Advice from Mom

Holiday Bonus Episode! There are so many ways that family gatherings can stress us out—whether it’s what your family expects of you, what you expect of them, what might be said (or unsaid, or yelled…) at the dinner table, or even just seeing certain family members. Momma B is here with her motherly mental health advice to help you improve your holiday cheer. And get ready for our goofiest episode yet as Momma B & Rebecca put on their detective caps to investigate some cases of holiday hazards. We call it MomNet! On this episode we’ll investigate three cases: The Case of the Solo Sautéer, The Case of the Caloric Questioner, and the Case of the Bickering Bros. PS: Curious what’s on our Chanukkah List? An iTunes review from YOU! Your glowing reviews really do help our little podcast get more listens and we appreciate it SO much. You can also give us feedback and submit questions for Momma B at www.advicefrom.mom/yourturn. Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing and Sound Design by Juliet Hinely. Mixed and mastered by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. Our theme music is by Love Jerks. To see Rebecca play live, check out Love Jerks upcoming California show dates: www.lovejerks.com/live/ * This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional. A little more on our three cases for this episode: And as they say on DragNet, “the names are made up but the problems are real” The Case of the Solo Sauter: Jessica is a professional cook. Every year, her lovely family assumes she will cook them up the most delicious holiday feast. This has gotten old for Jessica after 6 years of cooking and even worse! getting minimal help with the dishes and clean-up after. How can Jessica change this tradition she’s come to hate without making her family hangry? The Case of the Caloric Questioner: Fiona is just about to sit down for her fam’s Southern feast. As she reaches for the gravy ladle, her mother leans in and intercepts her hand, “Honey, once on the lips, always on the hips. How’s that diet going?" How does Fiona avoid exploding on her mother like she has in years past? The Case of the Bickering Bros: Sammy and his brother can't be in the same room without turning any discussion into a political debate. As kids, the brothers got along just fine, but since Sammy moved across the country and only sees his family once or twice a year, their relationship has really suffered. The arguing upsets their mother, especially when their father starts yelling too. How can Sammy make this visit home to the family this holiday season a little harmonious?

This is a special off-season bonus episode of Advice from Mom! With these recent headlines about Harvey Weinstein, sexual harassment in the workplace, and over a million people sharing their stories with #MeToo, Momma B has a few stories of her own. Also, here’s your gateway to all the quick ways you can help us make Season 2 great: www.advicefrom.mom/yourturn Give us your feedback, send in your questions, and find all the other fun (and free!) ways you can help. We appreciate it so much! Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing by Juliet Hinely. Mixed and mastered by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. Our theme music is by Love Jerks. To see Rebecca play live, check out Love Jerks upcoming Bay Area show dates: www.lovejerks.com/live/ * This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

On this episode, we answer questions about the challenges of family dynamics. You’ll hear questions from Wounded Not Broken, Solamente Uno?, and New Auntie, and advice from Momma B, the director of America’s first crisis hotline, a photographer chef, and a woman in the wilds of Wisconsin. This episode also marks the finale of Season 1! Thank you so much for listening and we’d LOVE your help in making Season 2 even better -- it will take just a few moments and won’t cost you a dime. Please check out these quick things you can do to help Momma B on her mission to mother a mentally healthier world. And you could hear your name in the credits! http://www.advicefrom.mom/yourturn MEET THE WISE GUESTS OF THIS EPISODE: Eve R. Meyer, MSW, MHSA has been Executive Director of San Francisco Suicide Prevention for over 20 years and is a frequent spokesperson on suicide issues. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and a Masters Degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan. You can reach the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or online at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/ Phyllis Grant is a Chef, photographer, and writer, and also a mother of two. You can read more stories (and recipes!) from Phyllis on her award-winning blog, Dash & Bella (http://dashandbella.blogspot.com/) and on Food52 (https://food52.com/users/11351-phyllis-grant) Aunt Mary Ellen is a retired operating room nurse and the all-around best aunt! She is also the proud grandmother of eight! Isn’t she the best? .·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·. MOMMA B’S GOODIE BAG OF HELPFUL LINKS A nice article to help you make the decision about whether or not you should have a baby: http://m.wikihow.com/Decide-Whether-or-Not-to-Have-a-Baby?amp=1 A nice podcast for finding a therapist: PLACEBO: The Things We Tell Ourselves That Help, from The Hilarious World of Depression: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/id1181589175?mt=2&i=1000389551801 A nice book on anger: The Dance of Anger: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Anger-Changing-Patterns-Relationships/dp/0062319043 Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing by Juliet Hinely. Mixed and mastered by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty. Our theme music is by Love Jerks. To see Rebecca play live, check out Love Jerks upcoming Bay Area show dates: http://www.lovejerks.com/live/ This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

