Episode Title Options:

• Should We Listen to Our Mothers? A Legacy of Love and Strength with Jackie Tantillo
• The Golden Thread of Motherhood: Lessons from a Large Family with Jackie Tantillo
• Rewriting the Mother Code Through Communication and Forgiveness with Jackie Tantillo
• Growing Up with Seven Siblings: A Story of Family, Creativity, and Connection with Jackie Tantillo

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jackie Tantillo, the host and executive producer of the award-winning podcast,

Should Have Listen to My Mother. Jackie shares the beautiful and dynamic story of her upbringing as the youngest of seven children and the profound impact of her mother, Linda—a trailblazing, creative, and forward-thinking woman who worked for the Rockefeller Foundation in Peru before raising her family.

Our conversation explores the "golden thread" that connects us all through our relationship with our mothers, whether that bond was a source of strength or a challenge to overcome. Jackie reflects on how her mother’s love for music and conversation inspired her own four-decade career in broadcasting. We also discuss the vital importance of family rituals, the lessons learned from having five older sisters, and how her mother modeled challenging the status quo, both in her community and her faith. After six seasons of her podcast, Jackie shares her biggest takeaways on motherhood, forgiveness, and the power of truly listening.

You'll also hear about:

• (04:32) How Jackie's mother, Linda, and a house filled with music inspired her career in radio.
• (07:09) The incredible story of Jackie's mother, a forward-thinking linguist and world traveler who raised seven children.
• (13:34) The common paradigm of mothers who encourage their children but struggle to give themselves the same love and support.
• (24:14) The power of nightly family dinners (with no TV!) to foster deep connection and conversation.
• (32:45) What it was like growing up with five older sisters who acted as "second mothers".
• (37:21) Key lessons Jackie has learned after six seasons of listening to guests share stories about their mothers.
• (45:39) Jackie’s powerful interpretation of "Rewrite the Mother Code" and the importance of apologizing to your children.

Don't miss this heartwarming and insightful exploration of family, legacy, and the enduring influence of our mothers.

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Learn more about Jackie Tantillo

• Listen to Should Have Listen to My Mother
• Visit her Website
• Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn
• Follow Jackie on Facebook

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on

In this episode, I speak with Linda Brand, a transformational coach and host of the Worthy and Abundant podcast, about her powerful journey of healing and self-discovery. Linda shares her story of overcoming a childhood rooted in scarcity and fear, navigating a debilitating illness that became a major awakening, and making the courageous leap from a career in real estate to founding her own coaching practice.

Our conversation delves into the critical importance of self-love and self-worth as the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life. Linda explains how a lack of self-love leads to seeking external validation and offers practical tools to begin the practice of unconditional self-acceptance, including journaling, mirror work, and affirmations. We also explore powerful healing modalities like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), the connection between unprocessed trauma and physical health, and the importance of reparenting our inner child.

• (01:23) Linda’s journey of overcoming a childhood of scarcity and fear.
• (03:08) How a debilitating illness became her biggest spiritual awakening.
• (07:39) The power of Kabbalah as ancient wisdom for modern life.
• (16:04) Why self-love is essential to stop seeking external validation and feel whole.
• (19:34) Practical tools for developing self-love, including mirror work and compassionate inner talk.
• (20:51) The connection between ADHD in women and intense self-criticism.
• (39:50) How to use EFT (tapping) to release energy blocks and imposter syndrome.
• (43:32) Dr. Gertrude’s profound experiences with dynamic breathwork and its ability to unlock cellular memory.

Don't miss Linda’s inspiring perspective on rewriting your past to create a truly worthy and abundant future!

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Learn more about Linda Brand:

• Learn more on Linda’s Website
• Listen to Linda’s Podcast
• Listen to Manifest + Chill

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this episode, I sit down with Tracy Ftacek - serial entrepreneur, manifestation coach, and host of Manifest + Chill - to explore what it really means to release perfectionism, let go of hustle culture, and step into a life of joy, ease, and alignment.

Tracy shares her powerful story of growing up in Alaska, building businesses in the beauty industry, selling her company, and navigating the disorienting question of identity that followed. She takes us inside her journey of discovering meditation, manifestation, and visualization practices, and how these became not just tools but lifelines for creating a new way of living.

We also dive into Tracy’s transformative experience at one of my retreats, where she confronted and began healing her mother wound through a powerful water birthing ceremony. Tracy reflects on how rewriting her story allowed her to release generational patterns, embrace her wholeness, and model a new way of being for herself and others.

This conversation is filled with wisdom, laughter, and deep healing, an invitation for all of us to “manifest + chill” while building lives we actually love.

