Getting Grounded

Samantha Blatz

Getting Grounded is a podcast about becoming a parent...and becoming a whole new version of yourself along the way. Because no one really tells you how much parenthood changes you. Your body, your relationships, your friendships, your career, your priorities, your identity… sometimes even the way you see your entire life. Hosted by Sam, Getting Grounded is where we talk about all of it. The beautiful parts, the hard parts, and the parts you’re not always sure you’re supposed to say out loud. We get into postpartum, sex and intimacy, mental health, marriage, friendships, work, identity, overwhelm, and the daily chaos of trying to take care of everyone without completely losing yourself in the process. Each episode brings honest conversations with experts, inspiring people, friends, and fellow parents about the things we’re actually wondering, worrying about, laughing about, and figuring out in real time. Not perfect-mom advice. No pretending to have it all figured out. Just good conversations, honest stories, practical takeaways, plenty of “wait, me too” moments, and a place to talk about the things that come with becoming a parent...and becoming yourself again.

  1. 1d ago

    The Reality of Becoming a Mother: Identity, Mental Load & Relationships with Dr. Heather Leahy Hecht

    Becoming a mother changes so much more than your daily routine. It changes your identity, your relationships, your priorities, and even what you need to feel like yourself. And no matter how much you prepare, there's a part of the transition that you simply can't understand until you're living it. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Heather Leahy Hecht, a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Resolve Psychological Services, and mom, to talk about the realities of becoming a parent that don't always make it into the conversation. Heather brings both her professional experience and her own journey through fertility treatments, IVF, and pregnancy loss to a conversation about what motherhood actually asks of us. We get into the idea that becoming a mother means making room for a new version of yourself, rather than trying to hold onto exactly who you were before. We talk about the loss of freedom, the relentless mental load, and the pressure to somehow be a full-time employee, caregiver, and household manager all at once. Heather also shares why having systems and support matters so much, how the workload can affect your relationship, and why it's okay to acknowledge that some parts of your old life may look different for a while. This is an honest conversation about the parts of motherhood that can feel overwhelming, the trade-offs we don't always talk about, and learning to give yourself permission to adjust to a completely different season of life. In this episode, we talk about: Heather's personal journey through fertility treatments, IVF, and pregnancy loss Why you can't fully prepare for the psychological transition to motherhood The identity shift that happens when you become a mother, and making room for who you are now The loss of freedom and the adjustment to being needed almost constantly Why trying to do it all- work, caregiving, and managing a household- is an unrealistic expectation The mental load, default parenting, and how responsibilities can create tension between partners How to build systems and support that make everyday life more manageable The impact of parenthood on intimacy, romance, and relationship satisfaction How partners can show up for each other and take on more of the practical and emotional workload Letting go of the expectation that everything can stay the same after having children Why it's important to recognize when you need more support with your mental health If you've ever looked at your life before kids and wondered how you're supposed to fit all of those pieces of yourself into the life you have now, this conversation will feel familiar. And hopefully, a little validating, too.   00:01:49 — Dr Heather Leahy Hecht’s Journey: IVF, Fertility & Pregnancy Loss 00:05:08 — Preparing for the Transition to Parenthood 00:08:42 — The Identity Shift of Becoming a Mother 00:11:42 — Motherhood, Identity & Making Room for Yourself 00:22:44 — The Mental Load, Systems & Surviving Postpartum 00:24:15 — Relationships, Romance & Sharing the Load 00:41:04 — Fatherhood, Partnership & Supporting Each Other   Work with Heather The book Sam's husband read pre-kids   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    The Reality of Becoming a Mother: Identity, Mental Load & Relationships with Dr. Heather Leahy Hecht
  2. Oct 27

    What Happens When You Stop Abandoning Yourself with Danica Banes

    Motherhood has a way of bringing things to the surface that we may have spent years avoiding. The parts of ourselves we’ve quieted, the needs we’ve pushed aside, and the ways we’ve learned to show up for everyone else while losing touch with who we are. In this episode, I’m joined by Danica Banes, psychic medium, empath mentor, and author of You Already Know: Stop Silencing Yourself, Heal Your Wounds, and Tune Into Your Inner Guidance. Danica shares how becoming a mother became a turning point in her own journey with self-abandonment, and how loss, chronic health struggles, and learning to understand her sensitivity led her to start listening to herself in a completely different way. We talk about what it actually looks like to reclaim your voice, recognize when you’re abandoning your own needs, and begin trusting the signals your body and intuition are giving you. Danica shares the small but meaningful practices that helped her reconnect with herself, from sitting with uncomfortable feelings to setting boundaries and learning to say no. We also get into raising children who feel safe expressing themselves, the role of a supportive partner in personal growth, and how we can start breaking patterns we don’t want to pass on to our kids.   In this episode, we talk about: How motherhood can bring years of self-abandonment to the surface Danica’s personal journey through loss, chronic health struggles, and reconnecting with herself What it means to be highly sensitive or an empath, and how that can show up in everyday life The moment Danica realized she couldn’t teach her daughter to love herself without learning to do the same How we silence our own needs and feelings to meet other people’s expectations Recognizing the ways our bodies respond when we feel unheard, overwhelmed, or disconnected from ourselves Simple ways to start reconnecting with yourself, including meditation, journaling, and making space to sit with your feelings Learning to set boundaries, say no, and stop feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotions What intuition can actually feel like and how to begin recognizing and trusting your own inner guidance Why having a supportive partner can make such a difference as you grow and change through motherhood Raising children who feel comfortable using their voices, honoring their sensitivity, and trusting themselves Breaking generational patterns and modeling the self-acceptance we want our kids to carry with them If you’ve ever felt like you’ve spent so much time being who everyone else needs you to be that you’re not quite sure how to hear yourself anymore, this conversation is a reminder that you can start finding your way back. 00:00:34 — Meet Danica Banes & Her Book 00:04:32 — Sensitivity, Intuition & Motherhood 00:09:41 — Grief, Loss & Losing Your Sense of Self 00:16:53 — Self-Abandonment & the Wake-Up Call of Motherhood 00:21:13 — Healing, Anger & Listening to Your Body 00:27:22 — Slowing Down & Reconnecting with Yourself 00:36:24 — Reclaiming Your Voice, Boundaries & Support 00:48:08 — Raising Self-Trust & Practicing Intuition 00:58:00 — Where to Find Danica!   Buy the Book! Danica’s Website Follow Danica Newsletter Sign-up   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    What Happens When You Stop Abandoning Yourself with Danica Banes
  3. Oct 20

    Feeding Your Little One Without the Pressure: A Realistic Approach to Family Nutrition with the Mini Me Dietitian

    Feeding your little ones comes with so many questions. Are they getting enough nutrients? What should they actually be eating? What happens when they suddenly refuse foods they used to love? And how do you balance feeding your kids well with taking care of your own nutrition when you’re already juggling a million other things?   In this episode, I’m joined by Kathy O’Bryan, pediatric registered dietitian and the Mini Me Dietitian, for an honest, practical conversation about what feeding babies and toddlers really looks like. Kathy shares how becoming a mom herself opened her eyes to just how little guidance parents receive, and how much pressure there is to get feeding “right.” Her approach is refreshingly realistic: nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, every family’s needs are different, and supporting your child’s health doesn’t mean creating perfect meals or following a rigid set of rules.   We talk about starting solids, building family meals that work for both you and your little one, understanding key nutrients, and navigating the changes that come with toddlerhood. We also get into picky eating, being honest with kids about what’s in their food, and how to set realistic expectations around what your child will and won’t eat. Most importantly, we discuss how to build healthy habits over time without turning food into another source of stress — and why your own nutrition deserves a place at the table, too.   In this episode, we talk about: Kathy’s journey from working as a pediatric dietitian in a children’s hospital to helping families navigate feeding at home Why feeding babies and toddlers can feel so overwhelming, and where all the pressure to get it right comes from What a realistic, family-centered approach to nutrition actually looks like Starting solids and building healthy eating habits from the beginning How to make family meals work in real life, even with busy schedules and unpredictable toddlers Why modeling eating habits matters, and how to include your own nutrition instead of putting yourself last Key nutrients for little ones, including iron, fiber, and carbohydrates — and why protein may get more attention than it needs What’s developmentally normal when appetites, preferences, and eating habits change during toddlerhood Picky eating: when it may be a normal part of learning to eat and when it deserves a closer look Nutrient-boosting foods versus sneaking ingredients, and why honesty matters as kids become more curious about what they eat How repeated exposure, consistency, and realistic expectations can help children become more comfortable with different foods Letting go of the idea that every meal has to be perfect and focusing instead on habits that support a healthy relationship with food over time If feeding your little one has ever felt like one more thing you’re supposed to figure out on your own, this conversation offers practical guidance, a much-needed dose of perspective, and a reminder that feeding your family well should be sustainable for you, too.   00:00:34- Meet Kathy O’Bryan, The Mini Me Dietitian 00:11:19- A Realistic Approach to Feeding Your Family 00:13:22- Feeding Your Kids Without Forgetting Yourself 00:19:40- Feeding Toddlers: Where to Start & What to Expect 00:24:17- Nutrition Basics: Protein, Carbs, Iron & Fiber 00:33:08- Boosting Nutrition, Building Food Trust & Picky Eating 00:45:02- Food, Connection & Family Mealtimes 00:48:12- Easy Meals for Busy Families 00:53:34- Portions, Appetite & Letting Kids Self-Regulate 01:06:07- Working with Kathy & Helpful Resources   Follow Kathy Work With Kathy  Kathy's Website No Cook Meal Plan Kathy's Podcast - Food for Tot   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    Feeding Your Little One Without the Pressure: A Realistic Approach to Family Nutrition with the Mini Me Dietitian
  4. Oct 13

    Birth Trauma, The Realities of Breastfeeding & Mom Guilt with Tara Otterbein

    Birth, breastfeeding, postpartum recovery… why does so much of becoming a mom feel like something we're supposed to figure out on our own?   This week's episode is another “mom friends” chat where Sam is joined by her friend Tara, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor and TMJ and a certified lactation consultant, to talk about what happens when birth and early motherhood don't go quite how you imagined.   Tara shares how her own traumatic birth experience led her to pelvic floor physical therapy and why she wishes more women had access to this kind of care. Together, they get into the realities of breastfeeding and pumping, the guilt that can come with feeding your baby, and why postpartum recovery isn't always something your body just figures out on its own.   They also talk about the pressure to make the “right” decisions as a mom, how social media can make you question yourself, what it looks like to support a partner through a difficult postpartum experience, and why asking for help shouldn't be something we have to figure out after we're already struggling.   It's an honest conversation about the physical and emotional sides of becoming a mom, with practical insights from someone who understands both the clinical side and the very personal side of it. In this episode, we talk about: Tara's traumatic birth experience and how it shaped her work What pelvic floor physical therapy can do before and after birth Breastfeeding, pumping, formula, and the guilt that can come with feeding decisions Why postpartum recovery deserves more attention and support How our relationship with our bodies can affect our pelvic floor The pressure to get motherhood “right” and how to give yourself some grace Finding support, knowing when to ask for help, and resources for navigating postpartum   If you’ve ever wondered whether something you’re experiencing long after birth is normal, feel a bit more seen during your postpartum stage, or just want to understand your body a little better, this conversation is for you.   00:00:34- Meet Tara: Motherhood, Friendship & Women's Health 00:05:11- When Birth Doesn't Go as Planned 00:09:58- Breastfeeding, Pumping & the Guilt No One Warns You About 00:17:58- Why Moms Need More Support 00:22:55- Your Pelvic Floor: What You Probably Don't Know 00:29:56- Preparing for Birth: What Actually Helps? 00:34:31- Marriage, Mental Load & Sharing the Work 00:39:36- Raising Kids, Big Feelings & Finding Support 00:46:44- Final Thoughts & Where to Find Tara   Follow Tara Work with Tara   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    Birth Trauma, The Realities of Breastfeeding & Mom Guilt with Tara Otterbein
  5. Oct 6

    The Invisible Standard of Motherhood: Letting Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be with Erin Mathew

    What if some of the pressure you feel in motherhood isn’t actually coming from you? In this episode, I’m talking with Erin Mathew, a certified mindset coach and Human Design guide, about the invisible standards we carry around motherhood—and how easy it is to lose yourself trying to live up to them. Erin shares her own experience of doing everything she thought she was supposed to do: school, career, marriage, house, kids—and then becoming a mom and realizing she felt completely disconnected from herself. We talk about the pressure to be the “perfect” mom, how social media can quietly shape our expectations, and why so many of us end up outsourcing our own intuition to experts, Instagram, and everyone around us.  We get into what Erin calls the “invisible standard” of motherhood—all those unspoken ideas about what a good mom should look like, from keeping everything together to carrying the mental load to putting yourself last. And, maybe more importantly, how to start figuring out what actually matters to you.  We also talk about Human Design, identity shifts, trusting your own authority, why change doesn’t have to mean blowing up your entire life, and the small choices that can slowly bring you back to yourself. Erin’s approach is less about becoming some new, optimized version of yourself and more about unlearning what isn’t yours and actually embodying what is.  And I really loved this conversation because it doesn’t end with “just prioritize yourself.” We talk about what that actually looks like when you’re a mom, you’re already at capacity, and big sweeping life changes aren’t realistic. Sometimes it’s the tiny decisions that start to change everything. In this episode, we talk about:  The “invisible standard” of motherhood and all the expectations we carry without even realizing it Why so many moms feel like they’re constantly trying to prove they’re a good mom How social media can make us compare our real lives to someone else’s curated version of motherhood What “good enough” actually looks like when you strip away everyone else’s expectations Reconnecting with your own values and intuition instead of making decisions based on what you think you should be doing How Human Design can help you understand who you are and how you’re wired The difference between consuming information about personal growth and actually embodying it Why motherhood can be a catalyst for major identity shifts and self-discovery The power of small, everyday decisions and the micro moments that ultimately create bigger change Letting go of perfectionism, making room for repair, and becoming a mother who feels more like herself If you’ve ever looked around and thought, I’m doing everything I’m supposed to do… so why doesn’t this feel like me? This one is for you.   Work with Erin:  Aligned, Not Perfect- her small-group coaching program In Her Era-  one-on-one coaching The Waking Mother- her Substack Erin's Website   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    The Invisible Standard of Motherhood: Letting Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be with Erin Mathew
  6. Sep 29

    The Pressure to Get Motherhood Right: Postpartum Mental Health, Anxiety & Learning to Let Go with Casey Mouton

    Motherhood comes with so much pressure to get it right. To be patient, present, grateful, and somehow hold it all together- even when we're struggling ourselves. In this deeply compassionate conversation, I sit down with Casey Mouton, licensed marriage and family therapist and special needs parent coach, to talk about the realities of postpartum mental health, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and the expectations we place on ourselves as mothers. Drawing from both her professional experience and her own journey through postpartum depression and her son's early stroke, Casey shares an honest perspective on what it means to navigate motherhood when things don't look the way we imagined. We talk about the pressure to be the perfect mom, the importance of giving ourselves grace, learning to repair with our children, and why asking for support isn't a sign that we're failing. We also discuss postpartum anxiety, OCD, and depression, along with practical tools and resources for moms who may be struggling. This is a reminder that you don't have to get motherhood right every single day to be a good mom. And you were never meant to do it all alone. This is such a good reminder that our kids don't need perfect moms. They need connected, human ones. And we deserve support, too. In this episode, we talk about: Matrescence and why becoming a mother is such a massive identity shift Postpartum depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and postpartum OCD The pressure to be a perfect mom and how social media makes it worse Repairing with our kids after we lose our patience Finding your village, asking for help and supporting other moms When to seek specialized therapy, medication, or additional support Resources including Postpartum Support International and OPPAL Casey shares practical ways to take some of the pressure off, recognize when you need more support, and remember that motherhood isn't supposed to mean suffering through it alone. Resources: - Postpartum Support International - oPPal - What is EMDR? Where to find Casey! - Instagram - Special Needs Parent Coaching - Website   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    The Pressure to Get Motherhood Right: Postpartum Mental Health, Anxiety & Learning to Let Go with Casey Mouton
  7. Sep 22

