Nourishing The Mother

In this deeply personal solo episode, Julie responds to listener questions about her hysterectomy experience four years after surgery. From the realities of recovery and unexpected complications to the impact on sex, orgasm, identity, and womanhood, she shares the parts few people talk about openly. This is a candid conversation about what she gained, what she lost, what surprised her most, and why she would still make the same decision again. Fair warning: there is plenty of TMI in this episode - including discussions about vaginas, orgasms, catheters, numbness, butt pain, and all the messy, human realities of healing.In this episode, Julie discusses:- Why she ultimately chose hysterectomy after 17 years of prolapse and adenomyosis- The years-long decision-making process leading up to surgery- The unexpected emotional impact of community criticism and losing friendships- What happened when her urethra stopped functioning after surgery- Why self-catheterisation became a surprisingly empowering experience- The

If you've ever found yourself snapping at your partner, yelling at your children, or wondering why your anger feels bigger, faster and harder to contain than it used to, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we unpack the silence-explode cycle so many women find themselves trapped in, particularly during the motherhood and perimenopause years. We explore why anger isn't the problem, what it's trying to tell you, how depletion, over-functioning, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes shorten your fuse, and why the real work isn't suppressing your anger or unleashing it on everyone around you - it's learning to listen to the deeper truth underneath it.In this episode we discuss:- Why anger isn't the problem - and why we need to stop making it the villain- The silence-explode cycle and how pressure builds long before the outburst- Why motherhood, perimenopause, ADHD, burnout and depletion can shorten your fuse- Anger as a messenger rather than something to suppress or fear-

What happens when one partner feels like they are carrying the invisible weight of parenting, household management, life admin, remembering, planning, and emotional labour… while the other insists they’re helping? In this episode, Julie and Bridget unpack one of the most common resentment loops they see in relationships: the gap between effort and ownership. They explore why “helping” can still leave a primary parent feeling deeply alone, how over-functioning and under-functioning quietly reinforce each other, and why this conversation is so often less about chores… and more about responsibility. Together, they dive into the mental load, the defensiveness trap, gendered conditioning, breadwinning, and the exhausting dynamic of one person becoming the household manager while the other becomes the assistant. This is not about blame or shame - it’s about redefining partnership, shared ownership, and what it actually means to fully participate in the adult life you created together. If you’ve ever found yourself

Perimenopause can feel like your body, mind and identity are shifting beneath your feet - but what if this season is not simply hormonal chaos to survive, but a profound invitation into your next evolution? In this powerful conversation, naturopath and counsellor Charmaine Newmark joins us to explore perimenopause as the transition from mother to matriarch - a deeply biological, emotional and spiritual rite of passage that so many women are navigating without enough support. Together, we unpack the symptoms, stress, body changes, identity shifts and nervous system depletion that can shape this chapter, while offering grounded, practical ways to support your hormones, energy, sleep and sense of self.In this episode we discuss:- What perimenopause actually is - and why it can begin years before menopause- Common symptoms including brain fog, fatigue, sleep disruption, libido changes and weight shifts- Why stress, burnout and nervous system depletion can intensify hormonal symptoms- The transition from reproduct

Attraction doesn’t switch off when you’re in a committed relationship — but what it means, and what you do with it, is where everything changes. This episode reframes attraction from something dangerous or disloyal into something deeply human, and explores how to hold that energy with integrity, self-awareness, and choice, rather than repression or collapse.In this episode we discuss:- why attraction to others doesn’t disappear in monogamy… and what it actually signals- how we’ve been conditioned to equate attraction with betrayal, especially as women- the difference between feeling attraction and acting on it- how repression creates more charge, secrecy, and disconnection in relationships- using attraction as feedback; about your energy, your aliveness, your unmet parts- the concept of sexual sovereignty: holding your desire without outsourcing it or acting impulsively- how to stay in integrity with your relationship while still being a fully expressed, turned-on human- the importance of self-discipline: not

