Have you ever wondered what it truly means to hold space for mothers during their most vulnerable and transformative moments?

In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Imus, a remarkable newborn and motherhood photographer whose work has touched my life in a deeply personal way. As a new mom myself, I know firsthand how powerful it is to feel seen and supported during the early days of motherhood. My conversation with Jennifer goes far beyond photography—we open up about the raw realities of birth, postpartum challenges, and the complex emotions that come with stepping into a new identity as a mother. Together, we explore why honest storytelling and photography matter, and how community and compassion can help us heal and grow through every season of motherhood.

Key Talking Points:
In this episode, we discuss…

• Jennifer Imus’s journey as a newborn and motherhood photographer and her mission to support mothers beyond just taking photos.
• The realities of motherhood that are rarely shared on social media, including birth trauma and postpartum challenges.
• The importance of documenting family and legacy, and why mothers should be present in photos.
• How societal expectations shape women’s experiences of birth, motherhood, and identity.
• The role of community, support, and honest conversation in healing and empowerment.
• My personal story of birth trauma, postpartum recovery, and the emotional impact on my first newborn photo session.
• The evolution of identity from new motherhood to empty nest, and reclaiming personal power as women.
• The value of vulnerability, authenticity, and self-compassion in the motherhood journey.

Time Stamps:

[04:30] Introducing Jennifer Imus and the heart behind her photography
[06:00] Getting honest about motherhood—what you don’t see on Instagram
[08:00] How Jennifer and I connected and found instant understanding
[10:00] The power of support: doulas, community, and holding space for moms
[13:00] Navigating identity shifts from new mom to empty nest
[16:00] Why documenting your family’s legacy is everything
[18:00] Birth trauma, grief, and the healing journey
[22:00] Society’s expectations and rewriting the motherhood narrative
[25:00] Finding community and the courage to share our stories
[28:00] My own birth and postpartum experience—what I wish I’d known
[32:00] The newborn photo session that changed my perspective
[36:00] Jennifer’s studio magic: making moms feel seen and beautiful
[40:00] Manifesting dreams—how Jennifer created her perfect studio
[44:00] Final reflections: honoring our stories and stepping into our power

Connect with Jennifer Imus:

Website: Orange County Photographer | Jennifer Imus Photography
Social: Instagram | Blog

Connect with Ashley Graham:

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Follow Ashley Graham (@simplyashleygraham) and The Conscious Publicist (@theconsciouspublicist) on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

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Copyright 2025 – The Conscious Publicist® – All Rights Reserved

Have you ever looked back at photos from five or ten years ago and thought, "I looked amazing—what was I so worried about?" Or do you find yourself hovering over the delete button, unable to see what your friends insist is a great photo of you?

In this episode, photographer, author, and creator of The Photo Club, Lisa Haukom, reveals why you literally don't recognize your own face—and how that disconnect is keeping you from showing up fully in your life and business. We explore the concept of self-objectification (living as an observer of yourself rather than inhabiting your own experience), the neuroscience behind why non-mirrored photos feel "wrong," and Lisa's transformative 30-day photo practice that helps women finally see themselves clearly.

To add more impact to the narrative, I got vulnerable about navigating self-image changes during pregnancy, and even participated in one of Lisa's exercises live on the podcast. This is a raw and honest conversation about the pressure cooker we create for ourselves and how to find space between reactive thoughts and the truth.

Key Talking Points:
In this episode, we discuss…

• The difference between experiencing a moment versus living as an outside observer of yourself being observed
• The neuroscience behind why your brain rejects non-mirrored images that show your "true" face to others
• How taking daily photos without deleting them using the back camera can revolutionize your self-perception
• Why your brain auto-corrects your appearance in the mirror and how flipping photos upside down reveals what you actually look like
• How women create impossible expectations about being "ready" or "perfect" before showing up—and why that needs to stop
• Simple changes like turning off overhead lights, cleaning your lens, and shooting at eye level that transform your relationship with images
• How keeping the "bad" photos creates the space needed to build empathy for yourself and recognize patterns

Time Stamps:
[1:35] Lisa’s introduction and her message for listeners
[2:46] The “pressure cooker” of self-image and personal history
[5:15] Discovering self-objectification and its impact
[8:28] Lisa’s 30-day photo practice and self-acceptance
[10:48] The disconnect between self-perception and others’ views
[13:55] The neuroscience of self-image and the mirror effect
[15:07] The journey of re-parenting and preparing for motherhood
[28:05] The importance of documenting life and self-reflection
[35:08] Lisa’s current projects: Photo Club, Substack, and her book

Connect with Lisa Haukom:
Website: Substack
Social: Instagram
Work with Lisa: Photo Club

Connect with Ashley Graham:
Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more expansive content and stories here.
Follow Ashley Graham (@simplyashleygraham) and The Conscious Publicist (@theconsciouspublicist) on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.
If you loved this episode and want to further support the show, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcasting platform!
Apple | Spotify |

Copyright 2025 – The Conscious Publicist® – All Rights Reserved

What if the stories that keep you stuck aren't really your stories?

Finally pulling this gem of a conversation from my archives, I sit down with leadership coach Heather Chauvin to explore how our most uncomfortable emotions—especially anger—can become our greatest teachers. Heather shares her powerful journey from social worker to leadership coach, including how her stage 4 cancer diagnosis in 2013 became the catalyst that taught her to surrender and trust herself completely.

We dive into the messy, beautiful process of distinguishing between the roles society imposes on us and the truth trying to emerge from within. This isn't another inspirational conversation with a five-step plan—it's a raw, honest exploration of what transformation really looks like when you stop running from difficult emotions and start asking, "How good can this actually get?"

Key Talking Points:
In this episode, we discuss…

• Why anger and frustration are symptoms of life trying to get your attention
• How to have conversations with your emotions as if they were children seeking attention
• The difference between cultural expectations and your inner truth
• Heather's transformative approach: asking anger "Why are you here?" and "What do you need to feel safe to leave my body?"
• Moving from external validation to deep self-trust and intuition
• && So much more…

Time Stamps:

[1:35] Introduction and the story Heather is ready to share more of
[5:20] Why Heather gets angry watching women believe limiting stories about themselves
[9:45] How to alchemize anger for creative transformation
[15:30] Treating emotions like children trying to get your attention
[21:15] The two internal dialogues: fear-based vs. expansive voices
[26:40] Learning to trust your inner guidance system over external validation
[30:50] Ashley's journey through grief and the power of surrender
[34:20] Heather's cancer diagnosis and the moment of complete surrender
[38:15] Redefining brilliance and the courage to ask "How good can this get?"
[41:00] Final thoughts on authentic storytelling and transformation

Connect with Heather Chauvin:

Website: Link Here
Podcast: Emotionally Uncomfortable — Link Here
Social: Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Free Resources: Check out the free resource section on her website for time-rich reset challenges and more

Connect with Ashley Graham:

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more expansive content and stories here.

Follow Ashley Graham (@simplyashleygraham) and The Conscious Publicist (@theconsciouspublicist) on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

If you loved this episode and want to further support the show, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcasting platform!

Apple | Spotify |

Copyright 2025 – The Conscious Publicist® – All Rights Reserved