S2 Ep5: Revolutionary motherhood, the life cycle of an activist, and motherwhelm, with Beth Berry

The silencing and targeting of mothers is a deliberate act of damaging the next generation and attacking women. When we rob mothers of their power, we slow the process of human liberation.Beth Berry is a coach, mentor, and seasoned mother and activist who works with mothers to access their power so they can be changemakers. In this podcast episode, we talked about maternal activism, making friends, and so much more. Here’s some of what we cover: How activists often experience a diminishing of their humanity, and an expectation that we should have limitless capacity and resources, What a sustainable lifetime of activism looks like. The depoliticization of motherhood: Motherhood is inherently political. So why don’t we see issues of maternal justice as political? The critical need for community: how we build it, why we struggle with it and so often lose it. Why self-compassion has to be a part of any revolution. Activism as performance vs. real activism, and why our liberation work must also look inward. Why mothers live in fear of traumatizing their children, and how this can be a tool for controlling them. How the demonization of awkwardness has made it impossible for us to build community. The misuse and weaponization of boundaries work. About Beth BerryBeth Berry is a coach, teacher, author, and mother to four grown daughters. Through her online courses, small groups, and retreats, she helps mothers deconstruct disempowering narratives, deepen and heal their relationship with themselves, better understand and meet their needs, and live more meaningful and liberated lives.Beth began supporting mothers more than 20 years ago as a La Leche League leader. Twelve years ago, she started her popular blog, Revolution From Home, which led to her writing a bestselling book, Motherwhelmed. Today, she teaches workshops and short courses, leads women on year-long healing journeys, and mentors others with a heart for gathering and nurturing mothers.She envisions a future where mothers’ needs are visible and well-met and seeks to co-create a world in which mothers feel beautifully supported and able to create lives they truly love.You can buy her book here.Visit her website here.Check out her amazing Instagram here.Supporting This PodcastIf you like this podcast, you can help me continue making it with your support! A few free ways to support include: Leaving a positive review on your favorite podcast platform. Liking and sharing the podcast on social media. Heart-reacting the Substack post. If you really love the podcast, you can get more of it by becoming a paid subscriber. Paid Substack subscribers get at least one bonus episode of the podcast each month, as well as eight bonus Substack posts and access to the Liberating Motherhood community.Liberating Motherhood is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.