When Cultures Collide | Susan Blumberg-Kason

Oftentimes, our fears are our best guide. The things we don't understand can be our greatest teachers. In this episode of About Your Mother, we examine the mother we all share: Mother Nature. Today, we reflect on Mother Earth through one of her most misunderstood teachers, the wolf. For a long time, I've been following the story of Takaya, the lone wolf. He found himself alone on an island in Canada.We've been taught to fear predators, and yet when we pause long enough to look honestly, we begin to see that humans have become the true apex predators on this planet. Wolves don't take more than they need. They live in balance. What we fear in them often reflects what we struggle to face in ourselves.I'm joined today by Cheryl Alexander, photographer, filmmaker, and the storyteller behind Takaya: The Lone Wolf. Through years of quiet witnessing, Cheryl invites us to see a wolf, not as a threat, but as a teacher, and to consider what it might mean to protect what we've long been afraid of. Resources MentionedJane GoodallWomen For WolvesJoe Rogan’s take on wolvesCody Robert’s wolf storyTake Action for WolvesConnect With the GuestInstagram: instagram.com/takayalonewolfWebsite: takayaslegacy.com Cheryl’s books: takayaslegacy.com/books Takaya the Movie: A Story of Survival Against the Odds

 Have you ever watched the Olympics and wondered what it takes to get on the podium? Sure, there are the physical demands, but what about the mental strength? You are competing in front of the world against the best in the world. No pressure. Right? We all know it is most likely the athlete who puts the most pressure on themselves. So, when does someone decide they will be an Olympian?For my next guest, Mari Holden, who started as a triathlete, the 1984 Olympics in LA marked a turning point, and she knew then that the Olympics were her destiny. So she leaned into the bike and eventually won a silver medal in the 2000 Olympic Games, A UCI World Championship and six national championships.In 2016, she was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame as a modern road and track competitor. So what does it take to get there? Guts, grit, belief, and an incredible amount of tenacity.We also explore her relationship with her mom, including how they inspired each other throughout their lives and how Mari gained a new perspective on her mom as she grew older. Listen in for an honest and vulnerable conversation about a lifelong dedication to athletics and what it teaches you along the way. Resources MentionedBrené BrownUSA CyclingIronman, Hawaii THEMOVE: Lance, Mari, and AlisonConnect With the GuestMari on IGMari Holden- Wikipedia

 Since I was in my twenties, I've read the New York Times Sunday edition in a particular order: the style section is first, plus I read the modern love piece every time. I remember reading what Shamu taught me about marriage, and I remember reading, “Those aren't fighting words, dear.” It didn't take Laura Munson weeks or even months to write them either. It was less than an hour. Why? Because she had hit the vein of truth and it just poured out of her. Her dreams of publishing a novel first were dashed because when that piece came out, it was a memoir that she sold. She had created a firestorm with her essay. Laura is someone I have watched for years. Now that I am in the publishing world, Laura and I are one degree from each other in several directions. What I have found in this new world is there are women like Laura who guide, lift, and build other writers up. That is what she does innately. Her new book, the Wild Why is about honoring your creativity. Creativity is Laura's core. She has written dozens of books, some that sit on the shelves collecting dust, but she is always creating. This conversation on About Your Mother touches on writing, but it is about so much more. It is about setting yourself free, finding awe, and living your truth. Here is a listen on what it means to honor what lives inside of you.Resources MentionedGertrude Stein: “There is No There, There”The Craighead BrothersKelly CorriganNaomi Shihab NyeJim HarrisonBrooke WarnerBrené BrownMiami Book FairDani ShapiroMaria ShriverConnect With the GuestWebsite: https://lauramunson.com/Book: The Wild WhyWriting Programs and RetreatsModern Love Essay

 Chance meetings can lead to the most incredible connections. While I was doing a ski clinic this winter, the instructor overheard a conversation I was having about publishing my book. Later that day, she approached me, “I heard you're an author! So is my mom, Jane Green, do you know her?”Of course, I know her. Jane Green is a national bestseller. Today, Jane joins me to share about her journey from journalist to novelist and offers her best tips to aspiring writers.She also gets transparent about self-acceptance, her midlife reinvention, owning the mistakes she’s made as a mother, and more. Finally, after trailblazing the chick lit genre, she shares with us her most recent project: writing a memoir. You’re going to love this conversation with Jane.Connect With the GuestWebsite: janegreen.com Instagram: instagram.com/janegreenauthor Daily Mail Column

