15: The Final Episode
Ask Your Mother
This episode marks a significant shift in our podcast journey. When it all began in a Miami hotel room back in January 2020, little did I know how my endeavor would evolve, becoming a lifeline of connection and support for both listeners and myself during the pandemic. Our mission for the podcast - to support and assist moms and caregivers, has remained constant throughout. We have tackled diverse questions and adapted to changing circumstances, providing support and calm in stormy times. Now, we are moving in a new direction to allow our message of love and kindness to reach a broader...
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14: Life After Death with Keela Fowler
Ask Your Mother
I am delighted to have a Keela Fowler joining me today to dive into a topic near and dear to both of our hearts and answer a question many of you have been curious about: what happens after losing someone you love? Death can be a catastrophic experience, and it is only natural to wonder when the pain will subside, when the healing will begin, and how life will continue. Keela and I share the common bond of losing our mothers, although our losses occurred at different stages of life. In this episode, we share our experiences, provide insights, and offer a glimpse into the...
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13: Halloween and Kids' Anxiety
Ask Your Mother
Today, I aim to present a novel perspective on Halloween inspired by the numerous questions I have received. The question we are tackling today is, what should a parent do if Halloween is not what their child wants? This issue usually centers on the apprehensions kids may feel about Halloween, kids who do not enjoy the Halloween experience, exceptional kids, or children on the spectrum. But it could also happen in kids with no diagnosable reason why Halloween would be challenging. In those situations, I always feel it is best to revert to the principles I repeatedly emphasize in explicit...
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12: What Do I Want?
Ask Your Mother
This podcast episode marks a new chapter as we step into the world of video for the very first time! My producer convinced me that the possibilities with video are endless, so here we are! Today, I'm embracing a cozy vibe with my favorite Monday T-shirt and my hair freshly washed and left to its natural curls instead of the meticulous look you might be used to. Feel free to check out our YouTube channel for the video experience rather than the audio version. If there are any unexpected quirks or if I need to clarify things differently, it is all part of this exciting transition. Today, I want...
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11: Making Friends
Ask Your Mother
Hey friends! Today's discussion really excites me because the inspiration came from the Women of Wonder community I lead! Stay tuned at the end for more details about this community. The question we explore today is relevant for women of all ages. The tricky part of preparing this episode was coming up with advice that would resonate with women at different stages of life. The question is: How do I make friends as a grown-up? Let me tell you, traversing the intricate landscape of adult friendships is a universal challenge! It is a question that hits close to home for me, and I look...
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12: Career Advice for Mental Health Careers
Ask Your Mother
I am delighted to be back with you, my friends, after our summer break! Our brief hiatus during the summer months was time well spent, as I devoted my energies to nurturing the Women of Wonder community. Today's episode holds a special place in my heart! It stems from a question I posed on Instagram a few months ago about career guidance. Even though my post was intended for general advice, the very first query I received was related to mental health. Given my expertise in that area I decided to tackle this topic personally. I did some extra research to deepen my...
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10: Women of Wonder
Ask Your Mother
Are you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stuck in a cycle of constant fatigue? Have you ever wished for a space where you can freely share your concerns without fear of judgment while connecting with others who truly understand what you are going through? Well, that is just what I have been working tirelessly to create! It has become increasingly clear that many people are battling isolation and burnout, and I can no longer tolerate or ignore that. The Transformative Power of Supportive Communities As a therapist, I have witnessed the transformative power of supportive...
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ENCORE: Grieving for Non-Death Losses
Ask Your Mother
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ENCORE: Having It All and Still Struggling with Depression and Anxiety with Kadi Baker
Ask Your Mother
Many people struggle with depression and anxiety, and we don’t know how to help them. We don’t know how to help because depression and anxiety don’t have a characteristic “look.” Sadly, people who seem to “have it all together” and are “full of fun” are sometimes in a deep, dark pit on the inside. It takes courage to acknowledge the depression and ask for help, and their story can be beautiful, honest, and candid as they share their journey. Today’s guest has been in the darkness, and she’s opening up with the hope of bringing help to others. Join us. Kadi Baker is a...
