Atomic Moms

After a forced evacuation from the raging California fires, film and television actress (and dynamite human being) Rachel Blanchard, her composer hubby Jeremy, and their baby girl Maxine spent the week with us at Chez Sztykiel! It was a terrible situation, but we were so grateful to get to have the time with them. In this hilarious mom-friend episode, we're talking: calm walks turned stressful stroller fits, dixie cups full of wine, babies falling off beds, husbands with solitary jobs (screenwriter vs composer), baby raising while working on set, co-sleeping, crib mishaps, moving houses, children's privacy, social media free weddings, photo book making, evacuating fires, surviving the holidays, finding quiet time, postpartum complications, pubes, and the ridiculous way Ellie got a parking ticket. Rachel Blanchard is an actress best known for - PEEP SHOW, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS & FARGO. She can currently be seen on Directv’s YOU, ME, HER. Ellie also wants everyone to remember she was Cher in the television show CLUELESS. Her husband Jeremy Turner is Former Assistant Principal Cello with the Metropolitan Opera turned Emmy nominated composer (and the composer of Atomic Moms theme song!). P.S. Rachel never got that donut. Ellie Knaus acts as host, senior editor, executive producer, show runner, technical director, president of programming, you get the point. This is a podcast by one mom for all of us moms. Special thanks to sound engineer Owen O'Neill and composer Jeremy Turner. Join our Private Facebook Group! Show Notes and Streaming: atomicmoms.com Instagram: @atomicmoms Subscribe and leave a written review to help us out! Itunes.com/atomicmoms

Happy New Year! We're back with brand new content next week, but while I recover from some sort of holiday season plague, here's one of our favorites from May 2017. Certified organizer Robyn Reynolds swears we can organize ANYTHING that’s worth keeping and bring harmony into our homes. This single mom with a can-do spirit and no-nonsense attitude whips Ellie’s haphazard “put away” habits into shape. She teaches us how to streamline our kitchen in order to turn our morning routines into a well-caffeinated machine. She walks us through the process of getting our closets under control (and saving money in the process!) She gives an excellent mom hack for how the heck to keep track of what-you-put-where in all those darn diaper bag pockets. In this podcast you’ll also laugh at what a rainy day means at Robyn’s L.A. home and how to keep your cool with home maintenance issues, like when the 1-800 customer service for your broken washing machine is leaving you high and dry. Bravo TV, are you listening? Cause Atomic Moms is pretty sure that Robyn Reynolds, Long Island’s answer to Marie Kondo, needs her own show! xx Ellie Knaus Subscribe: iTunes.com/AtomicMoms Show Notes + Newsletter: atomicmoms.com Special Private Facebook Group: Click Here

