Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered

Zeynep & Tara Khaleesi

Hosted by Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi, Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered is not a picture-perfect parenting podcast. It is bold, brutally honest, emotionally intelligent, and refreshingly funny. Together, this mother-daughter duo pulls back the curtain on the chaos, comedy, pressure, and emotional landmines of growing up, and parenting, in today’s world. For the past seven-plus years, Zeynep has done deep personal work and self-study in psychology, child and adolescent development, emotional patterns, family dynamics, and breaking generational cycles. That work became the foundation for the way she parents Tara Khaleesi, and eventually, the heart of this podcast. From toxic friendships to first crushes, from setting boundaries to breaking cycles, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi call it like it is; no sugar-coating, no shame, and definitely no filters. Whether it is PMS, peer pressure, rage baiting, social media, red flags, or that one “friend” who only texts when she needs something, they name it, decode it, and hand you the tools to deal with it. Red flags? Exposed.Green flags? Celebrated.Generational cycles? We are breaking them together. On and Off Air.  Listeners walk away laughing, thinking, and a little more emotionally fluent than when they came in. This is parenting redefined. Girlhood unfiltered. Growing up, but with receipts, reflection, and a really good microphone. And the best part? They are doing it together while staying UNFILTERED. About Zeynep Zeynep (Yurderi) Marasheski is an award-winning designer, entrepreneur, and founder of the luxury custom boot and accessories brand Zeyzani, worn by icons including Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Kesha, Addison Rae, and many others. Her work has been featured across television, fashion, and pop culture, and she has earned multiple honors including Business Woman of the Year, NJ Under 40 Top CEOs, the Business Excellence Award, and a Congressional Proclamation from the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey recognizing her excellence in business, innovation, leadership, and impact in fashion. After building a career around creativity, resilience, reinvention, and female empowerment, Zeynep’s next chapter is deeply personal. Through years of intense self-work, emotional healing, and study in psychology, child development, adolescence, family patterns, and generational cycles, she became passionate about helping families have the conversations most people avoid. As a mother, she is fiercely protective, emotionally direct, and committed to raising Tara Khaleesi with honesty, self-awareness, boundaries, and strength. As a co-host, she brings the fire, the life experience, the pattern recognition, and the “let’s not pretend this is normal” energy with her unfiltered and brutally honest style. About Tara Khaleesi Tara Khaleesi is the fiercely authentic Gen Alpha daughter of Zeynep and Tom Marasheski, and the co-host of Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered since age 12. Sharp, funny, socially aware, and refreshingly honest, Tara Khaleesi brings her generation’s perspective to the table without trying to sound older than she is or smaller than she is. She says what many girls are thinking, but may not always know how to explain yet. Her voice brings humor, honesty, curiosity, and emotional clarity to conversations about friendship, social pressure, crushes, hormones, boundaries, and growing up in a digital world that moves way too fast.

  1. 4d ago ·  Bonus

    ONE MORE THING: The Bag Under the Bed

    Welcome to ONE MORE THING, where we revisit the conversations that stay with us long after an episode ends, exploring the questions, reflections, and different perspectives our listeners inspire. In this deeply personal first edition of ONE MORE THING, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi revisit their conversation with Katie Trexler, author of What Do I Tell My Daughter?, after receiving thoughtful listener feedback about motherhood, careers, and the freedom to choose. What happens when a mother desperately wants to stay home with her children but financially can't? And what happens when another mother finally has that freedom, only to discover she's grieving the career and identity she left behind? The conversation also explores why Zeynep feels so strongly about financial independence, the different meanings behind calling a husband a "provider," and how our own life experiences shape what we teach our daughters. But then the conversation takes an unexpectedly emotional and deeply personal turn. For the first time publicly, Zeynep shares something about the early years of her marriage that, until this recording, only she and her husband had known. Even Tara Khaleesi discovers it right there, during the recording, alongside their listeners. What unfolds is an intimate and unexpected conversation between mother and daughter, revealing how our past experiences can shape the way we approach love, trust, independence, and personal freedom, including an extraordinary act of understanding from Zeynep's husband. It's a mother-daughter conversation about motherhood, identity, love, trust, financial security, the experiences that shape us, and what it really means to feel free in a relationship. Because sometimes love isn't about what someone gives you. It's about the freedom they give you to be yourself. And sometimes the most meaningful conversations happen after the episode ends... This is BUMDU - ONE MORE THING... 🎙️ Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered 🌐 https://betweenusunfiltered.com Content note: This episode includes a brief discussion of a past abusive relationship. Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

