Mamahood After Trauma | Healing Childhood Trauma, Parenting Triggers & Emotional Regulation for Moms

When a coping strategy starts causing harm, it can be frightening to wonder whether you’re addicted—or simply unable to stop. In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, Emily Cleghorn looks at how trauma-related coping can show up as substance use, endless scrolling, overwork, or always being the person everyone depends on—and how motherhood can bring those patterns into sharper focus.

The belief that you should be...

After years of childhood abuse and managing seven pillboxes of medication, Thayne Martin says he now lives without them—and credits hands-on experiences that helped him rebuild connection and emotional awareness. In this candid conversation with Emily Cleghorn, he shares how a near-death experience reshaped his outlook, why a stranger’s unexpected kindness inspired his work, and what exercises like smiling at strangers ...

Many trauma-surviving mothers are haunted by the fear: "What if I become the person who hurt me?" This episode dives into the heart-wrenching moments when old patterns surface, and self-doubt takes over, making you question your ability to parent differently.

But just because you recognize familiar behaviors doesn’t mean you’re doomed to repeat them. The belief that your past determines your future is a myth — you...

In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes mindfulness and children's wellness specialist Veronica Moya for an empowering conversation about healing and intentional parenting.

Veronica shares how mindfulness transformed her own life and explains why children are naturally intuitive and wise — they simply need permission to trust themselves. She offers practical tools for trauma-surviving mothers, i...

In this powerful episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn dives into the challenging moments when a child's tantrum or defiance unexpectedly brings up overwhelming emotions from the past. She names the specific struggle of feeling hijacked by triggers in everyday parenting, and the shame that can follow. Many believe that being triggered means they're failing as mothers or that their trauma makes them unfit to parent, ...

In this powerful episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes stress management coach and author Lolita Guarin, who shares her transformative journey from burnout to balance. After collapsing from stress-induced illness while chasing the American dream, Lolita discovered how hormonal differences make women's stress experiences uniquely challenging in today's testosterone-driven world. She introduces her practi...

In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn tackles the vulnerable moment when trauma-survivor mothers wonder if their healing journey is "enough" to be a good parent. Many believe that only those who are fully healed can provide a safe, loving environment for their children, but this belief keeps mothers stuck in shame and self-doubt. Emily challenges this myth, showing that healing is an ongoing process and ...

In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes certified parent coach Latiffe Ghanam for an honest, empowering conversation about healing while parenting. Latiffe shares her journey from a high-pressure communications career to conscious parenting, revealing how emotional stuffing and people-pleasing shaped her life and motherhood path. Together, they explore how unresolved childhood patterns trigger mom...

In this powerful episode, host Emily Cleghorn explores the moments when motherhood unexpectedly brings old wounds and unresolved trauma to the surface, often when we least expect it—during tantrums, sleepless nights, or moments of overwhelm. She names the struggle of feeling triggered by your own child and the guilt that can follow, especially when you thought you had already healed.

Emily challenges the belief that healing i...

In this powerful episode, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes Kamy Moussavi, founder of Step Together, to explore the deep connection between childhood trauma and excess weight in children. Kamy shares his personal journey with trauma, anxiety, and weight struggles, revealing how unhealed parental trauma silently shapes children's coping mechanisms. Together, they unpack how survival mode prevents parents from recognizing emotional ro...

If everyday moments with your kids leave you unexpectedly triggered, overwhelmed, or questioning whether you're failing as a mother, you're not alone.

You may have been telling yourself that being triggered means you're doing motherhood wrong—or that the things you've survived have made you incapable of parenting differently.

But being triggered isn't proof that you're broken. It's a...

In this powerful episode, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes Jody Hill, a parenting expert and author who transformed childhood wounds into a mission to help parents harness the superpower of intentional words. Jody vulnerably shares her journey through emotional abandonment, performance-based self-worth, and navigating divorce while raising four young children. She reveals how shifting the language we use—with ourselves and our ...

In this powerful final episode of her August series, Emily Cleghorn tackles one of the hardest challenges for trauma survivors: saying no. Emily explores why "no" feels so dangerous — rooted in nervous system responses shaped by past trauma — and why we over-explain, apologize, and seek permission for our own boundaries. She reframes saying no not as rejection, but as self-trust and self-care. With practical phrases...

In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes Dr. Monique Thompson, a licensed professional counselor and trauma-informed life coach with 25 years of experience. Dr. Thompson shares her inspiring journey into trauma recovery work and offers powerful guidance for mothers healing from family-of-origin trauma. She emphasizes building a comprehensive support team, including medical professionals, therapists...

In this episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn introduces the powerful concept of "energetic overdraft" — the exhausting cycle of giving more than you have. Speaking directly to trauma survivors who became "the strong one," Emily explores how hyper-independence, people-pleasing, and fear of disappointing others silently drain our reserves. With honesty and compassion, she challenges listeners to examine wher...

In this powerful episode, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes Ranae Van Roekel, a trauma survivor, advocate, and founder of Connecting to Cope. Ranae courageously shares her journey from childhood sexual abuse to federal incarceration, revealing how unaddressed trauma shaped her choices. She describes how motherhood became her turning point and how embracing therapy unlocked her path to healing. Ranae reminds listeners that healing is...

In this powerful episode, host Emily Cleghorn explores why boundaries feel so threatening to trauma survivors. She explains that people-pleasing is a survival strategy rooted in nervous system conditioning — not a character flaw. Emily reframes boundaries as medicine rather than selfishness, clarifying that they govern our own participation, not others' behavior. She addresses guilt as a trauma response rather than a moral...

In this powerful episode of Mamahood After Trauma, host Emily Cleghorn welcomes J. Rosemarie Francis — mom, grandmother, author, and host of the Solo Moms Talk Podcast. Rosemarie courageously shares how being suddenly abandoned by her husband with two young sons shattered her world, unearthing deep-rooted childhood trauma. She opens up about her healing journey, the role of faith in her darkest moments, and how surrenderin...

You're functioning. You're getting things done. You're taking care of everyone.

But your body is exhausted.

For many trauma survivors, survival mode becomes so normal that we stop noticing the signals telling us we've gone too far—until our bodies force us to stop.

But what if your body isn't betraying you?

Read more