All summer, we’ve been exploring what it means to make progress—professionally, personally, and creatively. But how do we make that progress last? Momma B is here to help with advice for the long haul of a creative project, the strategic planning of a fruitful career, and the balancing act between your work and personal life. This episode also includes solid advice from a rock-&-rolling engineer, an actress you’ll recognize from TV, and the founder of a start-up. We are on the quest for questions about families. If you could use some advice for your family, send in your question pronto: http://www.advicefrom.mom/request/ Complete show notes, questions, guest bios, and more available: www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ This episode’s advice and insight were provided by: Michaela Watkins is an actress, comedian and writer. She’s most excited for you to see her on the third season of Casual on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/casual She has also appeared on TV in The New Adventures of Old Christine, Enlightened and Transparent as well as in the films, The Back-up Plan, Wanderlust, and Enough Said. She was also a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Bryan Garza is an entertainer, engineer, and wonderful husband. He has been the singer of the indie-rock band, Scissors for Lefty, since 1999. In that time, his band was signed to Rough Trade Records (UK) and played over 500 shows, touring with The Arctic Monkeys, Erasure, Smashing Pumpkins, and Metric to name a few. He also worked as a quality engineer in biomedical industry before joining UCSF as an analyst and technology project coordinator. He now makes music with his wife as Love Jerks: http://www.lovejerks.com Jerome Bortman spent his 35+ career working for The Navy, NASA, and The Department of Justice. He is a prostate cancer survivor, dedicated to raising prostate cancer awareness with the Obediah Cole Foundation: https://www.facebook.com/ManUpForProstateCancerFathersDayRace/ and saving Floridian fowl with Save Our Seabirds: http://www.saveourseabirds.org .·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·. Momma B’s link goodie bag If you are trying to determine if you are a perfectionist: listen to “The Savvy Psychologist's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Mental Health in Podcasts: Episode 159: 9 Hidden Signs of Perfectionism” https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/savvy-psychologists-quick-dirty-tips-for-better-mental/id803978236?mt=2&i=1000389004634 If you are trying to understand an entertainer in your life or just enjoy reading Wikipedia as much as my mom does: read more on the Keirsey Temperament Sorter’s "Performer (role variant)" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performer_(role_variant)?wprov=sfti1 If you want to learn more about making your special day transcendent or if you just don’t understand how a tush can be broken: read The Broke-Ass Bride's Wedding Guide: Hundreds of Tips and Tricks for Hitting Your Budget https://www.amazon.com/Broke-Ass-Brides-Wedding-Guide-Hundreds/dp/0385345100 Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing by Juliet Hinely. Mixing and mastered by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty. Our theme music is by Love Jerks. To hear this song with vocals and to see Rebecca on bass, check out their latest live video: http://www.lovejerks.com/booking This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

