Special needs motherhood can bring profound love and connection, but it can also leave caregivers chronically exhausted, isolated, and emotionally depleted. When there is no weekend, uninterrupted sleep, or predictable time to recover, how can a mother reclaim a sense of agency?In this episode of the Trust Me Mom podcast (Season 2, episode 47), Ekaterina Konovalova speaks with Susanna Peace Lovell, author, speaker, life coach, Reiki practitioner, co-host of the Brave Together podcast, and mother of a 20-year-old daughter diagnosed with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and severe food allergies.Susanna shares her journey through postpartum anxiety and depression, her daughter Arizona’s early diagnoses, divorce, caregiving without traditional respite, and the difficult emotions many mothers are afraid to admit experiencing. She explains why caregiver depletion is real, how self-compassion can soften guilt and resentment, and why even mothers facing tremendous limitations still have some agency.Together, Ekaterina and Susanna discuss:What prolonged caregiving does to a mother’s physical and emotional reservesWhy special needs parenting can sometimes feel like a life sentenceHow to distinguish what you can control from what you cannotFinding tiny moments of rest while living in survival modeLetting go of unnecessary obligations and expectationsAsking for help and building a supportive communityHelping neurodivergent children develop emotional regulationSusanna’s personal experience using Reiki as a complementary practiceHolding on to hope when progress takes yearsThis is an honest conversation for mothers who love their children deeply but sometimes feel suffocated, resentful, overwhelmed, or desperate for rest. Those feelings do not make you a bad mother. They make you a human being carrying an extraordinarily demanding load.Learn more about Susanna at SusannaPeaceLovell.com and follow her on Instagram at @MamaPeace.Please note: Reiki is discussed as Susanna’s personal and complementary practice. It is not a substitute for medical or mental health treatment.00:00 Introduction01:34 Susanna’s unexpected motherhood journey04:53 Postpartum anxiety, depression, and severe allergies06:35 Recognizing missed developmental milestones07:32 Fighting to have a mother’s concerns heard08:18 Autism, ADHD, and anxiety diagnoses10:20 Divorce and building a life around caregiving12:53 Helping mothers feel less alone13:52 When special needs motherhood feels like prison16:19 What we can and cannot control17:08 Reclaiming agency as a caregiving mother19:54 The fantasy of escaping motherhood20:24 Self-compassion, resentment, and guilt22:31 The relentless labor of caregiving24:25 Why caregivers have no time to recover25:17 Caregiver depletion is real27:06 Finding five minutes of respite28:04 Letting go of the “shoulds”29:07 Support for mothers in survival mode30:25 Connecting with your child through presence31:38 Sensitivity, regulation, and energetic connection32:58 Susanna’s journey to Reiki37:35 Using Reiki with a neurodivergent child41:29 Helping children name and regulate emotions43:24 A final message for caregiving mothers44:33 Closing#SpecialNeedsParenting #CaregiverBurnout #CaregiverDepletion #SpecialNeedsMom #AutismParenting #NeurodivergentParenting #CaregiverSupport #MaternalMentalHealth #ParentingPodcast #TrustMeMomPodcast

What if a strand of hair could reveal a timeline of environmental exposures?In this episode of Trust Me Mom (Season 2, episode 45), Dr. Manish Arora, environmental epidemiologist, exposure biologist, founder and CEO of LinusBio, professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and father of triplet daughters, shares the personal and scientific journey behind his groundbreaking research.Dr. Arora explains how growing up during a civil war and malaria epidemic sparked his interest in environmental health. He later discovered that the growth rings inside baby teeth and hair can preserve biological information about nutrients, chemicals, and environmental exposures over time.We discuss the exposome, why the timing of an exposure can be as important as the amount, and how Dr. Arora’s experience with his neurodivergent daughter inspired his search for more objective ways to help families find answers earlier.Dr. Arora also explains the science behind ClearStrand-ASD, a