Listen To My Mother

14: The Staying and The Leaving: Does Sarah Have Abandonment Issues?

Shain and Sarah start with a conversation about discernment counseling, which is a style of counseling used when couples can’t decide whether to stay married or separate. But as usual, the clinical conversation turns personal. Shain reflects on her own marriage, the fights, the “f* you” that didn’t end it, and the decades it took to reclaim her voice. Sarah shares how a childhood of people coming and going shaped her attachment style and why abandonment doesn’t always look the way you think it does. It’s an honest, funny, sometimes raw conversation about staying, leaving, invisibility, resilience, and the long road to feeling seen. Have a question you want Shain and Sarah to answer on-air? Head to bit.ly/listentomysubmission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQpoAX6aWuI4B-Kjbf5SePSrhc3XyFtS-_v31Bvqos6wm6-g/viewform] and send it in. All submissions are anonymous. Shain and Sarah want to hear what you’re navigating!   Stay connected on episodes and more on Instagram at @listentomymother [https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/]

13: Grief and Loss: Are We Quitting Relationships Too Fast?

In this episode, Shain and Sarah sit down for an honest conversation about grief, responsibility, boundaries, and the growing culture of estrangement. Shain shares the reality of losing a close friend and the unexpected emotional and logistical weight of serving as executor. Sarah reflects on her own season of change and shifting relationships. Together, they explore big questions many modern families are facing: Are we too quick to walk away from relationships? Where’s the line between healthy boundaries and disposability? And what does kindness look like in a culture that makes disconnection easier than repair? Do you have questions, submissions, or thoughts on today’s culture of estrangement? We'd love to hear from you at listentomymother.podcast@gmail.com To have an anonymous question answered on-air, submit it at: bit.ly/listentomysubmission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQpoAX6aWuI4B-Kjbf5SePSrhc3XyFtS-_v31Bvqos6wm6-g/viewform] And follow us on Instagram at @listentomymother [https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/]

12: A Digital Timecapsule: "How Did Your Family Relate to Religion?"

Shain opens up about her “soul friend” in the ICU and what it feels like to be the person everyone relies on in a crisis. With no listener submission this month, Sarah pulls out one of her keepsake journals and asks Shain a question straight from the page: “Were your parents religious when you were growing up?” That single prompt leads to stories about Holocaust-survivor parents, Jewish identity, and the very different versions of “family dinner” they each grew up with. They wrap by reflecting on the best advice Shain ever received — and the advice she wishes she hadn’t. It’s tender, honest, and exactly the kind of conversation Sarah is grateful to have recorded. Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmission And follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/

11: The Comparison Trap: "How Can I Make Peace with a Path That Didn’t Pay Off?"

This week, Shain and Sarah respond to a listener who’s struggling to make peace with a career risk that didn’t go as planned—and the sting of comparing herself to friends earning four times her salary. They unpack what it means to redefine success when life doesn’t follow a straight line. Shain applauds the courage it takes to start over and Sarah explores how grief, growth, and comparison intertwine. Together, they offer grounded insight on how to honor the lessons, release the shame, and move forward with purpose. Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmission [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQpoAX6aWuI4B-Kjbf5SePSrhc3XyFtS-_v31Bvqos6wm6-g/viewform] And follow us on Instagram at: @listentomymother [https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/]

10: Friendships in Transition: “Should I talk to her about her boyfriend?”

This week, Shain and Sarah tackle a listener’s question about a friend who seems to be drifting away. Is it just the natural pull of a new relationship, or something more concerning?  For the first time, mother and daughter don’t quite see eye to eye—Shain doesn't hold back, while Sarah leans into the complexities of grief, boundaries, and what it means when friendships shift. Along the way, they share how to grieve the end of an era, how to stay connected without judgment, and what to do if a friend may be caught in an abusive or controlling relationship. Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmission And follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/