Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Kim Nugent, an author, executive coach, trainer, mentor, and devoted stepmom. Kim shares how she went from believing she would never remarry or marry someone with children to joining a family with two young boys, including a child with significant lifelong disabilities who required constant care. Kim offers an honest look at stepmotherhood, special needs parenting, blended family dynamics, and the importance of entering an existing family with humility. She discusses learning when to step forward, when to step back, and how an outside perspective can sometimes help a family recognize new possibilities. Kim also shares why seeking therapy, training, support groups, respite care, and other resources is a sign of strength, especially when families are facing circumstances they have never navigated before. Nikki and Kim also explore the uncertainty parents experience when a child with disabilities becomes an adult, including guardianship, available services, and the difficult question of who will provide care when a parent is no longer able to do so. Through her book, Did I Say Never?, Kim uses her lived experience to remind families that they are not alone, caring for yourself is not selfish, and even when you feel as though you have reached the end of your strength, additional support and new possibilities may still be available.  

In this inspiring episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki Brooker welcomes Detria Austin Everson, author of Serving Is a Superpower, CEO of OMS Solutions, professional speaker, and catalyst for philanthropy and social impact. Detria shares how her mother's career as a social worker taught her that mothering, service, and love can extend far beyond biological relationships. She reflects on supporting her nieces and nephews, surrounding children with love after the loss of a parent, and the important role every person can play in strengthening families and communities. Together, Nikki and Detria explore how service does not require a large donation, a formal volunteer commitment, or a grand public gesture. It can be a kind word, a thoughtful message, a phone call, a meaningful introduction, or simply sitting beside someone during a difficult moment. These small acts remind people that they are seen, heard, valued, and not alone. They also discuss maternal and men's mental health, the power of checking in, the importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world, and why serving yourself is not selfish. It is necessary. This heartfelt conversation reminds listeners that everyone has something meaningful to offer. You do not have to change the entire world today. Start small, serve where you are, and do something that makes another person's day brighter or their burden lighter.  

In this uplifting episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki Brooker welcomes life coach Sal Tagliareni for a powerful conversation about worthiness, motherhood, self compassion, and the stories we tell ourselves. Sal shares how the devastating loss of his best friend led him to study with renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl and cognitive therapy pioneer Aaron Beck. Their wisdom shaped his life's work of helping people understand that they are worthy and deserve to be loved, understood, and valued. Together, Nikki and Sal explore the impossible expectations placed on mothers, the inner critic that convinces women they are not enough, and the importance of challenging thoughts that do not reflect reality. Sal offers practical insight into reframing negative beliefs, learning from failure, letting go of perfection, and recognizing the many ways mothers already succeed. They also discuss the mental load carried by women, the importance of asking for help, creating more balanced partnerships, and choosing kindness toward yourself. Sal reminds listeners that caring for yourself does not make you a selfish mother. It helps you become an even stronger one. This heartfelt conversation offers every mom an essential reminder: You are not defined by your mistakes, you are allowed to become someone new, and you deserve to be loved, understood, and valued.  

In this powerful episode of Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys, Nikki Brooker sits down with author, speaker, and podcast host Jennifer Griffith for an honest conversation about motherhood, identity, generational trauma, and the stories women carry. Jennifer shares the deeply personal inspiration behind her book, Both Sides of Then: Finding Love After Abandonment, which weaves together her own story with the life of her mother, who grew up in an orphanage and was later forced to relinquish her first child. Together, Nikki and Jennifer explore how unaddressed trauma can be passed from one generation to the next, how shame keeps women silent, and why understanding our mothers' lives can help us better understand ourselves. They also discuss pregnancy loss, secondary infertility, stepmotherhood, maternal mental health, the overwhelming mental load placed on mothers, and the pressure women feel to be everything to everyone. Jennifer reminds listeners that asking for help is not a failure and that motherhood was never meant to be experienced alone. This moving conversation encourages every woman to honor her experiences, preserve her story, release the expectation of perfection, and give herself permission to choose what works for her life. Most importantly, Nikki and Jennifer leave listeners with one essential reminder: motherhood is a team sport, and every mother deserves a team.  

What if some of our greatest parenting lessons come from the moments we wish we could do over? On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Karen Kay Smith, a mother of three, author, life coach, and Pilates instructor, for an honest, heartfelt, and often hilarious conversation about motherhood, the mistakes we make, and the lessons we learn along the way. From raising children with significant age gaps to navigating blended family dynamics, caring for aging parents, and supporting a husband through a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Karen knows firsthand that motherhood rarely goes according to plan. She shares how having a village of support, including a special woman who stepped in as a surrogate grandmother, helped her through some of life's most challenging seasons. One of the most powerful moments in this conversation comes when Karen shares what happened after asking her adult children to identify her best and worst mama moments. Their answers revealed something she hadn't fully recognized while raising them: sometimes, in our efforts to make our children strong, successful, and confident, we forget to give them permission to struggle, feel their emotions, and simply be human. Nikki and Karen explore the delicate balance between encouraging our children and pushing them too hard, why allowing our kids to fail can be one of the greatest gifts we give them, and how parenting changes as our children grow into adults. Together, they remind us that being a good mama doesn't mean getting everything right. It means showing up, learning, growing, admitting when we get it wrong, and loving our children through every season. This episode is a beautiful reminder that our children don't need perfect mothers. They need mothers who believe in them, make space for their feelings, and give them the confidence to spread their wings. Whether you're raising babies, teenagers, or adult children, this conversation will leave you reflecting on your own mama journey and remembering that you don't have to have all the answers, and you never have to do it alone.  

What happens when you've spent your entire career caring for others, only to find yourself facing a life changing health challenge of your own? On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Dr. Tiffany Troso Sandoval, a mother of three, medical oncologist, author, and women's health advocate who spent more than 25 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center helping women navigate breast and gynecological cancers. From raising three children while building a demanding medical career to navigating the challenges of parenting adult children, Dr. Tiffany shares the realities of motherhood that so many of us can relate to. Together, Nikki and Tiffany talk about working mom guilt, the pressures society places on mothers, the challenges of being part of the sandwich generation, and why some of our worst mama moments might actually teach our children the most valuable lessons. But Tiffany's journey took an unexpected turn when a rare, progressive eye disease forced her to step away from the career she loved. Rather than allowing that diagnosis to define her future, she found a new way to use her decades of experience to empower women facing cancer. Through her book, Calming the Cancer Chaos, she is helping women better understand their diagnoses, advocate for themselves, and feel less overwhelmed during one of life's most frightening experiences. This conversation is filled with laughter, honesty, wisdom, and reminders that motherhood doesn't come with a perfect roadmap. Whether you're raising little ones, navigating life with adult children, balancing aging parents, or discovering a new purpose in life, there's something in this episode for you. Because sometimes the greatest lessons come from the moments we never saw coming, and no matter what stage of motherhood you're in, you are never alone.  

Can you love being a mom with your whole heart and still need something more? In this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with former Denver news anchor, public relations professional, author, and mom Katie Trexler for a raw conversation about motherhood, career, identity, and the choices women make along the way. Katie shares what it was like to walk away from a career she loved for her family, only to realize years later that something inside her still felt unfulfilled. As she puts it, her children filled her heart, but her soul needed more. Together, Nikki and Katie talk about mom guilt, career sacrifices, financial independence, relationships, the pressure to be everything to everyone, and the complicated truth that loving motherhood does not mean motherhood has to fulfill every part of who you are. Katie also opens up about her memoir, What Do I Tell My Daughter?, and why she chose to tell the truth about the decisions she made as a woman, wife, professional, and mother, including the consequences she never saw coming. This is the kind of conversation so many moms have quietly in their own heads but are afraid to say out loud. You can love your children fiercely and still want a career. You can be grateful and still feel like something is missing. You can be an incredible mom and still want something that is yours. Maybe we need to stop asking moms to choose between the two.  

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Sylvia Alvarez, Founder and Executive Director of the Housing and Education Alliance and author of It's Hard to Kill a Bougainvillea: From Slavery to the American Dream. Sylvia shares the extraordinary story of her mother, Cello, whose childhood in Cuba was marked by unimaginable loss, hunger, abandonment, and enslavement before she escaped to New York City in search of freedom. Despite everything she endured, Cello became a joyful mother, successful entrepreneur, real estate developer, and passionate advocate against injustice. Her strength and determination inspired Sylvia to preserve her story and continue her legacy by helping families achieve homeownership. Through the Housing and Education Alliance, Sylvia has helped secure more than $163 million in down payment assistance for 12,000 families. This deeply moving conversation explores motherhood, generational trauma, forgiveness, resilience, homeownership, and the legacies women create through the lives they touch. Sylvia's story is a powerful reminder that even after the harshest seasons, we can continue to grow, bloom, and create something beautiful.    

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Lizette Espinosa, a mom, attorney, entrepreneur, and creator of Zooby, a baby monitor designed to give parents greater peace of mind while driving.   Lizette shares honestly about the exhaustion and isolation of early motherhood, raising capable children without clipping their wings, and finding the balance between protecting our kids and allowing them to struggle, learn, and grow. She and Nikki also explore how moms can use AI to save time, organize family life, support their children, simplify overwhelming tasks, and create more space for the moments that truly matter.   From newborn sleep deprivation to parenting teenagers, creating safe relationships with our children, setting technology boundaries, and learning to pivot through every stage of motherhood, this conversation is full of honesty, laughter, and practical wisdom. Tune in for a refreshing reminder that motherhood does not require perfection, we do not have to have every answer, and sometimes our children become our greatest teachers.   #LetsBeRealMamaJourneys #YANAM2M #MotherhoodPodcast #RealMotherhood #MomLife #ParentingJourney #MomsSupportingMoms #WomenInBusiness #MomEntrepreneur #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForMoms #IntentionalParenting #PostpartumSupport #YouAreNotAlone

On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Gina Schrek and Lea Costello for a candid, funny, and refreshingly real conversation about motherhood, stress, burnout, healing, and the impossible expectations women often place on themselves. Lea shares the story behind her upcoming book, Be Your Own Medicine: Healing from Chronic Stress and Reclaiming Your Rhythm, which she says was written from a place of collapse rather than inspiration. She opens up about recognizing when stress and exhaustion had taken over and her journey to finding her way back physically, mentally, and spiritually. Nikki also shares the heart behind her book, Let's Be Real: Mamahood Is Hard. We Need Each Other More Than Ever, and why motherhood was never meant to be something we figure out alone. The conversation explores asking for help, finding your people, allowing kids to make mistakes, and letting go of the idea that being a good mom means getting everything right. Together, Nikki, Gina, and Lea get real about the picture perfect version of motherhood we see online and how comparison can leave women feeling like they are constantly falling short. They talk about parenting through different seasons, the beauty of grandparenting, career pressures, and the unrealistic expectation that moms should somehow raise children, build careers, maintain beautiful homes, and make it all look effortless. This episode is a reminder that real motherhood is messy, funny, exhausting, beautiful, and sometimes overwhelming. You do not have to have it all together. You need people who will remind you that you were never supposed to do it all alone.