• (04:30) Growing up in Alaska, loss of her father, and early lessons in independence
• (06:45) Choosing career over family, then building businesses on her own terms
• (08:20) Selling her company and the disorientation of losing titles and identity
• (12:10) Relearning self-care through meditation, manifestation, and coaching
• (16:00) Why hustle culture keeps women stuck in burnout, and how to flip the script
• (20:15) The “manifest + chill” philosophy and integrating ease into ambition
• (22:00) Creating her beauty app and finding alignment through entrepreneurship
• (25:20) Attending her first retreat and overcoming the fear of showing up alone
• (28:30) Launching her new business at the retreat and signing her first client there
• (31:00) Retreat reflections: healing in community and feeling deeply supported
• (32:30) Healing the mother wound through a water birthing ceremony
• (34:40) Realizing the soul’s choice in family dynamics and releasing blame
• (36:20) Transforming anger into gratitude and acceptance
• (39:00) Embracing joy, play, and authenticity in both business and life
• (42:15) Building a business model around fun, alignment, and sustainable growth
• (48:00) Final reflections on rewriting generational narratives and choosing joy

Don’t miss Tracy’s inspiring perspective on how to release the hustle, embrace healing, and manifest a life filled with intention and joy.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Learn more about Tracy Ftacek:

• Learn more on Tracy’s Website
• Follow Tracy on Instagram
• Connect with Tracy on Linkedin
• Listen to Manifest + Chill

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mary Ella Wood, physician, medical director, and new mother, to explore her path from general surgery to integrative medicine, and how her personal journey of motherhood has deepened her approach to healing.

As the Medical Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern, Dr. Wood blends evidence-based functional and holistic practices - nutrition, herbal medicine, yoga, Ayurveda, and mind-body medicine - into patient care. She shares how her experiences during COVID, residency, and high-risk obstetrics shaped her passion for whole-person healing.

We also dive into her transformative journey through pregnancy and birth, navigating unexpected complications, and the raw realities of postpartum life. Dr. Wood opens up about breastfeeding struggles, resilience, and the miracle of welcoming her son, all while continuing her groundbreaking work in integrative medicine.

This conversation is both deeply practical and profoundly human, offering insights into how we can honor the science of medicine while holding space for the feminine, relational, and soulful dimensions of care.

• (04:34) Dr. Wood’s transition from surgery to integrative medicine
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• (07:42) What integrative and functional medicine really mean
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• (12:00) The importance of whole-person, individualized care
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• (20:50) Reflections on delivering babies as a physician and as a mother
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• (25:30) Her personal birth story and navigating unexpected complications
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• (35:25) Postpartum challenges, breastfeeding struggles, and rediscovering herself as a new mom
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• (37:50) The balance of motherhood, medicine, and the joy of family life
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• (42:10) The role of midwives, medicalization of birth, and advocating for informed choice
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• (50:15) How environment, beauty, and stress impact healing and birth outcomes
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• (57:40) Rewriting narratives around women’s bodies and medical studies

Don’t miss Dr. Wood’s powerful reflections on blending professional expertise with lived experience as a mother, and how integrative care can transform both medicine and motherhood.

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Learn more about Dr. Mary Ella Wood:

• Learn more on Mary’s Website
• Follow Mary on Instagram
• Connect with Mary on Linkedin

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s

In this moving solo episode, Dr. Gertrude Lyons shares tender reflections from her time in Ireland. Fresh off her book launch, book tour, and the release of her TEDx talk, Gertrude opens up about the chaos and beauty of building a home abroad, preparing for her first Ireland self-mothering retreat, and welcoming her mother into this new sacred space.

She takes listeners behind the scenes of a whirlwind summer - navigating construction delays, partnering with her husband through stress and gratitude, and receiving the support of her team and community to bring it all together. From honoring her mother’s courage at 95 years old to holding space for five women in retreat, Gertrude weaves a story of resilience, surrender, and sacred creation.

This episode is both an intimate life update and a powerful reminder that mothering ourselves often means softening in the midst of chaos and choosing gratitude as we grow.

• (00:50) The whirlwind of creation - Mexico, Ireland, retreats, and family visits
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• (03:20) Letting go after the book launch and noticing signs of depletion
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• (05:00) The surprise of arriving in “organized chaos” instead of a finished home
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• (06:50) How Gertrude and her husband leaned on each other to create a welcoming space
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• (09:40) The gift of gratitude and reframing stress as sacred preparation
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• (12:10) Hosting her 95-year-old mother with courage, presence, and care
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• (15:00) Learning to sit with relationship instead of staying busy
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• (16:50) The launch of her TEDx talk, censorship challenges, and the call to share
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• (18:40) The first Ireland self-mothering retreat and the transformation it brought
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• (19:50) A closing reflection: where do you need to stop managing and start mothering?
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Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Dr. Gertrude Lyons welcomes Laura Conley—certified life and weight coach, and the dynamic force behind The Yummy Mummy. Their conversation begins with the serendipity of meeting at Gertrude’s book launch event in Los Angeles and quickly flows into Laura’s inspiring personal story.

After becoming a mother, Laura found herself consumed with thoughts about losing weight—so much so that it interfered with her ability to be present with her child. Determined to break free from the diet culture messaging she had internalized, Laura embarked on a transformative journey to heal her relationship with her body, food, and self.

Now, through The Yummy Mummy program, she helps other moms create a new paradigm—one that honors physical health while also nurturing emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Together, Gertrude and Laura explore what it takes to create sustainable change, the importance of addressing the whole self, and how to mother ourselves in the process.

