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In this episode of Ever Forward Radio, psychotherapist and author Vanessa Bennett returns to discuss her groundbreaking new book The Motherhood Myth. She pulls back the curtain on the cultural systems shaping how women experience motherhood, intimacy, rage, and identity—and why so many moms feel like they’re failing even when they’re doing everything “right.” Vanessa shares how Western models of parenting, isolation within the nuclear family, and myths rooted in patriarchy contribute to burnout, disconnection, and shame. She also offers a new vision for communal care, initiation rituals, and reclaiming motherhood as a transformative journey instead of a burden.

Follow Vanessa @vanessabennett

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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In this episode we discuss...

00:00 – The Motherhood Struggle

00:30 – The Nuclear Family Myth

03:27 – Motherhood as Transformation

04:42 – Lessons from Past Generations

09:07 – The Concept of the Child Mother

11:28 – Motherhood as Initiation

18:24 – WEIRD Parenting Models

22:38 – Sleep Training, Co-Sleeping & Intuition

26:38 – Communal Parenting vs. Burnout

30:23 – Capitalism, Patriarchy & Motherhood

32:52 – The Martyr Myth

36:31 – Interracial Parenting & Breaking Cycles

37:52 – Rage, Shame & Transformation

42:17 – Motherhood, Rage, and Relationship Expectations

56:19 – Ownership in Relationships & The Codependent Society

01:02:09 – Therapy as a Modern Rite of Passage & Closing Reflections

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Episode resources:

First Draft - David van den Berg