Mothering Ourselves Mindfully

Sarah Harmon
  • 5.0 (22)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Mothering Ourselves Mindfully with me, Sarah Harmon. I am the founder, head teacher, and forever student at The School of MOM. I invite you to take a walk with me to hear insights, inspiration, and practical tools to help you navigate the everyday challenges of raising kids while nurturing your own well-being. Whether you’re deep in the trenches of parenting or looking for a moment of calm amidst the chaos, this podcast is your space for reflection, affirmation, and growth. Let's create new intergenerational patterns for ourselves AND our kids together.

  1. 6D AGO

    82. Learning to Lead Our Selves: Becoming the Mother We Need

    In this episode, I talk about one of the most foundational concepts in the work we do here at The School of Mom: selves leadership. This is the thread that runs through everything — through the Mothering Ourselves Mindfully framework, through what it really means to want to "be a better mom," and through how we show up in a world that is desperately hungry for grounded, mature, emotionally attuned adults. If you've ever looked around and wondered where are the adults in the room? — this one is for you. Key Points What "selves leadership" actually means — We are not just one self. We are a compilation of younger selves, reactive selves, and wiser selves. The inner work here is about tending to the contracted parts while awakening and amplifying the more grounded, steady parts that are ready to lead.The connection to attachment theory — Many of us grew up without a securely attached caregiver — without someone who was emotionally healthy, attuned, and present. Selves leadership is about becoming that secure attachment figure for yourself, inside the ecosystem of your own inner world. It's not too late.Awakening vs. creating — This is a crucial distinction. We are not building something from scratch. We are awakening what is already there. The steady, compassionate, resilient parts of you already exist — in your body, in your lineage, in your healed and wise ancestors, even if they weren't in your immediate family.The grief that comes with this work — There is real grief in realizing you didn't have the model you needed growing up. That's valid, and we make room for it. And and — we can grieve that while also discovering that the resource we're looking for is actually accessible within us.What's happening in our world right now — We are living in a moment with a real lack of grounded leadership. Our kids are watching. This isn't new — the feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm are ancient — but this moment is calling us to alchemize our anger and grief into effective action. That starts with leading ourselves.Emotional safety starts inside — When you learn to lead all parts of yourself, you create emotional safety for yourself first. Your kids then experience a parent who can return to steadiness — because you can return to steadiness in the ecosystem of your own inner world.You are being called, not invited — This is not a gentle nudge. Women and mothers everywhere are being called to wake up from inherited, programmed survival states. The more we stay in shutdown and hopelessness, the more we fuel the very systems we want to change. Quotes "We are becoming the unicorns here in The School of Mom." "No one is coming to save us. We actually have to become those humans that we so desperately crave in our lives." "Awakening versus creating — it's so much more challenging to create something from scratch than to tap into what is already there." "When mothers learn how to lead all parts of themselves, you create emotional safety for yourself — and you create emotional safety for your kids." "We all have an assignment right now, and that is to wake up." Resources Mentioned The Flourished Mother Starter Kit — Five nervous system practices to begin awakening your more grounded, mindful, discerning, and attuned self. Download it at https://theschoolofmom.com/start Mothering Ourselves Mindfully — Sarah's signature program. Learn more at https://theschoolofmom.com/momSend Sarah a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmom What's Coming Next We're continuing to explore what it means to truly mother ourselves mindfully — not as a self-improvement project, but as a profound act of leadership. Stay close for what's coming next at The School of Mom. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    17 min

