No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women

Mary Rothwell
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

No Shrinking Violets is all about what it truly means for women to take up their space in the world – mind, body and spirit. Mary Rothwell, licensed therapist and certified integrative mental health practitioner, has seen women “stay small” and fit into the space in life that they have been conditioned to believe they deserve. Drawing on 35 years in the mental health field and from her perspective as a woman who was often told to "stay in your lane," Mary discusses how early experiences, society and sometimes our own limiting beliefs can convince us that living inside guardrails is the best -- or only -- option. She'll explore how to recognize our unique essential nature and how to use that to empower a new narrative.Through topics that span psychology, friendships, nature and even gut-brain health, Mary creates a space that is inspiring and authentic - where she celebrates the intuition and power of women who want to chart their own course and program their own GPS. Mary's topics will include sleep and supplements and nutrition and how to live like a plant. (Yes, you read that right - the example of plants is often the most insightful path to knowing what we truly need to feel fulfilled). She’ll talk about setting boundaries, communicating, and relationships, and explore mental health and wellness: trauma and resilience, how our food impacts our mood and the power of simple daily habits. And so much more! As a gardener, Mary knows that violets have been misjudged for centuries and are actually one of the most resilient and ecologically important plants in her native garden. Like violets, women are often underestimated, and they can even mistake their unique gifts for weaknesses. Join Mary to explore all the ways the vibrant and strong violet is an example for finding fulfillment in our own lives.

  1. 5d ago

    Rewrite Your Story: Overcome Limiting Narratives through Self-Acceptance

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! If you’ve ever felt like you’re living by someone else’s script, this conversation will land hard in the best way. In this episode, I’m joined by storytelling strategist and founder Laura Nespoli for an honest, specific look at how personal narrative shapes everything from our self-trust to our health to the way we show up at work and at home. The big idea is simple but not easy: profound change doesn’t require the outside world to transform first. It starts when we change our relationship with ourselves and begin telling the truth. Laura shares the plot points that reshaped her life: discovering she’s a highly sensitive person after years of chameleon coping, feeling a “purpose hole” she couldn’t ignore, and following a vision for deeper connection that eventually became a catalyst for coming out as bisexual and confronting childhood trauma. We talk about why real growth feels messy and unclear in the moment, why people-pleasing is often a learned survival strategy, and how “shoulds” can become a barrier story that keeps women from taking up space even when they know what they want. We also get practical about tools that help: writing as a healing practice (including morning pages from The Artist’s Way), mindfulness that doesn’t require an hour-long meditation, and borrowing belief from the right people until your own confidence catches up. Laura’s book, Threads of Me and You: Unravel Your Limits, Weave Growth From Within, offers a reweaving framework and exercises to help you uncover what’s true and build forward with intention. You can find Laura  https://www.meshinmovement.com/about If this resonates, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s ready to stop shrinking, and leave a review. Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    Rewrite Your Story: Overcome Limiting Narratives through Self-Acceptance

  2. Sep 28

    The Power of Women: Witches, Mentors and Friends

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! A nor’easter traps me indoors on a solo beach trip in Delaware, and the quiet gives me space to notice something I never want to take for granted: the steady, life-giving power of women’s friendships. I think about the friends I’ve kept for 50-plus years, the laughter that instantly returns when we reconnect, and the way a single lunch with the right person can reset your whole nervous system. I also sit with something that makes me sad, hearing from women who’ve struggled to trust other women, because sisterhood has been one of the most beautiful threads in my life.  While I’m holed up in my hotel room, I watch Oxford professor Diane Purkiss unpack the history and mythology around witches and the persecution of women. What hits hardest is how often older women became targets and how easily “wise woman” can be recast as “threat.” Even more unsettling: the accusers weren’t always men. Sometimes they were younger women, which opens a bigger conversation about how we’ve been trained into competition instead of care.  From there, I zoom into the modern version of the same pattern: judgment by appearance, parenting choices, careers, partnerships, and the generational divides that social media loves to inflame. I share why I’m grateful I grew up without phones and feeds, and why I think older women have real wisdom and power right now. If we want a better future and stronger personal rights, we need connection, mentorship, and curiosity across generations. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find the conversation. Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    The Power of Women: Witches, Mentors and Friends

