Mother's Quest: The Podcast

I'm honored to share this throwback episode with a mentor and coach who has had a tremendous impact on the person and parent I am today, Leslie Medine. I released this episode on December 21st, 2020, on the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, in honor of a great coach Leslie and I had in common, Edd Conboy, who passed away in March of the same year. You’ll notice it’s longer than my usual ones and I also hope you’ll find tremendous value in listening. Find a cozy spot and a cup of tea and settle in. Or if you are more limited in your time, listen for some while, and then press pause and come back when you’re ready. Make sure not to listen with your little ones present as there is some colorful language. Seize the time and space for yourself. And let the light in. Much appreciation, — Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: www.mothersquest.com/80    Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C

I'm honored to share this throwback episode with best-selling, award-winning, children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner. Laurie’s music bridges a divide between parents and their children and invites connection, joy and meaning. In our conversation, I was compelled by the stories Laurie shared about families whose children have cancer and listen to her music for comfort in the hospital or whose children have autism and their first words were the names of Laurie’s songs. I hope that through this episode, you also experience renewed faith in ripple effects beyond what we first imagine and a reverence for following the rhythm in our lives, if we make the space to listen.   Much appreciation, — Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: http://mothersquest.com/ep38-laurieberkner/   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are

Sharing this Throwback Thursday episode with Dr. Samantha Brody, author of Overcoming Overwhelm: Dismantle Your Stress from the Inside Out. She is a licensed naturopathic physician and acupuncturist, and the founder of Evergreen Natural Health Center in Portland, OR.   I invite you to press pause, to release something from your to do list today, so that you have a little more space to listen in to this reflective conversation with Dr. Samantha. Then follow through as I will with the “values” exercise she gives us as our challenge   Much appreciation, — Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: http://mothersquest.com/ep69-samanthabrody/   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family

This Throwback Thursday, in honor of Transgender Remembrance Day that just passed and the memory of the five people who were killed this week at the LGBTQ+ Club Q, we reshare this episode with transgender model and activist Corey Rae and her mother Judy Blank. May the love and courage explored in this episode inspire us all to be a champion for the transgender community. If you’re interested in supporting the Club Q community, please visit https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/COHealingFund Much appreciation, — Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: Ep 70: Blazing a Transgender Trail with Corey Rae and her mother Judy Blank   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investi

In 2015, when Mother’s Quest was still a dream in my heart, I heard an interview with an inspiring mother, Jadah Sellner, on the Good Life Project Podcast. She and her partner had co-created what became in a short time a viral phenomenon and seven figure flourishing business, called Simple Green Smoothies, built on a premise: add greens to a smoothie each day and see how it could spark change within. From that moment forward, I found inspiration in Jadah’s journey and know that her quest planted seeds for me to pursue mine. I noticed that she led with heart and followed her dreams while staying committed to being present for her daughter. I learned from her as I watched her bring forward the Simple Green Smoothies book that became a best-seller, as she took to the TEDx stage integrating her spoken word poetry into her message, as she made the difficult decision to leave Simple Green Smoothies when she realized it was no longer fulfilling her, and when she pressed pause on her work to grieve and heal after a s

This Throwback Thursday episode arrives as final votes are being counted in the 2022 elections in the United States. It’s a full circle moment to revisit this powerful conversation from 2017 with community activist, TedX speaker, author of the book ​​”Black Brown and Political: Get Informed, Get Empowered and Change the Game,” and founder of the Powerhouse Academy, Chandra Brooks. In this conversation those five years ago, Chandra inspired me to get back out and canvas in support of a local candidate, Noelia Corzo, during her first run for school board in my community. Last night, my son Jacob and I, who volunteered together, celebrated with Noelia and her supporters as she received the initial promising results for her run as County Supervisor. If the votes continue in her favor, Noelia will be the first Latina woman Supervisor in our County. I’m honored to reshare this episode and acknowledge all the activists like Chandra and candidates like Noelia who have the courage and commitment to step into the arena

As the election in the United States approaches, I’m honored to bring back these words of wisdom from a diverse group of mothers working toward a brighter future in this special episode “Mom the Vote.” Original Show Notes At the time of this episode’s release, we are at a crossroads in the United States. This election of 2020 is one of the most important in our history. As activist Michael Skolnik says, the election is not 7 days away. The election is now.  What can we do in our last few days before the conclusion of the election of 2020? Like so many of you, I am asking myself what matters most and what I can do that can have an impact in these 7 days. When I feel myself swirling, I remember I don’t have to figure this out alone. So, I reached out to you, fellow mothers and grandmothers, many of you activists, and asked for your words of wisdom.  Ahead, I have 7 pieces of advice, reflections or calls to action, that we can all connect to for guidance and inspiration each day ahead. This is an election miniso