There’s a quiet, almost surreal moment when you realise… it didn’t pass through you. The reaction that used to be automatic doesn’t land the same. The pattern that shaped your family line stops with you. This episode explores what it actually feels like to break generational patterns - not as a loud, triumphant moment, but as a series of subtle, powerful choices that change the trajectory of everything that comes after you.In this episode we discuss:- the moment you notice you didn’t react the way you were wired to… and how significant that actually is- how breaking the pattern often feels quiet, almost underwhelming…but deeply profound- recognising the inherited dynamics you’ve been living inside of, without even realising- the tension of holding both where you came from and who you’re becoming- why growth isn’t about rejecting your lineage, but integrating and choosing differently- the grief and pride that can coexist when you see the pattern clearly- how your children reflect back the shifts you’ve made; i

There’s a particular kind of fall that happens after we’ve tried to be the perfect parent - not just good, but better than what we had growing up; more conscious, more patient, more healed. And when we inevitably hit our edge, it doesn’t just feel like a bad moment… it feels like a collapse of identity. This episode unpacks how that spiral is not a sign you’re failing, but a direct consequence of the pedestal you’ve placed on who you think you need to be…and how softening the fantasy is what actually frees you from the shame loop.In this episode we discuss:- how you didn’t just become a parent… you stepped into a version of yourself you’d been rehearsing for yearsthe “perfect parent” as a fantasy built from everything you didn’t get, and everything you swore you’d be- why the higher the pedestal, the harder the fall: pride into guilt, control into collapse- the moment you hear your parent come out of your mouth… and the shame lands hard and fast- how the spiral isn’t because you’re failing…it’s because the st

In this episode, we’re joined by family therapist and author Lisa Taylor (The Perfect Parent Trap) for a deeply honest conversation about what’s really happening underneath our parenting. Lisa brings over 25 years of clinical experience into this discussion as we unpack the difference between reacting to our children versus truly responding to them — and how often we’re unknowingly parenting from our own unresolved “heartprints” rather than the child in front of us. We explore the pull toward control, the moments that hijack us, and what it actually looks like to pause, repair, and reconnect in real time. This is a conversation about letting go of perfection, understanding behaviour as communication, and learning how to hold boundaries from a place of love — not fear.Connect with Lisa:Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Perfect-Parent-Trap-Therapists-Traditional/dp/1923403583/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2E8VQDPV2U8TU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._ao0PRbW0zBY3kS7KnQ3DUz7-q2qOlhvDeJZgzHdOUwgmDudrVGboz5JAjB-ltXPadqtvGtmzN2J9WgpHPWK1cP

This one goes right to the heart of what so many long-term couples quietly sit in but rarely say out loud; the moments where you question everything, where disinterest creeps in, and where part of you starts scanning for the exit. Julie and Bridget unpack the truth that these seasons don’t mean your relationship is broken, but they do ask something deeper of you. They explore the concept of the “exit girl” - the part of you that wants out - not as something to suppress, but something to understand, honour, and get honest with. Because when you know what that part of you actually needs, you stop making reactive decisions and start making powerful ones. This is a conversation about choice, clarity, and taking responsibility for the relationship you’re in; whether that means staying, leaving, or completely redefining how you show up inside it.In this episode we discuss:• the normalisation of disinterest, distance and “co-existing” seasons in long-term love• why questioning your relationship doesn’t mean it’s fai

Friendships are one of the first places our children meet the raw edges of relationship: loyalty, exclusion, conflict, repair and belonging. And if you’re a parent watching from the sidelines, it can stir up everything. In this conversation, Julie and Bridget unpack the emotional complexity of children’s friendships, particularly through the tween and teenage years, where identity, social power and belonging start to take shape. They explore the difference between protecting our children and rescuing them, the courage required to teach accountability, and why sometimes the most powerful thing we can do as parents is step back and allow our children to learn how relationships actually work.In this episode we discuss:• Why our children’s friendships can trigger such a deep emotional response in parents…especially mothers• The different ways boys and girls often develop socially and how this shapes their friendship dynamics• Why the tween years are a “trying on” period for identity, belonging and social power• T