(October 18, 2016) Detroit has a mother; her name is Rev. Faith Fowler. Best-selling author Mitch Albom (“Tuesdays With Morrie”) says our guest Rev. Faith Fowler is “…the most important currency of our city, a loving, egoless, inspiring leader who doesn’t see color, doesn’t see class, who looks at our poorest, most neglected citizens and sees only hope and opportunity. And humor.” She cares for and empowers thousands, including homeless mothers and children. In this episode, we talk to this fierce champion of ALL HUMANS about race, breaking the poverty cycle, addiction, her non-profit entrepreneurial projects including Tiny Homes. We chat about why she goes “tire hunting”, how can we be most effective with our talents, and she answers tough questions about parenting. Even when you’ve lost faith, there’s Faith. Check out Rev. Faith Fowler’s memoir: “This Far By Faith: Twenty Years at Cass Community.” I loved it! Subscribe on iTunes.com/AtomicMoms and choose from over 100 Atomic Moms episodes. Find us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Originally aired: Dec 6, 2016. Join us over the holidays on Instagram and Facebook! If you liked our "How Not to Hate Your Husband After Having Kids" episode, you'll LOVE this one too. You’ve seen Dr. Laura Berman as a frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Steve Harvey Show. New York Times bestselling author, world renowned sex and relationship educator, and clinical professor of ob-gyn and psychiatry at Northwestern University Dr. Berman is here to help us mamas elevate our relationships with the ultimate “Jedi Mind Trick.” She swears that mastering our energy is the key to living an empowered and loving life. We = atoms. Atoms = energy. And let’s face it, most of us go about our lives unconsciously playing off each other’s energy, for better or worse. In this podcast, Dr. Laura Berman shares with host Ellie Knaus and guest co-host Bridget Moloney-Sinclair findings from her latest book, Quantum Love: Use Your Body’s Atomic Energy to Create the Relationship You Desire. She schools us in how we can cultivate feelings of optimism, hopefulness, and curiosity, and act from an empowered and truthful place as “a co-creator of our reality”. She swears it’s possible to hold onto our positive energetic state (good vibes) regardless of the cranky downers we have to interact with. And you’ll be blown away by the life-changing events that led Dr. Berman to developing this book (it was ‘another freak and growth experience’ (AFGE) after another). Because Dr. Laura Berman is a leading expert in sex and love, we also talk about the first-year parenting phenomenon (ya know, the “I want to murder my partner” one) and what that’s really about. We also talk bedroom times: what sex means to men, how we can untangle ourselves from the associated shame, and also how we can raise sexually healthy children. Plus Dr. Berman shares a big-time parenting challenge she recently experienced with her impulsive teenage son and how she consciously handled it with both authority and love.

#153: Child development specialist and philanthropist Dr. Victoria Simms is here to help us bond with our children. We discuss the rituals and routines backed by science that can help our little ones feel safe, loved, and resilient. Dr. Simms is the president and founder of the nonprofit Simms/Mann Institute, trailblazing in the whole child approach to caring for our children and developmental neurogenetics. We all know separation anxiety can be frustrating, heart-wrenching, and guilt-inducing. Our guest has created a darling multi-faceted tool for families called “CuddleBright” to make transitions smoother and separation less overwhelming. And for those of you who had an “insecure attachment” with your own parent, Dr. Simms gives us hope. There is always the opportunity to break the generational patterns of drama and grow, heal, and thrive in our relationship with our kids. xx Ellie Knaus  Subscribe: iTunes.com/AtomicMoms Show Notes + Newsletter: atomicmoms.com Special Private Facebook Group: Click Here

What is your body trying to tell you? Has it ever felt like it has betrayed you? And what wisdom did you glean from the experience? This week Atomic Moms podcast is back at what it does best: commiserating over sleepless nights + expressing the grit and determination necessary to live fully and discovering the tools to do so, with a Cali-dose of woo woo and optimism. Friends Nikki DeLoach (Awkward) and Jen Dede (Shameless) have supported each other through hell and back and aren't afraid to crack a joke about it. They speak candidly about Jen's 8 year struggle with fertility, Nikki's harrowing experience with her newborn's open-heart surgery two months ago, and our fear of the big D and we don't mean Dallas OR Divorce. OK fine...I'll say it. Death. Join us in celebrating the launch of their super positive, uplifting, and crazy honest site: What We Are: A community of women celebrating our beautifully unfiltered selves. xx Ellie Knaus  Subscribe: iTunes.com/AtomicMoms Show Notes + Newsletter: atomicmoms.com Special Private Facebook Group: Click Here

Originally released 1/24/17. How do we handle the transitions we experience as mothers without losing our minds and keeping our sense of humor? In podcast #114, mom-in-chief Ellie Knaus interviews psychotherapist and favorite relative EMILY PRICE about how to handle big change and all the anxiety that comes along with it. Emily gives us grounding techniques that can keep us from freaking out no matter what life throws at us: whether that be an unexpected pregnancy (or expected), moving, switching jobs, or family loss. We also call B.S. on our “get over it” culture and share what to do instead. But first Ellie brings on her husband Adam to share their ridiculous Sunday night…You’ll never think of “mother-daughter twinning” in quite the same way. PS We're both pregnant. GUEST BIO: Emily Price is a licensed clinical social worker and mom of 2 boys (now 3 boys!) living and working in New York City. She’s been extensively trained in cognitive behavioral therapy and is a certified somatic experiencing practitioner. She is a psychotherapist in private practice and specializes in treating anxiety and trauma, particularly OCD, phobias, and PTSD. Super amazing and personal private Facebook Group for our Mama Listeners Facebook page Shownotes: atomicmoms.com Instagram: @atomicmoms

