119 | Matrescence: The Life Transition We Didn't Know We Lived Through, with Claire Tonti, Indie Folk Artist, Podcaster & Matrescence Activist

We all know about adolescence. And we’re finally talking more openly about menopause.But there’s another enormous life transition many of us have lived through without even knowing it had a name.Matrescence. The becoming of a mother.In this episode, I’m joined by Australian indie folk artist, podcaster, filmmaker and matrescence activist Claire Tonti for a conversation about this life transition and the profound impact it can have on our bodies, brains and identities.Claire shares her own experience of matrescence and how it led her to write an album called Matrescence, co-found the Matrescence Festival, and spend the past two years making the documentary Matrescence: The Hidden World of Motherhood.In this episode, we explore:What matrescence actually is, and why so many of us have never heard the wordWhat happens to our brains, bodies and identities when we become mothersWhy we shouldn’t expect to simply “go back” to the woman we were before motherhoodThe grief that can accompany motherhood, even when we deeply love our childrenBirth trauma and the experiences women can carry silently for decadesThe intersection between matrescence, perimenopause and menopauseWhy rest, nourishment, connection and community matter so muchOxytocin, play and the importance of intergenerational spacesHow we can create a village of care around mothers rather than expecting them to do it aloneCreativity as a way to process our experiences and reconnect with ourselvesMaking space to listen to what feels good in our bodies and what sings to our soulThis conversation is for all women. We all need to understand more about this important life transition, how little we have been told about it, and the impact that has had on generations of women.It’s also an invitation to take what we know now and offer something different to the women going through Matrescence.Connect with ClaireWebsite: clairetonti.comDocumentary: matrescencefilm.comPodcast: TontsAlbum: MatrescenceConnect with MeInstagram: @pennyvandersluysWebsite: pennyvandersluys.comIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with another woman and keep the conversation going. You never know who might hear the word matrescence for the first time and finally have language for something she’s been carrying for years.