Adult friendships can look very different once life fills up with partners, children, careers and shifting values. In this conversation we explore what it really means to navigate friendship as grown women: the grief when friendships change, the beauty of seasonal relationships, and the quiet truth that the friendships that last are the ones built on reciprocity, honesty and shared values. We unpack the pressure women often feel to maintain friendships exactly as they once were, and why allowing relationships to evolve can actually create space for deeper, more aligned connection.In this episode we discuss:• How friendships naturally evolve through motherhood, career shifts and changing life seasons• The grief that can arise when friendships change, stretch or quietly fall away• Why some friendships are seasonal gifts rather than lifelong commitments• Navigating different parenting styles, values and life circumstances with friends• The emotional labour women often carry in maintaining friendships• The import

In this honest, grounded conversation, we unpack what it really takes to sustain a long-term relationship through parenting, midlife shifts, sexual differences, resentment, novelty, and the quiet drift that can happen when life gets busy. We share personal stories from our own marriages - the escapes, the misunderstandings, the accountability, the grace - and explore how intentional action, communication, sexual intimacy, and self-awareness can transform a partnership from obligation back into choice. This is a conversation about choosing each other again and again, with freedom, truth, and depth.In this episode, we discuss:-The reality of long-term love beyond the honeymoon phase-How parenting reshapes identity, intimacy, and friendship-Why modern couples spend so little quality time together...and what that costs us- The power of novelty in preventing complacency- Grace as the glue in decades-long relationships- Masculine accountability and moving out of resentment- What happens when love languages don’t na

In this episode of Nourishing the Mother, Julie and Bridget dive into the invisible labour of advocating for your child inside school and medical systems; especially when your child is neurodivergent, anxious, or simply doesn’t fit the mould. They unpack how our own history with authority shapes how we show up, why systems can both help and harm, and how constant advocacy quietly erodes mothers’ energy, self-worth, and capacity. This is a raw, practical conversation about choosing your battles, preparing proactively, assuming positive intent where possible, and tending to yourself so advocacy doesn’t consume you whole.In this episode we discuss:• why advocating for your child can feel emotionally brutal, lonely, and never-ending• how your own experiences with authority shape how you deal with schools and professionals• the difference between fighting a system and learning how to work within it• why choosing aligned schools and services matters more than trying to change broken ones• how neurodivergent kids of

A simple ask for help on the sidelines becomes a powerful mirror into long-term relationship dynamics. In this episode, Julie and Bridget unpack a very real rupture between Julie and Nick, revealing how moments of overwhelm can activate old attachment wounds, masculine defensiveness, and feminine collapse. Together they explore how childhood patterns quietly replay in adult partnerships, why competence can become a barrier to intimacy, and what it actually takes to keep choosing each other when nervous systems are under pressure. A raw, honest conversation about communication, polarity, and the ongoing work of conscious love.In this episode we discuss:- How small moments can activate old relational wounds- What happens when asking for help is met with defensiveness- The grief and humiliation that can arise when support isn’t available in panic- How childhood patterns (especially with our mothers) replay in adult relationships- The strategies women develop to avoid rejection, and the intimacy cost of those str

Back to school isn’t just a diary change…it’s a full nervous system reboot.In this episode, Julie and Bridget get radically practical about what actually creates calm in the return-to-school season. Not mindset hacks. Not “just be more organised.” But the real, lived strategies that reduce friction, soften mornings, and help both parents and kids land back into rhythm; especially when neurodivergence, sensory needs, or emotional overwhelm are in the mix. This is about removing the predictable stress points so you’re not burning through your capacity before 8.30am… and so you can meet your children with steadiness instead of snapping over socks.In this episode, we discuss:- Why back to school dysregulates parents just as much as children, and how to work with that instead of against it- How small, repeated friction points quietly drain your nervous system (and why it’s never really about the socks)- Identifying your personal school-morning kryptonite before it takes you out- Running each child individually, in