  2. MAR 3

    81. Who wants to be a better mom?

    In this episode, I'm walking through a snowy winter scene reflecting on a question that's been coming up a lot lately: what does it really mean to want to be a better mom? I share the story of my very first brand positioning statement from 2020, why I pushed back on it then, and why five years later I've completely changed my mind. This episode is an invitation to explore how growth and self-compassion aren't opposites — and why wanting more for yourself as a mom is something to be proud of. Key Points The marketing positioning statement that made me anxious in 2020 — and why I embrace it nowWhy I was over-protecting moms from their own shame, and the shift I've made sinceThe difference between wanting to be better from a place of "I'm not enough" vs. "I'm ready and available"What "better" actually means in my world: more steady, more grounded, more integrated — not more perfectThe conversation I had with my daughters asking them how I could be a better mom — and what they saidWhy shame is like an appendix: we've largely evolved past needing it, and it rarely drives healthy actionWho I'm speaking to now: the self-aware, high-functioning mom who is activated by growth, not shamed by itHow wanting to be better actually helps us integrate the parts of ourselves that feel like they're never enough Quotes "There is nothing wrong with you as you are, and you still get to want more from yourself." "Better, ironically, means that you've integrated the parts of yourselves that don't feel like they're good enough." "I am perfectly imperfect. I embrace all parts of myself — and they're super lucky because of that." "It's possible to grow and to be better without shame." Resources Mentioned Send Sarah a voice note! → Send Sarah your voice note right here! https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmomLearn more about Mothering Ourselves Mindfully → https://theschoolofmom.comEmail Sarah directly: hello@theschoolofmom.com What's Coming Next If this episode stirred something in you, send Sarah a voice note or share it with a mom friend you can go on a walk with and ask: "What does being a better mom mean to you?" Those are exactly the conversations the School of Mom is here for. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    21 min

  3. FEB 24

    80. Repair with Self-care with Leslie Forde

    In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, I'm joined by Leslie Forde — researcher, founder, and author of Repair with Self-Care: Your Guide to the Mom's Hierarchy of Needs. Leslie's work began after a brutal return from maternity leave landed her in burnout, and what emerged from the wreckage was a research obsession that has since become a roadmap for mothers everywhere. We talk about the invisible forces quietly draining our energy, why moms have been left out of the health span movement, and why - backed by real data - your self-care is quite literally the most important thing you can do for your children. Key Points The Three Ghosts — the hidden forces sapping your time, energy, and wellbeing: mental load, decision fatigue, and time scarcity. Leslie breaks down what each one is, how they compound one another, and what you can actually do about them.The suitcase metaphor — why trying to fit your needs into an already overpacked life is like traveling with a tiny suitcase and giving all the space to everyone else. (And why it's time to get your own suitcase.)The biological limit on decisions — you have a decision budget each day. Once it's spent, it's spent. Understanding this changes how you structure your mornings, your work, and where you spend your mental energy.Time scarcity and the brain — research shows that whether the scarcity is food, money, or time, the neurological impact is the same. Mothers are disproportionately drowning in time scarcity, and it's not a personal failing — it's math.The health data that should stop us in our tracks — women live nine fewer healthy years than men, 80% of autoimmune disease sufferers are women, and postpartum suicide is a leading cause of maternal death. This is not a wellness trend. This is a health crisis.The number one predictor of a child's health and happiness — spoiler: it's their mother's health and happiness. The research is clear. Your nervous system regulation is your most important parenting tool.Why moms are being left out of the healthspan movement — men are biohacking their way to longevity while mothers are cleaning counters and filling out camp forms. Leslie is here to change that.Practical strategies — from batching decisions to protecting your mornings to asking your manager what they actually need, there are real, tangible ways to reclaim cognitive space and build a life that works for you. Quotes "We feel like it's our fault — but the reality is, we are trying to cram a week's worth of stuff into a two-day suitcase." "If you're not in good mental and physical health, it actually hurts your children. And nobody wins if you go down in flames." "Health for moms is my ministry." "You may have to fiercely defend your dignity and your human right to claim the space that you need. It's difficult, but it's necessary." Resources Mentioned 📖 Repair with Self-Care: Your Guide to the Mom's Hierarchy of Needs by Leslie Forde: https://a.co/d/0iHy0x8v🌐 Leslie's website + wellness app + research study: momshierarchyofneeds.com💼 Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momshierarchyofneeds/📖 Estrogen Matters — referenced by Leslie on menopause, health span, and longevity for women: https://a.co/d/08miRehA Connect with Sarah 🎙️ Send Sarah your voice note right here! SpeakPipe — Send a voice message to The School of Mom: https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmom Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    47 min

