In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I am joined by coach, doula, and author Jessie Harrold for a rich and deeply validating conversation about matrescence, the profound identity transformation that unfolds as we become mothers.

Together, we explore motherhood as a rite of passage rather than a pathology. Jessie shares her four elements model of radical transformation and helps us name what so many parents feel but rarely have language for: the grief, anger, ambivalence, and disorientation that accompany this becoming.

We talk about why losing yourself in motherhood is not failure but part of the developmental arc of transformation, how adult development theory helps us hold paradox with more skill, and why reclaiming motherhood from cultural extremes matters.

This episode invites you to honor both the unbecoming and the becoming, and to remember that you are not broken. You are becoming.

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In this episode of Transformed by Birth, I'm joined by somatic trauma consultant, author, and maternal health advocate Parijat Deshpande for a deeply grounding conversation about high-risk pregnancy, preterm birth, and the NICU experience.

Together, we explore what the term "high-risk" actually means, how it is often misunderstood, and why hearing that label can be so destabilizing to the nervous system. Parijat brings clarity to the psychology and physiology of stress in pregnancy, helping us understand how fear, uncertainty, and incomplete stress responses affect the body and the birth experience.

This episode centers the lived experience of parents. We talk about trauma, grief, self-blame, and the often unseen emotional toll of high-risk pregnancy and NICU stays. We also explore practical, embodied tools for working with stress, supporting the nervous system, and reclaiming agency in moments when parents feel powerless.

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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.

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