Julia Neumann from Radically Alive Women speaks with parenting coach and "Tides" rites-of-passage facilitator Amy Weber and young woman Gabriela Fagundes about mother-daughter relationships, especially the transition of girls into womanhood.

Amy describes navigating the empty nest as a mother and how "Tides" and "Rising Tides" help mothers and daughters renegotiate patterns, create space, and recognise that daughters’ transitions also change mothers’ identities. She shares how community and ritual can help normalise and celebrate menstruation, and support both the daughter’s push for freedom and the mother’s grief and identity shift as she “becomes obsolete” in stages.

Gabriela shares her experience of pushing away, cutting contact, trying to change her mother, and eventually listening and meeting her mother as a woman, emphasising how judging or blaming mothers impacts accepting life.

They discuss generational patterns, dependence, and consciously creating new ways to honour first bleeding.

Practical suggestions include creative expression of feelings for mothers, and daughters writing a four-page love letter to their mothers.

Amy's and Gabriela's co-written book on first bleeding is in an open-ended “gestation” process without a deadline.

*We’re passionate about bringing these conversations to you and would love your help to keep them going. Please consider supporting us by making a one-time contribution through ⁠radicallyalivewomen.com/invest, or joining our membership with a monthly subscription at radicallyalivewomen.com/edgecast/edgecast-membership-sign-up.

You can follow us on your favourite podcast platform and leave a rating to help others discover these conversations too!

Your support makes all the difference in continuing this work. Thank you!*

For more information:

Amy Weber, heartconnectionparenting.com

Gabriela Fagundes, gabrielafagundes.com

Rites of Passage Foundation, which offers the "Tides" programme, tracks.net.nz

Article by Gabriela Fagundes on the topic, gabrielafagundes.substack.com/p/the-joys-and-challenges-of-motherhood

Julia Neumann, julia-neumann.com

Radically Alive Women, radicallyalivewomen.com

This Radically Alive Women Edgecast conversation between Julia Neumann and Ellen Appleton explores “mother graduation,” the transition from actively mothering children to relating to them as independent adults.

Ellen describes her deep identification with motherhood, including two wanted pregnancies, and speaks to the innate wisdom, love, and intensity she experienced as a mother. The discussion highlights how motherhood is often undervalued by society and how lack of support for pregnant women and mothers can contribute to generational trauma. Ellen shares that parenting involves repeated separations and describes the particular pain of letting her son enter manhood without clear, emotionally supportive models of masculinity, including her anger at patriarchal systems that encourage men to shut down feelings.

She explains that mother graduation does not mean abandoning children, but completing the separation, cutting energetic ties, and shifting into being an elder—standing behind adult offspring rather than in front of them.

Ellen details her own year-plus process involving emotional healing, grieving, and group work with other mothers, with a ceremony as a culminating celebration. She notes improvements in her relationship with her son, discusses her request for her adult children to call her “Ellen” rather than “mom,” and reflects on reclaiming her identity and energy beyond motherhood to give back to the wider community.

Ellen offers initial guidance for mothers with children 18+ to make graduation a conscious topic, clearly hand responsibility back to their children, allow different timing for different children, and seek support, including coaching.

*We’re passionate about bringing these conversations to you and would love your help to keep them going. Please consider supporting us by making a one-time contribution through ⁠www.radicallyalivewomen.com/invest, or joining our membership with a monthly subscription at ⁠https://www.radicallyalivewomen.com/edgecast/edgecast-membership-sign-up/.

You can follow us on your favourite podcast platform and leave a rating to help others discover these conversations too!

Your support makes all the difference in continuing this work. Thank you!*

For more information:

Contact Ellen Appleton

On Mother Graduation

Shalane Hopkins went on an extraordinary adventure: she walked the 3,000-kilometer Te Araroa trail in New Zealand in 2010, just before its official opening, and came through Christchurch around the time of the earthquake.

In this honest conversation with Julia Neumann, Shalane shares her experiences, motivations, and what led her to stay in New Zealand and become a Kiwi citizen. The conversation delves into Shalane's personal growth journey, discussing her transformation from a people pleaser to someone who embraces her courage and authenticity. She talks about the importance of intuition, overcoming obstacles, and the lessons she learned while writing her book, 'One Step at a Time,' which chronicles her trail journey and is set for release on 10 February 2026.

The episode touches on themes of resilience, personal empowerment, intergenerational healing, seeking support, and how life's challenges can lead to profound self-discovery.

If you enjoyed this conversation or have other feedback for us, please email to: radicallyalivewomen@gmail.com.

*We’re passionate about bringing these conversations to you and ask for your help to keep them going. Please consider supporting us by making a one-time contribution through ⁠www.radicallyalivewomen.com/invest, or joining our membership with a monthly subscription at ⁠https://www.radicallyalivewomen.com/edgecast/edgecast-membership-sign-up/.

You can follow us on your favourite podcast platform and leave a rating to help others discover these conversations too!

Your support makes all the difference in continuing this work. Thank you!*

For more information:

Shalane Hopkins, shalanehopkins.com

Te Araroa Trail, newzealand.com/nz/feature/te-araroa-trail/

Julia Neumann, julia-neumann.com

Radically Alive Women, radicallyalivewomen.com