• (01:55) How Gertrude and Laura first connected at the book launch event
• (04:20) Laura’s wake-up call: realizing her focus on weight was stealing her joy as a new mom
• (08:15) The personal journey that led Laura to become a certified life and weight coach
• (12:30) Why traditional diet culture fails mothers—and what to do instead
• (16:50) The pillars of The Yummy Mummy program and how they address body, mind, and spirit
• (22:10) Stories of transformation: lasting change without the crash-diet cycle
• (27:30) How self-connection leads to healthier relationships—with yourself and your children
• (31:45) Reframing success beyond the number on the scale
• (35:20) Encouragement for moms to rewrite their own “mother code” around body image and self-worth
• (39:00) How to navigate setbacks with compassion and curiosity
• (45:15) Building a supportive community for lasting transformation
• (51:10) Laura’s final advice for mothers ready to reclaim joy and body confidence

This episode is a permission slip to release outdated beliefs, reclaim your energy, and approach your health from a place of love and sustainability.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Learn more about Laura Conley:

• Learn more on Laura's Website
• Follow Laura on Instagram
• Connect with Laura on Linkedin

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr....

In this episode, I speak with Amy Schutte, an entrepreneur, writer, and host of the Business, Origin, Stories podcast, about her journey of leaving a stable corporate career to launch her own strategic communications and branding agency after becoming a mother. Amy shares how motherhood awakened an intuitive part of her that led to a major life pivot, driven by a desire for a life and career that felt more in alignment.

Our conversation explores the "Karman Line," a powerful metaphor Amy uses for the personal thresholds we face and the new operating systems we need to cross them. We delve into her trademarked "Origin Stories" framework, a four-phase, mother-coded process for building sustainable and authentic brands. Amy emphasizes the importance of building a "fertile business" that supports your current season of life, rather than succumbing to hustle culture. You'll hear actionable insights on trusting your intuition, the necessity of creating space for yourself, and how to consciously co-create a life that feels true to you.

You'll also hear about:

• (01:47) The journey from a secure corporate job to purpose-driven entrepreneurship
• (07:57) How listening to a podcast about Sarah Blakely sparked a pivotal moment
• (11:37) The Karman Line: A metaphor for crossing personal growth thresholds
• (16:23) Navigating relationship changes and losing friends during transformation
• (22:56) The "Origin Stories" framework for building a resonant brand
• (32:28) Self-mothering practices and the importance of asking for support
• (37:01) The concept of a "productivity fast" and learning to embrace pleasure
• (42:29) What it means to create a sustainable and "fertile" business
• (45:00) Discussing the collective recovery from the pandemic experience
• (47:41) Amy's definition of what it means to "Rewrite the Mother Code"

Don't miss Amy's inspiring perspective on building a business and life that are deeply aligned with your personal truth!

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Learn more about Amy Schutte:

• Learn more on Amy's Website
• Follow Amy on Instagram
• Connect with Amy on Linkedin
• Listen to the Business, Origin, Stories Podcast

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “

Episode Title Options:

• The Unveiling: Dr. Gertrude Lyons on Her Book Launch Journey
• Beyond the Book Launch: Navigating the Marathon of New Beginnings with Dr. Gertrude Lyons
• Realities of a Book Launch: Lessons in Self-Mothering with Dr. Gertrude Lyons
• From Sprint to Marathon: Dr. Gertrude Lyons Reflects on Her First Book

Body:

In this episode, I share an honest reflection on the journey of my first book launch. While the initial sprint of events and media has concluded, I delve into the unexpected parallels between launching a book and new motherhood. It’s a powerful, potent time, marked by both excitement and the unforeseen challenges that often remain unseen on social media.

I talk about the invaluable advice from Marianne Williamson and Margaret Nielsen on navigating this new territory, emphasizing the importance of presence and joy over overwhelming commitments. This episode is an exercise in self-mothering, acknowledging the moments of stress and disappointment while finding gratitude in unexpected downtime.

You'll also hear about:

• (01:59) – Equating the book launch journey to new book motherhood.
• (02:46) – Discussing the unique experience of a first-time author and navigating the unknown.
• (06:48) – Margaret Nielsen's advice on not saying yes to everything and prioritizing energy.
• (09:25) – Jessica Zwag's analogy of the "sprint" and "marathon" phases of a book launch.
• (10:40) – The feeling of downtime after the initial rush and the fear of everything ending.
• (12:46) – The contrast between social media's portrayal of perfection and the reality of book launch challenges.
• (14:13) – Sharing anecdotes about things that didn't go well, like logistical issues and canceled appearances, and how they became exercises in self-mothering.
• (18:20) – Discussing unexpected challenges like persistent rain during book tour and adapting to unforeseen circumstances.
• (25:30) – Discussing the concept of finding freedom and joy in letting go of expectations.
• (30:05) – Encouraging listeners to share their own experiences and reflections on new beginnings.

This solo episode offers a candid look at the emotional landscape of bringing a significant project to life, reminding us to embrace the full spectrum of the experience.

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter

Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”