  4. FEB 14

    79. No One Is Coming to Save Us: The 5,000-Foot View on Why This Work Matters Now

    I’m braving the frigid New England temps to share this 5,000-foot view on why mothering ourselves mindfully has never been more timely or necessary. From the Epstein files to racist tweets from the White House, the world is asking us to wake up—and we cannot afford to stay stuck in rage or shutdown. This is your call to get on a “boat” you care about, own your experience, and stop waiting for someone else to save you, your kids, or the causes you care about. If you've been thinking "maybe later" or "I don't have time," this episode is the cold glass of water in the face you need. Key Points Why staying stuck in anger or hopelessness serves no one—not you, your family, or the causes you care aboutHow mothering ourselves mindfully is an act of resistance against systems that benefit from our overwhelmThe privilege and responsibility white women have to use our voices for goodWhy you cannot expect your children to be more emotionally grounded than you are—they learn from what we modelThe importance of "owning your experience" rather than staying in victim modeHow no one is coming to save you—but community and support can help you save yourselfThe boat metaphor: pick a boat, get on a boat, but don't stay on a sinking boatWhy transformation begins the moment you commit, even before the work startsThe question to ask yourself: Are you proud of how you're showing up right now? Quotes "We cannot, we can no longer put off the responsibility that we have to be conscious, compassionate, committed humans to our loved ones, to our communities, to our planet." "We can't expect our children to be more emotionally grounded and intelligent than we are. They have to learn it from us." "There is no time to waste because change takes a long time." "No one else is gonna step up. We need you. Your kids need you. You need you." "Are you proud of how you're showing up for yourself right now? How you're showing up for your kids and how you're showing up for the causes that you care about?" "The transformation is in the transaction." Resources Mentioned Mothering Ourselves Mindfully: Registration ends February 19th at midnight EST. Program starts February 23rd with weekly live calls for 8 weeks on Mondays at noon. Includes one-on-one call with Sarah, Spotify playlist for replays, and intentional buffer time. Learn more at https://theschoolofmom.com/momFlourish Community: Integration space for ongoing practice and community support Send Sarah your voice note right here! SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmom Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    32 min

  5. FEB 10

    78. The Time Myth: Why Mothers Don’t “Find” Time — They Learn to Claim It

    In this episode, I'm diving into one of the biggest barriers I hear from women about joining The School of Mom: "I don't have time." Here's the truth that might sting a little: the very thing that will change your relationship with time IS this program. And the belief that you don't have time is exactly what's preventing you from the transformation you're seeking. I'm breaking down the neuroscience of "story follows state," sharing my own time scarcity moments, and explaining why our beliefs about time are actually rooted in our nervous system programming—not reality. Key Points Understanding "story follows state" - how your nervous system state creates your beliefs about timeCommon time traps we fall into: "there's never enough time," "time is a thief," "you'll miss this one day"How stress states drive our scarcity beliefs around time versus ventral vagal (grounded) state beliefsWhy saying "I don't have time" is really "I'm not making time" - and that's okay to acknowledgeThe distinction between seasons where something truly doesn't fit versus when it's a priority issueHow writing a book taught me I can never say "I don't have time" againWhy multitasking won't work for nervous system healing - you actually need to pay attentionWhat will you wish you had made time for on your deathbed?Integration practices designed specifically for moms (not morning routines that don't work when you're sleep-deprived)When it's NOT a good time to join: deep postpartum, acute life transitions, major moves or illnessWhy I'm no longer spending time convincing women they have time - meeting you where you are Quotes "Story follows state. The state that we are in our nervous system, in our body dictates the lens through which we see the world." "When I slow down, time slows down." "I can never ever say again that I don't have time because I writing a book, hours and hours and hours of writing." "I do have time. I make time for what matters to me." "This is not another thing that you have to add on. It's changing how you move through what you're already doing." "People on their deathbed say they wish they were more present, they wish they had more time to play, they wish they were in that nervous system state that is that connected grounded state." "I am entering a new era where I no longer have time to try to convince you that you can make the time." Resources Mentioned Mothering Ourselves Mindfully signature program - starting February 23rd: http://www.theschoolofmom.com/mom"It Is Round Time" - bonus training included with MOM program enrollment about rewiring your relationship with timeBook a call with Sarah to discuss if the program is right for you: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/149935Send Sarah your voice note right here! What's Coming Next Registration is open NOW for Mothering Ourselves Mindfully! This 8-week program includes four small group integration calls (Mondays at 12pm Eastern or Thursdays at 1pm Eastern) and four live teaching calls. Plus everyone who joins receives the complete "It Is Round Time" series as a bonus. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    29 min

  6. FEB 5

    77. UPDATE: How and why I'm unscaling the MOM Program

    In this short episode walking in a very snowy woods, I share an important shift I'm making with the MOM Program—and it's all about unscaling. While the business world tells us to scale, grow bigger, and involve ourselves less, I'm doing the opposite. I'm choosing intimacy, connection, and the kind of small group work I know transforms mothers' lives. If you've been contemplating joining but feeling stuck on time, logistics, or that familiar "will I actually follow through?" pattern, this episode is for you. Key Points Why I'm "unscaling" the Mom Program from multiple groups to one intimate cohort of 15 womenThe common thread in conversations with mothers: overwhelm, time scarcity, and the gap between what we know is good for us and what we're actually doingHow I'm simplifying the structure: 8 weeks, Mondays at 12pm Eastern, 8 live calls—that's itThe real question underneath "Can I make the time work?"—it's usually programming, not logisticsWhy money struggles are directly connected to your relationship with your mother (the "Money Matrix" = "Mother Matrix")The bonus I'm adding for early enrollees: a 30-minute one-on-one call to work through whatever's getting in your wayWhy most time obstacles aren't actually about moving mountains—they're about asking and worthiness workHow this program is designed so you can't hide—accountability baked into the small group structureWhy now is always the best time (and why I may not run another cohort in 2026 as I focus on writing my book) Quotes "It's just not my jam to strip down what I know is so powerful and important for women and mothers, and that is intimacy and connection." "I don't wanna sign up for something that I know I'm not gonna follow through with. Like I don't wanna sign up for more shame on myself." "When we actually look at it, it's not really moving mountains, it's usually just asking, right?" "We move mountains for our kids and we need to move mountains for ourselves." "Money struggles are directly correlated to your relationship with your mom. We could simultaneously call the money matrix the Mother Matrix." Resources Mentioned Mothering Ourselves Mindfully - 8-week signature program, enrollment open now for February start: http://www.theschoolofmom.com/momBook a call to talk through any stickiness you're bumping up against with joining the program: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/149935Send Sarah your voice note right here! SpeakPipe - Send a voice message to theschoolofmom What's Coming Next Stay tuned for a full episode on money and the Mother Matrix—exploring why our relationship with investing in ourselves is intimately connected to our relationship with our mothers. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    14 min

  7. FEB 3

    76. Subscribing to Support: The Missing Piece Between Awareness and Change

    In this episode recorded during a snowy winter walk, I'm sharing the huge announcement I've been building toward - and it starts with a powerful truth: awareness isn't enough. You can't think your way into change. I'm opening up about why support is the missing piece in our transformation, sharing a "weird woo" meditation experience that reminded me why community is non-negotiable, and officially announcing that Mothering Ourselves Mindfully is opening for enrollment! This is where The School of Mom began in 2020, and it's coming back more refined, more embodied, and more essential than ever. Key PointsWhy awareness alone isn't enough - you can't think your way into lasting changeThe reality that our conscious mind is only 5-10% of our experience - the rest is driven by our nervous systemThe flip side of unsubscribing: What do you want to subscribe to instead?Why unsubscribing from the belief that you can do this alone is the most important unsubscriptionHow my body speaks in full movies and visions during somatic meditationThe powerful meditation vision: flying alone through the storm vs. sitting in circle with other women, stoking our inner lightWhy the only way to fly through life's weather is to first sit in circle and become the lightThe truth that we don't have many models of emotionally attuned, grounded adults in our livesYou get to be the unicorn - and actually, you have to be, because no one else is stepping upWhy you can only give to others what you can give to yourself (backed by my entire grad school thesis!)How every time we teach or hear something, we're different people - that's why repetition isn't redundant, it's essentialThe urgency and timeliness of this work for your lineage - we don't have time to put it off Quotes"Awareness isn't enough. Awareness of why we do the things we do and what we're supposed to do to change it is not enough." "The missing piece in all of this is support." "If you are listening and you get to be [a unicorn], I want you to actually feel pride in the responsibility that you actually have to be, because we need grounded, attuned, steady adults in our world right now." "You can only be as compassionate to someone else, you can only love someone else, as much as you are compassionate and love yourself." "I am walking this walk with you. I am not gonna sit in a circle with you and try to support you in releasing your shame if I haven't been able to do that myself." "We don't have time to say, I don't have time for that. We don't have time to put it off. And now is the time." "Why not be the mom that triggers people when you're like, 'You know what? I just don't feel busy. I sleep really well.' You're not saying it to make someone feel bad, but you're being the unicorn." Resources MentionedMothering Ourselves Mindfully - NOW OPEN for enrollment! Learn more at theschoolofmom.com/momUnsubscribe Integration Call & Replay - Not too late to join! Visit theschoolofmom.com/unsubscribeAlumni & Current Flourish Members - Check your email for your 50% off returning rateProgram kicks off the week of February 23rd - 8 weeks of foundational work for thriving as a human Send Sarah your voice note right here! SpeakPipe - Send a voice message to theschoolofmom: https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmom What's Coming NextMothering Ourselves Mindfully enrollment is OPEN NOW! This is a very well-established program refined over 6 years with hundreds of women. If you desire to be a mindful human, break cycles in your family, slow down, relinquish control, or drop the resentment - you need support. Come walk with us and be the unicorn your lineage needs. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    33 min

