Made Possible by Parenthood

Sep 16

Our Children Are Not Our Projects: Parenting as a Living Process with Justin Wise

What if the exhaustion so many of us feel as parents isn't a sign that we need to try harder — but a sign that we've mistaken a living process for a project to manage? In this episode, Lindsay and Charlie are joined by Justin Wise — founder of Third Space, integral development coach, and a beloved teacher to them both. Justin trained each of them (ten years apart!) on the integral coaching program that shaped their work and their parenting, and this conversation is a homecoming as much as an interview. Together they explore what it means to parent off autopilot: how fear pulls us into control and over-efforting, why "who do I want to be?" is a countercultural question, and what becomes possible when we treat parenting as something to forever learn rather than something to get right. Justin — now a father of three adult children — shares what this way of living has made possible in his relationships with his kids, including the revelation of learning to repair: to say "I made a mistake, I'm sorry, here's what I wish I'd done." The conversation closes with a reframe that has stayed with Lindsay for months: people are not projects, they are processes. We are less like tables and houses, more like rivers, trees, and thunderstorms — and so are our children. Justin ends by reading from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet: "Your children are not your children..." Justin Wise is the founder of Third Space and an integral development coach since 2008, holding a PCC credential with the International Coaching Federation. His work sits at the intersection of philosophy, adult development, and how we actually live in response to the complexity of the world — cultivating the kind of human freedom that allows us to see ourselves clearly and act with courage, integrity, and wisdom. He is a husband, community leader, and father of three. Third Space — Justin's practice and body of work Wendy Palmer — teacher and author on the body, relationships, and leadership embodiment Khalil Gibran, The Prophet — "On Children" We'd love to hear what this conversation opened up for you. Find us on Instagram @madepossiblebyparenthood, and if this episode resonated, share it with a fellow parent who needs to hear that they were never meant to get it all right. About Justin WiseLinks from this episodeConnect With Us

Jun 9

From Managing Time to Living It

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, Lindsay and Charlie turn their attention to one of the most universal sources of suffering in parenthood — our relationship with time. Not how to manage it, hack it, or squeeze more out of it, but how to fundamentally shift the way we live inside it. Inspired by Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, this is a conversation that invites parents to confront the finite, precious nature of time — and to ask themselves honestly what they're actually saying yes and no to each day. Together they explore: How becoming a parent cracked open a whole new relationship with time for both Lindsay and Charlie The suffering that comes from letting time have us — rather than the other way around The identity trap of busyness and productivity, and how it quietly shapes our days What we're really saying no to every time we say yes — and vice versa The difference between time being scarce and the things we actually value being scarce How spaciousness, presence and slowing down can literally change our experience of time Finding the natural rhythm of your unique family rather than forcing a borrowed one "You can do it like it's really hard, or you can do it like it's a dance."

Jun 5

More than the Milestones: One Mother's Story of Raising a Child With Cerebral Palsy

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, Lindsay and Charlie welcome Diana — working parent, mother of two, and what they describe as someone who carries a rare and beautiful ability to feel the sun even while trudging through the thickest mud. Diana shares her journey as a parent carer to her youngest daughter, who has cerebral palsy — from the early days of noticing something was different, through the spiral of guilt that followed her daughter's diagnosis, and into the hard-won grace and joy that defines her family's life today. This is a conversation about letting go of the milestone chart, protecting your own capacity to show up, and finding the beauty in a journey that doesn't follow anyone else's map. Together they explore: What it really means to be a parent carer — and why that label carries important weight The non-linear nature of this journey and why the roller coaster never fully stops How Diana worked through profound guilt around her daughter's diagnosis and found her way to self-compassion The power of separating fact from opinion when guilt threatens to consume us Why protecting your own mental and emotional space is an act of love for your child The art of seeing your child for who they are — beyond the forms, checkboxes and milestone charts What grace really looks like in practice, day after day "Give yourself grace. You're doing the best that you can. And that's okay."

Jun 5

The Eye of the Storm: One Mother's Story of Raising a Transgender Child

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, Lindsay and Charlie are joined by Dr. Varisa Perlman — pediatrician, mother, and what Lindsay describes as a "master responder" — for one of the most profound conversations the podcast has hosted. Dr. P shares her family's story with extraordinary openness and grace: from her own journey of finding her true self through medical school, to supporting her husband's leap from medicine to law, to walking alongside her cshild Izzy through gender dysphoria, depression, suicidality, and ultimately into joy and self-expression. At the heart of this conversation is a simple but powerful idea: that the only way through life's storms is to become the eye of them. Together they explore: The concept of "correcting the dissonance" — and how Dr. P has returned to this thread again and again throughout her life What it really means to be present with your child, beyond just putting your phone down How Dr. P supported her husband's career transition — and what that taught her about holding space for the people we love The journey of raising a transgender child through gender dysphoria and into their truest self Why fear and guilt are poison for parents — and how to begin releasing them The incredible role COVID played in opening a door for Izzy's transition Why children are born the way they are to heal the family "You cannot go through the chaos of life not being able to be centered. You must be the eye of the storm."

