Chill Like a Mother Podcast

Kayla Huszar
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

This show shares stories, offers tips and tricks, and provides education to help you feel more chill like the mother you know you want to be.  Hey! I'm Kayla Huszar, a creative counsellor who's all about unconventional therapy that encourages creativity, curiosity and finding what makes you feel alive (again). I've helped so many women navigate the waves (ups and downs) of motherhood, and I'm here for you, too! So, if you're feeling overwhelmed or need a moment to yourself, grab your headphones and press play on an episode! You're not alone, and you already know what you need. 

  1. JAN 6

    How Do You Stay Present When You're Not Okay as a Mom? with Megan Dowd

    How do you stay present when you're not okay as a mom? Megan Dowd shares the worst flight of her life (funeral, delayed, toddler screaming 3.5 hours) and the best (crying babies everywhere, pediatrician validation). The metaphor that changes everything: "The thing that will fix it is getting off the plane. That's not an option when we're somewhere over Montana." We talk about: - The "over Montana" moments of motherhood - "Is this a big problem or a little problem?" — the question that stops the spiral - How to stay present when you have nothing left - Creative regulation when touched out - Why we're shepherds, not engineers - How to be not okay without making it your kid's problem - The real measure of good enough parenting Megan: "I cannot shape you. I cannot mold you. It's a weird thing for your ego — so much responsibility and absolutely no control over the outcome." If you've ever felt over Montana with no escape, this is for you. MORE RESOURCES: kaylahuszar.com/blog

    35 min

  2. 12/30/2025

    Why Millennial Moms Feel Like They're Failing (And What Actually Helps)

    Have you ever felt like motherhood has swallowed you whole? Like your teenager self, your childhood self, just your human self is no longer part of who you are? This week I'm sitting down with Allie McQuaid - known as @millennialmomtherapist on Instagram - and we're talking about the thing nobody prepares you for: the slow disappearance of yourself in motherhood. Allie is a therapist in Maryland who works specifically with millennial moms navigating burnout, identity loss, and the impossible pressure to be everything for everyone. And she told me something that stopped me in my tracks: Almost every single week, her clients ask the same question: "How do I not screw up my kids?" In this conversation, we're digging into: - Why millennial moms are experiencing a unique identity crisis (and it's not your fault) - The tension between wanting to be "fun mom" and also needing boundaries - Three real coping strategies that don't require waking up at 5 AM or booking a spa day - The difference between intentional self-care and shame-based coping - How to break generational patterns while barely surviving bedtime - Why the "am I enough?" question keeps so many of us up at night This isn't another episode telling you what you should be doing. This is validation, permission, and practical tools for the moments when you're at your absolute limit. Whether you're standing in your kitchen in yesterday's shirt wondering when you became only "mom," or you're hiding in the bathroom for five minutes of peace - this conversation is for you. Guest: Allie McQuaid, therapist specializing in millennial mom burnout and identity (@millennialmomtherapist) Free Resource: Download 101 Ways to Chill Like a Mother for tiny, doable acts of self-care that actually fit into your real life. If this episode resonates, share it with a mom friend who needs to hear it. And drop a comment with your favorite nostalgic childhood movie - I'm collecting them! Allie McQuaid is a therapist in Maryland who specializes in working with millennial moms navigating the unique pressures of modern motherhood. Find her on Instagram @millennialmomtherapist for nostalgic millennial content mixed with real talk about burnout, identity shifts, and breaking generational patterns.

    28 min

  3. 11/18/2025

    ADHD Diagnosis and Hope with Jessica Dunn on What Actually Worked

    Send us a text Four years ago, Jessica Dunn was navigating her daughter's AuDHD diagnosis with too many opinions, not enough answers. Today: 18 months without sensory meltdowns. What this episode cover: Moving from diagnosis shock to usable roadmapWhy early intervention builds skills before shame sets inFamily therapy vs "fix the kid" approachesThe ADHD tax: funding, benefits, and hard budget choicesChoosing high-impact supports and measuring by functionBody-based regulation: deep pressure, vestibular input, chiropractic carePrimitive reflexes, midline work, making OT gains stickBuilding trusted teams and filtering noisy adviceRedefining progress with small wins that compoundCarrying hope into new stages like pubertyThe toolkit that travels: Visual routines, movement before focus, protein before school, simple words during stress. For ADHD parents who need evidence, not inspiration. Whether you choose medication or other supports, whether you're years into this or just starting - this shows what's possible when you find your people and trust yourself. Please reach out to me, reach out to Jessica. Hopefully this connects you with people who specialize in ADHD support. Support the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    30 min

