The Sparkle Project

Emily Rose MacDonald
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design. The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more like yourself in all the rest. Somewhere between the mental load and the mom guilt, your shine is still there. The Sparkle Project is your space to find it. (Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast) 

  1. 1d ago

    Vacation Mode: The Invisible Labor Behind Summer Fun

    Summer is supposed to feel fun and relaxing... so why does it often leave moms feeling completely exhausted? In this episode, Emily is uncovering the invisible labor of summer as a mom. From planning vacations and coordinating childcare to carrying the mental load of keeping everyone fed, entertained, and happy, summer often creates more work and stress instead of less. If you've ever felt guilty for counting down the days until school starts, questioned whether you're doing enough to make summer "magical," or wondered why everyone else seems to be enjoying the season more than you, this conversation is for you. Emily unpacks the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers during summer break and shares a fresh perspective that can help you release some of the pressure for the rest of the season and beyond. If this episode resonated with you, share it with another mom who could use the reminder that she's already doing enough. ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review! Send us Fan Mail

  2. Jul 21

    Your Body Knows the Way: Reconnecting to Your Innate Power with Sara Putney

    Many moms move through life feeling disconnected from themselves, stuck in survival mode, or wondering where their sense of self went after motherhood. In this episode, Emily is joined by Sara Putney, trauma-informed somatic breathwork facilitator, host of The Modern Matriarch Podcast, and founder of Remothering Mamas, for a powerful conversation about reconnecting with your body, your nervous system, and your innate power. Together, they explore how somatic healing and breathwork can help you move beyond autopilot, reconnect with your true self, and begin breaking generational patterns without relying on willpower alone. In this episode, they discuss: Why so many moms feel stuck in survival mode and disconnected from themselvesHow the nervous system influences our emotions, reactions, and sense of identityHow body-led healing complements traditional mindset work and therapySimple practices to build a stronger mind-body connectionWhy tuning into your body can help you make more aligned decisionsThe ripple effect of healing yourself for future generationsThis conversation offers gentle, practical ways to begin listening to the wisdom your body has been holding all along.  🔗 Connect with Sara: Instagram: @remotheringmamas Website: www.remotheringmamas.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Episode Topics: somatic healingsomatic breathworkbreathworkbody-led healingnervous system regulationnervous system healingmind-body connectionreconnecting with yourselfself-discoveryself-trustinnate powerhealing journeymotherhoodidentity after motherhoodmotherhood and identitysurvival modeemotional regulationgenerational traumachildhood traumatrauma healingtrauma-informed healingreconnecting with your bodybody awarenessintuitionhealing for momsSend us Fan Mail

  3. Jul 14

    Why Modern Motherhood Feels So Overwhelming (& How to Trust Yourself Again) with Kaitlyn Dove

    Mothers today have more access to resources and information than ever before, but the result isn't necessarily greater confidence in our parenting journey. Instead, many moms feel overwhelmed by the constant input. If you find yourself questioning every parenting decision, carrying constant mom guilt, and feeling like you've lost trust in yourself, this conversation is for you.  Kaitlyn Dove, a therapist, coach, and mom of two, is joining The Sparkle Project to explore why motherhood feels so emotionally loud in today's world. Between social media, Google, AI, comparison, and the pressure to get everything "right," many moms are left feeling disconnected from themselves and unsure of their own instincts. Kaitlyn shares why rebuilding self-trust is one of the most important things we can do as mothers and why awareness, not perfection, is the foundation for lasting change. In this episode, we discuss: • Why modern motherhood feels more overwhelming than ever • How social media, Google, and AI can undermine self-trust • The connection between mom guilt and unrealistic expectations • Why awareness is the first step toward breaking generational patterns • How motherhood changes your identity and why that's okay • The importance of defining your own values before seeking parenting advice • Practical ways to reconnect with yourself in everyday motherhood If you've been feeling overwhelmed by modern motherhood, this conversation will remind you that you don't need another parenting script. You need to reconnect with yourself. 🔗 Connect with Kaitlyn: Instagram: @thenurturedtheory Website: www.thenurturedtheory.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Episode Topics: modern motherhoodoverwhelmed mommotherhood in the age of social mediatrust yourself as a mommom guiltmaternal mental healthmotherhood burnouthow social media affects motherhoodparenting adviceparenting confidencemillennial motherhoodidentity in motherhoodmotherhood identityemotional overwhelmparenting in the digital agecomparison in motherhoodmotherhood expectationsbreaking generational cyclescycle breakingmotherhood and mental healthpostpartum identitymotherhood coachingtherapist for momsreconnecting with yourself after motherhoodmotherhood and self-worthmotherhood mental loadfinding yourself after becoming a momparenting without comparisonovercoming mom guiltSend us Fan Mail

  4. Jul 7

    The One Shift That Makes Self-Love Finally Feel Possible

    If you've ever felt like you need to become a better version of yourself before you deserve self-love, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Emily shares the perspective that transformed how she thinks about self-love and why it has nothing to do with being perfect. Instead, it's about the small decisions we make every day that either reinforce self-sacrifice or build genuine self-love over time. This episode covers: What self-love actually meansWhy self-care alone isn't enoughHow boundaries build self-worthThe daily choices that shape your relationship with yourselfWhy loving yourself helps your children learn to do the sameYou deserve your own love and care, and this episode is one small step towards a life of more self-love (and all the good things that come with it). ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review! Send us Fan Mail

