Maternal Anxiety & High-Achieving Mothers: Finding Calm with Kate Kripke

Maternal Anxiety & High-Achieving Mothers: Finding Calm with Kate Kripke

So many capable, high-achieving women enter motherhood expecting to adapt — and instead find themselves feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and unsure of themselves in ways they never anticipated. In this episode of MamaThrive, I’m joined by Kate Kripke to explore why motherhood can feel so destabilising, even for women who have previously navigated complex and demanding lives with ease. Kate’s work focuses on supporting mothers to understand their anxiety through the lens of the nervous system and attachment — helping them move away from pressure and perfectionism, and toward calm, confidence, and connection. Together, we explore: • Why high-achieving women often find motherhood unexpectedly overwhelming • What’s happening in the nervous system during anxiety and reactivity • How perfectionism and control show up in parenting • The role of emotional discomfort in healthy attachment • How mothers can begin to find steadiness and trust themselves again This conversation is a powerful reframe for mothers who feel like they should be coping — but aren’t. Because the answer isn’t doing more. It’s understanding what’s really happening beneath the surface. About Kate Kate Kripke is a maternal mental health expert, therapist, and coach with over 20 years of experience supporting mothers. She specialises in working with high-achieving women navigating anxiety, overwhelm, and identity shifts in motherhood, using neuroscience, attachment theory, and nervous system regulation to help them move into a more grounded and connected experience of parenting. Kate’s work supports mothers in releasing perfectionism, building emotional resilience, and creating deeper connection with themselves and their children. Connect with Kate Kripke: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katekripke/ [https://www.instagram.com/katekripke/] • Website: https://www.katekripke.com/ [https://www.katekripke.com/]

Maternal Rage & Overwhelm: Understanding Your Nervous System with Claire Judd

Maternal anger is one of the most common — and least talked about — experiences in motherhood. So many mothers find themselves reacting in ways that feel unfamiliar, intense, or out of character… and then carrying deep guilt and shame afterwards. In this episode of MamaThrive, I’m joined by Claire Judd to have an honest and compassionate conversation about maternal rage, emotional overwhelm, and what’s really happening beneath these moments. Claire’s work supports mothers in understanding their emotional responses through the lens of the nervous system — helping them move away from self-blame and toward deeper self-understanding. Together, we explore: • What maternal rage actually is — and why it happens • What’s going on in the nervous system during moments of overwhelm • Why everyday triggers can feel so intense in motherhood • The role of shame and silence in keeping mothers stuck • How to begin responding with more awareness and compassion This episode is a powerful reminder that your reactions are not a reflection of your worth as a mother — they are signals from a system that is carrying too much, often without enough support. About Claire Claire Judd is a therapist who specialises in supporting mothers experiencing anxiety, overwhelm, and anger in motherhood. Her work focuses particularly on maternal rage — helping women understand the deeper emotional and nervous system patterns behind their reactions, reduce shame, and develop more compassionate and sustainable ways of responding. Claire offers a grounded, non-judgemental approach that supports mothers in making sense of their experiences and reconnecting with themselves. Connect with Claire Judd: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairejuddtherapy/ [https://www.instagram.com/clairejuddtherapy/] • Website: https://www.clairejudd.co.uk/therapyformums [https://www.clairejudd.co.uk/therapyformums]

From Depletion to Vitality: Nourishment, Nervous System & Motherhood with Emma Morris

So many mothers are told they’re just tired. But what if what you’re feeling goes deeper than that? In this episode of MamaThrive, I’m joined by Emma Morris to explore the reality of postpartum depletion — and why so many mothers are running on empty without fully understanding why. Emma’s work sits at the intersection of clinical nutrition, psychology, and nervous system support, helping mothers move beyond surface-level solutions and into true, sustainable healing. Together, we explore: • The difference between everyday tiredness and deeper depletion • How the nervous system, nutrition, and identity shifts are interconnected • Why “just rest more” isn’t enough for many mothers • The hidden ways depletion shows up physically and emotionally • How mothers can begin rebuilding energy and vitality from the inside out This conversation is a powerful reminder that what you’re feeling is not a failure — it’s information. And when we begin to understand what our bodies are asking for, everything starts to shift. About Emma Emma Morris is a maternal health practitioner who integrates clinical nutrition, psychology, and nervous system awareness to support mothers experiencing depletion, burnout, and loss of self. Her work focuses on helping women restore their energy, reconnect with their bodies, and reclaim a sense of vitality and purpose in motherhood — not through pressure or perfection, but through deep, sustainable support. Connect with Emma Morris: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmamorrisnutrition/ [https://www.instagram.com/emmamorrisnutrition/] • Website: https://www.maiamothers.com.au/ [https://www.maiamothers.com.au/]

