Beth Syverson is a mom of an 18-year-old son, Joey, who has been struggling with addiction and mental health issues for several years. She struggles with addiction as well, though not with the same substances as her son. This experience has given her empathy for her son's struggles. She has learned to maintain firm boundaries while still nurturing a positive relationship with Joey. She is walking beside Joey as he struggles with his recovery, while she works on her own personal growth and healing. Joey and Beth started Safe Home Podcast in August 2021 in order to help other families avoid the pain they've endured. They are committed to destigmatizing addiction and mental health, and they want to help as many families as possible by sharing their stories. This is such an incredibly important topic and conversation. I’m so grateful to Beth for sharing courageously and vulnerably. It’s also important that you know, Joey gave consent, even encouragement, for his mom to have this conversation and share parts of his journey with this audience of Shameless Moms. Listen in to hear Beth share: The impact of her son’s in utero trauma and the first 7 months of his life in Japan How Joey’s experimentation with vaping and nicotine led to life-threatening, full-fledged addiction What to look for if suspect your child might be using - and the signs Beth missed when Joey was first using How Joey’s first suicide attempt opened her eyes to his struggle with addiction How to use curiosity as a tool in talking about substance use/abuse with your child in order to open up conversations instead of shutting down conversations How she uses the CRAFT method: a special communication method to prioritize a relationship with someone who is on an addiction journey  The importance of removing shame from addiction The boundaries she keeps in place while prioritizing their relationship How she and Joey co-created a podcast, Safe Home Podcast, and why the show is so important to all parents of tweens and teens Her #1 piece of advice for parents of struggling teens  Links mentioned: Join my free workshop: How to Calm Your Chaos & Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Connect with Beth and find her events: safehomefamilies.com Listen to the Safe Home Podcast: anchor.fm/safe-home-podcast Safe Home Podcast on FB Safe Home Podcast on IG Safe Home Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYoW-LxFFes2EX71ENcFVCQ  Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get overwhelmed or frustrated or feel the universe is working against us, we tend to drop our heads, metaphorically and literally. We stop seeing the good around us. We stop seeing potential. We stop seeing opportunity. We look down and miss the magic that is right in front of us, if not passing us by.  I’m only able to describe this because I’ve been there. When I feel overwhelmed or rejected or frustrated, it’s easy for me to start to shrink. And in that shrinking, I become fixed on the fact that I cannot fix what is broken and no one else can fix it, either.  Sometimes my husband will offer solutions and I will excitedly point out how they are all awful - because EVERYTHING IS WRONG AND BROKEN right now.  But when I step back for a moment - typically a few hours and a good workout - I can start to see how he may be right. There might just be a few options that could work just fine, even if they are not the exact options I initially had in mind.This happened recently when we learned we would need to get a new car - that we were not planning for in 2022. I had a meltdown because there were just NO GOOD OPTIONS. To be fair, this is a really sucky time to buy a car, but… BUT… there are still options. As he laid out some options for us, I shut down. None of his options were my top picks for options. I went to bed quiet and grumpy. The next morning, I was able to see where he had some good points. There are options and a decent number of them are, well, decent.  If you’re a Type A person like me, you might be quick to look down, lock up, and to lock out possibilities when you feel like things are not working out for you. In this episode, I’m going to invite you to LOOK UP.  When we look up, everything shifts. There are options and alternatives galore - and often they are even better than what we originally thought we wanted.  Link mentioned:Join my free workshop: How to Calm Your Chaos & Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sue Holt is the founder of Mommy's Life Coach. Sue coaches moms who yell at their kids. She helps them to stop feeling guilty and enjoy being a mom. As a stay-at-home mom for the past 16 years to four children, Sue remembers sitting at the bottom of her steps with her head in her hands crying, not because she yelled so loud that her throat hurt from screaming at her daughter for spilling salad dressing on her new boots that Mom bought her, but because she felt guilty and ashamed. Sue created Mommy's Life Coach as a space to integrate, validate, acknowledge, encourage, and celebrate moms. Sue lives in Philadelphia with her hubby, four kids, and Irish Setter, Oscar. When Sue is not watching her 3 boys play ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball, track, football, or her daughter dance, sing, act, or play field hockey, she enjoys taking dance classes, working out, and relaxing on the beach.Listen in to hear Sue share: Why moms yell at their kids  How moms high expectations of themselves get in their own ways and contribute to mom rage and emotional dysregulation How anger is often a mask for sadness, grief, and fear The definition of mom rage and what it looks & feels like  How mom rage comes from an inner influencer and outer influencer Why mom rage is shrouded in secrecy 5 Steps you can take to manage your mom rage The correlation between identity loss in motherhood and mom rage Links mentioned: Join my upcoming free workshop, How to Calm Your Chaos and Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Connect with Sue: mommyslifecoach.com/ Sue’s Podcast: The OutRAGEous Mommy Podcast Sue on Instagram @mommyslifecoach  Sue on FB: The OutRAGEous Moms Facebook Group Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple of months ago, we did our annual Shameless Summer Survey to find out what you all needed - where you were struggling most and what you were craving. Over and over again you said you were overwhelmed, exhausted, and stuck. You said you were tired of the constant chaos. You said you were craving calm.  