In this episode, Bridget shares her experience of her grandfather’s passing, and the reflections that surfaced in the aftermath. Together, Julie and Bridget explore how our understanding of the people we love is always shaped by proximity, role, and family narrative.We unpack the idea that we never truly know a whole person; only the version revealed to us through relationship, family dynamics, and shared stories. This conversation gently examines legacy, memory, and the quiet humility required to accept that every life is larger and more complex than the slice we are given. It’s a reflection on grief, inheritance, and the ways family both connects us and limits what we can see, without needing answers, conclusions, or neat meaning-making.In this episode we discuss:- What it’s like to lose a grandparent and sit with what remains unspoken- How family stories shape who someone is allowed to be in memory- The idea that we only ever know people through our own relational lens- How different family members can hol

You don’t need a quiet house.You don’t need a fresh journal, a candle, or the “right headspace.”In this episode, Bridget and Julie walk you through 10 gentle New Year reflection questions in real time - the kind you can answer as you listen. Sitting in the car. On the couch. With a notes app open and a half-drunk cup of tea beside you.We pause.We give you space.And then…imperfectly and honestly…we answer them ourselves, on the fly.This is not about crafting beautiful intentions or saying the “right” thing. It’s about noticing what’s actually true after a full year of living, loving, mothering, working, holding, and becoming.You’re invited to reflect alongside us - not as a student, not as someone who needs to get it together - but as a woman in motion.Let this be messy.Let it be simple.Let it meet you exactly where you are.Press play. Grab your phone or a pen.And join us in meeting the year ahead, without forcing it.Want support on this journey? Come join us inside Honey Club - where we melt these blocks toge

The post-Christmas crash can leave many women feeling not just tired, but disconnected — from their bodies, their partners, and their erotic selves. In this deeply relieving episode, Julie and Bridget explore how the adrenaline of December masks exhaustion until it drops, and why that comedown so often shows up as sexual shutdown. They gently dismantle the myth that intimacy requires energy women simply don’t have at this time of year, and explore what it looks like to reconnect without pressure, performance, or guilt. This conversation reframes low libido not as a relationship problem, but as an intelligent signal of depletion, mental load, and modern motherhood…and offers a softer, more honest pathway back to connection.In this episode we discuss:- Why the post-Christmas adrenaline crash often brings emotional and sexual disconnection- How modern motherhood, constant vigilance, and over-functioning contribute to sexual shutdown- Why Christmas and January amplify “roommate mode” in long-term relationships- T

In the final week before Christmas, when the lists are finished and the adrenaline drops, many women don’t feel relief…they feel flat, teary, irritable or quietly undone. This episode is an emotional temperature check for overstretched mothers asking, “I should be happy… so why do I feel empty?” Julie and Bridget name the invisible load women are carrying and explore why Christmas becomes the moment everything catches up. This isn’t about fixing yourself, it’s about naming what’s real instead of performing festive happiness, and understanding what your body and heart have been holding all year.In this episode we discuss:- Why women often get sick, emotional or unravel right as the “finish line” approaches- What happens in the nervous system when the doing stops and there’s finally space to feel- The invisible labour of holding logistics, emotions, magic and family harmony- The silent bargains women make with themselves to keep going…and the cost of those bargains- The thoughts women don’t say out loud because

The festive season looks magical on paper: twinkly lights, long lunches, sparkling moments with kids… but for so many families, it’s actually a sensory avalanche waiting to happen. In this episode, we unpack what’s really going on beneath the meltdowns, the indecision, the clinginess, the crankiness, and the “I can’t do this” moments (from kids and parents). We map nervous systems, explore individual sensory needs, and name the pressure cooker that December becomes — especially when you’re juggling perimenopause, presents, dinners, social expectations, and kids who are already overstretched. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human: how to choose magic moments without drowning in them, what regulation actually looks like for each child, and why being brutally honest about your capacity is the most loving thing you can do for your family.  In This Episode, We Discuss:• How the festive season overloads children’s nervous systems through noise, crowds, smells, transitions, and too much “magic” to