Coming Back to Your Body: Nervous System Support in Motherhood with Gea Krajcar

So many mothers move through their days feeling disconnected from themselves. Functioning. Coping. Getting through. But beneath that… there’s often a quiet sense of tension, overwhelm, or even numbness that’s hard to put into words. In this episode of MamaThrive, I’m joined by Gea Krajcar, founder of Soma Yoga, to explore what it really means to come back into your body after motherhood. Gea’s work blends somatic awareness, nervous system regulation, and movement — helping women move beyond simply “doing yoga” and into a deeper relationship with their body, their emotions, and their internal experience. Together, we explore: • Why so many mothers feel disconnected from their bodies after having children • What’s actually happening in the nervous system when we feel overwhelmed or shut down • The difference between movement as exercise vs movement as regulation • How to begin listening to your body — even if that feels unfamiliar • Simple, accessible ways to support your nervous system in everyday moments This conversation is a gentle but powerful reminder that your body is not something to fix or push through — it’s something to come home to. If you’ve been feeling stretched, numb, or like you’ve lost touch with yourself in motherhood… this episode offers a different way back. As always, we continue this conversation over on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/_kendrablake/]. Come join us there. Connect with Gea Krajcar: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geakrajcar/ [https://www.instagram.com/geakrajcar/] • Website: https://www.geakrajcar.com/ [https://www.geakrajcar.com/] About Gea: Gea Krajcar is a somatic practitioner and the founder of Soma Yoga, where she supports women in reconnecting with their bodies through movement, nervous system awareness, and embodied practice. Her work goes beyond traditional yoga, integrating somatics and nervous system regulation to help women move out of patterns of tension, overwhelm, and disconnection, and into a more grounded, responsive, and connected way of being. Gea’s approach is gentle, deeply intuitive, and rooted in the belief that the body holds its own wisdom — and that healing begins when we learn to listen rather than override.

The Self-Compassion That Mothers Actually Need with Suzy Reading

Motherhood asks so much of us — emotionally, mentally, physically — and yet many mothers move through this transition feeling unsupported, overwhelmed, and quietly questioning themselves. In this episode of MamaThrive, I’m joined by psychologist, wellbeing expert, and author Suzy Reading for a thoughtful and deeply compassionate conversation about the realities of modern motherhood. Suzy’s work focuses on helping women develop sustainable wellbeing practices and cultivate self-compassion in the midst of life’s demands — something that feels particularly vital for mothers navigating the emotional and identity shifts that come with caring for others. Together, we explore: • Why motherhood can feel so emotionally intense and destabilising • The hidden pressures mothers carry every day • How self-compassion changes the way we experience overwhelm • The difference between self-care and sustainable wellbeing • Practical ways to build resilience within the realities of motherhood This conversation offers reassurance, insight, and practical tools for mothers who want to care for themselves with the same compassion they offer everyone else. If you’ve ever felt stretched, depleted, or unsure how to hold everything motherhood asks of you, this episode is a gentle reminder that you are not alone — and that caring for yourself is not selfish, but essential. As always, we continue this conversation over on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/_kendrablake/]. Come join us there.  Resources:  * Website [https://www.suzyreading.co.uk/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/suzyreading] About Suzy Reading Suzy Reading is a Chartered Psychologist and one of the UK’s leading self-care and self-advocacy experts. She has three decades of experience in the health and wellbeing industry, drawing on her qualifications in yoga and personal training, together with psychology, to empower people with sustainable healthy lifestyle habits. Suzy has a special interest in helping people heal their relationship with ‘self’. She is a monthly columnist for Top Sante Magazine; the Psychology Expert for Neom Organics; the Wellbeing Ambassador for BABTAC and is a founding member of the ‘Nourish’ app. She is the author of The Little Book of Self-Care, The Self-Care Revolution, Stand Tall Like a Mountain, Self-care for Tough Times, This Book Will (Help) Make You Happy, And Breathe, Sit to Get Fit, Rest to Reset and Self-care for Winter. How to Be Selfish is hot of the press.