I hear you.  It is common to feel all of this at any stage of motherhood, but when you layer in what mothers have endured over the past 2.5 years, it’s especially understandable that you would be feeling these feelings in the most overwhelming way.  We have been through a lot - A LOT - in the last few years and we are now expected to move on as if it’s all over and it’s all fine.  We are not fine.  And that is ok. In this episode, I dig into why you're feeling the way you’re feeling and how to start to gently climbing your way out of the chaos and back to some at least intermittent calm in your daily life. I mean, I can’t make your kids leave you alone permanently, but I can give you some great tips on how to process and release some of your chaos & crap in order to create a sense of calm on a regular basis. Link mentioned:Join my upcoming free workshop, How to Calm Your Chaos and Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trudi Lebrón is the author of The Antiracist Business Book: An Equity-Centered Approach to Work, Wealth, & Leadership. Trudi is also the CEO of ScriptFlip! LLC and creator of the Institute for Equity Centered Coaching, a coaching and consulting firm, that helps entrepreneurs build antiracist businesses and become equity-centered coaches and leaders through their certification programs, consulting packages, and executive coaching. By the time Trudi was 16, she had two children and had dropped out of high school—all the odds were against her. Trudi holds a BA in Theater, a Master of Science in Psychology, and is currently ABD in her Ph.D. program in Social Psychology. After recently reading Trudi’s book, I immediately asked her to come back on the show to talk about the role we all play in building and supporting communities, businesses, and organizations. Trudi always helps me see things in significant new ways while guiding me to become a better, more thoughtful, and inclusive citizen.  Listen in to hear Trudi share: Why it’s important to be informed on anti-racist business practices whether you own a business, work for a business or purchase things from businesses What is “White People Shit” and what white people need to know about White People Shit How white culture is about being right and how that is problematic for all people How hustle culture and creating a sense of urgency is a product of White Supremacy Where practices around overworking come from  The responsibility each one of us holds in building anti-racist organizations - from our workplaces to our churches to our community centers and kids' sports leagues What Community Agreements are and why they are so important anytime we gather people  The problem with white women’s rage - and how this is traumatizing for Black women  Links mentioned: Join my free workshop, How To Calm Your Chaos & Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Connect with Trudi: trudilebron.com Book: The Antiracist Business Book: An Equity-Centered Approach to Work, Wealth, & Leadership  Podcast: Business Remixed  Trudi on Instagram Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brutal truth: I’ve experienced more professional rejection in 2022 than any other year in my 19 years of business.  I’m talking about this because no one talks about this side of growth, professional or otherwise. But, it is a very real and common experience when you decide to stretch yourself in new ways. Rejection is often the result of an audacious act, a brave reach, or a leap into uncharted territory. Rejection comes on the backside of courage, determination, and vulnerability.It’s easy to feel beaten down, if not completely swallowed, by rejection. It’s easy to overlook the fact that you stepped up to the plate in a bold way to say, “I’m here. I’m ready. I can do this.”  In the face of rejection, we typically say, “I’m not worthy”, instead of, “I was qualified for that and not getting it is not a reflection of my talent or worth.” Or, “I’m really proud of myself for trying. Now I feel ready and even more prepared to go for something else big like this.”I pitched myself for something I really wanted this fall. I was rejected. At first I was mad, even hurt. A few days after getting that NO, another opportunity - a better one - came up for the same time. I realized that NO was a gift and made space for me to pitch the same thing to an even better organization.  It’s time we talk about rejection as a necessary part of growth instead of a quiet pool (ocean?) of shame. In this episode, I’ll walk you through how I’ve been managing rejection as I uplevel and how you can do the same.  