In this episode of She's Not Done, Andrea and Kouelee tackle a topic that resonates with so many parents and women: the village.

We often hear people say, "It takes a village," but what happens when asking for help feels impossible? Is the village really gone, or have life experiences, disappointment, trust issues, guilt, and the pressure to be strong made it difficult to lean on others?

Andrea shares how divorce, single parenting, and years of being let down taught her to do everything herself—until life forced her to start asking for help. Through small moments of people showing up consistently, she learned that trust can be rebuilt and that accepting support doesn't make you weak.

Kouelee opens up about her struggle with vulnerability, control, and the fear of being perceived as anything less than strong. As a working mom, she discusses the guilt that comes with asking for help, the challenge of trusting others, and why she feels she hasn't fully built her own village yet.

Together, they explore the many forms a village can take—from family and friends to neighbors, fellow moms, schools, daycare providers, and community connections. They discuss how villages are often built intentionally over time and how support looks different for every family.

This conversation is an honest look at motherhood, trust, independence, and the courage it takes to let people show up for you.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome back to She's Not Done

01:15 – Is the village gone, or are we afraid to ask for help?

03:30 – Why asking for help can feel like weakness

06:00 – Being let down and learning not to rely on anyone

08:45 – Trust issues, control, and doing everything yourself

11:30 – The mental load of motherhood and partnership

14:00 – Why some women struggle to be seen as vulnerable

17:15 – Building a village versus expecting one to appear

20:00 – Community, friendship, and finding support outside family

23:00 – Divorce, trust, and relearning how to lean on people

26:00 – Mom guilt and the difficulty of accepting help

28:30 – Different parenting styles and different definitions of support

30:15 – How do you build a village when trusting people is hard?

31:30 – Final thoughts: You may not have a village, but you're not alone

#TheVillage #MentalLoad #MomGuilt #MotherhoodUnfiltered #MomSupport #WorkingMomLife #SingleMomLife #WomenSupportingWomen #AskingForHelp #ParentingPodcast #ShesNotDonePodcast #CommunityMatters #VulnerabilityIsStrength #TrustIssues #YouAreNotAlone.

Thank you for being here! And remember, you are NOT alone and you are Not done.

xxx Andrea & Kouelee

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