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ENCORE: Sex, Fun & Female Pleasure with Thien Kim Lam
Ask Your Mother
Thien Kim Lam is unafraid to have uncomfortable conversations about sex. She’s not your typical romance writer because she’s focused on empowering women to enjoy sex and pleasure for themselves. Thien learned a lot as a sex toy sales consultant and eventually she realized that so many issues were with female sexuality were universal and they needed to be addressed in a positive way. She eventually started Bawdy Bookworms to combine the pleasures of romance novels with the pleasures of sex toys. She’s all about bringing back fun and pleasure for all types of women. Join Cristie and Thien...
info_outlineWill I ever get over being homesick?
That is a question most college students will surely relate to! It will also resonate with many adults who have moved away to a new place. My daughter, Faith, is in college, and she joins me to discuss whether or not people who move away from home ever stop feeling homesick. We dive into what it means to feel homesick, different types of homesickness, and how things change over time.
Neither Faith nor I know if it is possible to overcome feelings of homesickness fully. However, we know it is possible to get over it, figure out how to manage it, and move on when it comes up.
What does it mean to be homesick?
Even when things are going very well for her academically and socially, Faith still feels upset about her parents being far away. For her, homesickness is also about no longer having anyone else to do all the banal tasks that adults have to do.
Different types of homesickness
There are many different types of homesickness. Moving to an unfamiliar place can make some of us feel a little insecure, while others, regardless of how old they are, miss having someone to care for them when they are feeling down or anxious, or get sick.
The pandemic
Faith feels that being locked down during the pandemic took away some of the time she needed to pull away from her family after high school, make a life for herself, and learn how to solve her own problems.
Leaving part of ourselves behind
For some of us, no matter how old we are, it will always feel like we have left a piece of ourselves behind when we move to a new environment.
Things we miss about being home
It can take some time for a new place to feel like home. Sometimes, we miss just popping in to see our parents or siblings. Or we may miss getting a hug from them when something good or bad happens to us.
Where is home, and what is homesickness?
Home is where we spend our most important times and wherever our precious belongings are. Homesickness is what we feel and who and what we miss in a given moment.
Managing feelings of homesickness
Feelings of homesickness can be related to many different things. To overcome them, we must first identify what they mean to us. Then we can either replicate whatever we are missing or let go of those things and learn to accept our new situation.
I recently finished watching the TV show Shrinking and found it both fun and enjoyable! It is on Apple TV and has half the same writers as Ted Lasso. It is about three doctors working in a counseling practice who all go a bit crazy at times, break rules, and cross ethical boundaries. The cast is amazing, the characters are hilarious, and the show satisfied me to the end!
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is available on Amazon. Even though I am not an audiobook person, I recently listened to the audiobook version and found it very well cast and read. In fact, it was just like listening to a movie, and I loved it! The show came out while I was listening to the book, and I found that the show remains true to the essence of the book. Faith also enjoyed the book and the show for various reasons. She liked how the show was shot like a documentary and that Daisy Jones was portrayed realistically as a rock star from the 1970s. She enjoyed the music because the actors play the instruments and sing the songs. Faith also loved how the book was written as if you're reading interviews with the band.
Faith and I had the most delicious, light, and lovely smoothies from the River Birch Cafe in Morgantown, West Virginia. If you go there, ask for the Speak To The Management smoothie!
Faith recommends buying a little tumbler cup with a straw from Big Lots for $5 for your next takeaway coffee. She loves it because it is very sparkly with lots of gemstones all over it, and it is also easy to clean!
Faith and I are both obsessive and compulsive about music! Faith recently introduced me to Tyler Childers, a musician from Kentucky who plays music with an Appalachian sound, with a similar vibe to that of Chris Stapleton. Tyler Childers's music is beautiful and lyrical. It is more folksy than country. Faith especially loves his 2017 album, Purgatory, and his song Charleston Girl.
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