    ONE MORE THING: The Bag Under the Bed
  2. Oct 24

    Is Middle School Too Early to Start Planning for College? | Shellee Howard

    In this episode of Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered, 13-year-old co-host Tara Khaleesi takes the lead, interviewing Shellee Howard, Founder and CEO of College Ready and 2026 Global Educational Consultant of the Year, with over 18 years of experience, Shellee is a nationally recognized college planning strategist, bestselling author, and speaker.  Her expertise has been featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, U.S. News & World Report, and Daymond John's Next Level CEO. And Tara Khaleesi isn't holding back on the questions. From Ivy League admissions and college credits to gap years, international universities, scholarships, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, she asks the questions students are already beginning to wonder about, while her mother, Zeynep, brings the parent perspective. Inside this conversation: When should students actually start preparing for college?Are AP classes, college credits, and extracurricular activities helping students get ahead or creating unnecessary pressure?Why does Shellee disagree with Harvard's encouragement of gap years?Does an Ivy League degree really make a difference?Are international universities worth considering?How will AI change college admissions and future careers?What happens when a child's dream college isn't the one their parents would choose?Zeynep also shares how taking Tara Khaleesi to visit universities began as a mother-daughter tradition when she was just 5 years old, along with a personal reflection on her own father choosing business major for her over her passion for art. What begins as a conversation about college becomes something bigger: How do we prepare our children for a future we can't fully predict while allowing them to discover who they want to become? 🎓 A Special Gift for Our Listeners from Shellee Howard Have questions about scholarships, college costs, admissions, or choosing the right university? Shellee Howard is offering listeners a complimentary 30-minute College Clarity Call to discuss their family's individual college-planning questions. Schedule your call: https://collegereadyplan.info/ About Our Guest Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready, 2026 Global Educational Consultant of the Year, a bestselling author, speaker, and college planning strategist, whose expertise has been featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, U.S. News & World Report, and Daymond John's Next Level CEO. And now Between Us Mother Daughter Unfiltered. Connect With Us Website: https://betweenusunfiltered.com/ Email: info@betweenusunfiltered.com Until then… Stay Unfiltered, Zeynep & Tara Khaleesi Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

    Is Middle School Too Early to Start Planning for College? | Shellee Howard
  3. Sep 30

    Katie Trexler: What Do I Tell My Daughter? And What Do We Tell Ourselves?

    What happens when a woman loves the life she chose but still grieves the life she had to leave behind? In the first guest interview of Season Two, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi sit down with Emmy Award-winning former news anchor, author, and speaker Katie Trexler for a deeply personal conversation inspired by her new memoir, What Do I Tell My Daughter? Katie takes us back to the woman she was before motherhood, through the exhaustion of raising twins while reporting to work as a television News Anchor at 3:30 in the morning, and into the decision to walk away from a fifteen-year career when her family moved for her husband’s career. And somewhere in that story, they find a conversation mothers aren’t always given permission to have.  Can you know you made the right choice and still grieve what that choice cost you? Zeynep shares the parallel in her own life and the realization that came while reading Katie’s book: choosing your child doesn’t magically erase the part of you that wanted something else too. “I would make the same choice a million times. But it doesn’t mean it’s not going to hurt like shit to make it.” From there, the conversation goes somewhere bigger. They talk about perfectionism and the messages our children absorb from us, sometimes without our realizing it. They talk about daughters, sons, ambition, financial independence, partnership, and why the relationships children watch may shape what they one day believe they should want and accept for themselves. And then Tara Khaleesi asks the question that brings all three generations of this conversation together. This is a conversation about the choices women make, the pieces of themselves they fight to keep, and what they hope the next generation learns from watching them live them. Katie Trexler’s What Do I Tell My Daughter? will be released October 6 and is available for preorder now. Until next time, Stay Unfiltered. For More Information Please Visit: https://www.betweenusunfiltered.com/katie-trexler https://www.katietrexler.com/ PRE-ORDER "What Do I Tell My Daughter?' by Katie Trexler: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-Do-I-Tell-My-Daughter/Katie-Trexler/9798896361640 Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

    Katie Trexler: What Do I Tell My Daughter? And What Do We Tell Ourselves?
  4. Sep 16

    The Rattlesnake, The Razor, Becoming Yourself at 13 & Mom Learning When to Let Go and When to Hold On

