Healing Mothers' Club

Addiction and Motherhood: A Postpartum Recovery Story with Alyssa Hartley

In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, I sit down with Alyssa Hartley, a mother of two who shares her journey through substance use disorder, motherhood, and recovery. Alyssa opens up about her initiation to substance use at 11 years old, growing up in a Canadian military base where emotions were suppressed, and how her sensitivity and anxiety shaped led her to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. She vulnerably shares what it looked like to parent while struggling, the turning point during her postpartum period, and the courageous steps she took toward recovery—including seeking medical support, entering detox, and committing to long-term healing. Today, Alyssa is living in sobriety and using her voice to advocate for others walking a similar path. In this episode, we discuss: * The link between childhood trauma, emotional suppression, and substance use * What addiction can look like in motherhood (and the hidden realities many don’t see) * The role of medical support, therapy, and nervous system healing in sustainable recovery Connect with Alyssa : TikTok: @foreverfabalyss [https://www.tiktok.com/@foreverfabalyss?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] Connect with Danik : * Therapy for Canadians in Ontario & Quebec : https://www.danikbernier.com [https://www.danikbernier.com] * Therapist or coach? Join the newsletter to train with Danik [https://ancient-frog-72296.myflodesk.com/rzhcdrwssp] New parts work + parenting after childhood trauma goes live in April! DISCLAIMER: This podcast episode does not represent a psychotherapy session between the host and the guest. The host does not necessarily share the same opinions as the guest. This podcast is not meant to replace psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional, does not give medical advice, is not a mental health assessment tool, and does not provide a diagnosis. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Your Nervous System Is a House: Self-Mothering as a Tool to Strengthen Your Foundation

In this solo episode of The Healing Mothers Club, Danik Bernier explains what quality trauma therapy should look like for mothers who want to break the cycle of childhood trauma—or for anyone on a journey of self-mothering after emotional neglect. Using the metaphor of the nervous system as a house, Danik explores how early attachment experiences shape the foundation of emotional safety and why many healing approaches focus too much on strengthening the “house” (coping tools and regulation skills) without repairing the foundation underneath. She introduces the concept of self-mothering as a way to rebuild that foundation internally, helping people meet their emotional needs proactively, stay connected to their adult self rather than dissociating during stress, and ultimately feel safe enough in their bodies to live authentically. In this episode, Danik discusses: * Why the nervous system can be understood as a house built on a foundation, and how emotional neglect in childhood shapes that foundation. * How dissociation functions as a protective response—and why it is often misunderstood or ignored in wellness spaces. * The practice of self-mothering and how internal resources can strengthen inner emotional safety and support trauma healing. Connect with Danik: * On Instagram, @healingmothersclub [https://www.instagram.com/healingmothersclub/related_profiles/] * Therapy for Ontario & Quebec residents 🇨🇦 [https://www.danikbernier.com] * Coaching worldwide 🌎 [https://calendly.com/connect-rjj4/30min] * Clinical training for therapists [https://ancient-frog-72296.myflodesk.com/rzhcdrwssp] DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not meant to replace psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional, does not give medical advice, is not a mental health assessment tool, and does not provide a diagnosis. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Human Design as a Compassion Manual with Caitlan Siegenthaler

In this episode of The Healing Mothers’ Club, I’m joined by IFS therapist and Human Design strategist Caitlan Siegenthaler for a fascinating conversation at the intersection of trauma work, nervous system awareness, and Human Design. Caitlan shares how Human Design entered her therapy practice and how it can function as a powerful tool for self-understanding—especially for mothers navigating burnout, guilt, and the pressure to constantly be “on.” Rather than treating Human Design as a rigid framework or parenting manual, Caitlan reframes it as a compassion manual: a way to understand your unique energy, decision-making style, and nervous system patterns. Together, we explore how integrating Human Design with parts work approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help explain long-held beliefs, reduce mom guilt, and create more harmony between parents and their children. This conversation also touches on how certain childhood labels—like being “too much” or “dramatic”—can connect to trauma patterns we later see in therapy. When we understand our energetic design and emotional wiring, we can begin to release those narratives and support both ourselves and our children with more compassion. In this episode, we talk about: * How Human Design can serve as a compassion manual for mothers rather than a parenting rulebook * The five Human Design energy types and how they influence parenting, energy levels, and burnout * How integrating Human Design with trauma work and parts work can help explain negative core beliefs and reduce mom guilt CONNECT WITH CAITLAN: Get the free mini course on making decisions easy with with IFS and Human Design [https://www.caitlansiegenthaler.com/nextleveldecisions] Book a Human Design reading [https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/1968a8cf/appointment/67024661/calendar/6030714?appointmentTypeIds[]=67024661] Connect with Caitlan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caitlansiegenthaler/] Listen to Return the podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/return/id1672125700] CONNECT WITH DANIK: Book your FREE coaching consultation (open worldwide) [https://calendly.com/connect-rjj4/30min] Book your FREE therapy consultation(Ontario + Quebec, Canada only) [https://www.danikbernier.com ] Get on the coaching newsletter so you don’t miss special offerings and discounts [https://ancient-frog-72296.myflodesk.com/d403aqocrc] Connect with Danik on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/healingmothersclub/related_profiles/] DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not meant to replace psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional, does not give medical advice, is not a mental health assessment tool, and does not provide a diagnosis. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Does Prioritizing Your Needs Make You a Narcissistic Mom?

If you identify as an adult daughter of Emotionally Immature Parents or Narcissistic Parents, you know deep in your bones how it feels to be an inconvenience and to be chosen dead last (or completely ignored). And if you've entered motherhood or have considered becoming a mom, you probably heard the mainstream self-care messaging for moms: take care of yourself, choose yourself first. On one hand, you want to break the cycle of trauma, and on the other hand, you know just because you become a mom doesn't mean you suddenly stop having to meet your own needs. So how do we juggle it all without becoming our self-absorbed mother? Danik answers in this first episode of season 2. Meet Danik 1:1 for FREE (open worldwide) [https://calendly.com/connect-rjj4/30min] Therapy for Ontario + Quebec residents 🇨🇦 [https://www.danikbernier.com] Follow Danik on Instagram, @healingmothersclub [https://www.instagram.com/healingmothersclub/related_profiles/] ✨ Please rate and follow the show, it helps other people who would need to hear today's message find the podcast DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not meant to replace psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional, does not give medical advice, is not a mental health assessment tool, and does not provide a diagnosis. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Simone's Story: Epigenetics, Motherhood, and Intergenerational Trauma

In this episode, Danik shares the full story of her great-grandmother Simone, who was institutionalized in the early 1950s in rural French Ontario, and explores how intergenerational trauma can live on in our bodies decades later. Through archival medical records, family history, and lived experience as a mother, Danik weaves together epigenetics, patriarchy, psychiatric violence, and motherhood—revealing how trauma, abandonment wounds, and survival patterns are passed down, and how awareness can become the beginning of healing. In this episode, we explore: * Simone’s institutionalization, medical trauma, and the reality of motherhood under 1950s patriarchal systems * How intergenerational trauma and epigenetics can show up in motherhood, anxiety, and the nervous system * Why understanding our ancestors’ stories can release long-held emotional and somatic wounds If this episode resonated, follow Danik on Instagram @danikhelpsmoms where she shares ongoing series on intergenerational trauma, cycle-breaking, and nervous system-informed motherhood. And if you’re beginning your own healing journey, consider what support you need to safely explore your family history—you don’t have to do this alone. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not meant to replace psychotherapy from a licensed mental health professional, does not give medical advice, is not a mental health assessment tool, and does not provide a diagnosis. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.