130. Rewrite the Mother Code: Release Mom Guilt | Dr. Gertrude Lyons
In this episode of Permission to Thrive, Suzi Lula welcomes Dr. Gertrude Lyons for a heartfelt conversation about motherhood, mothering, and the beliefs that can keep women from caring for themselves.Dr. Lyons is a TEDx speaker and host of the podcast Rewrite the Mother Code. She has dedicated her professional life to exploring the transformative capacity of people and challenging limiting beliefs about what it means to be a woman and a mother. Her work invites us to recognize that mother energy—the capacity to create, care for, and nurture—is available to all of us.Together, Suzi and Dr. Lyons explore the “mother codes” many of us inherit from family and culture: the idea that there’s one right way to be a mother, that a good mother puts everyone else first, or that she should be able to do it all without support. They reflect on how these beliefs can fuel mom guilt, self-judgment, isolation, and the pressure to measure ourselves against other mothers.They also discuss how we can begin rewriting those beliefs with self-compassion, community, boundaries, and a deeper understanding of how we were mothered. Whether you’re raising children, nurturing a relationship or a dream, or learning to mother yourself, this conversation is an invitation to define mothering in a way that feels true to you.In this episode, you’ll hear about:🌀 What “The Mother Code” means and how cultural and family expectations shape our experience of motherhood🌀 Why self-care can bring up guilt, and how that guilt has been reinforced over generations🌀 The belief that a “good mother” should manage everything alone🌀 How community and support can help mothers feel less isolated🌀 The influence of our own childhood experiences and caregiving models🌀 Rewriting inherited beliefs, honoring personal values, and setting boundaries🌀 How mothering can include caring for yourself, relationships, creative work, and the world around you🌀 The ripple effects of valuing and nurturing yourselfDr. Lyons reminds us that caring for ourselves matters because we matter—and that the changes we make within ourselves and our families can ripple outward.Learn more about Dr. Gertrude Lyons and her work:🌐 Website📸 Instagram💼 LinkedIn🎙️ Listen to Rewrite the Mother Code on Apple Podcasts▶️ Watch on YouTube✍️ Read Dr. Lyons’s Substack👉 Do you have a question you’d like me to answer on the podcast? Email it to [email protected] subscribe or follow, leave a 5-star review, and set an alert so you’ll know when new episodes arrive each Wednesday. Your shares, subscriptions, and reviews help our message reach more people.Until next week, permit yourself to thrive. Much love!Connect with Suzi Lula at https://suzilula.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuziLulaIG: @suzi.lula https://www.instagram.com/suzi.lula/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuziLula
