the movie adaptations, etc. We also dive into why it was important ...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this week's episode friend of the pod Tiffany Mazurek is back! This time she joins us to talk about retirement - current reality, dreams, possibilities, and underlying money stories. True to form, we're candid and vulnerable about our reality and fears around money and retirement. After tuning in, join the discussion and let us know your thoughts about your own retirement and how you're thinking about it. Phot...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! This week's episode is chock full of our musings about life and the things on our minds. Tune in to hear what we're thinking about these days - from last minute pivots to what to do for the next 50 years. Support the show Be part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or b...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Our guest this week, N.G. Avant, is an award-winning indie author who made the leap into fiction after working in municipal politics. Her first series, Capital City, grew out of her experience in politics. She joins us to discuss her new book Nexus, which is the first book in her new series, Witchy Women. This series continues N.G,'s focus on strong female leads, resilience, and empowerment while weaving in themes of p...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Ah, rest - arguably most of us don't get enough of it. Did you know that sleep is only one way to rest? In fact, there are 7! Tune in to find out what the 7 types are and why they're important. Photo by Baptista Ime James on Unsplash Articles referenced for this episode: https://www.apa.org/topics/mental-health/seven-rest-types https://ideas.ted.com/the-7-types-of-rest-that-every-person-needs/ https://www.verywellmind....
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! Dear Martin by Nic Stone stands as the final book in our 2025 Banned Books Series. Dear Martin tells the story of a Black teenager trying to work through the effects of being racially profiled by the police. But that's only one part of the story; there's quite a bit packed into this concise, tightly written book. Tune in to hear our reactions to Nic Stone's brilliant and thought-provoking debut. We also share our refle...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! By now, just about everyone has commented on the New York Times OpEd piece "Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?". Well, now it's our turn. Tune in to hear our thoughts about the saga. Mentioned in this episode: - "Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?" https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/opinion/women-workplace-feminism-conservative.html - "Women Didn't Ruin the Workplace. Capitalism Did." https://www.salon.com/...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! It's time for another installment of our Banned Books Series! This month we're discussing Almost Perfect, winner of the first Stonewall Award for Children's & Young Adult Literature, written by Brian Katcher. This book follows Logan, a high school senior, as he works through his feelings about his friendship and budding romance with an 18-year-old trans woman. This is a well-written book worth reading and discussin...
Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode! In this post-Roe world of fewer states with legalized access to abortion care women are forced to travel to get the healthcare that they need and want. Our guest this week, Rev. Erika Ferguson, founded an organization that helps women make that journey - Tubman Travel Project, a first-of-its-kind travel model for reproductive freedom travel. Tune in to this inspiring conversation to hear how Rev. Erika was fueled by he...
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