  4. 11/05/2025

    A Meditation for Moms: When You're Not Fine But Keep Saying You Are

    Send us a text Tired of saying "I'm fine" when your body and brain are screaming for honesty? This guided meditation helps overwhelmed mothers stop pretending and start feeling—without forcing a fix. What You'll Get: A 7-minute practice that meets you where you are: angry, sad, touched out, or completely empty. We start with breath work and body scanning, then move into five practical tools that turn emotional awareness into compassionate action. The Meditation for Moms: Settle into ordinary breath and scan tension hotspots (shoulders, jaw, belly)Learn grounding techniques you can use anywhere when big emotions surgePractice allowing feelings to exist without liking themRelease micro-clenches that quietly drain your energyFive Coping Tools for When You're Not Fine: Write an emotional weather report to name what's happening insideGive yourself permission to take one humane next stepCreate an anger list—cross out what you can't control, circle what you canName what's true right now to cut through noise and identify real needsValidate yourself with "it makes sense that I feel..." to loosen shameInstead of toxic positivity or "cherish every moment," this episode offers real tools for maternal mental health. You'll leave with language, structure, and relief. For mothers ready to: Stop saying "fine" when they're drowningProcess difficult emotions without judgmentFind practical coping strategies for mom burnoutAccess guided meditation designed specifically for overwhelmed parentsIf you're in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, or New Brunswick and want one-to-one support, reach out. Follow the show and share with a friend who needs gentleness today. What part of motherhood are you done calling "fine"? Support the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    11 min

  5. 09/23/2025

    Nervous System Overwhelm: Why Moms Can't Always Stay Regulated

    Send us a text Ever slammed your hands on the table and yelled "ENOUGH!" when the noise and chaos became too much? You're not alone, and contrary to what social media might have you believe, it's not a parenting failure—it's biology. In this eye-opening conversation with therapist Charlie, we explore the myth that mothers should be regulated all the time. Charlie explains how our nervous systems were never designed to handle modern life's constant bombardment of stimuli. Research shows we process more information in one week of urban living than our ancestors did in their entire lifetimes! No wonder we feel overwhelmed, touched out, and on edge. When that dysregulation hits—whether it's from kids talking over each other, sensory overload, or simply the cumulative weight of the day—Charlie offers practical, science-backed strategies to restore balance. We dive into the powerful STOP technique (Stop, Take a step back, Observe, Proceed mindfully), discuss why deep breathing actually works (even when we roll our eyes at the suggestion), and explore how predictability creates safety for both children and adults. Most importantly, we challenge the perfectionist parenting narratives that fuel shame and prevent us from accessing the very tools that could help us regulate. As Charlie reminds us, "Should is a shame word," and unless you're a robot, constant regulation is completely unrealistic. Our nervous systems are designed to ebb and flow—even anxiety and dissociation serve important protective functions when used appropriately. Ready to break free from the impossible standard of perfect regulation? Listen now to discover how honoring your nervous system's needs can transform your parenting experience and help you respond rather than react to life's overwhelming moments. Support the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    15 min

  6. 09/02/2025

    When This Mom Stopped Being the Default Parent (Everything Changed) with Ryley Miller