In honor of Mother’s Quest turning 5, all season we’ve been sharing Throwback Thursday episodes from the archives. I’ve been excitedly anticipating resharing this episode with you with actress, author of the memoir From Scratch, and now co-creator and executive producer of the Netflix series by the same name, Tembi Locke. Since the limited series release just a few days ago, From Scratch has already climbed to the Top Ten in 74 countries and has captured the hearts of so many. Throughout my day today, I’ve been alternating between watching the show and relistening to my episode with Tembi, also beautifully dedicated by her sister and show co-creator Attica Locke. The combination of the two has rekindled an appreciation in me for honoring our ancestors, for the power of answering the call of our heroes journey, and of looking for light in the darkness to guide us through challenging times. Tembi says at the beginning of our conversation that she hoped it would be evergreen and we could find new meaning if w

For this weeks’ Throwback Thursday, I’m excited to do a podcast exchange with Mother’s Quest member and fellow podcaster Casey O’Rourty. Casey is a positive discipline trainer and parent coach and host of the Joyful Courage Podcast. When Casey and I talked about sharing favorite episodes on one another’s feeds, I knew just which one I wanted to bring to you. It’s a powerful, vulnerable conversation between Casey and her daughter Rowan, about Rowan’s mental health challenges with anxiety and depression. I remember I first heard this episode when my son Ryan was going through a hard time in high school. Listening to Rowan’s courage and self-reflection gave me so much empathy and insight. And listening to Casey’s humility and honesty about the challenges of navigating her daughter’s challenges, invited me to reflect on how I could be supportive to Ryan during his. In fact, we listened to part of it together and it opened channels of communication in a beautiful way. I hope you get as much as I did from this conv

This fall, I was honored to participate as a community host for a reboot of a Zibby Owens podcast, now called Moms Don't Have Time to Move and Shake. The reflection and recording of the episode was transformative for me, shifting the way I think about my body, especially in this stage of my life, at the age of 50. I asked Zibby and team if I could share the solocast on the Mother's Quest feed as well and they said "yes." So, I'm thrilled to bring this conversation to you here. If you're interested in hearing the voices and stories of the additional community hosts for the season, follow the show notes for the link or add the podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps. They are each powerful in their own way. I hope you enjoy this deeply personal episode, originally recorded for Moms Don’t Have Time to Move & Shake, a Zcast production. ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES At the age of 50 and post menopause, life and leadership coach, mom to 2 differently wired boys, podcaster, and founder of Mother's Quest, Julie Neale,

This October, taking a cue from the leaves on the trees this fall season, I'll share episodes that invite us to release the societal and internal pressures that disempower and confine us in the "role" of motherhood. Let's examine them through powerful conversations with Mother's Quest Podcast guests, and then take small steps to let them go! For this week's Throwback Thursday, I want to bring back the second interview I ever recorded back in 2016, with entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and author Katherine Wintsch. In our conversation, Katherine shares how she learned to let go of people-pleasing and mommy guilt, and instead got curious, learned to love herself and designed a life that fulfills her. We talk about the power of revealing the truth about motherhood and that it’s absolutely OK to not be OK and to not have all the answers. You can find the full show notes from the original episode here: Ep 02: Unmasking Motherhood with Katherine Wintsch If you love this episode, you'll also want to listen to a second in

This Throwback Thursday, I wanted to bring back a powerful episode I released a year ago, with two mothers, Layla and Robi from the Parents Circle, who are working toward peace and reconciliation in Israel and Palestine. Alongside the release of the episode, I set an intention to raise $10,000 and to invite listeners to open their virtual doors to the Parents Circle. During these “Days of Awe” between the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement, a time of reflection, I’m noticing places where I fell short last year, where I could better in my own life. This time of Teshuvah, or Returning, is a reminder that we can always begin again. So I bring this episode back with a renewed intention to raise awareness and to complete our $10,000 goal, only $2500 more to go. Visit parentscirclefriends.org/mothersquest to learn more, make a contribution and reach out to the Parents Circle to invite mothers like Layla and Robi to your virtual synagogues, mosques, churches, schools and organizations. Wishing you a sweet new year

I’m honored to bring you this special part two with dyslexic writer, award winning author, entrepreneur and activist Jonathan Mooney, this time interviewed by my neurodivergent college freshman son, Ryan Neale. If you haven’t yet listened to part one for a full exploration of Jonathan’s E.P.I.C. life journey, I encourage you to go to that episode next. This episode, inspired by part one, was Ryan’s opportunity, just before he left for college, to ask Jonathan for wisdom and guidance about how to flourish at a university while being neurodivergent. What unfolded was that and so much more. In this episode, I passed the microphone completely to Ryan, sat back and listened to him and Jonathan uncover how we can all learn and live outside the lines and stop faking normal. I invite you to listen to this conversation with the same sense of curiosity and trust. I hope you will arrive at the end as Ryan, Jonathan and I all did, personally transformed by the experience.     About Jonathan Mooney: Jonathan Mooney is a d

“Each of us has that innate ability to attain and maintain our own optimal health – the real healer lies within.” — Avanti Kumar Singh Touching on each E.P.I.C guidepost on this Throwback Thursday episode, Avanti shares how Ayurveda can become a powerful lens for living a healthy, reflective life, one where we open our minds, and tap into our own ability to provide counter-balance to the things that are troubling us and support our own healing. Within that frame, we touched on so many topics, from Ayurveda and parenting to menopause, intermittent fasting and how to support our children as they transition to college and beyond. Avanti gives us a challenge to explore our daily routines, identify any trouble spots and then apply the teachings of Ayurveda to craft our own remedies. This month in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group, we’re focused on the big transitions under way for our children and ourselves during this back to school season. To join the group and the conversation, visit www.mothersquest.com/commun

