A Quiet Moment Together on The Happy Mama Movement Podcast

In this solo episode, we're joined by one of our incredible Mama Rising® Movement Facilitators, Claire Holloway—a devoted guide for women on the journey of matrescence and the founder of The Centre of Bright Beginnings. Claire opens her heart and shares her personal story of becoming a mother, what surprised her, what healed her, and how she now supports others navigating their own bright beginnings.

We talk about:

• Shifting Expectations of Motherhood: When conception doesn’t come easily, even for those who’ve always been surrounded by babies, it can challenge deeply held beliefs about how motherhood begins.
• The Turning Point: Sometimes the journey to parenthood starts with slowing down, letting go of structure, and making intentional space—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
• The Invisible Load of Pain: Chronic pain and isolation in pregnancy and postpartum can go unseen, yet they shape the entire experience of early motherhood—and highlight the need for better support.
• Finding Language in Matrescence: Discovering a name for the transformation of motherhood can be a powerful moment of clarity—finally making sense of the shifts across conception, birth, and beyond.
• The Power of The Village: A supported matrescence is rarely a solo effort—it thrives with the right team in place, whether through professionals, friends, or accessible community resources.
• Yoga as a Lifeline and a Lens: Yoga becomes more than movement; it can be a deeply personal philosophy that aligns with and supports the rhythms of motherhood.
• A Vision for the Future: The dream of a collaborative, whole-person perinatal care space—rooted in physical, emotional, and spiritual support—reminds us how powerful community can be for mothers, no matter where they are on their journey.

ABOUT CLAIRE HOLLOWAY:

Claire Holloway is the founder of The Centre of Bright Beginnings, where she supports people throughout the journey of matrescence. She is an experienced yoga practitioner, facilitator, and movement educator with a special interest in perinatal and pelvic health. Her prenatal, postpartum and parenting programs are shaped by her own experience of becoming a mother and her training as a Matrescence Coach, creating deeply supportive spaces for others to navigate their transformation. Claire’s upcoming offering Yoga for Homebirth will launch in early 2025.

Connect with Claire:

• https://www.yourbrightbeginning.com.au/
• Instagram – @yourbrightbeginning
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/yourbrightbeginning

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Welcome to The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

This week’s guest is Ilana Yahdav — a certified grief educator, storyteller, and advocate for reimagining our relationship with grief, especially during the profound identity shift of motherhood. In this deeply affirming conversation, we explore the powerful intersection between matrescence and grief, and how validating our emotions can lead to profound healing.

We talk about:

• The transformative power of grief: Ilana shares how the loss of her father plunged her into a decade-long journey through grief, and how discovering grief recovery changed the course of her life, helping her validate her feelings and eventually support others through their losses.
• Grief and matrescence as deeply intertwined: Ilana reflects on the layered grief of becoming a mother—especially during the pandemic—and how discovering the concept of matrescence helped her finally name what she was experiencing. She emphasizes that grief is not just about death, but any significant change in life, including motherhood.
• Normalizing grief in motherhood: From the loss of identity to everyday transitions like a child’s first steps or starting school, Ilana explains how grief is a natural part of motherhood. She highlights the importance of language, validation, and grief recovery tools in helping mothers understand and move through these complex emotions.
• Grieving who we were while embracing who we’re becoming: Ilana explores how we can hold both grief and gratitude—acknowledging that it’s normal to mourn parts of our past selves, even while deeply loving our children and the life we’ve built.
• Leaning on community through nonlinear journeys: From motherhood to loss, Ilana reminds us that healing isn’t meant to happen in isolation. We need each other. Both grief and matrescence unfold in unpredictable ways—and having a supportive village makes all the difference.

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with loved ones who might need this reminder today.

ABOUT ILANA YAHDAV:

Ilana Yahdav is a certified matrescence coach, grief educator, speaker, writer, and CEO of The Non-Linear Journey. As a mother of two young children, she combines her expertise and experience to guide moms through motherhood's physical and emotional transformations—from embracing their new identity to grieving the life they've left behind. Ilana makes challenging topics approachable with gentle humor and deep empathy by creating a safe and supportive environment.

RESOURCES:

🌐 Website: https://thenonlinearjourney.com/

Substack: thenonlinearjourney.substack.com

📸 Instagram: @thenonlinearjourneylife

📌 Pinterest: The Non-Linear Journey

📘 Facebook: The Non-Linear Journey

🔗 LinkedIn (Personal): Ilana Yahdav

🏢 LinkedIn (Company): The Non-Linear Journey

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Welcome to this week’s episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, I’m joined by Gayane Aramyan, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health.

With warmth, wisdom, and lived experience, Gayane helps us explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of anger, conflict, and overwhelm in early parenthood and how we can begin to heal and reconnect.

We get deep into the weeds:

• The Calling Shaped by Experience:

How Gayane’s journey into therapy began in her teens, and how her early exposure to anger management and mentorship shaped her path into perinatal mental health.

• The Wake-Up Call of Postpartum:

Why becoming a mother during the pandemic—and navigating exhaustion, depression, and an unexpected diagnosis—deepened Gayane’s understanding of what new parents truly need.