Figuring out your personal process of progress can be tricky! Momma B is ready to help with advice for taking feedback on your work, balancing your creative pursuits with your responsibilities, and playing well with others. We also get stellar advice from some Nashville songbirds, a novelist currently on the NYT best seller list, and the one of NPR’s favorite duos. Leave us a message about your summer project progress at 1-706-9-ASK-MOM and your success could be included on a future episode. Complete show notes, questions, guest bios, and more available: www.advicefrom.mom/listen/
 This episode’s advice and insight were provided by: • The Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva; the producers of the duPont-Columbia and James Beard Award-winning series, Hidden Kitchens on NPR’s Morning Edition and two Peabody Award-winning NPR series, Lost & Found Sound and The Sonic Memorial Project. • Janelle Brown, a New York Times bestselling author of the novels All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, This Is Where We Live, and currently on the NYT best seller list, Watch Me Disappear. [ www.janellebrown.com ] • Kira Small; a nationally touring singer-songwriter, recording artist, 2015 International Songwriting Competition Finalist, 2012 Independent Music Awards winner and former member of Berklee College of Music’s Voice Faculty [ www.kirasmall.com ] • Whit Hill; a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and a winner of the Kerrville Folk Festival's New Folk competition—one of folk music's greatest honors. [ www.whithill.com] • Majo Molfino; a writer, speaker, women’s creative leadership coach and the host of Heroine [ www.majomolfino.com ] • Nathalie Arbel; a San Francisco-based writer and editor, currently working on a book called Data-Driven Marketing [ www.nathaliearbel.com ] • Hadley Davis Rierson; a Los Angeles-based writer for television (“Dawson’s Creek,” “Spin City,” “Scrubs”) and film (Disney’s “Ice Princess”), mother, wife and arts advocate. .·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·. Momma B’s link goodie bag (with some research from RGB) If your book shelf needs some brain food: https://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Nutritional-Healing-Phyllis-Balch/dp/1583332367/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500751613&sr=1-5&keywords=nutritional+healing If you really want to be understood, just carry Mom’s favorite book around: https://www.amazon.com/Please-Understand-Temperament-Character-Intelligence/dp/1885705026/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501136160&sr=1-2&keywords=please+understand+me Momma B wants you to listen to lots of psychologists: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/savvy-psychologist Janelle referenced a helpful app: https://freedom.to The digital double-bind study from Cornell and Temple on female entrepreneurs and gender hierarchies: http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2017/04/04/gender-hierarchies-persist-online-despite-more-female-entrepreneurs/ Devon Proudfoot and researchers from Duke University explore gender creativity bias: http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/news_events/news-releases/aaron-kay-creativity/#.WXmEAcbMxE4 This research dig was inspired by a talk at Source Summit 2017 by Enrique Allen of Designer Fund: https://designerfund.com/design-leadership-insights-source-summit-2017 Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing by Juliet Hinely. Mixing and mastered by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. The theme music is by Love, Jerks—www.lovejerks.com. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty—www.scissorsforlefty.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

Hitting some stumbling blocks when it comes to starting something BIG? Momma B is here to help with advice for your creative pursuits, professional endeavors, and personal plans. This episode also includes solid advice from all-star guests like world-touring DJ Atish Mehta, New York Times illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Zak and Shira from the Pregnant Pause podcast and Doree Shafrir, author of the novel Startup. Complete show notes, questions and more available: www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ Meet the wise guests of this episode: Doree Shafrir is a Senior Tech Writer at BuzzFeed News and author of the novel, Startup. [https://www.doree-shafrir.com/book/]. She and her husband make a podcast together called “Matt and Doree's Eggcellent Adventure: An IVF Journey“: https://art19.com/shows/matt-and-dorees-eggcellent-adventure Wendy MacNaughton is an illustrator and graphic journalist. You’ve probably seen Wendy’s illustrations in The Wall Street Journal, Lucky Peach, Bon Appetit, and at Basecamp Hotels. See more of thoughtful great work here: http://wendymacnaughton.com Atish Mehta is a DJ and an electronic musician. You can find more of his songs [https://soundcloud.com/atish] and you can see him live at an upcoming show http://bandsintown.com/atish Zak Rosen and Shira Heisler make a podcast called “Pregnant Pause with Zak & Shira” [https://www.pregnantpausepodcast.com]. In their advice, they reference the book Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids: https://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Shallow-Self-Absorbed-Sixteen-Decision-ebook/dp/B00JI0W6VE You can find more of Zak’s audio work here: https://www.zakrosen.com .·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·. Momma B’s goodie bag of links My mom loves to find articles for you from “the popular press”: http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2017/04/26/becoming_a_parent_means_a_new_family_member_and_new_sense_of_self.html https://psychcentral.com/lib/are-you-ready-to-be-a-parent/ Momma B’s favorite rock opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikdSxaOcR6U Babystep Homework: Invisibilia’s double episode on emotions: http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510307/invisibilia Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing by Juliet Hinely. Mixing & mastering by Jake Young. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. The theme music is by Love, Jerks—www.lovejerks.com. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty—www.scissorsforlefty.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