This month in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group, we’re focused on the big transitions under way for our children and ourselves during this back to school season. To join the group and the conversation, visit www.mothersquest.com/community. This topic feels especially important for me this year, because in just one week, we pack up our car to drive our son Ryan to LA to start his college freshman experience.  As the day gets closer, we find ourselves savoring the moments, creating extra quality family time, and making space for conversations about all the things that matter. I found myself returning to the messages and inspiration of this conversation with best-selling author of Boys and Sex, Peggy Orenstein and thought you might need it too. Whether you have a boy just entering adolescence or off to college, I hope this episode provides perspective and support to open, and continue having honest conversations, to help your boys navigate the terrain of young male sexuality in today’s world.     Much apprec

This Throwback Thursday’s minisode is inspired by the photos, posts and stories from so many of you about your children’s new beginnings at the start of this school year. Recorded a few years ago, it outlines my secret to a powerful start that we can share with our children…an experience called a “Milestone Hike” that I’ve done in person and now virtually for many years. In this Minisode I Talk About: How/when I learned about the importance of ending well to begin well at the youth development organization Alternatives in Action  The transformative Milestone Hike Experience I had on my 40th birthday How I’ve used the same components of that hike to acknowledge milestones with my son Ryan (we even recorded a podcast episode about one on his 13th birthday!) including Back to School Milestone Hikes The ways I have taken that experience to create signature Mother’s Quest opportunities for reflection Hope this supports you or a mother preparing for Back to School in your life!  Also, I’d love to hear from YOU:

Today’s show with keynote speaker, business and leadership coach and Step into Your Moxie® facilitator Sara Dean, was five years in the making and worth the wait! Sara is the creator and host of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast, a top rated podcast with over 600 episodes and 5 million downloads.  As you’ll hear her share in this conversation, Sara’s biggest passion is helping women own their space.  After enduring her own identity crisis following the birth of her son, Sara took her background in psychology/health/wellness and rebuilt her identity, one step at a time.   Today, Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start shining and she’s been stretching herself to do the same, moving beyond her podcast microphone and onto new stages, including speaking for Amazon, the City of Seattle, Charles Schwab, Inspired Mama, WE Ignite, Alt Summit, and She Podcasts Live to name a few.  Sara’s ability to show up,  with a  “sticktoitiveness” she says is in her DNA, enables her to achieve incredible thi

As I record this opening today, I’m filled with emotion because I just dropped off my son Ryan at UCLA for his freshmen orientation. Check the show notes for more reflections about this epic snapshot moment. Last night, Ryan and I stayed up late talking about what he wants to study in college and more importantly, how we hope his college and career journey will be one that lights him up.  It had me thinking about this conversation with Good Life Project podcaster Jonathan Fields. Jonathan is the creator of SparkTypes and a new podcast Sparked, which helps you find work that makes you come alive. Jonathan and I recorded this episode a few years ago, just before Jonathan was getting ready to take his daughter to her freshmen year in college. It’s filled with heart, insight and wisdom and a reminder that no matter what chapter we or our children are starting, it’s always the right time to ask ourselves the big questions about who we are and what we are here to do. Epic Snapshot Moment Reflections with Ryan H

I hope you’ve been listening over the past few months to our Throwback Thursday series…episodes I’m curating from the archives for you to listen to again, or for the first time, if they are new to you. This Throwback Thursday, there were so many reasons I decided to select this episode titled “Weaving our Ancestral Threads with Genealogist Nicka Smith.” First, Nicka has had some incredible recent accomplishments that I would love for you to explore. One in particular, is the debut of her first short film entitled “A Dream Delivered: The Lost Letters of Hawkins Wilson” about one family’s story that Nicka explains is an exceptional example of why it’s important to thread the past to the present. The second reason I decided to share this episode was because of a call I received today. It was from a woman who was a former student of my grandmother Molla, who found and heard my episode with my father, David Lieberman. This woman was searching for years to learn about her mentor who she lost touch with and I’ve bee

I’m excited to revisit this episode with Kalika Yap, a serial entrepreneur, inventor, intentional mother, and business leader. Kalika is from more humble beginnings. She came from a big family born in the Philippines in the time of Martial Law that then moved to a low income community in Hawaii. Growing up, she had strong influences from her mother who is a teacher and her father who is an entrepreneur. Along with her husband, she now imparts these family influences or “Ohana” and a focus on “Core Values”  to her two daughters. We covered a lot of ground in this interview and I felt like I filled my E.P.I.C. Life Toolkit with powerful strategies: to focus on values, develop keystone habits, and consciously choose a life of service. I left the conversation inspired by Kalika to pursue our entrepreneurial dreams and empower other women to do the same, all while being a present and intentional parent. Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: Ep 22: Core Values, Ohana