In this episode, I’m joined by Nicky Lowe - award-winning Executive Coach, Founder of Luminate Group - to explore the intersection of paid work, leadership, and motherhood. Nicky shares her experience of burnout after becoming a mother and how it reshaped both her life and her work. We discuss motherhood as a vertical development transition, one of the most profound shifts in identity and growth a woman can experience, and the importance of cultivating personal leadership to navigate career and caregiving in more sustainable ways. Together we reflect on the motherhood penalty, the motherhood advantage, and what becomes possible when women are supported to thrive in systems not yet designed with mothers in mind. . . . CONNECT WITH NICKY LOWE - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/luminate/ - Luminate Group Website : https://luminate-group.co.uk - Podcast: https://luminate-group.co.uk/podcasts/ . . . Download Sophie's free Care Career Conundrum Checklist and see how many indicators you or the mothers you support tick off in navigating the tension between care and career: https://motherhoodstudies.newzenler.com/courses/the-care-career-conundrum-checklist/buy

In this episode, I’m joined by Mental Health Endorsed Occupational Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator and Motherhood Studies practitioner Hollie Swanton to explore matrescence, regulation, identity, and the transition into motherhood through the lens of occupational therapy. Hollie supports women both perinatally and across the lifespan using body-based and mind-body approaches to healing, regulation, and reconnection. Together we explore the often invisible work of adapting to motherhood - the shifts in identity, routines, relationships, nervous system responses, and daily occupations that can emerge during the transition into becoming a mother. We discuss what occupational therapy actually is, how OTs can support mothers, and why motherhood can feel so physically and emotionally dysregulating, particularly within systems and cultures that often leave women unsupported, overstimulated, and disconnected from themselves. CONNECT WITH HOLLIE: Free meditations and somatic practices for mothers: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au/free-meditations-for-mothers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollieswanton_ot/ Website: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au Resources: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au/hearth-womens-health

*The Motherhood Studies Certification is currently open for enrolment, starting May 6th: https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on a feeling that so many of us carry - the sense that we’re not doing enough. This can show up as the never-ending to-do list, the sense of being “behind”, comparison to others, or the pressure to keep doing more. In this episode, I explore where this feeling comes from and reflect on: - The difference between “not being enough” and “not doing enough” - Why “enough” often feels like a moving target - How cultural expectations shape our internal narratives If you work with mothers (or are moving into this space), I also explore the sense of relational responsibility many practitioners carry - and why your humanness is not a limitation, but part of your work. I speak to the importance of locating yourself within a broader system, rather than positioning yourself outside of it. If you’d like to explore the idea of “good enough” more deeply, you can also listen to: Ep 100. What is the Essence of 'Good Enough'? Bridging Child and Adult Psychology with Dr Tanya Cotler - https://on.soundcloud.com/ApWBt5ayLUUxGYdop1

Have you ever felt two completely different emotions about motherhood at the same time? Moments of deep love and connection… alongside frustration, resentment, or overwhelm? Have you ever wondered whether something is wrong with you for feeling this way? Or noticed how often mothers feel pressure to present only the loving, patient, endlessly grateful parts of themselves? In this episode, I’m joined by psychotherapist and author Dr Margo Lowy to explore the concept of maternal ambivalence - the experience of holding multiple, often contradictory feelings about motherhood at the same time. Dr Margo invites us to understand maternal ambivalence as a vital part of mothering - the capacity to hold the full range of feelings that arise in relationship with our children. Together we explore the emotional complexity of mothering, the cultural pressures that encourage mothers to suppress parts of themselves, and how learning to sit with conflicting feelings can deepen connection, compassion, and resilience. CONNECT WITH DR MARGO LOWY: • Book: Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood - https://drmargolowy.com/book/maternal-ambivalence-the-loving-moments-bitter-truths-of-motherhood/ • Website: https://drmargolowy.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmargolowy

This episode marks a return to the podcast after a profound personal loss. In September 2025, my mother died suddenly. Since then, my world - personally, professionally, relationally - has shifted in ways I’m still coming to understand. In this episode, I speak gently and honestly about grief, responsibility, and what it's meant to me to try and continue with my work without over-functioning or disappearing. I reflect on what it means to show up 'good enough' in seasons where capacity and pace are altered, and how we might continue mothering, working, and creating. I also share excerpts from an article I’ve written honouring my mother’s life and work, reflecting on 5 lessons my mum taught me. In this episode I explore: - What it means to return to creative and professional work after profound loss - Grief as an ongoing, embodied process - Liminality: living in a space that doesn’t “close” or come to neat completion - The tension between authenticity, boundaries, and public-facing work - Showing up without over-functioning, performing, or abandoning yourself - Lessons in resilience, meaning-making, and care learned through relationship - Creativity, imagination, and art as sustaining practices - Love as a transcendent, relational force mETAphor journal for English teachers - https://www.englishteacher.com.au/resources/categories?id=82

What happens when the emotional, hormonal, and cultural shifts of perimenopause intersect with the daily realities of motherhood? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Cristina Cavezza - clinical psychologist, certified Motherhood Studies practitioner, and mother of twins - for a powerful conversation on the complexities of midlife mothering. Cristina shares her clinical and lived experience of working with mothers during the menopausal transition, exploring how body image, eating habits, and emotional wellbeing are shaped by both personal history and broader systems of power. We talk about the role of objectification theory, the impact of internalised shame and societal shoulds, and the importance of approaching our inner worlds with compassion and curiosity. Cristina brings a trauma-informed, feminist lens to her work - blending schema therapy, EMDR, and therapeutic re-parenting to support women in understanding their emotional needs and reclaiming a more connected relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves. She also offers a beautiful reminder about the importance of play - not just for our children, but for us too. CONNECT WITH DR. CRISTINA CAVEZZA 📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_cristina_cavezza/?hl=en 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573518659491 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cristina-cavezza-222441209/

