The Just A Mom Podcast

Episode 134: Lisa Katona Smith, Mom, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and Author

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Lisa Katona-Smith shares her journey as a mother navigating her son’s mental health challenges and substance use disorder. Through moments of fear,…

Episode 133: Dr. Jenn Rapkin, Mom, Author, and Naturopathic Physician

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Dr. Jenn Rapkin shares her remarkable journey living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) while also parenting a child navigating the same condition.…

Episode 132: Meri Viano, Mom and Associate Director, Parent/Professional Advocacy League of Massachusetts

This episode of the Just A Mom Podcast features Meri Viano, an adoptive mother and mental health advocate. Meri shares her journey of adopting a sibling set of boys and a girl with Down Syndrome,…

Episode 131: Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Mindfulness Instructor, and Mother of Four

In this episode of the Just A Mom podcast, Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdullah discusses the critical topic of postpartum depression and maternal mental health, as about one in seven women experiences…

Episode 131: Dr. Karen Sheffield Abdulla

Episode 130: Lisa Sabey and Alison Paine, Moms and Filmmakers

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Lisa Sabey and Alison Paine, two courageous mothers, share how they are using documentary filmmaking as a catalyst to revolutionize mental health…

Episode 129: Marcia Earhart, Life/Grief/Trauma/Brain/Mental Health First Responder Coach, Mediator, and HeartSync Minister

In this conversation, Marcia Earhart explores the intricate relationship between grief and joy, emphasizing how they coexist and how one can find solace in memories while living in the present.…

Episode 128: Dr. Hector Rodriguez, Integrative Psychiatrist

On this episode of the Just a Mom podcast, Dr. Hector Rodriguez, an integrative psychiatrist, discusses the complexities of mental health, particularly in teens and young adults. He emphasizes the…

Episode 127: Ryan Bevins and JP Claxton, Fight Club

On this episode of The Just Mom Podcast, Ryan Bevins and JP Claxton dive into their organization called Fight Club (https://fightclub-us.com/), a movement created to give teens—especially young men—a…

Episode 126: Jeanette Yoffe, Therapist, Founder of The Celia Center, Author, and Court-Appointed Reunification Expert

On this episode of the Just A Mom podcast, Jeanette Yoffe, a psychotherapist and advocate for children in foster care and adoption, shares her personal journey of spending six and a half years in…

Episode 125: Dr. Michelle Sherman, Licensed Psychologist, Author, and Teacher

Dr. Michelle Sherman is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience, providing individual and couples psychotherapy to adults in a VA medical center, urban primary care clinic, community…

Episode 124: Kati Morton, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

In this episode of the Just a Mom podcast, licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health expert Kati Morton discusses the complexities of parenting in the digital age. We explore the…

Episode 123: Matteo Esposito, Lived Experience and Founder of InvisibleChallenge.org

Kicking off the spring season is an amazing conversation with Matteo Esposito, who very vulnerably shares his story of addiction, bipolar disorder, and loss. Matteo chronicles his journey as a…

Episode 122: Holly Swenson BSN, RN, Wellness Blogger, Award Winning Author, and Mom

The last episode of this season, and just in time for the holidays, is an episode just for all parents! Holly Swenson, author of Stop, Drop, Grow and Glow…

Episode 121: Lauren Henry Brehm, Author of The French Court; Essays from One Family’s Legacy of Mental Illness

https://laurenhenrybrehm.com/This is a fascinating episode about Lauren’s journey of researching her mother’s family and their mental illnesses through three generations.  Lauren has captured her…

Episode 120: Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum, Mom, Physician, and President and Director of the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center

Don’t miss this inspirational episode with Dr. E, a family practice physician with a specialty in pediatric anxiety and depression.  Dr. E has four children. Her second child, Sophie, has Selective…

Episode 119: Libby Davis, Mom and Founder of The Cooper Davis Memorial Foundation

This episode is difficult but a must-listen for everyone. Libby Davis says they were just living the “average” life in 2021 when they received the call that every parent fears. The local police…

Episode 118: Michael Mackniak, Care Coalition

Don’t miss this important episode featuring Michael Mackniak, attorney and founder of Care Coalition (https://carecoalition.org/). Mike shares his journey as an attorney with 30 years of experience,…

Episode 118: Jason Dyke, Dad and Founder of Carson’s Village

*Trigger warning—this episode contains explicit talk about suicide and specific methodologyJason is an incredible dad who lost his 11-year-old son, Carson, to suicide in 2017. Jason shares openly and…

Episode 117: Jacqueline Janssen, Mom, Advocate, and Author

Jacqueline (https://jacquelinejanssen.com/) has turned all she has learned about mental illness from her son’s mental health journey into incredible advocacy. Her latest book, Every Homeless Person…