• The Urgency of Prenatal Preparation:

Why so many parents seek help only after things unravel—and how shifting the timeline to include mental health preparation before birth can change the postpartum experience entirely.

• Naming the Overwhelm:

What emotional flooding really is, why it’s so common in early parenthood, and how naming and normalising these states can help parents feel less alone and more empowered.

• The Silence Around Postpartum Struggles:

How cultural silence, unrealistic expectations, and internalised fear keep new parents from speaking up—and why so many mothers later say, “I wish someone had told me.”

ABOUT GAYANE ARAMYAN:

Gayane Aramyan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Los Angeles, specializing in perinatal therapy. She helps individuals and couples navigate pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood, offering compassionate support through these profound life transitions. Drawing from her own experiences—marrying her high school sweetheart and balancing working parenthood—Gayane brings a deeply personal understanding to her practice.

She earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University and has advanced training in Anger Management, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT), Grief Processing, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Known for her nurturing and validating approach, Gayane creates a safe space for healing and personal growth. Her expertise has been featured in Women's Health, CNBC, Forbes, The Los Angeles Times, and HuffPost, where she shares insights on relationships and self-development. Whether guiding young women through life transitions or supporting couples in parenthood, Gayane is dedicated to helping clients build fulfilling, resilient lives.

RESOURCES:

Instagram: @therapywithgayane

Website: www.therapywithgayane.com

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Welcome to this Light-filled episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, I'm thrilled to be joined by the remarkable Amy Molloy—an award-winning journalist, editor, author, and the creative force behind the hit podcast The Space, which has garnered over 6 million downloads. Amy's dedication to "words that move the world forward" has led her to craft compelling narratives that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide.

In Our Conversation, We Explore:

• The Wisdom of Children: Reflecting on the emotional and spiritual sensitivity of the current generation of kids.
• Ways of supporting Sensitive Children: Tangible strategies to develop energy awareness and emotional autonomy.
• The Role of Parents: Encouraging mothers to do the inner work, re-parenting themselves and clearing inherited shame and trauma so they can better support their children.
• Empathy and Relearning: how we were raised versus the way of parenting highly sensitive and intuitive kids.
• Soul Contracts and Spiritual Connection: From past lives, shared chakra systems, inherited karma, and soul-level healing.
• The Courage of This Generation: How children today are seen as truth-tellers and catalysts, demanding accountability, healing, and truth.

About Amy Molloy:

Amy Molloy is an award-winning journalist, editor, and author dedicated to producing uplifting content that supports emotional well-being. She is the creator of The Space podcast and the founder of LightWriter Media, where she mentors writers in sharing their personal stories with courage and clarity. Amy's upcoming book, Wise Child, explores a radical approach to parenting by tapping into children's innate wisdom and is set to be published by Hay House in March 2025.

Connect with Amy:

• Instagram: @amy_molloy
• LinkedIn: Amy Molloy
• Substack Newsletter: The LightWriter™ Letter

Resources Mentioned:

• The Space Podcast: Listen on Spotify
• LightWriter Media: Learn More
• Wise Child by Amy Molloy: Pre-Order Here

I hope this episode offers you valuable insights and inspiration. If it resonates with you, please share it with fellow mamas who might benefit from Amy's wisdom and experience.

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Welcome to this week’s episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast!

In this heartfelt talk, Melissa Blum, the founder of Into Full Bloom, a coaching service dedicated to supporting mothers takes the mic and shares with us her story.

Melissa is a Mama Rising Facilitator, a soon-to-be certified life coach, an engineer, and a mother herself. She brings a rich blend of experience in environmental engineering, psychology, and grief work to her practice, helping mothers navigate both the joy and the loss that can come with motherhood.

Melissa discusses:

• The gap between the expectations of motherhood and its reality
• How discovering the word “matrescence” felt like coming home
• The life-altering transformation that motherhood brings
• The power of creativity as a tool for emotional exploration
• How Melissa holds space for mothers processing grief

I hope this conversation brings you comfort and clarity. If it resonates, please share it — the more we talk about the realities of motherhood, the more we can support one another through the journey.

ABOUT MELISSA BLUM: Melissa Blum is the owner of Into Full Bloom, a coaching service supporting mothers through every stage of their experience. A Mama Rising Facilitator and soon-to-be certified life coach, Melissa's work is shaped by her background in environmental engineering, psychology, and grief work. She is passionate about helping mothers find space for themselves, use creativity to explore their emotions, and feel seen and supported in their grief. Melissa is rediscovering her own femininity and spirituality, walking alongside mothers as they navigate the profound transitions of matrescence.

Find Melissa on Instagram: @intofullbloomcoaching

Website coming soon: www.intofullbloom.com.au

Let me know if you’d like me to refine anything or add more detail! ✨

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300 Episodes of The Happy Mama Movement: A Reflection on Matrescence Awareness

Welcome to this very special episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast—our 300th episode!

