Welcome to this episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, I’m joined by mindfulness teacher and founder of The Compassion Project, Belinda Haan. With warmth and honesty, Belinda shares how perfectionism and self-doubt marked her early motherhood years—and how compassion, not criticism, became her most powerful tool.

We talk about:

• Unrealistic Beginnings

How the "Huggies ad" version of motherhood left Belinda isolated, ashamed, and exhausted in her early years as a mum.

• The Deepest Regret

Why self-criticism is often the harshest parenting voice in our heads—and how seeing her daughter clearly helped Belinda rewrite her own narrative.

• Practising What We Preach

How running honest, real-talk mother’s groups made Belinda realise it was time to embody self-compassion in her own life, not just teach it.

• Barriers to Kindness

The nervous system realities that make self-compassion difficult—and how to gently meet yourself when you feel most undeserving.

• Tender, Not Prescriptive

Why self-compassion isn’t a one-size-fits-all script—and how small, embodied gestures can shift your whole day.

This is a conversation full of quiet revelations and radical permission. I hope it reminds you that you are never alone in this—and that kindness, towards yourself, is not something you have to earn. If this resonates, please share it with a mother who needs to hear it too.

ABOUT BELINDA HAAN

Belinda Haan is a mindfulness teacher, creator and humble guide to the full joy, catastrophe and sacredness of life.

As an Ambassador of Compassion with Stanford University, she founded The Compassion Project—a heartfelt initiative delivering practical, research-backed tools to reduce suffering and cultivate compassion.

Its first resource, The Emotional Support for Mothers Toolkit, provides the missing piece of modern mothering with a practical how-to for nervous system support, emotional self-regulation, resilience and wisdom. Grounded in the day-to-day of parenting, it treats mothers as real people—supporting them to meet all of motherhood with more confidence, ease and self-compassion.

A mother of two, Belinda created this work to offer solace, inspiration, and meaningful tools for families everywhere.

RESOURCES:

Website: The Compassion Project

Instagram: @thecompassionproject.au

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Welcome to this soulful and deeply honest episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

In today’s solo Mama Rising story, we hear from Dr. Angele Close — clinical psychologist, author, and motherhood coach — as she shares her personal matrescence journey.

What began with the excitement of becoming a mother to three children unfolded into a deeply transformative path through burnout, grief, intergenerational trauma, and ultimately, healing.

We’re invited into her story — one filled with honesty, insight, and a reminder that we can parent with more compassion once we learn to extend that same compassion inward.

In this episode, we explore:

When Motherhood Doesn’t Match the Map

How early expectations about parenting clashed with the emotional intensity of raising three neurodivergent children.

The Invisible Inheritance We Carry

Why our reactions to our kids’ big emotions often reflect unprocessed wounds from our own childhood.

The Name That Changed Everything

How discovering matrescence mid-pandemic gave Angele a framework that lifted years of shame and confusion.

Meeting the Self Within

How Internal Family Systems (IFS) helped her heal deep wounds and show up with more calm and confidence.

Parenting from the Inside Out

Why voicing our mixed feelings and being compassionately witnessed is one of motherhood’s most healing acts.

ABOUT DR. ANGELE CLOSE:

Dr. Angele Close helps moms navigate the transformative journey of matrescence, combining the insights of Internal Family Systems (IFS) to heal old wounds, break generational cycles, and embrace motherhood with more self-compassion, joy, and authenticity. A clinical psychologist, motherhood coach, meditation teacher, and author, Angele works with moms one-on-one, facilitates local mothers’ circles, and has an upcoming book on how to integrate IFS into the matrescence journey. Her work is grounded in personal experience and the belief that motherhood can be a powerful path to healing and wholeness.

RESOURCES

🌐 Website: www.drangeleclose.com

📸 Instagram: @drangeleclose

🎥 TikTok: @cyclebreakingmomma

📘 Free IFS Resource Guide: Available via her website

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Welcome, dear listener, to another honest and heartfelt episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, I’m joined by the remarkable Stacey Erin — Social Worker, Therapist, Coach and a fiercely loving mother who works with families navigating the social and emotional wellbeing of neurodivergent children. With deep compassion and no-nonsense wisdom, Stacey names the invisible weight so many mothers carry — and offers both fierce truth and tender support in return.

• Why it’s not your fault — how Stacey powerfully names the systemic failures that leave mothers unsupported, and why recognising this truth can be deeply healing.
• Permission and grief in motherhood — the unseen grief that comes with letting go of the motherhood ideals we imagined, and how simple words of validation can make all the difference.
• The power of boundaries and micro-moments — from closing the bathroom door to dancing in the hallway, Stacey shares small, sustainable acts of self-connection for overwhelmed mums.
• Reclaiming the feminine — exploring how modern motherhood is steeped in ‘masculine doing’ and how we might return to being, feeling, and honouring our own rhythms.
• Finding your village — why it’s vital to connect with other parents of neurodivergent children, and how Stacey is creating online spaces for shared understanding and laughter through the hard.

Stacey Erin is a Social Worker, Therapist, Counsellor and Coach for mums, children and adolescents aged 3–16 years. She specialises in therapeutic intervention for the social and emotional health and well-being of neurodivergent (autistic and attention variant) clients and their families. With over 20 years of experience as both a social worker and teacher in educational settings, Stacey now offers support privately and through self-managed NDIS plans. Her approach is deeply informed by both her professional knowledge and her lived experience as a mother.

• Follow Stacey on Instagram: @stacey.therapist.mama
• Learn more and explore her resources: https://www.staceyerin.com.au

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