    Send us a text You know that mental catalog that's constantly running in your brain? The one calculating diaper changes, grocery lists, and whether there's milk for tomorrow's cereal while you're doing three other things? What if I told you that mental load doesn't have to be yours alone to carry? In this episode, I'm joined by Ryley Miller, Executive Director of Rise of Society Alberta, for an honest conversation about the unseen emotional labor of motherhood and what happens when you actually negotiate sharing it. Ryley and I have both experienced role reversals in our relationships where our partners became the primary caregivers, and let me tell you—it changes everything. We dig into: Why negotiation (not resentment) is the key to redistributing mental loadHow trading primary parent roles becomes "the great equalizer" in relationshipsWhat doors open when you're not carrying all the invisible work aloneThe ongoing dance between meaningful career pursuits and present motherhoodWhy Ryley's philosophy of "we'll figure it out" is exactly what overwhelmed moms need to hearRyley shares how renegotiating the mental load in her marriage didn't just reduce her stress—it opened up space for her to run her organization, take professional risks, and even run for municipal council. But she's also honest about the ongoing challenge of staying present with her daughters while pursuing meaningful work. If you're tired of being the default parent, the keeper of all family information, and the one whose brain automatically scans for everything that needs doing, this conversation offers hope and practical steps for creating something different. Resources Mentioned: Rise of Society Alberta: Ryley Miller's BioFair Play Method (mentioned in episode) Support the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    26 min

  7. 07/01/2025

    Breaking Parenting Cycles Without Breaking Yourself

    Send us a text Ever find yourself swearing under your breath while trying to be the "good mom" – only to feel overcome with guilt moments later? You're not alone. The messy truth about mom rage rarely makes it to social media, but it's something almost every mother experiences. What happens when you're a therapist who can't follow her own advice? In this raw episode, I share a particularly hard parenting day where I experienced that uncomfortable yet surprisingly righteous anger, then questioned my parenting afterward. We explore why healing while raising kids feels impossible sometimes, the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it, and how our unhealed patterns affect our children. As a therapist who specializes in working with moms, I've seen how this cycle plays out – and I'm living it too. From elaborate hotel games gone wrong to kids' shows teaching us about taking things slow, we dive into why the "Puffin way" of slow and steady might be the key to breaking generational cycles without burning out. Topics covered: The irony of giving advice you can't followWhy mom rage feels righteous in the momentWhy healing can't be Amazon PrimedHow childhood patterns show up in parentingRegulation techniques that don't always workGiving yourself grace in the hard momentsResources mentioned: Inner child healing booksPuffin Rock (surprisingly wise kids' show)The Motherload MembershipSupport the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    14 min

  8. 06/10/2025

    Beyond the Scroll: How Adult Coloring Books Can Reset Your Exhausted Mom Brain

    Send us a text It's 9:05pm. You're hollowed-out exhausted, the kids are finally quiet, and you're zombie-scrolling hoping the algorithm throws you a lifeline. But that "calm" you're chasing? It's not really calm - it's just avoidant numbness dressed up like peace. What if I told you there's something better you can do with those 10 minutes? Something that actually helps your nervous system instead of keeping it stuck in fight-or-flight? In this episode, we're talking about why grabbing your kid's coloring book might be the most practical self-care tool you're not using. Not because coloring is some magical cure-all, but because when you're too fried for meditation, too touched-out for baths, and too tired for yoga videos, sometimes the most radical thing you can do is pick up a crayon. We'll dive into the actual science behind why coloring works for regulation, how it gives your brain the sensory exhale it's desperately craving, and why it's perfectly okay to color trees the wrong color when you're feeling everything at once. This isn't about creating masterpieces or being artistic. It's about giving yourself permission to decompress in a way that actually works when everything else feels like more work. Perfect for: Overwhelmed moms who are tired of feeling guilty about screen time but don't know what else to do at 9pm. Resources Mentioned: Free 5-Minute Check-In guideThe Motherload MembershipKayla's favorite coloring supplies (Amazon store)Connect with me: Instagram: @kayla.huszar (tag me in your coloring moments!)Website: kaylahuszar.comRemember: You aren't required to solve everything tonight. Your only job is to show up for yourself. Support the show Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.

    9 min
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About

This show shares stories, offers tips and tricks, and provides education to help you feel more chill like the mother you know you want to be.  Hey! I'm Kayla Huszar, a creative counsellor who's all about unconventional therapy that encourages creativity, curiosity and finding what makes you feel alive (again). I've helped so many women navigate the waves (ups and downs) of motherhood, and I'm here for you, too! So, if you're feeling overwhelmed or need a moment to yourself, grab your headphones and press play on an episode! You're not alone, and you already know what you need. 

Information

  • Creator
    Kayla Huszar
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Kayla Huszar
  • Show Website
    Chill Like a Mother Podcast