  8. JAN 27

    75. Unsubscribing from = Subscribing to

    In this short episode recorded right before my kids get off the bus, I'm sharing two different pathways into the Unsubscribe inquiry - because sometimes the most accessible question isn't "what do I want to release?" but rather "what do I desire?" Discover which question resonates in your body, why that matters for your nervous system capacity, and how both sides of the coin work together. Plus, I'm sharing final details about our live Unsubscribe event happening January 28th at 7:15 PM EST! Key Points The two sides of the coin: what you're unsubscribing from and what you're subscribing toWhy "saying no to something means saying yes to something else" is a powerful grounding question for boundary-settingHow different questions are more accessible depending on your nervous system capacityThe Marie Kondo lesson: sometimes "what will I be sad to lose?" is more accessible than "what brings me joy?"Why your ability to access the "what do I desire?" question is actually a reflection of your nervous system's capacity to feel good feelingsHow many mothers have lost access to feelings of rest, joy, alignment, and groundednessThe importance of meeting yourself where you are - whether that's through releasing what you don't want or claiming what you do wantHow the body speaks in visions, sensations, colors, songs, memories, and images - not just wordsPractical moments to ask yourself these questions: in bed, in the car, in the shower, drinking your morning coffee Quotes "When we are saying no to something, we are saying yes to something else." "I invite in this question with the very strong disclaimer that you don't always need something. We don't always need to fill the space." "That's a really cool reflection of where they are because it speaks to the nervous system capacity they have to be in the thing that they want more of." "The language of the body is very nuanced and sometimes elusive. We need to spend some time with our bodies to really actually tune into that language and understand it." "You start where you are, you meet yourself where you are at." Resources Mentioned Unsubscribe Live Event: January 28th, 2026 at 7:15 PM EST - Register at theschoolofmom.com/unsubscribeSend Sarah your voice note right here! SpeakPipe - Send a voice message to https://www.speakpipe.com/theschoolofmom What's Coming Next Don't miss our Unsubscribe live event on January 28th! If you're listening after the event, stay tuned for an exciting announcement about what's coming next - we're revealing something special at the closing of the Unsubscribe event. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes! www.theschoolofmom.com Instagram @the.schoolofmom Book a breakthrough Call

    13 min
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About

Welcome to Mothering Ourselves Mindfully with me, Sarah Harmon. I am the founder, head teacher, and forever student at The School of MOM. I invite you to take a walk with me to hear insights, inspiration, and practical tools to help you navigate the everyday challenges of raising kids while nurturing your own well-being. Whether you’re deep in the trenches of parenting or looking for a moment of calm amidst the chaos, this podcast is your space for reflection, affirmation, and growth. Let's create new intergenerational patterns for ourselves AND our kids together.

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Harmon
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 null All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Mothering Ourselves Mindfully

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