From Guilt to Grace: Parenting When Your Mental Health Is Suffering - with Marie Vakakis

In this heartfelt and honest conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with accredited mental health social worker and couples/family therapist Marie Vakakis to discuss a challenge every parent faces: how do we support our children when we're struggling ourselves?

Marie shares practical strategies for parents who are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out. From the importance of self-compassion to finding the right words to communicate with your family, this episode offers permission to be human while still showing up for those we love.

Key topics include:

• Why self-compassion is the essential first step when you're struggling
• How to stop masking your emotions and start naming them (without oversharing)
• Simple phrases you can use to set boundaries and communicate your needs
• The hidden cost of the "I'm fine" response
• Why showing vulnerability actually builds connection with your children
• Practical tips for starting small when you've never talked about emotions before

Marie also shares insights about the dangerous fantasy of needing a "break" so badly that minor injury seems appealing—and what this really signals about our need for rest and support.

Whether you're navigating a difficult season or simply feeling the weight of daily life, this conversation offers both validation and practical tools for moving forward with more openness and less guilt.

Guest Bio: Marie Vakakis is an accredited mental health social worker and couples and family therapist. She runs The Therapy Hub in Footscray, Melbourne, and hosts two podcasts: "This Complex Life" and "Inside Social Work."

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