Jun 5

Forever Known: A New Relationship with Perfectionism

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, Lindsay and Charlie dive into one of the most quietly exhausting companions of parenthood — perfectionism. But rather than treating it as something to fix, overcome, or engineer out of our lives, they explore what happens when we simply allow it to be known. Through honest reflection and personal story, they unpack why perfectionism so often feels slippery — showing up in one area of life just as we think we've dealt with it in another — and why the goal was never to get rid of it at all. This is a conversation about befriending the parts of ourselves that aren't going anywhere, and discovering what becomes possible when we stop fighting them. Together, Lindsay and Charlie explore: Why perfectionism is a forever known part of us — and why that's actually okay How perfectionism can serve us as a resource rather than drain us as a burden The whack-a-mole nature of perfectionism in parenthood — and where it tends to hide The physical and relational experience of being in perfectionism The moth and the flame — why we keep flying toward the light even when we know it might burn us What devotion offers as an alternative orientation to our effort and care How to channel deep caring without being beholden to outcome "It's not about getting rid of perfectionism. It's about knowing what to do with it when it shows up."

03/17/2025

What If Guilt Wasn’t the Enemy, But a Guide?

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, Lindsay and Charlie dive into one of the most universally felt emotions in parenting—guilt. But rather than accepting guilt as an inevitable weight of parenthood, they explore whether it might actually be pointing us toward something deeper. Through personal stories, reflection, and a surprising perspective from the Dalai Lama, they unpack: • Why guilt and parenthood have become inseparable in modern culture. • The difference between guilt, remorse, and regret—and why that distinction matters. • How guilt can act as a distraction from deeper emotions like uncertainty and pain. • The surprising ways guilt keeps us stuck and how to shift our relationship with it. • Practical ways to question, reframe, and move through guilt with more intention and self-compassion. Is guilt really an unavoidable part of parenting? Or can it be an invitation to greater self-awareness, connection, and choice? Tune in for a conversation that just might shift your perspective on the stories we tell ourselves about guilt. 👉 Follow us on Instagram @MadePossibleByParenthood for more conversations and updates! Insightful Quotes from the Episode: 📌 “Guilt can feel like this huge, puffed-up balloon that takes up all the space. But when you pop it, you realize there’s room for kindness, for connection, for actually seeing what your child needs.” 📌 “We think we have to carry guilt because it makes us a ‘real parent.’ But what if it’s just a broad brushstroke we’ve accepted without questioning?” 📌 “There’s a wisdom in feeling the ouch, the pain, the remorse—because that’s where real change happens. Guilt alone just keeps us stuck.” 📌 “We keep trying to solve parenting like a math equation, as if we can balance all the choices perfectly to eliminate guilt. But life isn’t an equation—it’s an ocean, and we have to learn which waves to ride.” 📌 “What if we questioned our guilt before accepting it? Is this really mine to hold? Is there something else underneath it that I actually need to pay attention to?”

03/08/2025

Parenting Without a Map: A Story of Love, Leadership & Letting Go

In this episode of Made Possible by Parenthood, we sit down with Bobby Davis, a self-described “mischief ripple maker for change,” to explore her unconventional path through parenthood. From stepping into the role of a stepmother in her mid-20s while serving in the military to raising her own daughter and now embracing grandparenthood, Bobby shares a deeply personal and refreshingly honest account of what it means to lead, love, and let go. We dive into: • The evolution from survival-mode parenting to building deep connections. • How stepping into a ready-made family shaped Bobby’s approach to leadership and care. • The tension between structure and softness—especially for high-achievers. • The power of embracing our own unique parenting path, free from comparison. • Why missteps, mistakes, and even a little mischief are essential to the journey. Bobby’s wisdom is a powerful reminder that there is no one “right way” to do this—only our way. Join us for an inspiring conversation about love in its most real, raw, and resilient form.

02/11/2025

Parenting with Trauma: Holding Fear Without Passing It On

How do we navigate parenthood when we’re carrying our own trauma? How do we hold our fears without letting them shape the size of our children’s lives? In this deeply moving conversation, we’re joined byNeena Atkinson, an integral development coach and mentor, to explore the intersection of trauma, parenthood, and the ever-evolving journey of letting go. Neena shares her personal story of loss, the ways trauma lives in the body, and how she’s learned to hold fear while allowing her children the freedom to fully live. Together, we unpack: ✨ The tension between protecting our children and letting them become in the world ✨ Why healing isn’t about “getting over” trauma, but integrating it ✨ How to co-create a sense of safetywith our children, rather than for them ✨ The ways fear can shrink our world—and how we choose something bigger We also close with a breathtaking poem,Hello, Fear by Rosemary Wahtola Trommer, from her bookAll the Honey.You can find it here. Other references from this episode: 📖The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk 📖The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (Excerpt on Children) Join us for a conversation filled with wisdom, raw honesty, and an invitation to hold both fear and love as we guide our children—and ourselves—into the world.

Made Possible by Parenthood

Episodes

Our Children Are Not Our Projects: Parenting as a Living Process with Justin Wise

From Managing Time to Living It

More than the Milestones: One Mother's Story of Raising a Child With Cerebral Palsy

The Eye of the Storm: One Mother's Story of Raising a Transgender Child

Forever Known: A New Relationship with Perfectionism

What If Guilt Wasn’t the Enemy, But a Guide?

Parenting Without a Map: A Story of Love, Leadership & Letting Go

Parenting with Trauma: Holding Fear Without Passing It On

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