    From Miscarriage to Moon Signs: Motherhood, Loss & Becoming Someone New with Tory Sjovall

    There are some people you can talk to for two minutes and immediately realize you could probably talk to them for five hours. Tory Sjovall is one of those people. She’s an astrologer, tarot reader, spiritual practitioner, mom of three, and a dear friend. And as usual, this conversation goes everywhere in the best way. We start with her third postpartum experience, which has been completely different from her first two, and get into the idea that every time we become a mother, we become a new version of ourselves. Tory talks about how much more grounded she feels this time around, what she sees differently with experience, and how her first postpartum experience left her in a much deeper depression and anxiety than she realized at the time. Then we get into the much harder part of her story: infertility, pregnancy loss, a six-month medical nightmare, chemical pregnancies, and eventually the birth of her third baby. She shares the spiritual perspective she has on loss and spirit babies, what helped her get through it, and the very simple things that actually made a difference when she was in the middle of it all. And then, because obviously we couldn't have Tory on without going deep into astrology, we talk about how she actually uses astrology in her own parenting- not as a way to predict or control her kids, but as another lens for understanding who they are and what they might need from us. We talk about parenting the child you actually have instead of the child you expected, why different kids can need completely different versions of you, and how understanding your own chart can change the way you show up as a mother. This conversation is spiritual, vulnerable, funny, and very real. And underneath all of it is this idea I keep coming back to: motherhood doesn't just give us children. It births a new version of us.  In this episode, we talk about: Why every birth can feel like a rebirth of the mother The difference between first, second and third-time motherhood Postpartum anxiety, depression and realizing you were deeper in it than you thought Infertility, miscarriage and the complicated grief that follows pregnancy loss Spirit babies, intuition and the spiritual side of pregnancy and loss What actually helped Tory heal How her husband showed up through the hardest parts Using astrology to better understand your children Parenting different children according to who they are, rather than who you are What motherhood can teach us about ourselves Tory is one of those people who can make you question something you thought you already understood, and I loved getting to have this conversation with her.   Vicky: HTMA Testing    For more Tory, to get a family reading, or learn more about her story, dive in below!  Instagram Book a Reading    For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    From Miscarriage to Moon Signs: Motherhood, Loss & Becoming Someone New with Tory Sjovall
  8. Sep 15

    Motherhood, Cancer & Learning to Surrender to What Life Gives You with Kelsey Harrison

