Ever Forward Radio with Chase Chewning EFR 893: The Motherhood Myth - Why Modern Moms Feel Like They’re Failing (and what to do about it) with Vanessa Bennett
Aug 18, 2025
Joining the conversation is Vanessa Bennett, a licensed depth psychotherapist and author of 'The Motherhood Myth.' She sheds light on the pressures modern moms face, revealing how patriarchal myths create feelings of failure amidst the parenting struggle. Vanessa discusses the importance of community support and the need to reclaim rituals that celebrate motherhood as a transformative journey. The talk also navigates through the complexities of intimacy, societal expectations, and the emotional toll of modern parenting, encouraging empowerment over isolation.
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Shame Keeps The Hustle Going
- Feeling like a failure is often intentionally produced by systems to keep people hustling for belonging and worth.
- Vanessa Bennett argues this shame cycle fuels endless striving rather than fulfillment.
Nuclear Family Is An Engine Of Isolation
- The nuclear family model is a modern invention that isolates caregivers and increases burden on mothers.
- Bennett says humans are meant to raise children communally, not in isolated nuclear units.
Motherhood As An Unfinished Initiation
- Motherhood is a psychological initiation but modern culture removes rituals that help integrate that change.
- Clarissa Pinkola Estés' 'child mother' describes moms who are still psychologically uninitiated.
