Welcome back, Mama's.

This week, Amanda Jackson and I explore the profound journey of motherhood and Matrescence, discussing the emotional and physical transformations that come with becoming a mother. We delve into the struggles of adjusting to new identities, the importance of self-care, and the need to listen to one's body. Amanda shares her personal experiences and insights from her book, emphasizing the significance of community support and the healing power of sharing stories among mothers.

Some takeaways from our conversation:

• Writing a book is a vulnerable process.
• Matrescence is often unrecognized in motherhood.
• Motherhood can challenge our expectations and identities.
• Breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs in self-awareness.
• Listening to our bodies is crucial for well-being.
• Self-care should be about tuning into our needs.
• Creating support systems is essential for mothers.
• The experience of motherhood is shared across generations.
• Healing comes from sharing our stories.
• Empowerment in motherhood comes from understanding matrescence.

About Mandy

Amanda, or Mandy as she’s affectionately known by her clients, guides mothers on a path

from guilt to growth. Her methods make visible the invisible loads and expectations that set

mothers up to feel as though they’ve failed.

Instead of perpetuating myths that the role of mother will neatly integrate into life without

changing us, Mandy #39;s signature programs embrace matrescence and the mother-child

relationship as opportunities for profound personal and professional growth.

Mandy has a background in psychology and sociology and completed her thesis on the

regulation of pregnant women’s bodies. Her approach draws from experience in Corrective

Services, youth and family development, and corporate sectors.

Chapters

00:00 The Birth of a Book

02:16 Honoring the Body in Motherhood

05:47 The Reality of Matrescence

11:31 Breakdowns and Breakthroughs

18:34 Redefining Self-Care

23:50 Creating Accessible Support for Mothers

28:07 Reflections on Matrescence and Self-Connection

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Welcome back to The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

In this Take the Mic episode, I’m honoured to share the voice of Kirsten Calloran — a Mama Rising coach and lactation consultant from County Wicklow, Ireland — whose story reaches straight into the heart of motherhood’s deepest transformations. Kirsten invites us into her journey through post-diagnosis motherhood — the moment her son’s autism diagnosis opened a second matrescence, a new becoming that reshaped everything she thought she knew about identity, strength, and love.This is a story of grief and grace, of survival and softening. Of finding language for what once felt unspeakable. It’s an offering to every mother who’s ever wondered where she went — and to those slowly remembering themselves, one tender breath at a time.

• How a child’s diagnosis can awaken a second transformation in motherhood.
• The invisible weight and isolation many caregiving mothers carry.
• Grief, rage, love, and identity — all existing side by side.
• The need for spaces that hold mothers, not just their children.
• The hope that rises when we begin to honour our own becoming.

May this conversation remind you: you are not broken, you are becoming — again and again, in ways that matter more than you know.

Kirsten Calloran is a matrescence coach based in Ireland, specialising in post-diagnosis support for mothers (and fathers) of neurodivergent and disabled children.

She combines lived experience with professional training to help parents navigate what she calls “post-diagnosis matrescence” — the profound identity shift that begins when the life you imagined for yourself and your child suddenly changes.

Through her 1:1 coaching, talks for families in disability services, podcast Fi(ND)ing Motherhood, and compassionate social media presence, Kirsten offers validation, emotional grounding, and practical support to women often left behind by traditional parenting narratives.

Her work centres on the belief that when we nurture mothers, we strengthen families — and that no woman should have to lose herself to love her child well.

Kirsten lives in Wicklow with her husband, daughter, and young son, whose diagnosis marked the beginning of her own second becoming.

Connect with Kirsten:

Website: www.finding-motherhood.com

Podcast: Fi(ND)ing Motherhood on Spotify

TikTok: @findingmotherhoodcoach

Instagram: @findingmotherhoodcoach

Facebook: facebook.com/FindingMotherhoodCoach

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WELCOME, MAMAS, TO THE MAMA MOVEMENT PODCAST.

In this conversation, Today Dr. Margot Lowy and myself delve into the often overlooked topic of maternal ambivalence, exploring the complex emotional landscape of motherhood.

Dr. Lowy emphasizes the importance of acknowledging both the loving and bitter feelings that come with being a mother, advocating for open discussions about these emotions to foster genuine connections and understanding. The conversation also addresses common misconceptions about ambivalence, clarifying that it is not indifference but rather a rich tapestry of feelings that mothers experience.

We cover the following:

• Maternal ambivalence encompasses all feelings of motherhood.
• Acknowledging dark feelings is crucial for genuine mothering.
• Societal expectations make it hard to discuss negative emotions.
• Finding a safe space to talk about feelings is essential.
• Ambivalence is often misunderstood as indifference.
• Mothers experience both love and bitterness simultaneously.
• Dark feelings can lead to personal transformation.
• It's important to embrace the full spectrum of emotions.
• Open discussions about motherhood can reduce shame.
• Maternal ambivalence is a common experience for all mothers.

ABOUT MARGOT

Margo Lowy, PhD, is a psychotherapist specializing in mothering. She is the author of MATERNAL AMBIVALENCE: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood (Post Hill Press) and holds a doctorate from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where she researched maternal ambivalence. Dr. Lowy is the author of a previous academic book, The Maternal Experience: Encounters with Ambivalence and Love, and has spoken about maternal ambivalence at universities and in media interviews worldwide. She is a columnist for Psychology Today, a member of PEN America, and a former advisor to the founder of the Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN). She is mother to three children and is based with her husband in New York City.

CONTACTS

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drmargolowy

Website: https://drmargolowy.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmargolowy/

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Maternal Ambivalence

04:57 The Misconceptions of Ambivalence

06:01 Navigating the Emotional Landscape of Motherhood

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