Link mentioned:Join my free workshop: How To Calm Your Chaos & Let Go of Your Crap: shamelessmom.com/calm Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers host the popular podcast Pantsuit Politics, which was named one of 2021’s best shows by Apple Podcasts and has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Good Morning America 3, The Guardian, Elle Magazine, and Parents Magazine. They are also the authors of “I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation” and “Now What?: How to Move Forward When We're Divided About Basically Everything”. Sarah and Beth met in college before going their separate ways for law school. Sarah pursued a career in politics as a congressional staffer and campaign aide and Beth practiced law before serving as a human resources executive. Sarah lives in Paducah, KY, with her spouse, Nicholas, and children Griffin, Amos, and Felix. Beth lives in Union, KY, with her spouse, Chad, and children Jane and Ellen. Sarah’s dog, Cookie, and Beth’s dog, Lucy, are beloved (and involuntary) contributors to their work.When I heard Sarah and Beth had a new book out, I immediately asked them to come on the show. The way they navigate and guide hard conversations in incredibly divisive times is so important and powerful. I always learn so much from them. Listen in to hear Sarah and Beth share: The difference between being a citizen vs being a consumer How to talk to your kids about hard things How to talk differently to boys vs girls about power & authority The significance of moms owning their power, especially economic power, as a voting block How society has carved moms into smaller blocks - on purpose - and how we need to sew ourselves together to hold more power How moms can more effectively use your voice and your vote Links mentioned: Connect with Sarah and Beth and listen to Pantsuit Politics: https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/ Book: I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation Book: Now What?: How to Move Forward When We're Divided About Basically Everything Pantsuit Politics on Instagram Pantsuit Politics on Twitter Pantsuit Politics on Facebook Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I know it’s not officially fall yet, but hear me out.... Fall is coming - fast. And I want you to be prepared.  As you straddle this end of summer/back to school/almost fall season, I want you to consider what you want for yourself, for your kids and out of motherhood. I always joke that September is January for moms. It’s when we start fresh, try new routines, recommit to things that serve us, dump the junk that doesn’t. It’s basically our New Year. Cheers to a New Year, friend. As I was thinking through what I want for myself this fall, I was trying to get clear on what I want to say YES to and what I want to say NO to. I love defining these things for myself with each new season - recognizing that in each new season I have grown a bit, as has my child. We each need different things than the season before. I always want to honor that in how I show up for myself and how I show up in motherhood. In this episode, I walk you through 3 things to say YES to as you walk into fall. My hope is that these 3 things will bring you clarity, ease and JOY! I’m inviting you to say YES to a reorg of your needs, habits and routines, as well as those of your kids. I’m inviting you to challenge yourself, your voice and your skills.I’m inviting you to say YES to joy, celebration and fun. I am inviting you to seriously consider your YESes and NOs as we broach this new season. Don’t let the wrong YESes fall out of your mouth so you don’t have space for the actual YESes you desire, my friend. Link mentioned:Get on the waitlist to join The Academy: shamelessmom.com/waitlist Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Lynyetta Willis is a psychologist, family empowerment coach, speaker, and award-winning author who helps frustrated families break free from Stable Misery™ and unhelpful parenting and partnership patterns, so they can create more harmony at home. Over 20 years of journeying with countless clients led her to design the research-supported Elemental Living® Model and her P.A.T.H.S. Relationship Framework. These powerful tools help parents and partners improve communication, minimize overreactions, and transform intergenerational trauma. Her programs have supported parents across the globe - in South Africa, Israel, New Zealand, and Australia. Dr. Willis’s multi-award-winning book, My Forgotten Self: A Story about a Girl, a Powerful Encounter, and a Universal Message, received high acclaim from individuals such as Dr. Shefali Tsabary, author of The Conscious Parent and “Oprah’s Parenting Expert”. Dr. Willis lives in Georgia with her husband and their two children.Listen in to hear Lynyetta share: How she was raised within the framework of the 4 horsemen: Pain, Blame, Shame and Avoidance How she learned to navigate and negotiate the symptoms of her intergenerational dramas and traumas in order to heal The difference between healing your mind through learning vs healing your body by working through trauma What intergenerational dramas are and how they impact our lives across generations The difference between stressors and triggers in parenting and how to handle them differently Her 5 part PATHS framework to parenting in a more productive way What Stable Misery is, how we unintentionally spend so much time here, and how to get out of Stable Misery Links mentioned: Free Workshop: Calm My Parenting Triggers Quiz: What’s Your Parenting Trigger Score? Connect with Dr. Lynetta: drlwillis.com Dr. Lynyetta on IG Dr. Lynyetta on FB Dr. Lynyetta on LI Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I sat down to write notes before recording this episode at least 14 times. Each time I could not find a starting point. Or an ending point.  So, I decided to just hit record. With no notes.  In this episode I share my relationship with my dad with you. For the last 10 years, it was complicated and confusing. It was a relationship that never had closure, but ultimately has peace. Since his passing, so many of you have reached out to share your love. Thank you. I appreciate you - so much.  I have also heard from many of you who have complicated and confusing parent relationships. I recorded this for you. When we have pieces of our lives that are complicated and confusing it helps so much to hear from others who have a similar lived experience. It makes you feel seen and held. It helps you feel less alone and more normal. I SEE YOU. You are not alone.  Sponsor info and promo codes: Please find our sponsor information here: shamelessmom.com/sponsor/ Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices