The Motherless Mothers

Ep62: Giving Up the Ghost: Mother Loss and Meaning After Suicide, Samantha’s Story

In this episode, we’re joined by Sam Rose—Emmy Award-winning TV producer, NY Times bestselling ghostwriter, and author of the memoir Giving Up the Ghost. After losing her mother to suicide in 2020, Sam found herself grappling with a kind of grief that resists easy understanding—shock, unanswered questions, and the search for meaning in something that feels inherently senseless. What began as note-taking became something deeper. Through writing—and through unexpected experiences that followed—Sam began to piece together not just her mother’s story but also her own. In this conversation, we explore mother loss through suicide, the complexity of grief without answers, and what it means to lose your voice—and slowly find your way back to it. This is a conversation about silence, identity, and the courage to step out of the shadows. We’re honored to share these community voices—what’s shared reflects personal views, and we can’t take responsibility for the accuracy or content. Love Lou & Adina  You can find Sam’s book Giving Up the Ghost here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Giving-Up-Ghost-Daughters-Memoir/dp/1960573683/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GBIAEPRZQ7W4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GtKmt_77jpkkUpS77vSIKapKCPzaRYVaQ-ZCgrSMTZzIY6RiGwaa7_O8j94ZmYgi.Umlk1-9zgpX8jR1SpdLjXCmAg4EcfBttn-7pA-a7uYQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=giving+up+the+ghost+samantha+rose&qid=1783084951&sprefix=giving+up+the+ghost+samantha+rose%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1]. Sam’s website is here [https://www.yellowskymedia.com/]. Find Sam on IG here [https://www.instagram.com/samantharose_writer]. Follow TMM on IG here [https://www.instagram.com/themotherlessmothersuk], and our website is here [www.themotherlessmothers.com].

Ep61: Founders Unfiltered, Adina & Lou in Conversation

We’ve told our stories before, but this feels like a different conversation. More about where we are now, what’s changed with our grief, what’s still the same and how being in this work is shaping our own experience of grief in ways we didn’t necessarily expect. TMM is two years old, and we are working so hard to bring this dream to life – but what does that feel like for us and our own experiences of losing our mothers? We realised we’ve never really sat down and had this conversation—just us. Not about what happened, but about what it feels like now. In this episode, we talk about the reality of living with mother loss at different stages of life, how it shows up in our motherhood, and how doing this work has shaped our own grief in ways we didn’t expect. It’s a conversation about difference, overlap, and everything that’s still evolving. Love, Adina & Lou

Ep60: Clare on Breaking Patterns: Why I Chose No Contact

Clare has experienced a form of grief and loss that started in childhood. She felt unsupported growing up, which developed into her feelings towards her mum being invalidated by the rest of her family. Clare has journeyed a painful path, but one that she has also led to empowerment as she focuses on raising her own two grown-up boys.  Clare talks to us today to set the record straight on that impossible choice of cutting contact, a choice only few people seem to understand, making it an often lonely path to journey. Love, Lou & Adina We’re honoured to share these community voices—what’s shared reflects personal views, and we can’t take responsibility for the accuracy or content.

Ep59: Choosing Distance: Mother Loss Through Estrangement, Geraldine’s Story

Geraldine’s experience of mother loss didn’t come through death, but through the painful decision to walk away. After years of being her mother’s carer from the age of 12, Geraldine found herself in a deeply enmeshed and emotionally harmful relationship. As she grew older and began building a life and family of her own, the dynamic intensified—control, manipulation, and isolation became part of her reality. Eight years ago, she made the difficult decision to go no-contact. In this episode, we explore estrangement as a form of mother loss—something rarely spoken about, yet deeply felt. Geraldine shares what it means to grieve someone who is still alive, how that loss shaped her identity, and the impact it had on her own journey into motherhood. We talk about boundaries, guilt, healing, and what it takes to rebuild yourself after growing up in enmeshment. This is a conversation about a different kind of loss—the kind that doesn’t always get recognised but changes everything. Love, Lou & Adina We’re honoured to share these community voices—what’s shared reflects personal views, and we can’t take responsibility for the accuracy or content.

Ep58: Lockdown Pregnancy, Postpartum Psychosis and No Mum: Geri’s Story

Geri is mum to two boys and a mum-influencer with over 30,000 followers. She’s musical and cares deeply for young people, a love that led her to run London Music Box, a musical school for students on the Autism Spectrum and mainstream students.  But what Geri doesn’t always share is that she lost her best friend seven years ago, her mum. Even saying her name brings tears to Geri’s eyes. We’re chatting with Geri about what first-time pregnancy without a mum in Covid looked like; the truth about living with postpartum psychosis and how Geri overcame this; and why being a motherless mum will always shape everything she stands for in motherhood. Love, Lou & Adina Find out more about The Motherless Mothers Charity here [www.themotherlessmothers.com]