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Motherhood changed my experience with anxiety in ways I didn’t fully anticipate. When you love your kids deeply, the things you can’t control can feel especially hard to sit with.

After hearing about the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, those familiar feelings came rushing back—the sadness, the fear, the anger, and that overwhelming sense of helplessness.

In this episode, I’m sharing a personal conversation about motherhood, anxiety, and the fear we carry as parents. I’m also taking you back to 2023, when a visit to the memorial for the victims of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville left me feeling crushed—and ultimately led me to travel to Washington, D.C., to advocate for change alongside March Fourth.

I talk about why this organization matters to me, the work they’re doing to end mass shootings, and how we can begin to turn some of those feelings of fear and helplessness into action.

Because while we can’t control everything that happens, we can still find our voice. We can show up. And we can contribute to meaningful change.

Ways to get involved with March Fourth:

💚 Become a member (it's free!): MEMBERSHIP LINK

💚 Donate to support their work: DONATION LINK

💚 Learn more about March Fourth: WEBSITE LINK

💚 Invite friends to join and help grow the movement.

Thank you for listening to this conversation and for finding ways to use your voice.

🎧 Listen, share, and join me in finding ways to turn fear into action.

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In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Jenn is joined by her sister-in-law, Carolyn, for a deeply personal conversation about pregnancy loss, friendship, and navigating two very different pregnancy experiences.

When Jenn and Carolyn discovered they were pregnant just two weeks apart, they were excited to experience pregnancy and early motherhood together. They imagined maternity leave side by side, raising cousins close in age, and sharing all the milestones that come with becoming moms.

But at nine weeks, Jenn learned there was no heartbeat. While Jenn navigated the grief of pregnancy loss, Carolyn's pregnancy continued.

In this episode, Jenn and Carolyn look back on a season they've never really talked about in depth beyond simply living through it together. They reflect on the complicated emotions that can come with grieving a pregnancy while someone you love continues theirs, the ways we try to protect each other, and what it means to hold space for someone else's joy while carrying your own grief.

This isn't a conversation about having all the answers. It's an honest reflection on family, friendship, grief, and the ways we show up for one another through life's hardest moments.

A gentle reminder: If you're navigating pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss, or supporting someone you love through either experience, you don't have to feel just one thing. Your grief, your joy, and your complicated emotions all deserve room.

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, grief, and pregnancy after loss. Please listen when and if it feels right for you.

🤍 Thanks for being here with us on Messy Minded Mama.

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We love a meaningful motherhood conversation. We really do.

But sometimes...we just need to laugh about the fact that we have somehow become the people who say things like:

“Please stop licking that.... or me!”

“Why does everything always go in your mouth?"

And somehow, these are completely normal sentences in our lives now.

So today, we're taking a break from the heavier motherhood conversations and embracing the completely unhinged side of being a mom.

We're talking about:

🤯 The weirdest things we've actually said to our kids

🤐 The things we think but probably shouldn't say out loud

🧠 The 47 completely random thoughts currently taking up space in our mom brains

🙃 The things we've done as moms that our pre-kid selves would absolutely judge us for

😂 And our completely unhinged mom confessions

No deep dive. No big takeaway. No life-changing motherhood wisdom.

Just Kate and Jenn talking about the weird, ridiculous, mildly questionable things that come with being a mom.

Because sometimes motherhood is beautiful.

Sometimes it's hard. And super weird.

And honestly? We think all of it deserves a little laugh.

Listen in and let us know: What's the most completely unhinged thing you've ever said, thought, or done as a mom?

We promise not to judge. We've probably done it too. 😂

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September is NICU Awareness Month, and we knew we wanted to use this month to shine a light on something that can sometimes get lost in the NICU story: the mother behind the baby.

In this episode of Messy Minded Mama, we’re joined by Stephanie, founder of Mama, I See You, an organization created to support and care for moms navigating the NICU experience.

Stephanie shares her own deeply personal NICU journey, what she learned about what NICU moms really need, and how her experience inspired her to create Mama, I See You.