 If you want to get to know your mother, have her on your podcast. I wrote a book about my mother's life and my own, and it was hard for her, naturally.But people ask me, what does your mom think about the book? For this Mother’s Day, I invited my mother on my podcast to share her voice with my listeners and readers. Just like phone conversations, a microphone has the power to deepen personal relationships. I've witnessed this countless times as I've developed friendships with people I've interviewed, and it is true of this conversation with my mother.My connection to my mother's story was the inspiration for launching my podcast About Your Mother, where your story begins as well as the foundation from a mother-daughter memoir, Both Sides of Then, available wherever books are sold. Well, listeners and readers, here she is… Anna!Through it all, she counts her blessings and credits the women who stepped in as mothers in her life. I hope you love this special episode just in time for Mother’s Day. Resources MentionedBoth Sides of ThenSuperhero: A Biography of Christopher Reeve

As Mother's Day approaches, I find myself reflecting even more deeply on the women who shaped us—especially the woman who shaped me: my mother. Through hosting the About Your Mother podcast and writing my memoir, Both Sides of Then, I’ve learned that Mother's Day isn’t just about celebration—it’s also about reflection, curiosity, and connection.At the heart of my work is one simple but powerful belief: "If you want to truly know someone, ask them about their mother."After years of heartfelt interviews, personal exploration, and writing, I’m excited to share something special with you: a selection of carefully crafted prompts designed to help you better understand the woman your mother was before she became your parent—and in doing so, to better understand yourself.Download the Mother's Day Reflection Prompts here >>

Mothering is hard, but we don’t want to admit that there is pain in everyday mothering. Why is that? Confessing to the dark moments of mothering keeps us from living up to the high bar of perfection that we–and society–has asked of mothers.In this episode, I interview Dr. Margo Lowy, a psychotherapist and the author of Maternal Ambivalence, about why we need to embrace the light and dark moments of mothering. She shares how the complicated moments can fuel our love, help us practice self-compassion, and model forgiveness to our children.Resources MentionedTorn in Two by Rozsika ParkerHappy Event filmThe Hedgehog filmBringing Up Bébé by Pamela DruckermanLadybird filmConnect With the GuestMaternal Ambivalence by Margo Lowy

Is your relationship with money inherited? What if, when it came to your finances, you mothered yourself? In this episode of About Your Mother, personal finance expert Elizabeth Husserl shares the radical redefinition of wealth that we all need to hear.Elizabeth is the author of The Power of Enough, which she dedicated to her ancestors and the wisdom they instilled in her.Resources MentionedMaslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsManfred Max-NeefThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleScarcity BrainConnect with the GuestThe Power of Enough bookThe Wealth MandalaWebsite: elizabethhusserl.comInstagram: instagram.com/elizabethhusserl

 What if you wrote something, something that was true and significant to you, and those words launched a media attack of shame and judgment that rendered you nearly silent - how would you feel? What would you do? Melissa Petro is a writer, a mom, and a wife. Her book, Shame on You, How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification, is a brilliant examination of how society, and people in general, mortify women that we don't understand.It happens every day. Taylor, JLo, Britney, to name a few well-known ones. Artists living in the public eye until, for some reason, the media decided to take them down. Melissa and I connected on a quote: “I think we become whoever would have saved our younger self.”Originally, Melissa and I were going to discuss how she and her mother became estranged, but we only touch on that briefly and don't dig into the reasons why. In reflection, that is okay. What you witness when listening to Melissa is someone becoming the person that she needed when she was young. This is Melissa’s story.Resources MentionedForest For the Trees by Betsy LernerJudith HermanThe Girls Who Went Away by Ann FesslerMother Hunger by Kelly McDanielConnect With the GuestMelissa’s Book, Shame On You 

 Is there hope in loss? Yes. Absolutely. My conversation with copywriter turned novelist JJ Elliot is an exploration of her experience losing her mom to suicide, then having that open doors to her helping others.Subconsciously, the loss of her mom led to her novel about a group of women who lose a friend by her own hand. Those friends take that loss to celebrate their own lives. JJ's goal in writing her book was to get people to laugh and cry at the same time, which is exactly what I did when I talked to JJ. Resources MentionedAnne Sexton poetrySylvia Plath poetrySimone Biles RisingNaomi OsakaJJ’s Lit Hub Magazine Article: Murder is a Plot Point, Suicide Isn’tShe Writes PressLaura Munson’s Writing RetreatZibby AwardsKauai Writers Conference Connect With the GuestWebsite: jjelliott.comInstagram: instagram.com/jjelliott