hair-based laboratory test intended to help health care providers rule out autism, and Traced, a consumer wellness test that maps patterns involving essential and toxic elements.You will also learn about potential sources of lead, arsenic, cadmium, pesticides, PFAS, and other environmental chemicals, along with practical ways families can reduce exposure without becoming overwhelmed.Learn more:ClearStrand-ASD: https://www.clearstrandasd.comTraced: https://traced.lifeTo get a 30% Discount code for Traced, use the code "TRUSTMEMOM" at the checkout Disclaimer: ClearStrand-ASD is not a standalone autism diagnostic test and has not been cleared or approved by the FDA yet. Traced is a wellness test, not a medical diagnostic test. Always speak with a qualified health care professional about developmental concerns or possible environmental exposure.00:00 Introduction00:56 Meet Dr. Manish Arora01:52 Life as a father of triplet daughters02:15 From dentistry to environmental health05:56 How baby teeth preserve exposure history10:55 Why Dr. Arora began studying hair16:01 Hair analysis and early autism research18:46 ClearStrand-ASD and its regulatory status20:20 Eligible ages and test accuracy21:54 How families can order the test23:11 Hidden environmental exposures in the home27:45 Pesticides, microplastics, and PFAS29:51 Reducing exposure without creating anxiety31:07 What to do if elevated exposure is detected33:02 Why environmental toxins affect people differently35:43 Traced and environmental exposure monitoring37:35 Dr. Arora’s mission and final thoughts#TrustMeMom #EnvironmentalHealth #DrManishArora #Exposome #AutismResearch #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity #ChildDevelopment #HealthyHome #ParentingPodcast #ParentingTips #LinusBio

In this episode of Trust Me Mom (Season 2, Episode 44), Ekaterina sits down with Makena Sage and Gigi Sage, a mother-daughter coaching duo, authors of The Wisdom That Raised Me, and co-founders of Way of the Muse.Makena shared her transition from a successful marketing career into coaching, the concept of a “shadow career,” and how motherhood changed her identity, marriage, work, and sense of self. She opened up about postpartum anxiety, the early strain on her relationship, and the importance of honest communication, support, and intentional connection with a partner.Gigi, a mother of five and longtime coach, shared wisdom from raising children across different decades, living an unconventional life, homeschooling, traveling with kids, and creating family systems rooted in communication, acknowledgement, teamwork, and respect.Together, Makena and Gigi offer practical and deeply honest advice for new moms, working moms, couples navigating the transition into parenthood, and women who feel stuck between who they used to be and who they are becoming.To learn more about Makena and Gigi, check their website: https://wayofthemuse.com/00:00 Intro00:38 Welcome to Trust Me Mom01:05 Meet Makena and Gigi Sage01:41 Makena’s journey from marketing to coaching02:59 The idea of a “shadow career”04:32 How motherhood changed Makena05:54 The hardest parts of early motherhood07:28 How having a baby challenged Makena’s marriage09:21 Gigi’s coaching support for Makena and her husband11:51 Marriage, money, and honest conversations14:19 Why couples need to talk before the baby arrives16:26 Gigi’s life as a mother of five18:30 Raising children through an unconventional life21:49 Why every parent will “mess up”24:08 Homeschooling, travel, and learning through experience26:13 Building strong family relationships28:39 How to create family team meetings29:22 The power of acknowledgement32:06 How to avoid turning family meetings into criticism36:04 Why appreciation changes relationships37:22 Two simple practices for couples after having a baby39:49 Boundaries, big families, and different communication styles43:28 Asking for what you want without blaming or criticizing45:10 Advice for exhausted new moms46:09 Motherhood as a season48:24 Rediscovering yourself after motherhood49:10 Matrescence and the butterfly metaphor50:12 Closing thoughts#TrustMeMom #Motherhood #ModernMotherhood #Matrescence #NewMomLife #WorkingMoms #MomLife #MotherhoodJourney #Postpartum #MarriageAfterBaby #ParentingAdvice #FamilyCommunication #MotherDaughterDuo #WomenSupportingWomen #WayOfTheMuse