    This week I sat down with another amazing mom friend and heard her beautiful, challenging, and incredible journey through life since becoming a mother. There are very few people I can think of who have had quite as many different versions of life thrown at them in such a short amount of time. Kelsey is the founder of Get Wild Retreats, runs Be Wild Yoga Studio, is a mom, a co-parent, a soon-to-be stepmom, and a breast cancer survivor. Her son and her business were essentially born at the same time, and since then she’s built a life that looks very different from the one she probably imagined when she was 25. One of the things I love most about Kelsey is her perspective on all of it. You can make all the plans you want, but life is going to do what it's going to do. So instead of trying to control every outcome, she has learned to surrender, adapt, and keep going. We talk about what that looked like when she unexpectedly became pregnant while building her retreat business in Colorado, including running retreats while pregnant and then bringing her newborn along just weeks after giving birth. It sounds completely insane in retrospect, and Kelsey is the first to say she wouldn't necessarily recommend doing it that way, but at the time, it made sense for her. From there, we get into co-parenting and what it actually takes to make a split household work. Kelsey shares some really practical things that have helped her and her son's dad build a healthy co-parenting relationship, including therapy, communication, putting their own egos aside, and repeatedly coming back to one question: what is best for the child? We also talk about stepparenting, creating a family that doesn't necessarily look traditional, and the surprisingly beautiful realization that having more people love and support your child can be a gift rather than a loss. Then we get into the part of Kelsey's story that is much harder to talk about: being diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer at just 27 years old, while parenting a young child. Her cancer journey happened alongside the transition into co-parenting, and she talks openly about treatment, being a mother while going through something so physically and emotionally demanding, and the fear that came with wondering whether she would be there to raise her son. We talk about the mindset that helped her get through treatment, the changes she made to her life, and the complicated reality of being considered cancer-free while still being in active treatment. We also talk about fertility and the uncertainty around whether she'll be able to have another child and how she's learning to want something while also practicing non-attachment to the outcome. This conversation covers a lot of ground, but the thread running through all of it is the same: life rarely goes according to plan. Sometimes it's beautiful. Sometimes it's incredibly hard. Usually it's both. And learning to meet it where it is might be one of the hardest and most freeing parts of becoming a parent. In this episode, we talk about: Kelsey's unexpected path into motherhood and building her retreat business Running yoga retreats while pregnant and bringing her newborn along at just six weeks old The reality of trying to build a career while becoming a mother Postpartum depression and how getting out into the world helped bring her back to herself Learning to ask for and accept help Co-parenting, split households, and the hardest part of being away from your child The practical things Kelsey and her son's dad do to make co-parenting work Uncoupling therapy and learning to put your child's needs ahead of your own emotions Navigating different rules and routines between two homes Building a healthy relationship with a stepparent Being diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer at 27 Going through cancer treatment while parenting a young child The fear of not being there to raise your child How cancer changed Kelsey's perspective on control and what she can actually influence Fertility, the possibility of another child, and practicing non-attachment Why life can be incredibly hard and incredibly beautiful at the same time Burnout, social media, and why everyone seems to be carrying something right now Finding small ways to create more peace, joy, and space in everyday life Kelsey has spent a lot of her life figuring out how to make the unexpected work and this conversation is a really beautiful example of what that can look like. Not having everything figured out. Not pretending the hard parts aren't hard. Just continuing to adapt, ask for help, let go of some control, and make the most of the life that's actually in front of you. Join us!  For more Kelsey, follow along below! Retreats Instagram Yoga Studio in Charleston, SC   Best Guy on the Internet   For more Getting Grounded and your host Sam Blatz, follow along at: Soul Love with Sam on Substack @soullovewithsam on Instagram @GettingGroundedPodcast on YouTube Produced by Getting Grounded LLC

    Motherhood, Cancer & Learning to Surrender to What Life Gives You with Kelsey Harrison

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Getting Grounded is a podcast about becoming a parent...and becoming a whole new version of yourself along the way. Because no one really tells you how much parenthood changes you. Your body, your relationships, your friendships, your career, your priorities, your identity… sometimes even the way you see your entire life. Hosted by Sam, Getting Grounded is where we talk about all of it. The beautiful parts, the hard parts, and the parts you’re not always sure you’re supposed to say out loud. We get into postpartum, sex and intimacy, mental health, marriage, friendships, work, identity, overwhelm, and the daily chaos of trying to take care of everyone without completely losing yourself in the process. Each episode brings honest conversations with experts, inspiring people, friends, and fellow parents about the things we’re actually wondering, worrying about, laughing about, and figuring out in real time. Not perfect-mom advice. No pretending to have it all figured out. Just good conversations, honest stories, practical takeaways, plenty of “wait, me too” moments, and a place to talk about the things that come with becoming a parent...and becoming yourself again.

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