  3. Sep 24

    Survival Codes: Healing from a Narcissistic Parent

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! The coping skills that made you impressive might be the same ones keeping you lonely. We sit down with Ingeborg Mooiweer, a therapist and executive coach, to talk honestly about what it’s like to grow up with a narcissistic mother and how that kind of childhood trauma can rewrite your identity, your self-trust, and your relationships. When love is inconsistent and anger turns into silence or blame, you learn to shrink, scan every room, and question your feelings before you ever question the adult in charge. We unpack the survival strategies many women carry into adulthood: hyper-independence, perfectionism, control, and people pleasing that looks “high functioning” from the outside. Ingeborg explains her framework of survival codes like the performer, the controller, and the harmonizer or rescuer and why these patterns can drive career success while quietly sabotaging connection at home. We also talk about how healing often happens in layers, how postpartum depression can expose deeper roots beneath the hormones, and how grief and loss can become a powerful catalyst for self-compassion and change. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m fine, I don’t have time to deal with this,” we challenge that reflex with practical insight and a gentler truth: you survived the way you needed to, and you can choose new responses now. Listen for therapy-informed language around the amygdala, nervous system safety, boundaries, and what it takes to stop shrinking and start taking up space. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find this conversation. You can find Ingeborg HERE https://metamindbreakthrough.com/ Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    Survival Codes: Healing from a Narcissistic Parent

  4. Sep 21

    Life Happens Through You: Finding Hope through Daily Choices

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Life can feel like a pile on: headlines you can’t control, stress that follows you home, and the constant sense that you’re reacting instead of choosing. I’m sharing a simple reframe that helps me get my footing fast: life happens through you, not to you. That idea doesn’t erase real pain or serious mental health challenges, but it does hand you something you can use right now: agency over your next move.  We talk about what to do when national and global issues feel demoralizing, and why the most powerful starting point is often your front door. For me, that looks like planting flowers, choosing native plants, and making space for bees and butterflies even in the middle of the city. It’s a small act, but it’s also a practice of empowerment, resilience, and values based living. I also share how my book, Nature Knows, fits into this bigger mission of connecting well being to the natural world.  Then we get practical with intentional living. I walk through daily questions that support mindfulness and emotional regulation: What does my body feel like? How do I want to feel instead? What do I need to do to move closer to that feeling? We also touch on the puppy blues after adopting Alfie, how temporary seasons can tighten your life for a while, and why journaling progress can keep you hopeful when you’re counting the minutes to bedtime.  If you want a clear, doable mindset reset for stress, anxiety, and that “I’m too busy” feeling, hit play, then subscribe, and share with a friend. Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    Life Happens Through You: Finding Hope through Daily Choices

  5. Sep 17

    REPLAY: The Road Back from Rock Bottom: Improv, Writing and Vulnerability

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Someone can look like they’re thriving and still be drowning. That’s the thread we keep pulling in this replay with Angie Hawkins, an inner glow coach and the author of *Running in Slippers*, recorded for National Suicide Prevention Month. Angie shares how emotionally neglectful childhood dynamics shaped a lifelong belief that she didn’t deserve love, and how that belief fueled people pleasing, overgiving, and chasing approval that never quite felt like enough.  We walk through the hard stacking of stressors that pushed her to the edge: deep grief after her father’s death, loneliness and pressure after moving from Chicago to Hawaii, job insecurity, one crisis after another, and the isolation that can come from “handling it” alone. Angie speaks candidly about her suicide attempt, the chilling moment a friend told her “it’s not your time,” and how that became the start of a purpose-driven rebuild instead of an ending.  From there, we get practical about mental health support and self growth. Angie breaks down why talk therapy didn’t help her move forward, why coaching did, and how structure, homework, boundaries, and self-respecting behavior can slowly rewrite what you believe you deserve. We also connect the dots between improv and healing: being present, dropping the mask, and reacting authentically instead of performing “I’m fine,” especially in a social media world that blurs Instagram versus reality.  If you’re wrestling with grief, burnout, comparison, people pleasing, or the quiet fear that you’re not allowed to take up space, you’ll find honesty and real tools here.  You can find Angie HERE https://www.runninginslippers.com/ Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    REPLAY: The Road Back from Rock Bottom: Improv, Writing and Vulnerability

  6. Sep 10

    REPLAY: The Cost of Silence: Self-Forgiveness through Honesty and Grace

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Secrets don’t just live in our past, they live in our nervous system, our self-talk, and sometimes even our symptoms. To honor September’s themes of self-care, recovery, suicide prevention, and self-improvement, we’re resharing one of the most requested conversations we’ve ever had: our replay with Julie Heaton, author, transformational mentor, certified health and wellness coach, and Reiki master. Julie shares the moments that shaped her path, including learning to adapt early, feeling like she didn’t fit, and placing a baby for adoption at a young age. We unpack what it’s like to carry shame in silence for decades, how a “don’t talk about it” family culture can deepen trauma, and why emotional pain that never gets processed often finds a physical outlet. Julie also explains what shifted when her first son reached out years later, forcing a choice between staying hidden and stepping into truth. From there, we get practical. We talk about shining light on what you’ve buried, choosing safe people and healthy boundaries, and why healing comes in layers. We explore self-love as a skill, not a slogan: catching the cruel inner narrator, using simple mantras to replace it, practicing mirror work, and starting the day with gratitude so your energy goes toward building a life you actually want. Julie closes with her ROAR framework: reclaiming your voice, owning your story, aligning in your truth, and radiating your light. If you know a woman who’s tired of shrinking, share this replay with her.  Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    REPLAY: The Cost of Silence: Self-Forgiveness through Honesty and Grace