#150: What's a feminist mom to do? In our 150th podcast, humorist Devorah Blachor lifts the veil on all things glittery and pink as we find out why our daughters are more princess-obsessed than ever. We talk about her brand new book THE FEMINIST'S GUIDE TO RAISING A LITTLE PRINCESS: HOW TO RAISE A GIRL WHO’S AUTHENTIC, JOYFUL, AND FEARLESS–EVEN IF SHE REFUSES TO WEAR ANYTHING BUT A PINK TUTU (TarcherPerigree). And, of course, because you're listening to Atomic Moms, we also speak candidly about depression, being your children's ally, and the time Sabrina tried to open mouth kiss me because she saw Prince Eric and Ariel do it in the book. xx Ellie Knaus, host Join our Private Facebook Group! Show Notes and Streaming: atomicmoms.com Instagram: @atomicmoms,  Subscribe and leave a written review to help us out! Itunes.com/atomicmoms

#149 Get out the wine and the last of the Halloween candy! I’ve been leaning heavy on the experts as of late, and it was about damn time we had an unfiltered mom podcast full of laughter, commiseration, and perfectionism undone. TV star Claire Coffee played Adalind on NBC’s supernatural show GRIMM for six seasons. She, along with her musician husband Chris Thile (Yo Yo Ma told him where to get the engagement ring), and their son 2.5 year-old Calvin, rocked out at our home between A Prairie Home Companion with Chris Thile west coast shows. We talk about the struggle between being creatively fulfilled and getting Mom sh*t done, mama separation anxiety, traveling the world with a toddler, and how parenting is SO DIFFERENT with Ellie’s second child. We love to play into the ridiculousness of our wacky family life with our creative husbands, and jokingly give ourselves and each other a hard time in this episode, but I’d be remiss not to say Claire Coffee is one of the most generous and thoughtful women on this planet and a huge reason this podcast exists. We all need a mom friend who commiserates but doesn’t accept any self-defeating excuses and sends tubs of ice cream when you’re on bed rest. xx Ellie Knaus Join our Private Facebook Group! Show Notes and Streaming: atomicmoms.com Instagram: @atomicmoms, @clairecoffee Subscribe: Itunes.com/atomicmoms

#148 In this no holds barred Atomic Moms parenting podcast, award-winning business and personal finance journalist Emma Johnson talks cents to Ellie Knaus about what money means in our relationships, where we should focus our savings, what holds us back from going big in our careers, and why we owe it to our kids to go for it! Ellie speaks honestly about her money-making hang ups. And Johnson, a champion for solo moms everywhere, alleviates listener working mom guilt, shares how she carves out guilt free me-time, and discusses the “the sandwich generation” stress when you find yourself suddenly the primary caregiver of both your kids and your parents. Finally we share a fantastic "Family Manifesto" exercise pulled straight from her new book The Kickass Single Mom: Be Financially Independent, Discover Your Sexiest Self, and Raise Fabulous, Happy Children to do with your family this week. x Ellie "Get over this idea that being harried and overwhelmed is somehow a badge of honor. That is just bullsh*t that holds women back.” - Emma Johnson on Atomic Moms podcast show notes: atomicmoms.com If you like this, subscribe and leave a written review on iTunes.com/AtomicMoms Let’s carry this conversation on over to our private Facebook group. The link can be found on our “Atomic Moms podcast” Facebook page.

