Nurturing Words: Voices of Experience

030 - Mother’s Day brings a lifetime of memories to the forefront. We are bombarded by enticements to spend lots of money on cards, gifts, family meals and activities to celebrate. But society neglects those who harbor a less than pleasant experience.  This podcast speaks to the entire motherless community.  

Our guest blogger, Heather Wolper, is sharing the memories engraved in her heart. She is a talented writer who uses imagery t...

029 - “I spent my entire life, checking off goal after goal with the unrealistic expectation of becoming the new improved” me. Can you identify with that scenario? We set goals, work hard and make progress toward what we think we want. But successful achievements do not always bring a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.  Goals not based upon truths yield impatience. Join us as we share a blog written for the Motherless Daug...

028 - Saying "Goodbye" to your childhood home can be an emotional experience. Whether you are leaving for the first time or going back to visit, it brings up all the associated memories. Our guest writer shares the experience of going down memory lane before a new family moves in to make their own memories.

The Motherless Daughters Ministry serves women who have lost or missed the nurturing provided by a mother. Our resource...

027 - Healing is a process. When one suffers trauma such as mother loss at a young age seeds are sown, roots grow, and take hold. What if the roots are intertwined, tangled, and deeply embedded? Is it worth it to undergo the unearthing process? Will it be painful? Yes. Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it? Yes.

Our guest blogger shares about the roots that can get established from the trauma of early mother loss. Healing from th...

025 - Emotional presence is a powerful tool for those yielding support to anyone who is in need. It is especially effective when supporting a motherless daughter under 18 years of age. Presence requires one to put oneself second and move into the other person's emotional space. If you are a guardian or caretaker for a young motherless daughter, you will not want to miss t his episode.

The Motherless Daughters Ministry serves wom...

024 - Survivors find a way to adapt and get through one day at a time. In recognition of Black History Month in February and Women's History Month in March, we present the plight of our black sisters, who were motherless daughters learning to survive.

"It's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one who is most adaptable to change." Mary Ellen Collins, Founder and Executiv...

023 - Losing your mom to death becomes the second round when you have already lost her to a health or substance abuse issue.  Grieving the nurturing you long for becomes a way of life while you quietly look for alternative sources. The journey is a daily difficult combination of questions and confusion.  

Chris Fishel, Cathy DiBella, and Gina Ellis open the door on their double loss journey. Their life stories will take you on an em...

022 - Navigating trauma as a motherless daughter can feel like you are drowning in an ocean of grief and shame with no life raft in sight. In processing our trauma, we may inadvertently be looking at current day experiences through "trauma glasses." 

Healing from trauma can be very difficult. In this episode, two motherless daughters share their personal stories of trauma and how they have found healing in processing the tra...

021 -  On the eve of a new year we, typically, look back on what we came through during the past year.  As motherless daughters, we look back on our mother loss journey in its entirety, regardless of how long we have been on that path. The key to reaping the benefits of reflection is to be intentional in visualizing a new perspective on your future.  Today’s episode features our guest sharing her journey to a new perspective, focus...

019  -  Surviving the holiday season when you are grieving takes forethought and planning.  In times of stress, we long for the nurturing a mother provides.  In the absence of that support, we look for a way to cope with the uncomfortable situations that arise. Cindy Stepanek opens the door to her story and offers some solutions.  Learning to live with managing grief starts with one step.

The empty chair at the dinner table on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and throughout the holiday season is a painful reminder of our loss.  Trying to avoid the pain is neither helpful nor healthy. Although we can put it off for unlimited amounts of time, sooner or later, we learn healthy ways for our grief to coexist with all the other emotions.  Dottie Menkhaus shares her story and updates it with a discussion with Kristin Mitchener.

016 -  Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, which affects memory, thinking, language and behavior. As it progresses, it can render your mother less and less recognizable as the person you have always known.  The mothering you have experienced and have come to expect is slipping away. This is another form of mother loss. No one understands better what you are going through except other daughters experiencing the ...

Did you experience mother loss in your 30's? If so, there are lots of women who understand your journey. This podcast features Mary Ellen Collins, our Founder & Executive Director, sharing information and stories of loss in this period of life.

Losing the nurturing care of your mother at age 30 is no less devasting than other ages and can yield a lasting impact. Although every situation is unique, all of us, as motherless da...