I can hardly believe we've reached this milestone. It’s been an incredible journey, and today, I want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come, how much the awareness of matrescence has grown, and what this means for mothers everywhere.

• The Journey to 300 Episodes – How this podcast started and the incredible conversations we've had along the way.
• What Matrescence Means to Me – The moment I first discovered this life-changing word and how it transformed my own experience of motherhood.
• The Global Shift in Motherhood Awareness – The changes I’ve witnessed in the way we talk about and support mothers.
• Healing old wounds --- The deeper layers of suffering we mothers have experience over these last years.
• Where We Go From Here – My vision for the future of matrescence awareness and what’s next for The Happy Mama Movement.

• Join the Movement: Mama Rising Program
• More on My Work: amytaylorkabbaz.com

Here’s to the next 300 episodes and beyond!

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Welcome to this week’s episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, we’re joined by the wonderful Nancy Reddy—writer, poet, and writing teacher—whose work explores the often messy, complex realities of motherhood and creativity. Nancy’s first book of narrative nonfiction, The Good Mother Myth, is set to be published by St. Martin’s in January 2025. She’s also the author of three books of poetry, including Pocket Universe, and co-editor of The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood. Her writing dives into the truths behind the glossy myths we’re told about motherhood, and she’s been featured in Slate, Romper, and Electric Literature, among others.

We explore:

• The myth of the "Good Mother” and how it shapes our experiences
• A New Description and re-definition: Motherhood as a Relationship
• How creativity can survive and thrive amidst the chaos of parenting
• Guilt, Struggle and Judgement of ourselves as women.
• Broadening the public conversation around motherhood and parenting.

As always, I hope this conversation sparks something in you. If it does, please pass it along to the mothers in your life. We all deserve a little more honesty, support, and solidarity on this wild ride.

ABOUT NANCY REDDY: Nancy Reddy is a writer and a writing teacher. Her first book of narrative nonfiction, The Good Mother Myth, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s in January 2025. She is the author of three books of poetry, most recently Pocket Universe, and the co-editor of The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood. Her recent writing includes pieces on the damaging mythology of the “golden hour” after birth for Slate, making mom friends for Romper, and review-essays on the whiteness of the motherhood memoir and the political nature of motherhood at Electric Literature. Nancy holds an MFA in poetry and a PhD in rhetoric and composition, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In a previous academic life, she published scholarly work on writing studies and materiality, creative writing pedagogy, and community literacy in journals such as Community Literacy Journal, Literacy in Composition Studies, and The Journal of Creative Writing Studies.

Nancy currently teaches at Stockton University in New Jersey, and she also leads community writing workshops and lifelong learning courses, including at the Cooper Street Writing Workshops at Rutgers-Camden, the Stockton Institute for Lifelong Learning, Blue Stoop, and Murphy Writing. You can find her on Instagram and subscribe to her newsletter, Write More, Be Less Careful, where she offers wisdom and encouragement on navigating the often-difficult writing life.

RESOURCES:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancy.o.reddy/
• NANCY'S NEWSLETTER: Write More, Be Less Careful: https://nancyreddy.substack.com/
• Website: https://www.nancyreddy.com/
• BUY THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com.au/Good-Mother-Myth-Redefining-Motherhood/dp/1580055028

• UK SHOPPERS BUY THE BOOK HERE: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Mother-Myth-Unlearning-Ideas/dp/1250336643

OR HERE: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-good-mother-myth/nancy-reddy/9781250336644

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Welcome to The Happy Mama Movement Podcast!

In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Kelly Thistlethwaite, an experienced Somatic and Matrescence Coach, to explore the transformative journey of motherhood. Kelly shares her profound insights on navigating the emotional landscape of motherhood, healing from birth trauma, and the importance of nervous system regulation in fostering resilience and well-being.

We talk about:

• The life-altering transformation that comes with Matrescence and how it reshapes identity
• Somatic approaches to emotional regulation and why they matter for mothers
• Navigating the complexities of birth trauma and perinatal loss with compassion
• Kelly's personal journey through loss, healing, and becoming a mother again

I hope this conversation offers you comfort, insight, and a sense of connection. If it resonates with you, please share it widely so more mothers can access the support they need to thrive.

ABOUT KELLY THISTLETHWAITE:

Kelly Thistlethwaite is an experienced Trauma-Informed Yoga and Breathwork instructor, specializing in pre- and postnatal care, nervous system regulation, and neurosensory exercises. As a Matrescence Coach and Mama Rising™ facilitator, Kelly supports mothers through the profound transformation of motherhood. She has a particular focus on helping women heal from birth trauma and perinatal loss, using somatic practices rooted in the Polyvagal Theory to promote safety, connection, and emotional regulation. Kelly is also the Co-Founder of FLY Mama, a pioneering digital maternity support platform that collaborates with NHS trusts and bereavement charities in the UK.

RESOURCES:

• FLY Mama Website
• Kelly Thistlethwaite's Website
• Instagram: @flymama_perinatal_trauma_and_loss | @fly_mamakelly.thistlethwaite
• LinkedIn: Kelly Thistlethwaite | Fly Mama

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