No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women

Mary Rothwell
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Mental Health
  • 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. 10h ago

    Turning Tragedy and Loss into Purpose

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! She wore a crown for 730 days, including the gym, the grocery store, and international travel and it wasn’t a stunt. It was a turning point. My guest, Holly Fair, is a transformation coach, keynote speaker, and Tony Robbins trainer who helps women break limiting beliefs and step into their lives with real confidence. Holly shares the parts of her story that are hard to say out loud: childhood sexual abuse, the shame that can follow trauma, and the way grief can reshape your body and your sense of identity. We talk candidly about infertility, an ectopic pregnancy, failed IVF cycles, and what it’s like to spiral into despair and brutal self-talk. From there, we walk through the moment that cracked everything open at a Tony Robbins Date With Destiny event when Holly claimed a new belief onstage: “I am a queen.” We also unpack what that word actually means in a healthy, grounded way: self-leadership, kindness, generosity, and “ruling over your own destiny” rather than trying to control anyone else. Along the way, we address toxic positivity, impostor syndrome, criticism from family, and how to respond when someone raises a valid concern about your message. You’ll leave with practical mindset tools you can use right now, like tracking your inner dialogue, reframing your language, building evidence for your worth, and choosing support through therapy, coaching, and uplifting community. If you’re ready for trauma healing that doesn’t deny reality, and women’s empowerment that translates into action, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more violets can stop shrinking and start thriving. You can find Holly HERE https://www.fireuplife.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!

    Turning Tragedy and Loss into Purpose

  2. Oct 22

    Mobbing: Group Exclusion and Psychological Harassment

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! One quiet pattern can wreck a workplace or a school community without ever looking like “bullying” on the surface: mobbing. We’re talking about systematic group exclusion, subtle psychological harassment, and the kind of coordinated cold shoulder that makes a capable person start asking, “Am I imagining this?” I’m joined by Alicia Laszewski, a marketing and culture leader who lived through mobbing at work while her daughter faced a similar pile-on in high school, and she’s turning that experience into a practical playbook for change.  We dig into how mobbing works in real life: being left out of key meetings, having your responsibilities quietly reassigned, watching praise happen in private but never in public, and realizing there’s usually one instigator driving the group dynamic. We also unpack why bystanders freeze, how fear keeps people compliant, and why HR, managers, and school administrators often struggle to respond when the behavior is “too subtle to prove.” Along the way, we connect the dots to the bystander effect, the Queen Bee dynamic, and the way social media group chats can multiply harm fast.  This conversation also gets honest about the cost: anxiety, shame, and PTSD-like symptoms that can follow you into future relationships and jobs. We talk about support options, why taking a break to protect your mental health is not weakness, and why lasting solutions have to come from leadership training, clear policies, and the courage to have uncomfortable conversations early. Alicia shares her upcoming book Stop the Mobbing, her work through Kind Ethos, and where to connect.  If this helped you name something you’ve seen or lived, share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can find Alicia HERE https://kindethos.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!

    Mobbing: Group Exclusion and Psychological Harassment

  3. Oct 15

    One Honest Conversation: Why Silence Costs Us More Than Speaking Up

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! You can be brilliant at work and still feel oddly powerless in your own relationship. Mary Rothwell starts with a candid admission: she stayed far too long in partnerships that left her alone with a partner, not because she didn’t know, but because she avoided the decision and the conversation. That pattern is more common than we like to admit, especially for high-achieving women who are used to pushing through hard things and telling themselves to “wait a little longer.” Marcelle LeBlanc, the “conversation architect,” joins Mary to unpack what actually changes a relationship: one honest conversation that lets reality enter the room. Marcelle shares her own painful wake-up call after a 10-year marriage and explains why resentment grows in the gap between what we need and what we never say out loud. Together, we dig into the subtle red flags that show up as relief when your partner leaves town, the slow drift into separate lives, and the stories we tell ourselves to make disconnection feel “normal.” The most useful part is the practical communication tool you can use today. Marcelle breaks down a simple four-part script for hard conversations: name the issue, name the feeling, name the impact, then make a clear request. We also talk about why “mind reading” is a setup, how to use journaling and a “Vista Break” to learn what you truly want, and how bringing notes and sitting with silence can keep a vulnerable moment from turning into a fight. The same skills apply to intimacy and sex, and Marcel explains how her Velvet Box work creates safer, more educational spaces for couples to talk honestly. If you’ve been waiting for the “right time,” this is your nudge to start with one thing while it’s still one thing. Subscribe and share with a friend. You can find Marcelle HERE https://onekeyconversation.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!

    One Honest Conversation: Why Silence Costs Us More Than Speaking Up

  4. Oct 8

    REPLAY: The Grief of Blindness and the Role of Grit and Gratitude

    Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! A nine-year-old hears the words “you will lose your sight,” but no one can tell her when. Laura Bratton lived in that uncertainty for years, then watched her vision change rapidly through high school until only limited light perception remained. What stays with me most is how honest she is about the emotional cost: denial that turns into grief, anxiety about the future, and the quiet exhaustion of trying to look “fine” while falling apart inside.  We get into the kind of grief many people don’t know how to name. Laura explains non-death loss and why losing a sense, a marriage, a job, or a version of your life can bring real mourning that doesn’t follow a neat timeline. We also talk about anger and the pressure, especially for women, to perform positivity. Her redefinition of grit is the grounding takeaway: not “grin and bear it,” but validate your feelings and still choose one more step forward, even while you’re angry or scared.  Laura also offers a practical, realistic approach to gratitude that doesn’t sugarcoat trauma. Gratitude, for her, means noticing what helps you navigate the hard thing: support systems, tools, mentors, and small moments of relief. From learning to ask for help to advocating for her needs in a demanding academic program, she shows how resilience becomes a daily skill set, not a personality trait you either have or don’t.  If you’re coping with vision loss, disability, chronic illness, major change, or ongoing grief, press play and take what you need. Subscribe, share this with someone who’s carrying a heavy load, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. 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 Grief of Blindness and the Role of Grit and Gratitude

  5. Oct 1

    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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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Trailer

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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