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July 9, 2025 60 mins

Has your relationship with your mother brought more pain than comfort? 

The mother wound is real, painful, and often invisible to outsiders—but healing is possible.

Join me and Stephi as we unpack the deeply misunderstood journey of women who recognize the “mother wound”—emotional enmeshment, manipulation, and conditional love—and make the toughest choice: breaking free.

🌿 Key behaviors that signal a toxic maternal relationship, and how you can l identify them in your own experience 

🌿 The various ways toxic maternal behaviors typically impact emotional and mental well-being 

🌿 Recommended boundaries for protecting yourself when dealing with a toxic mother 

🌿 How can you tell if you are taking on undue responsibility for your mother’s emotions or actions? 

🌿 Support systems or resources most effective for those navigating toxic maternal relationships 

🌿 Common patterns in interactions with toxic mothers that should be addressed for healthier dynamics 

🌿 Actionable steps for prioritizing healing and personal growth in the context of a toxic relationship with your mother 

🌿Why no contact is sometimes the only option you are left with

Stephi Wagner is a therapist and mother wound specialist. She is the courageous voice behind the popular Instagram account @motherwoundproject. 

After earning both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Go Blue!), Stephi founded the Mother Wound Project, which she now’s serves as the director. In addition, Stephi works privately with clients impacted by the mother wound and is the author of Reclaim. 

Stephi is sought internationally for her expertise in the mother wound, as well as in attachment trauma, developmental trauma, complex trauma, parental trauma, parenting after trauma, parent-child estrangement, and reconciliation. 

Stephi is a survivor of the mother wound and the father wound. She splits her parent-free-and-happy life between Ann Arbor and Detroit in her favorite state of Michigan where she lives with her husband of 17 years, their son, and the family’s resident felines. When she’s not thinking or talking about the mother wound, you’ll find Stephi knitting, hiking, crocheting, reading, or hand quilting.


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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

📌 The Mother Wound Project - http://www.motherwoundproject.com/ 

📌 [Journal] Reclaim: A 60-Day Journal for Healing the Mother Wound - https://www.motherwoundproject.com/product-page/reclaim-a-60-day-journal-for-healing-the-mother-wound 


CONNECT WITH STEPHI:

📌 Website: http://motherwoundproject.com/ 

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