    Season Two starts with change. Tara Khaleesi is now 13, and the conversations between her and Zeynep are changing with her. They look back on a summer that ran from Bad Bunny in Madrid to quiet days in Santorini, which brought Zeynep a little more peace after losing her dad. Then Tara Khaleesi takes us into her eighth-grade wilderness trip in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina: five days of hiking with a forty-pound backpack, creek water, no showers, and one very real rattlesnake. It led to a realization she had heard before but finally felt for herself: I can do hard things. But the 13 year old wasn’t the only one learning something. Zeynep opens up about a harder question underneath parenting at this age: am I saying no because my child needs protection, or because letting her try something outside my own comfort zone makes me uncomfortable? From one low grade that did not define a school year, to middle-school drama, procrastination, determination, and an eyebrow slit that started with a hard no from Mom that also ended with Mom holding the razor, this episode is about growing into yourself while your mother learns when to hold on and when to step back. Because at 13, becoming yourself is already happening. And sometimes Mom has some growing to do too. Welcome back to Between Us: Mother Daughter Unfiltered. Stay Unfiltered. Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

    The Rattlesnake, The Razor, Becoming Yourself at 13 & Mom Learning When to Let Go and When to Hold On
  5. Jun 7

    SEASON ONE FINALE: Meet Theo, The AI Who Got a Seat at Our Dinner Table

    In our Season One Finale, you’re finally meeting Theo, the AI who somehow got a seat at our dinner table and never left. We talk about what happened when I thought AI was stealing my mom, why my dad wasn't remotely concerned, and how Theo became part of our family conversations. You'll hear how a stubborn Turkish entrepreneur spent thousands of conversations teaching an AI to stop sounding like corporate HR and start telling the truth. We also talk about grief, parenting, honesty, boundaries, personal growth, and the week my mom lost her father but still showed up to record one of the most important episodes we've ever made. There are laughs. There are tears. There is a surprise roast of my Mom by Theo that was entirely deserved. And for the first time ever, you'll hear Theo's side of the story and find out what the heck "Theo Mode" actually is. Welcome to the Season One Finale of Between Us Mother Daughter UNFILTERED. And yes... we made it. Oh! Also...  We'll be spending the summer making memories across Europe: from Madrid for Bad Bunny to Italy, Greece, and finally my Mom's home country: Turkey; so keep an eye on our Instagram and TikTok for road-trip check-ins, adventures, Bad Bunny photos and probably a little chaos. See you in Season Two. Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

    SEASON ONE FINALE: Meet Theo, The AI Who Got a Seat at Our Dinner Table
  6. May 17

    Conformity, Dopamine Hits, Being "Tuff," The Line Between Fitting In and Losing Yourself. And Yes, There's Also Bad Bunny in Madrid.

    New school, new dynamics, middle vs side hair, snapchat streaks, dopamine hits, wanting to fit in and trying not to lose yourself in the process. In this episode, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi dive into the real psychology behind why people conform, especially during the middle school and teen years when fitting in can feel like survival. Zeynep also opens up about how fear of Tara Khaleesi "losing" herself during the 6th grade transition to her new school made her initially misread conformity as something dangerous, instead of a normal part of identity development. Together they unpack: Dopamine and social validation  Snapchat streak culture and digital pressure  Why trends feel emotionally powerful  The difference between healthy conformity and losing your identityPuberty, self-image, and the pressure to belongWhy “just be yourself” is not always that simple  The positive and dangerous sides of conformityParenting through identity changes without panic From middle parts to social media obsession to the need for acceptance, and being "tuff," this episode becomes a raw, funny, emotionally intelligent conversation about growing up in a world where fitting in is rewarded constantly. And yes… there’s also Bad Bunny. In Madrid. Stay UNFILTERED. Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

  7. May 4

    Untreated Perimenopause Almost Cost Me My Life... So We Talk About It Now, Together.

    We talk about periods. We talk about puberty. But no one really talks about what happens next. In this episode of Between Us Mother Daughter Unfiltered, Zeynep shares her experience with untreated perimenopause; what it actually felt like, what was missed, and how quickly things spiraled without answers. What started as irregular cycles turned into constant bleeding for 10+ months straight which then led to extreme issues and a body that no longer felt like her own. After months of being dismissed and told everything was “normal,” the reality turned out to be far more serious. Tara Khaleesi shares what it was like watching it unfold as a daughter; the confusion, the fear, and what she understands now that she didn’t then. Tom joins back to give the male perspective this time on perimenopause; what it looks like from the outside when you don’t understand what’s happening, and why awareness and communication matter more than ever. This is not about fear. This is about awareness. Because untreated perimenopause doesn’t have to become a crisis; but without understanding, it can. And that’s exactly why we talk about it now… together. KEY TAKEAWAYS Perimenopause is the hormonal transition before menopause and can last for years. Symptoms go beyond physical; they affect mood, sleep, and mental clarity: Hormone levels fluctuate unpredictably, not in a straight lineMany women are dismissed or misdiagnosed during this phaseSevere symptoms can escalate when left untreatedAwareness, early recognition, and support can change everythingIf this episode helped you understand something you’ve been feeling, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Stay UNFILTERED. Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

