405 - The Power of Self-Compassion in Navigating High-Stress Parenting Moments with Anna Seewald of Authentic Parenting

If motherhood ever cracked you open in ways you didn’t expect—old grief surfacing, worthiness wobbling, “Who even am I now?”—this conversation will feel like oxygen.I’m joined by Anna Seewald—Armenian-born educator, psychologist, and parenting & co-parenting specialist. After surviving the 1988 Spitak earthquake at 13 (losing her mother, home, friends, and community), Anna built a life and practice in the U.S. For the last 17 years she’s worked with parents in New Jersey as a therapist and divorce mediator, helping families heal patterns at the root—without perfectionism, shame, or Band-Aid fixes.We’re diving into: ✔️ Trauma-informed parenting 101: why early loss/relational wounds resurface in pregnancy and the “dark side” of early motherhood—and how to stop repeating unconscious patterns ✔️ Worthiness, shame, and the nervous system: why self-compassion (not self-critique) is the real regulator—and how to practice acceptance even when you don’t “love” every part of you ✔️ Practical repair tools: catching the harsh inner critic, shifting from people-pleasing to needs-honoring, body gratitude over body punishment, and simple in-the-moment resets (hand-on-heart, kinder self-talk, micro-choices)If you feel like you’ve been hanging onto parents for dear life—or minimizing your story because it’s not “capital-T” trauma—this episode offers grounded hope and clear next steps.🎧 Press play to learn how to honor your history, rewire toward gentleness, and lead your family from a steadier, kinder core.--🧠 What's your capacity pattern? Take the free 2-minute quiz and unlock The Capacity Code — a personalized private podcast episode for your specific nervous system. → Take the Capacity Pattern Quiz--Ready to go deeper? Patterned to Present is open for early enrollment!!Ready to enroll and lock in the Founding Cohort rate? Learn more and enroll in Patterned to Present HERE.