We talk about the fear, exhaustion, uncertainty, and isolation that can come with a NICU stay—and why supporting the baby also means remembering to support the mama.

Because sometimes she doesn't need us to fix it.

She just needs someone to say: Mama, I see you.

❤️ Support Mama, I See You

After hearing Stephanie's story and learning more about the incredible work Mama, I See You is doing, Messy Minded Mama made a donation to support NICU moms—and we would love for you to join us.

If this episode resonates with you, consider making a donation, sharing Mama, I See You with someone who may benefit from their support, or finding another way to get involved.

Mama, I See You is currently supporting NICU mamas here in Colorado, but that doesn’t mean you have to be in Colorado to make an impact. You can support their work, share their mission, or look for ways to show up for NICU families in your own community. Whether it’s donating, dropping off a meal, checking in on a mama, or simply reminding her that she hasn’t been forgotten, there are so many ways to say, I see you.

Every contribution helps remind a NICU mama that she hasn't been forgotten.

Donate or learn more about Mama, I See You:
🌐 Website: https://www.mamaiseeyou.com/
📱 Instagram: mamaiseeyou.co

And if you can't donate right now, that's okay. Share this episode. Share their mission. Check in on a NICU mom you know. Sometimes showing up starts with simply letting someone know: I see you.

🎧 Keep Listening

If you're a mama navigating the beautiful, messy, exhausting, complicated parts of motherhood, you're in the right place.

Follow Messy Minded Mama wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with a mama who needs to hear it.

Real moms. Real stories. The messy middle of motherhood.

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Moms are resilient. We hear it all the time.

But what if we've gotten so good at being resilient that we've forgotten to ask what that resilience is costing us?

In this episode, we have an honest conversation about what resilience actually looks like in motherhood—and whether we've confused resilience with simply pushing through.

We talk about the seasons when motherhood asks more of us than we expected, the pressure to “keep going,” and the ways we can learn to notice what our minds and bodies are telling us before we reach complete depletion.

We share our personal stories about attunement and why paying attention to our physical, emotional, and behavioral signals can be such an important part of caring for ourselves.

Because resilience doesn't always mean doing more.

Sometimes resilience looks like asking for help.
Sometimes it looks like lowering the bar.
Sometimes it looks like resting.
Sometimes it looks like saying no.
And sometimes it looks like recognizing that something needs to change.

A question to take with you:

What have you been noticing lately that you've been telling yourself to ignore?

Now is your time to pause. You don't have to wait until you're completely falling apart to pay attention.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

💃 GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Moms Feelin' Themselves!

We are SO excited to be partnering with Moms Feelin' Themselves for a Back-to-School Banger edition of The Mom Dance Party giveaway!

Because sometimes resilience looks like putting down the laundry basket, leaving the kids at home, and dancing your face off with your mom friends. 😂

Moms Feelin' Themselves: Back-to-School Banger
📅 Friday, September 18, 2026
📍 The Gothic Theatre | Englewood, CO
🕖 7 PM
🔞 21+

We're giving one lucky mama TWO tickets to come dance, laugh, let loose, and feel like herself again.

To enter:

✨ Follow @messy.minded.mama on Instagram
✨ Follow @momsfeelinthemselves on Instagram

That's it!

Go find our giveaway post on Instagram for the full details and to enter. Tag your dance partner while you're there—we have a feeling you're going to need one. 💃

We'll see you on the dance floor!

Giveaway is for two tickets to the September 18, 2026 Denver event. See giveaway post for complete rules and eligibility.

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Summer somehow flies by... and August has a way of bringing all the feelings.

In this episode of Messy Minded Mama, we're reflecting on the highs and lows of summer, and talking honestly about the emotional transition into a new school year.

From excitement and anticipation to grief over another season ending, we're exploring why motherhood is often full of seemingly opposite emotions—and why that's completely normal.

We also share what we're hoping for our kids, what we're hoping for ourselves, and the simple routines, mindset shifts, and intentions we're bringing into this next season.

