Free to Be Mindful Podcast | Helping Professional Moms Find Calm in a Busy World

Recovering from the holidays can feel unexpectedly heavy for moms… even after schedules finally slow. In this final episode of 2025, and the culmination of the Anti-Overwhelm Holiday Series, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC reflects on what this season asked of moms, why the week between Christmas and New Year’s can feel emotionally off, and how investing in yourself is not indulgent, but instead an essential piece in parenting, r...

The final week of holiday shopping can feel overwhelming, especially for moms carrying the mental load of gifts, schedules, budgets, and expectations. In this episode of the Anti-Overwhelm Holiday Series, Licensed Therapist and Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman explores the emotional pressure behind money, gift-giving, and the belief that we have to “go big” to show love during the holidays.

Through personal reflection, humor, and r...

The holidays are often portrayed as a season of joy, connection, and magic, but for many of us, they also bring emotional overwhelm, grief, stress, and the pressure to “stay cheerful” even when we don’t feel that way. In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, licensed therapist and mom coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman explores why holiday joy can feel out of reach and how the emotional load of the season affects moms and fami...

The holidays promise magic, but for many families, they also bring sensory overload, unpredictable routines, big emotions, and the kind of meltdowns that can appear out of nowhere. And if we’re honest, parents aren’t far behind.

In this episode, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman explores why holiday overstimulation affects kids and adults, how behavior becomes communication during busy seasons, and what families can do to stay grounded, ...

When the holidays roll around, many moms find themselves slipping back into old family roles before they even realize it’s happening. One step into a family gathering, one comment from a relative, one expectation placed on you, and suddenly your nervous system is on high alert. 

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman breaks down the emotional patterns, cultural expectations, and invisible pre...

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman unpacks the guilt moms silently carry during the holiday season - especially the cultural guilt, emotional pressure, and endless “I shoulds” that make this time of year heavier than it looks online. Recorded in real time during a week filled with sick kids, canceled plans, and dropped responsibilities, Vanessa shares a relatable story that highlights how qui...

Every scroll, every sparkle, every “perfect” photo tells us that holiday joy means having it all together. But what if the real magic of the season isn’t found in doing more, it’s found in being present?

In this installment of The Anti-Overwhelm Holiday Series, licensed therapist, educator, and mom coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC unpacks The Myth of the Perfect Holiday Mom. She shares honest stories, relatable humor, and pra...

In this first episode of The Anti-Overwhelm Holiday Series, host Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, licensed therapist and mom coach, pulls back the tinsel to talk about the truth many won’t say out loud: moms don’t get a holiday season… we run it.

From meal planning and gift shopping to managing family expectations and keeping the “magic” alive, the invisible load moms carry this time of year is real — and exhausting. Vanessa explores the cu...

Halloween may come once a year, but for many moms, the masks don’t come off when October ends. In this heartfelt episode, Licensed Therapist and Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman explores the invisible emotional masks high-achieving mothers wear - the ones that hide exhaustion, guilt, and vulnerability behind a smile.

Through personal reflection and cultural insight, Vanessa shares how the pressure to “do it all” and “be la fuerte” ...

In this powerful and inspiring episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman sits down with Chicago-based boudoir photographer Liz Hansen to explore how boudoir photography can become more than just beautiful photos - it can be an act of healing, empowerment, and self-love.

As women, we often see our flaws before our beauty and dismiss our worth before celebrating it. But what happens when we flip that script? L...

Ever reach the end of the day and realize you barely lived it?
You checked all the boxes - lunches packed, emails sent, bedtime done - but somehow, it feels like you weren’t really there.

In honor of World Mental Health Day, this episode invites you to pause the endless doing and reconnect with the life happening right in front of you. Vanessa shares how living on autopilot quietly affects your mental health, why awareness is t...

What if your kitchen could be more than a place to cook? In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Licensed Therapist and Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman speaks with Janet Iri, founder of My Mindful Kitchen and creator of the MMK Method.

Janet brings over 25 years of experience in hospitality, education, and sustainability — and she believes the kitchen is where parenting, connection, and mindfulness come alive. Together,...

Ever snap at your kids because they asked what’s for dinner… while you were literally cooking dinner? You’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean you’re falling apart. It means you’re human.

In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Licensed Therapist and Latina Mom Coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman reminds us that you don’t need to be in crisis to deserve support. Mental health isn’t only about anxiety or depression — sometimes it ...

Birthdays have a way of sneaking up on us. When we were kids, it was all about cake, candles, and balloons. As adults - especially as moms — they can start to feel like just another date on the calendar, squeezed between school emails, soccer games, and endless to-do lists.

But what if birthdays weren’t just about a number? What if they became checkpoints, gentle pauses to reflect on how far we’ve come and what we want for the seaso...

Discover how to lighten the mom mental load, reduce overwhelm, and create real mental space. In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, learn practical tips to manage cognitive and emotional labor so you can rest without guilt and show up with more presence.

Vanessa De Jesus Guzman dives into a struggle so many moms know all too well... the mental load. You finally have the house to yourself, the quiet you’ve been craving… y...

Motherhood changes everything - your brain, your identity, and the way you move through the world. In this episode of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa welcomes Jeanne Clevenger, licensed clinical psychologist and mom of four, to talk about the overlooked transition called matrescence.

From the fog of “mom brain” to the pressures of postpartum depression and anxiety, Jeanne shares her personal story of raising four kids (inclu...

Summer’s over… and somehow we’re already juggling new schedules, endless forms, school supply lists, and those rushed morning routines. For some moms, it feels like a sigh of relief. For others, the chaos is just beginning.

In this season 7 kickoff of the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, Licensed Therapist, Mom Coach, and retired educator, shares a fresh perspective on navigating this transition with more ease an...

This season was filled with powerful stories, inspiring guests, and real-life moments that reminded us: this is more than a podcast... it’s a movement.

In this heartfelt finale of Season 6, Vanessa reflects on the highs and the lessons, shares fun behind-the-scenes moments, and gives you a sneak peek of what’s coming in Season 7. With 20 incredible guests — including doctors, therapists, entrepreneurs, and real moms navigating real ...

What if you didn’t have to wait for a breakdown or life crisis to start living with purpose? In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Malaysia Harrell, a spiritual transformation coach, licensed psychotherapist, veteran, and speaker. Malaysia shares how a near-death experience became the turning point that led her to surrender, heal, and fully step into alignment with her life’s mission.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly putti...