  7. Sep 7

    REPLAY: Expect the Expected: Managing Disappointment

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! You can love someone and still feel worn down by the same predictable disappointment. When a relationship keeps giving you the same outcome, hope can start to feel like a trap, especially when you’re doing all the emotional work and waiting for the other person to meet you there. I’m revisiting a mini episode that listeners kept coming back to because it names a pattern many of us live with: doing the same thing in a relationship and expecting a different result. I call it “expect the expected,” and it’s one of the clearest tools I know for relationship expectations, boundaries, and emotional self-care. We walk through a client example where a big achievement gets shared with a parent, only for the conversation to flip back to the parent’s needs within seconds, and we unpack why that hurts so much. From there, we talk about what you can do that actually helps: looking at consistent behavior through a clear lens, deciding how you want to show up going forward, and avoiding the trap of trying to change someone with tactics like the silent treatment. Whether the dynamic is mildly disappointing, chronically one-sided, or truly toxic, there’s a continuum of choices you can make to protect your mental health while staying grounded in reality. If this hits close to home, listen through and reflect on where you’re still negotiating with who someone “should” be. Subscribe for more short, practical insights and share this with a friend who needs it. Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    REPLAY: Expect the Expected: Managing Disappointment

  8. Sep 3

    Contraception, Hormones and Women's Cycles: Understanding Whole Body Impacts

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! Your body isn’t betraying you. A lot of what feels like “random” fatigue, heavy periods, mood swings, migraines, or midlife weight changes starts to make sense once you understand how hormones actually work together. We sit down with women’s health educator, author, and longtime coach Tierra Duncan to talk about hormone literacy and why so many of us reach adulthood knowing almost nothing about the system running the show. We dig into the menstrual cycle phases beyond “the bleed,” including why ovulation matters and how estrogen and progesterone rise and fall to support far more than fertility. Tierra also explains what hormonal birth control can do to natural hormone rhythms, why the pill, ring, implant, and IUD are not interchangeable, and which side effects and risk factors are worth discussing with a provider. We talk about inflammation, nutrient needs, mood changes tied to serotonin and dopamine, and why a one size fits all answer rarely holds up. Then we shift into perimenopause and menopause, where irregular ovulation can mean less progesterone and more emotional volatility, sleep disruption, and that unsettled “I don’t feel like myself” experience. We also cover HRT basics, the difference between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, and how to choose support that considers testing, deficiencies, and your whole life. We close with practical lifestyle strategies that actually move the needle: better sleep hygiene, steady blood sugar, stress management, and strength training for long-term metabolic and bone health. If this helped you connect a few dots, subscribe, and share it with a friend. You can find Tierra HERE https://www.tierraduncan.com/ Support the show BUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASH Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE. Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at NSVpodcast@gmail.com.  Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingviolets Follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!

    Contraception, Hormones and Women's Cycles: Understanding Whole Body Impacts
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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

No Shrinking Violets is all about what it truly means for women to take up their space in the world – mind, body and spirit. Mary Rothwell, licensed therapist and certified integrative mental health practitioner, has seen women “stay small” and fit into the space in life that they have been conditioned to believe they deserve. Drawing on 35 years in the mental health field and from her perspective as a woman who was often told to "stay in your lane," Mary discusses how early experiences, society and sometimes our own limiting beliefs can convince us that living inside guardrails is the best -- or only -- option. She'll explore how to recognize our unique essential nature and how to use that to empower a new narrative.Through topics that span psychology, friendships, nature and even gut-brain health, Mary creates a space that is inspiring and authentic - where she celebrates the intuition and power of women who want to chart their own course and program their own GPS. Mary's topics will include sleep and supplements and nutrition and how to live like a plant. (Yes, you read that right - the example of plants is often the most insightful path to knowing what we truly need to feel fulfilled). She’ll talk about setting boundaries, communicating, and relationships, and explore mental health and wellness: trauma and resilience, how our food impacts our mood and the power of simple daily habits. And so much more! As a gardener, Mary knows that violets have been misjudged for centuries and are actually one of the most resilient and ecologically important plants in her native garden. Like violets, women are often underestimated, and they can even mistake their unique gifts for weaknesses. Join Mary to explore all the ways the vibrant and strong violet is an example for finding fulfillment in our own lives.

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