We Are Women Unapologetically

Breaking Intergenerational Trauma Through Parenting with Mary Wilcox Smith

In this episode of We Are Women Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming sits down with Mary Wilcox Smith, speaker, author, entrepreneur, and parent coach, for an honest conversation about intergenerational trauma, parenting, perfectionism, resilience, and healing. Mary shares her journey from building businesses across three continents to raising four daughters, navigating one child’s serious medical needs, and confronting how childhood trauma, grief, abuse, and loss shaped the way she moved through life and motherhood. Together, Jessica and Mary explore how trauma is not always measured by what happens on the outside, but by what a child was able to handle at the time. They also discuss how parents can unintentionally pass down anxiety, perfectionism, and coping patterns, and how awareness can become the first step toward breaking generational cycles. Mary also introduces her book, The Microstep Method for the Overwhelmed Parent, and explains how small, practical microsteps can help parents build connection, emotional safety, and resilience without trying to overhaul everything at once. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered how their past affects their parenting, confidence, relationships, or ability to let go. It is a powerful reminder that healing often begins with one honest moment, one new response, and one small step forward. Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide loss, abuse, trauma, and mental health Connect with Mary Wilcox Smith Learn more about Mary Wilcox Smith, her parent coaching services, speaking, and resources at her website: Website: Mary Smith Parent Coach / Mary Wilcox Smith Book: The Microstep Method for the Overwhelmed Parent, available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible LinkedIn: Mary Wilcox Smith Instagram: Mary Wilcox Smith Connect with Jessica: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/ Website: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/speaking Clarity in 10: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10

Advocate for Yourself in Healthcare: Patient Communication and Stem Cell Recovery with Dana Sherwin

In this episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, Jessica Cumming sits down with Dana Sherwin, healthcare consultant, speaker, and stem cell transplant survivor, for a powerful conversation about patient advocacy, healthcare communication, and learning how to take an active role in your own care.Dana shares her journey from healthcare leadership to navigating a blood cancer disorder, preparing for a stem cell transplant, and discovering a renewed purpose in helping people communicate more effectively with doctors. This conversation explores why so many patients feel unprepared for medical appointments, how to ask better questions, and why understanding your body and health history matters before a diagnosis changes everything. Key takeaways from this episode: • Why patient advocacy starts before you are seriously ill • How to prepare for doctor’s appointments with better questions • Why knowing your symptoms, health history, and body matters • How healthcare communication can impact diagnosis, treatment, and confidence • What Dana’s stem cell transplant recovery taught her about purpose, resilience, and self-advocacy • Why being curious and taking care of yourself may be one of the most powerful health decisions you make. Connect with Dana SherwinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desherwin/ Website: TheThinkingPatient.com Connect with Jessica Cumming LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/ Website: jcnewbeginnings.com

The Manager Aftershock: Leadership Burnout During Reorgs Nobody Talks About (Part 4)

Reorgs don’t just impact teams. They impact the managers trying to hold everything together. In Part 4 of this leadership mini-series, Jessica Cumming dives into the emotional and operational reality managers face after organizational change. The pressure to keep morale up, maintain productivity, answer impossible questions, and absorb the fallout without falling apart yourself. This episode explores: • Leadership burnout during reorgs • The hidden weight middle managers carry • How to lead with humanity without becoming the emotional dumping ground • Why managers end up over-functioning or emotionally disengaging • The downstream impact of layoffs, restructuring, and cost-cutting decisions • Communication strategies for leading teams through uncertainty • How to protect your energy while still protecting your people Jessica also shares personal stories from her leadership experience at Dell Technologies, including global team transitions, organizational restructuring, and what happens when leadership decisions create ripple effects teams are forced to absorb long after the announcement is over. If you’ve ever felt emotionally exhausted trying to lead through instability while pretending everything is “business as usual,” this conversation is for you. Because leadership during a reorg isn’t just about keeping work moving. It’s about staying human while everything around you changes. 🎧 Listen now and share with a leader who needs this reminder. Connect on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/]

The First 30 Days After a Reorg: How Leaders Rebuild Teams, Trust and Execution (Part 3)

The announcement is over.The org chart is updated.But this is the phase leaders almost never get coached on.Thirty days after a reorg is when the real operational problems start showing up.Priorities get blurry. Decision-making slows down. Meetings multiply. Teams hesitate. And underneath all of it is one question nobody wants to say out loud:“Okay… now what?”In Part 3 of this 4-part leadership series, Jessica Cumming breaks down what actually happens after organizational change and why so many teams struggle to regain momentum after a corporate reorg.Drawing from nearly 20 years leading through constant restructuring at Dell Technologies, Jessica shares a practical leadership playbook for rebuilding clarity, restoring ownership, and helping teams execute again without burning people out in the process.This episode covers:• The hidden leadership mistakes that stall teams after a reorg• Why “ownership fog” quietly destroys execution• How priority drift creates burnout and confusion• The operational trust leaders must rebuild after change• A practical framework for decision ownership and accountability• How to reduce meeting overload and decision paralysis• What leaders should communicate in the first 30 days after restructuring• How to restore confidence without fake positivity or corporate spinIf you’re leading through layoffs, restructuring, mergers, leadership turnover, or organizational change, this episode gives you practical strategies to stabilize your team and move forward with clarity and direction.Listen now and come back for Part 4, where the focus shifts to the leaders themselves and the emotional weight of carrying teams through constant change.Clarity in 10: https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/clarity-in-10 Connect with Jessica on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacumming04/]Book Jessica to Speak [https://www.jcnewbeginnings.com/speaking]

How to Lead During a Reorg Announcement: What to Say, Do, and Prioritize (Part 2)

Announcement week isn’t the whole reorg.It’s the spike.This is where everything intensifies.Questions increase.Rumors spread.Work either stalls or explodes into activity that looks productive but isn’t.And your team is looking to you for direction… while you’re still waiting for answers yourself.This is the moment most leaders get wrong.They either freeze and wait.Or they overwork and create more noise.Neither creates stability.In this episode, I break down exactly how to lead during announcement week so your team stays focused, work keeps moving, and you don’t burn yourself out trying to hold everything together.We’re talking what to actually do this week.How to communicate when you don’t have clean answersHow to reduce rumor cycles without shutting people downHow to set clear priorities so your team knows what mattersWhen to pause work and protect qualityHow to stop becoming the unofficial crisis hotlineBecause your team doesn’t need you to be perfect.They need you to be steady.This is Part 2 of the reorg leadership series.Part 1 covers what happens before the announcement and how to lead through the uncertainty leading up to it.If you’re in the middle of this right now, this episode will meet you there.Key TakeawaysWhy announcement week creates a spike in stress, noise, and decision pressureThe difference between productive work and anxiety-driven activityHow to reset priorities so your team doesn’t scatterWhat to say when people ask questions you can’t fully answer yetHow to protect your team’s time, focus, and energyA practical playbook to lead through this week without losing controlHow to ConnectIf this episode hit, share it with someone navigating a reorg right now.If you need a fast reset, download the Clarity in 10™ tool to get focused in minutes.If you’re leading through this and want support specific to your situation, book a clarity call with me. We’ll map out exactly how to lead through it without burning out.Connect with me on LinkedIn: ⁠JessicaCumming⁠04Explore coaching and speaking: www.⁠JCNew Beginnings.com⁠