In this episode I’m joined by Jessica Tomich Sorci, LMFT - a Level 3 Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist, Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional, and the creator of “Mom Parts.” Jessica brings decades of experience in maternal mental health and introduces us to the profound concept of parts work within the context of motherhood. We explore how IFS offers a radically compassionate lens through which to understand maternal distress, not as pathology, but as a protective and adaptive system. Jessica shares how her own postpartum years “blasted apart her psychological infrastructure,” and how discovering IFS brought the structure and depth she needed, both personally and professionally. We talk about her groundbreaking book When Good Moms Feel Bad (forthcoming in 2026 from Hachette Balance), which helps mothers reconnect with their inner wisdom through compassion, creativity, and curiosity. From rage and reactivity to grief, shame, and intergenerational wounds, this conversation holds space for the full range of the emotional experiences of mothers. Connect with Jessica: 🌿 Website: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatomichsorci/ 🌿 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatomichsorci 🌿 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.sorci.14

I explore the emotional complexity that motherhood brings in the context of post-Mother’s-Day – and how we can feel both deep love and deep exhaustion, often in the same breath. I speak to the invisible labour mothers carry, the craving to be seen, and the cultural expectations that shape how we think we “should” feel. You'll hear some of my own reflections about ambivalence, overwhelm, tenderness, identity, and what it means to take up space as a mother. . . . If this conversation resonates with you and you're curious about what it looks like to bring this lens into your current or future mother-care work, tune in to the previous episode: Ep 121 - A Free Training + A Final Invitation: The Next Wave of Motherhood Studies. I share details about the free Missing Piece training and the final days to join The Motherhood Studies Certification - https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies

Join us for a groundbreaking conversation with Professor Andrea O'Reilly, the internationally renowned pioneer who founded the field of Motherhood Studies. In this powerful episode, Dr O'Reilly shares her 40-year journey from questioning motherhood's absence in Women's Studies as a pregnant undergraduate to establishing an entire academic discipline dedicated to mothers' experiences. She discusses the creation of the Journal of the Motherhood Initiative, Demeter Press (which has published nearly 200 titles), and concepts like "Mother Outlaws" and Matricentric Feminism. Key themes explored include the difference between patriarchal motherhood and empowered mothering, the ongoing struggle for legitimacy in academia, raising "outlaw children" against patriarchal norms, the vital importance of community for resistant mothers, and her vision for making mothers "the before thought, not the afterthought." Andrea reflects on the costs and joys of feminist mothering, the need for a mother-centered lens in all disciplines, and why mothers need their own feminism. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in understanding how motherhood shapes our world and how we can create more supportive spaces for all mothers. Demeter Press Website: https://demeterpress.org/ In (M)otherwords (Prof O’Reilly’s essays) book: https://demeterpress.org/books/motherwords The Mother Wave collection: https://demeterpress.org/books/the-mother-wave Journal of the Motherhood Initiative, open access: https://jarm.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jarm For those inspired to dive deeper into this field, you can be trained in the sociology of motherhood through the Motherhood Studies Certification. The next wave of this certification has been directly inspired by my chapter in "The Mother Wave" book, helping to contribute to Dr O'Reilly's ground-breaking work, and turning Motherhood Studies concepts into practical application for professionals working with mothers - https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies Listen to free training on The Missing Piece in Mother-Care Work here: https://motherhoodstudies.newzenler.com/courses/the-missing-piece-in-mother-care-work/buy?coupon=missingpiecefree

Content note: perinatal suicidality In this episode Sophie speaks with midwife and Research Fellow Dr Laura Biggs, and CEO of PANDA Australia, Julie Borninkhof about the Making Sense of the Unseen partnership between the Stronger Futures CRE and the Murdoch Children’s REsearch Institute, PANDA Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia, and James Cook University. In the episode you’ll hear discussed key findings from ground-breaking research conducted by the team on experiences of perinatal suicidality, the first study of its kind ever to be carried out. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in Australia and other high-income countries and yet so far, we’ve known little about women’s experiences of suicidality at this time in their lives. As discussed in this episode, the research identified that perinatal suicidality is driven by experiences of shame, and feelings of being disconnected and ‘defective’ as a mother. We talk about how societal pressures and the perfect mother myth narrative profoundly impact women’s mental health, and share stories from the research that demonstrate the profound importance of compassionate care and rehumanising relationships and care experiences for mothers. This episode is an especially important listen for all of those who work in healthcare and/or with mothers. We want to acknowledge the 139 women who shared their experiences of perinatal suicidality with the research team, as without their generosity, this research and this conversation on the podcast sharing these important findings would not be possible. … Episode webpage: https://drsophiebrock.com/podcast119 Connect with Laura on Twitter @l_biggs Follow PANDA on Facebook at facebook.com/pandanational and Instagram @pandanational Laura Biggs’ email: [email protected] Learn more about Making Sense of the Unseen: https://www.strongerfutures.org.au/making-sense-of-the-unseen Read the journal article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10497323231164278 Support lines Australia - www.panda.org.au/ - 1300 726 306 @pandanational @lifelineaustralia @13yarn UK - pandasfoundation.org.uk/ - 0808 1961 776 USA - www.postpartum.net/ - Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (EN) The EU/EEA - Mental health helpline - 116 123