  5. Jun 30

    How Community Helps Moms Reclaim Their Identity After Motherhood with Julia Lotin

    Motherhood changes everything, including the way we see ourselves. But what happens when the support you expected never arrives? And how do you reconnect with yourself when you're carrying the mental load of caring for everyone else? In this episode, Emily sits down with Julia Lotin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, maternal mental health advocate, and founder of Melanin Mass Moms, to explore the powerful role community plays in helping moms navigate identity shifts, isolation, and the journey back to themselves. Julia shares her own experience of feeling alone as a new mother, why she created a community that now serves thousands of moms of color, and how support systems can become a critical protective factor for maternal mental health. Together, they discuss the reality of modern motherhood, the pressure to do it all, and why many moms struggle in silence even when surrounded by people. The episode explores: Why so many moms feel isolated, even when they have supportThe connection between community and maternal mental healthWhat it really means to reconnect with yourself after having childrenThe power of culturally affirming support spacesWhy asking for help is a crucial act of self-carePractical ways to begin building your villageSmall daily practices that can help you feel more like yourself againIf you've ever felt disconnected from yourself, longed for a village, or wondered how to start finding your way back, this conversation is for you. 🔗 Connect with Julia: Instagram: @journeytoselfservices and @melaninmassmoms Website: www.journeytoselfservices.com  ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

  6. Jun 23

    Motherhood as a Portal: Breaking Intergenerational Trauma Cycles with Danik Bernier

    Motherhood has a way of exposing wounds that may otherwise have stayed locked away under the surface. In this powerful conversation, Emily sits down with EMDR therapist, coach, and Healing Mothers Club host Danik Bernier to explore the connection between motherhood, intergenerational trauma, and the complex process of breaking family patterns. Together, they unpack why becoming a mother can bring unresolved experiences to the surface, how trauma can live in the body for generations, and why true healing involves more than simply deciding to do things differently. Danik shares her own journey of uncovering generational patterns within her family history, the role of the nervous system in cycle-breaking work, and why creating new patterns can feel just as challenging as letting old ones go. The episode explores: What "cycle breaking" actually means, and why cycle creation is a crucial componentWhy motherhood can act as a portal for healingThe connection between intergenerational trauma and parentingHow trauma and attachment patterns can be passed through generationsThe role of the nervous system in parenting triggers Practical ways to support yourself while raising childrenIf you've ever wondered why certain parenting moments feel bigger than they should, why motherhood can feel unexpectedly triggering, or how to navigate healing while raising children, this conversation offers a compassionate and thought-provoking perspective. 🔗 Connect with Danik: Instagram: @healingmothersclub and @liberatedtherapistsclub Podcast: Healing Mothers' Club ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

  7. Jun 16

    From Good Girl to Authentic Self: My Story of Motherhood, Divorce, and Finding Me

    This episode is unlike any other! To celebrate 200 episodes of The Sparkle Project (formerly Worthy Mother Podcast), the microphone is turned around as Emily steps into the guest seat and opens up about the personal journey that has shaped both her life and this podcast. Joined by her friend and Mom Friends Collective co-founder Breanne Smith, Emily reflects on becoming a mother at 23, navigating a divorce after more than a decade-long relationship, leaving a career in teaching, and learning who she was outside of the roles she thought she was supposed to play. Together, they explore identity, people-pleasing, motherhood, healing, community, and what it means to create a life that feels aligned, even when it looks different than you imagined. This conversation is a celebration of growth, self-discovery, and the many ways motherhood can transform us. 🔗 Check out The Mom Friends Collective: Instagram: @momfriendscollective Website: www.momfriendscollective.com 🔗 Connect with Breanne: Instagram: @breazieboozhoo Podcast: The Bloomera Podcast ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

  8. Jun 9

    Performative Motherhood & Reintegrating Your Identities as a Mom with Ali Colpack

    Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered where you went after becoming a mom? In this episode, Emily sits down with licensed mental health counselor, mom of two, and Road to Mama founder Ali Colpack for a powerful conversation about identity loss in motherhood and the hidden pressure of performative motherhood. Together, they explore why so many mothers feel disconnected from themselves, how social media and societal expectations influence the way we parent.  They also discuss what it actually looks like to reconnect with your intuition without abandoning the version of yourself motherhood has shaped. Ali shares practical ways moms can begin rebuilding trust with themselves, creating healthier boundaries, and integrating who they were before motherhood with who they are becoming today. The episode covers: Matrescence and why identity shifts are a normal part of motherhoodThe truth about performative motherhoodRecognizing when you're parenting from pressure instead of intuitionThe connection between identity loss, burnout, resentment, and mom guiltWhy "finding yourself again" may not be the goalHow to reintegrate your identity after becoming a mom🔗 Connect with Ali: Instagram: @hiroadtomama Website: www.hiroadtomama.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

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About

The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design. The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more like yourself in all the rest. Somewhere between the mental load and the mom guilt, your shine is still there. The Sparkle Project is your space to find it. (Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast) 

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Rose MacDonald
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    280
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Sparkle Project
  • Show Website
    The Sparkle Project