Dr. Jessica Zucker is back on Atomic Moms. As a Los Angeles-based psychologist and writer specializing in women's reproductive and maternal mental health, Dr. Zucker is a leading voice in miscarriage and pregnancy loss awareness. When her @ihadamiscarriage Instagram account was named “the bravest use of social media” by Women’s Health Magazine U.K., she shared, "My personal experience was a way to model for other women around the world that there is absolutely no shame in loss." We discuss her own experience as a rainbow mother and offer guidance to a listener struggling with prenatal anxiety after loss. "... the guilt, sadness and fear caused by what happened last time are stopping me from truly enjoying this new pregnancy, from connecting to my baby and being fully present. What is your advice to new parents who are preparing for the arrival of a new baby while dealing with so many fears and feelings?”  But first, a remarkable mother of two shares her own journey with grief after the termination of a much wanted pregnancy and the unexpected way she found help to emotionally heal. She's definitely my mom hero of the week. This episode is for all mothers and a testament to the strength and openheartedness of our listener community. And we stand in solidarity with these women. xx Ellie  show notes: atomicmoms.com listen on apple podcast app, atomicmoms.com, and all podcast apps. instagram: @atomicmoms join our private Facebook group (link is on Facebook Page: facebook.com/atomicmomspodcast) to continue this discussion 

#146 - Is there a part of you that feels unlovable? You know that part of yourself you're always trying to hide, change, or overcompensate? That's your Shadow. We're talking about what the Shadow means, how it affects your parenting and the power it holds within you. Psychotherapist, and New York Times bestselling author BARRY MICHELS explains how recognizing and aligning with our Shadow, a term coined by Carl Jung, can actually lead us to a better relationship with our children and ourselves. And Barry walks Ellie through a difficult moment in her birth experience that left her feeling exposed and ashamed until this honest and healing conversation. Subscribe on iTunes.com/AtomicMoms, Social media: @atomicmoms. Listen to Part One on our conversation “How to Reclaim Energy, Creativity, and Willpower” released August 22, 2017. And check out: “Coming Alive: 4 Tools to Defeat Your Inner Enemy, Ignite Creative Expression, and Unleash Your Soul’s Potential” (available at all book stores) 

Harvard researcher SUZANNE BOUFFARD, Ph.D. gives us a better understanding of the Universal Pre-K debate and insights from her brand new book: The Most Important Year: Pre-Kindergarten and the Future of Our Children. Clearly, it's an important conversation for all Americans, not just parents of young children. This early childhood education expert also shares problem solving and communication techniques we can steal from the classroom to make our lives easier at home. For guest bio and show notes: atomicmoms.com social media: Instagram/Twitter: @atomicmoms and facebook: "Atomic Moms Podcast" Subscribe iTunes.com/AtomicMoms and available on all podcast apps. xx Ellie Knaus

Dr. Elliot Berlin is known for his huge presence, big personality, and enormous heart in the Hollywood birthing scene (why yes, it's a scene). We talk about maternal wellness, the mommy wars, raising 4 kids in LA, all types of births including VBACS, BREECH, and the most important thing to remember no matter what type of birth you plan.  For all info, go to atomicmoms.com! Join us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook: @atomicmoms and "Atomic Moms Podcast" Subscribe on iTunes.com/AtomicMoms xx Ellie Knaus

Award-winning writer and journalist Elizabeth Day joins us from London to discuss Ellie's new favorite novel THE PARTY (August 15, 2017), what to say (or NOT SAY) to women dealing with infertility, the big lesson she learned from interviewing Sheryl Sandberg, and how she kicked "the good girl" habit. For show notes, guest bio, and more, go to www.atomicmoms.com Join us on social media: twitter.com/atomicmoms, instagram.com/atomicmoms, and facebook.com/atomicmomspodcast If you enjoyed this episode, please share with your girlfriends and write a review on iTunes.com/atomicmoms (consider it our tip jar...it helps our ranking so new moms find us)