Not Your Mother’s Therapist

Early Motherhood, Relationships, and the Fight to Stay Connected

Early motherhood can feel like a beautiful upheaval. Your routines shift, your body changes, your identity stretches, and the relationships you rely on most are suddenly under pressure. In this episode, we talk honestly about relationships in early motherhood. The ones with partners, with others, and especially with yourself. We explore practical communication strategies when patience is thin and needs feel hard to name, how loosening the grip on control can create more connection, and what it means to find yourself again after feeling lost in the postpartum fog. This conversation centers the often overlooked truth that your most important relationship during this season is the one you have with yourself. If you’re navigating resentment, disconnection, or the quiet question of “who am I now?”, this episode offers compassion, language, and steadier ground to stand on.

When Family Gets Complicated: Healthy Boundaries & Healing with Dr. Jay

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jacob Ambrose for a deep and compassionate conversation about navigating complicated family dynamics—especially during the holiday season. We explore why boundaries are essential, what healthy ones actually look like, and how to honor your needs without burning bridges. Dr. Jay also walks us through why cutting off family isn’t always the only—or healthiest—solution, and how forgiveness, nuance, and emotional maturity can help guide our decisions. Together, we talk about repairing relationships, protecting your peace, and the importance of connection and community when things feel messy or overwhelming. Whether you’re heading into the holidays feeling anxious, hopeful, or somewhere in between, this episode offers grounded, realistic guidance to help you show up authentically and care for yourself along the way.

NICU Stress, Trauma, and Coping: Expert Advice from Dr. Celeste Poe

In this episode, we dive into Ana’s very real and very scary experience in the NICU—and what it took for her family to survive it. She shares what those early days looked like, how she coped in the moment, and the ways the NICU journey continued to shape her life in the years that followed. We’re also joined by Dr. Celeste Poe, NICU psychologist at Stanford, who offers expert insight into the emotional impact of NICU stays, why parents often feel the way they do, and the tools that truly help families get through one of the most overwhelming chapters of their lives. Whether you’re currently in the NICU, supporting someone who is, or seeking to better understand this experience, this episode provides validation, guidance, and hope.

Choosing Not to Have Kids: The New Normal?

More people than ever are choosing not to have kids and it’s not always for the reasons you might think. In this episode of Not Your Mother’s Therapist, Dr. Marissa Eusebio and Dr. Ana Abu-Rus unpack the many factors that go into the decision to have (or not have) children. From personal values and financial realities to mental health and societal pressure. Whether you’re child-free by choice, on the fence, or deep in parenthood and just curious about this growing trend, this conversation offers empathy, insight, and zero judgment.

Grief and Joy: Navigating Pregnancy Loss

In this episode, Marissa opens up about her own experience with miscarriage. A raw, honest conversation about the heartbreak of pregnancy loss and the complicated space where grief and joy coexist. Together, Marissa and Ana explore how we make sense of loss while continuing to hold onto hope, connection, and meaning. They talk about what it means to grieve openly, how to support others through loss, and the importance of giving ourselves permission to feel everything, the sadness, the guilt, the gratitude, and the love.This episode is for anyone who’s walked through pregnancy loss, supported someone who has, or simply wants to better understand the emotional landscape of grief in reproductive health. 💛