Whether you're packing backpacks, sending a little one to preschool for the first time, or simply craving a fresh start, this conversation is your reminder that you don't have to have it all figured out.

Remember, you don't have to reinvent yourself this August. Sometimes the healthiest reset isn't about doing more—it's about carrying forward what matters most and letting go of what no longer serves you.

If this episode encouraged you, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another mama who could use a little encouragement heading into this season.

And...if you have a morning, after-school, or bedtime hack that actually works? Don't gatekeep. 😂 Drop it in the comments because we're convinced every family has one thing we haven't thought of yet.

🍂 Join us for our upcoming Values Workshop!

As a new season begins, it's the perfect time to reconnect with what matters most. Our interactive Values Workshop will help you identify your core values, make more intentional decisions, and create a life that feels more aligned with who you are.

👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992527840408?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Real Moms. Real Stories.

What if the biggest difference in your motherhood journey wasn't your baby... but your village?

In this episode of Messy Minded Mama, Jenn sits down with Alyssa, a mom of two, to talk about the loneliness so many mothers experience and how intentionally building a community transformed her experience from her first child to her second.

Together, they explore the power of connection, why asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, and how finding your people can positively impact your mental health, confidence, and joy in motherhood.

Whether you're a new mom searching for connection or simply feeling isolated in this season, this conversation is a reminder that you were never meant to do motherhood alone.

In this episode, you'll hear Alyssa say, "there is something so special about women gathering and so special about mothers gathering" and learn about Alyssa's journey from isolation to connection.

You'll leave ready to take one small step this week toward building or strengthening your village.

🤍 Follow us on Instagram: @messy.minded.mama

🌿 Learn more about upcoming Messy Minded Mama events and community gatherings at www.messymindedmama.com

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?
Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a mom who could use the reminder that she doesn't have to do motherhood alone.

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After the response to our first episode on mom rage, we knew we needed to continue the conversation.

In this episode, we're going deeper—not just into the moments of yelling or losing our patience, but into the experiences so many moms carry silently. The slammed doors. The tears in the bathroom. The urge to escape. The overwhelming guilt that often follows.

As moms, we often assume our rage means we're failing. But what if it's actually our nervous system telling us we've been carrying too much for too long?

Jenn and Kate share their own experiences with reaching a breaking point, and together we explore what rage is really communicating, when it's time to pay attention, and why understanding our nervous system can replace shame with self-compassion.

If you've ever wondered, "Why am I reacting like this?" or "Am I the only mom who feels this way?"—this episode is for you.

Quick Nervous System Reset Ideas

When you notice yourself approaching your limit, remember that regulation doesn't have to take an hour. Even one or two minutes can help signal safety to your nervous system.

• The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
  • 5 things you can see
  • 4 things you can touch
  • 3 things you can hear
  • 2 things you can smell
  • 1 thing you can taste
• Take 10 slow, intentional breaths, making your exhale longer than your inhale.
• Step outside for five minutes and let your eyes look into the distance. This helps shift your brain out of constant "close-up" focus.
• Splash cold water on your face or hold a cold drink to activate your body's calming response.
• Put both feet firmly on the floor and notice the support beneath you.
• Stretch your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and relax your hands. Our bodies often hold stress before we realize it.
• Turn on one song you love and move your body—dance, walk, sway, or simply shake out the tension.
• Text or call someone who feels safe and simply say, "I'm having a hard moment."
• If possible, step away for five minutes. A short pause isn't giving up—it's helping you return as the parent you want to be.

Remember

Feeling overwhelmed doesn't make you a bad mom.

Rage isn't a reflection of how much you love your children. More often, it's a signal that your mind and body have been carrying more than they were meant to carry alone.

You don't have to wait until you're completely burned out to ask for help. Support isn't a last resort—it's part of caring for yourself and your family.

Connect with Us

If this episode resonated with you, we'd love to hear from you. Share it with another mom who needs the reminder that she's not alone, and don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow along for more real conversations about the messy, beautiful reality of motherhood.