In this week's episode, we are thrilled to welcome back Attorney Jolee Vacchi, founder of Foundations Family Law & Mediation, to discuss how modern parenting – and all the stress that comes with it – can impact our relationships with our partners. We chat about the recent surgeon general's advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents -- and explore how we got to this point. Jolee shares how she sees the stresses of parenting contribute to many couple's decis...
When was the last time you had a good night's sleep? If you are a midlife mama, you may be experiencing some trouble with this thanks to fluctuating hormones. Dr. Daniella Marchetti joins me this week to discuss how hormones (and age!) affect sleep -- and what we can do to improve the quantity and quality of our sleep. Plus, some reassuring new if you tend to be a night owl! About our guest Dr. Daniella Marchetti is a licensed clinical health psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep me...
In this week's episode, I had the opportunity to chat with Mary Catherine Starr, the artist behind the beloved Instagram account, @momlife_comics. You likely have seen her viral motherhood comics from the account, which has completely exploded over the last few years With both wit and warmth, she regularly explores motherhood, marriage, double standards and the invisible load in her work, making moms laugh, feel validated or fired up depending on the day. Her work has also drawn some critics...
In this week's episode, I chat with Suzette Mullen, author of the powerful memoir, The Only Way Through Is Out. Born from an essay she wrote for the New York Times, her book is both an empowering coming-out and coming-of-age story, as well as a rallying cry to live authentically and trust our inner voices. It's also a story of second chances and second acts, proving there are not time limits when it comes to these things, an important reminder for all middle-aged moms. We discuss...
In the world of Instagram therapy speak, we often hear words like "trauma" and "triggered" thrown around. But what exactly constitutes trauma and how does it impact mothers when not processed appropriately? In this week's episode, we had a powerful conversation with Allie Stefanelli, LICSW, LCSW, PMH-C, about maternal trauma, trauma in general and women's mental health. Allie shares how trauma in women is often left unvalidated, how trauma can affect us as parents and how different approach...
In this week's episode, we are discussing millennials and menopause. Specifically, how the awareness and treatment surrounding menopause has changed dramatically in the last decade. White knuckling through significant symptoms is out. Having options, whether hormone replacement therapy or mental health support, is in. Dr. Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist and author of the new weekly newsletter Hot Flash, breaks down all the information and treatment options millennial women should know -...
“Life is a seesaw, and I am standing dead center, still, and balanced: living kids on one side, living parents on the other. Nicky here with me at the fulcrum. Don’t move a muscle, I think. But I will, of course, You have to.” -Rocky, from Sandwich I had the opportunity to chat with New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman about her latest novel, Sandwich, a moving and funny story of a family vacation told from the perspective of a mother navigating the precarious middle space of l...
In this week's episode, I compare notes with Kristen Reed when it comes to the five things we see being most important for middle-aged moms to feel their best through nutrition and fitness. Kristen is multiple-award-winning National Board Certified Holistic Registered Nurse and Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and Founder of Nursing Your Way to Wellness. As a sought-after women's wellness expert and leader, she has been featured in Glamour Magazine, Mind Body Green, Women’s Health...
Author Chip Conley argues that many aspects of our life get better as we age. According to Conley, in midlife our emotional intelligence improves and we're less reactive. Our self-love and self-understanding both grow. And we gain immense clarity on what we want in life -- and what we don't want. "Your first half of your life is about accumulating. Your second half is about editing." In our season one finale, we chat with women's therapist Kimberly Solo about what it can look and fe...
Avoiding divorce at all costs can be detrimental to women's mental health and quality of life. Yet, many delay the decision or refuse with the belief it will be a never-ending, expensive, and nasty fight -- one they can't handle whether emotionally, financially or logistically. We chatted with Family Law Attorney Jolee Vacchi about what can drive these fears as well as what she sees as the reality in her daily work. From the top reasons she witnesses women wanting a divorce to how the e...
In this week's episode, we are chatting with Leslie Forde, founder of Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs — a company that provides moms with products, research and community to reclaim time for their well-being. Her business also supports organizations to promote wellness for parents at greater risk for burnout with self-care research, rituals and software while teaching managers to disrupt patterns that cause fatigue. After reaching complete burnout in her own life as an exhausted mom with a demanding...
From a handful of local members to thousands across the Northeast, founder Maggie Pearson grew Feast & Fettle, a fully-prepared meal service, while also becoming a mom and growing her family. In this episode, we chat with Maggie about her journey of building a thriving business and the challenges of being a working mom, plus the hard choice she had to make when it came to scaling her company. She also gives her take on the million dollar millennial mom question: can we really have it all?...
You can get all the facials and massages, but if you don't establish and enforce boundaries in your life, are you really taking care of yourself? Therapist Kimberly Solo says women most women struggle with setting boundaries in their lives, and this can weigh on their stress levels and ultimate health. Listen to our conversation to understand why boundaries are essential in our lives, what they can look like and what to do if you struggle to establish/maintain them. People pleasers, this one ...
Think menopause is all hot flashes and for the 50+ crowd? Think again. Due to fluctuating hormones, the years leading up to actual menopause (when your period completely stops) can bring about an array of challenging symptoms — from fatigue and weight gain to brain fog and anxiety, impacting our health and quality of life on many levels. If you’re in your late 30’s or 40s, and haven’t been feeling quite like yourself, it’s time to get educated about perimenopause. We chat with Dr. Alicia Ro...
"Rage" and "mothers" aren't supposed to mix. Yet, for many of us, quietly boiling anger rose to the surface during the pandemic, overflowing into our homes, lives and relationships. Enter writer Minna Dubin and therapist Sarah Harmon. Through different mediums, both examined and provided solutions for mom rage at a time when many women were struggling with an often misunderstood and highly judged emotion. Minna first wrote about mom rage in a 2019 personal essay and then a repo...
Ever wonder if your marriage or relationship is “normal?” How much fighting is too much? How much sex is too little? We chatted with sex and couples therapist Rebecca Eudy about the issues she sees couples facing every day in her work and what truly may be a sign that your relationship is in trouble or needs work. Plus, she shares the number one sex concern she helps couples with – and how to understand and navigate it. This episode is brought to you by Feast & Fettle, a fully-pre...
Did you know that flamingos lose their pink when raising their young because so much of their energy goes to their chicks? They eventually gain it back once their young get older and more independent. In episode one of One More Thing by Mama Beasts, we're talking about what "getting your pink back" can look for human moms who are emerging from the trenches of the early years of motherhood. Therapist Kimberly Solo joins us to discuss how and why we "lose our pink" in the first place as moms ...
Welcome to One More Thing by Mama Beasts, a podcast brought to you by Feast and Fettle, where we invite the woman inside the mother to come out and play. Host Antoinette Hemphill is the founder of Mama Beasts, a media brand that provides inspiring content and empowering events for moms in the middle years. In season one, she chats with guests on everything from mental health and mom rage to how to edit our lives, understand perimenopause and have better sex. While parenting and family conte...
Mom guilt is nothing new — but our 2024 guilt survey reveals it’s negatively affecting our mental health, daily lives and self-worth at alarming rates. Therapist Kimberly Solo and I sat down to discuss these results, the difference between guilt and shame and how these feelings affect our mental health -- plus what we can do about it. Want more content for the woman inside the mother? Be sure to subscribe to our monthly e-magazine and follow us on Instagram.
If you're an older millennial mom, you experienced becoming a mother -- and the subsequent journey -- as social media completely exploded, offering opportunities for connection and education but also judgement, misinformation and toxicity. In our season two opener, we chat with Kara Alaimo, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and author of “Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls - And How We Can Take It Back" about our use o...