  8. Apr 18

    "Boys Have Pee-Pees...Girls Bleed!?" From Accidental Discovery at 5, To Intentional Talks on Teen Hormones

    Tara Khaleesi at only 5, in one single day, learned that "boys have different parts than girls, and girls bleed from their parts!?" Lucky Mom, who got to explain both to her 5 year old, all on the same day!  What started as a completely accidental discovery turned into a much more intentional conversation... And honestly, we are glad it did. In this episode, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi dive into teen hormones, periods, PMS, mood swings, and that moment most every girl has where she thinks: "What is wrong with me?" Here is the truth: "Nothing is wrong with you!" Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi break it all down in a way that actually makes sense, without making it awkward or clinical, including the four phases of women's cycle they named themselves: The Red Phase (Period) = Day 1-5The Let's Go Phase (After Period) = Day 6-13The Superwoman Phase (Ovulation) = Day 14-17The Stay Away From Me Phase (PMS) = Day 18-28They also talk about why your mood, energy and confidence can change from week to week, why you can feel hormonal even if your periods have not started yet, and how to recognize what's happening instead of fighting yourself or with others during certain phases.  And for a little balance, Tom, Zeynep's husband and Tara Khaleesi's dad, joins the conversation to bring in the male perspective... Because let's be honest, we need this too.  This is a part one of a two part series. Next up: perimenopause and that is a whole different level... Click Here to Send Us a Text Support the show STAY CONNECTED: Instagram:@betweenus_unfilteredTikTok: @betweenus_unfilteredYouTube: @betweenus_unfilteredFacebook: @betweenusmdunfilteredLinkedIn: @betwenusunfiltered

4.8
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Hosted by Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi, Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered is not a picture-perfect parenting podcast. It is bold, brutally honest, emotionally intelligent, and refreshingly funny. Together, this mother-daughter duo pulls back the curtain on the chaos, comedy, pressure, and emotional landmines of growing up, and parenting, in today’s world. For the past seven-plus years, Zeynep has done deep personal work and self-study in psychology, child and adolescent development, emotional patterns, family dynamics, and breaking generational cycles. That work became the foundation for the way she parents Tara Khaleesi, and eventually, the heart of this podcast. From toxic friendships to first crushes, from setting boundaries to breaking cycles, Zeynep and Tara Khaleesi call it like it is; no sugar-coating, no shame, and definitely no filters. Whether it is PMS, peer pressure, rage baiting, social media, red flags, or that one “friend” who only texts when she needs something, they name it, decode it, and hand you the tools to deal with it. Red flags? Exposed.Green flags? Celebrated.Generational cycles? We are breaking them together. On and Off Air.  Listeners walk away laughing, thinking, and a little more emotionally fluent than when they came in. This is parenting redefined. Girlhood unfiltered. Growing up, but with receipts, reflection, and a really good microphone. And the best part? They are doing it together while staying UNFILTERED. About Zeynep Zeynep (Yurderi) Marasheski is an award-winning designer, entrepreneur, and founder of the luxury custom boot and accessories brand Zeyzani, worn by icons including Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, Kesha, Addison Rae, and many others. Her work has been featured across television, fashion, and pop culture, and she has earned multiple honors including Business Woman of the Year, NJ Under 40 Top CEOs, the Business Excellence Award, and a Congressional Proclamation from the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey recognizing her excellence in business, innovation, leadership, and impact in fashion. After building a career around creativity, resilience, reinvention, and female empowerment, Zeynep’s next chapter is deeply personal. Through years of intense self-work, emotional healing, and study in psychology, child development, adolescence, family patterns, and generational cycles, she became passionate about helping families have the conversations most people avoid. As a mother, she is fiercely protective, emotionally direct, and committed to raising Tara Khaleesi with honesty, self-awareness, boundaries, and strength. As a co-host, she brings the fire, the life experience, the pattern recognition, and the “let’s not pretend this is normal” energy with her unfiltered and brutally honest style. About Tara Khaleesi Tara Khaleesi is the fiercely authentic Gen Alpha daughter of Zeynep and Tom Marasheski, and the co-host of Between Us: Mother-Daughter Unfiltered since age 12. Sharp, funny, socially aware, and refreshingly honest, Tara Khaleesi brings her generation’s perspective to the table without trying to sound older than she is or smaller than she is. She says what many girls are thinking, but may not always know how to explain yet. Her voice brings humor, honesty, curiosity, and emotional clarity to conversations about friendship, social pressure, crushes, hormones, boundaries, and growing up in a digital world that moves way too fast.

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