For this special Mother’s Day episode, we are going into mom-overload with listener questions about how to talk to your parent about their mental health, how to help little ones adjust to a culturally-different environment, and how to convince your partner that you two should adopt. Each question will be slathered in 3 doses of advice and we’ll be playing plenty of mother daughter pickleball, but this time, I’m not in San Francisco, many states apart from my mom. For this episode, I’m within hugging distance. And you know who else is? Some of my mom’s wise friends, who are also moms (and don’t worry, also skilled professionals). That’s right: we are IN the mothership. Complete show notes, questions and more available: www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ Meet the ladies of this episode: Beth Dean is a product designer at Facebook, who works at the intersection of ethics and advertising. She is also an illustrator who creates weirdo comics, psychedelic posters and spooky toys: http://thebethdean.com Dianna L. Ploof, EdD is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Co-Director of the Office of Faculty Development. Trained in organizational development and behavioral science, she also consults with organizations in areas such as leadership development, team building and conflict management. She would say her most important role has been as the mother of a now 26-year son. She also loves to do jigsaw puzzles with my mom! Rev. Mary Lynn Gras is a Christian minister and mother and grandmother, who loves to knit. Dr. Lani M.Ventura-Mustin is a chiropractor and mother of 3, who loves to kickbox. http://www.mustinchiropractic.com .·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·..·:*'`*:·.·:*'`*:·. Momma B’s link goodie bag: Learn more about active listening: https://psychcentral.com/lib/become-a-better-listener-active-listening/ Learn more about Imago Therapy: http://imagorelationships.org/pub/about-imago-therapy/what-is-imago/ Here’s that book that Mary Lynn references: https://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Elvis-Repainting-Christian-Faith/dp/0062197215 Learn more about the Facebook feature that Beth discusses: http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-lets-users-block-ads-stir-painful-memories/307193/ Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing and mixing by Juliet Hinely. Sound engineering by Helen Wigger at WESA Pittsburgh. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. Moral support by Jerome Bortman & Aviva Rubin. The theme music is by Love, Jerks—www.lovejerks.com. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty—www.scissorsforlefty.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

The episode provides empowering advice and a dash of motherly concern for anyone whose life has taken an unexpected turn. If you are struggling with a big decision or fearful of an impending change, we are here for you! Also find out what happened when Momma B applied to become a nun at 19. Complete show notes, questions and more available: www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ This episode’s second opinions include: Introduction: Eli Horowitz is the creator and director of the podcast, Homecoming from Gimlet Media. He is also the co-creator of The Silent History, a digital novel; The Clock Without a Face, a treasure-hunt mystery; and was the managing editor and then publisher of McSweeney’s—http://www.elihorowitz.net/ Question 1: Ronda L. Metcalf (back by popular demand), who works at UCSF, dispatching for Facilities Services. Question 2: Suzanne Rico, is a journalist, fertility advocate and world traveler. Previously, she spent two decades in broadcast journalism, including eight years as the morning news anchor for KCBS-TV, Los Angeles. http://suzannerico.com/blog/ Question 3: Jerome Bortman (yep, that's right!), spent his 35+ career working for The Navy, NASA, and The Department of Justice. He is a prostate cancer survivor, dedicated to raising cancer awareness with the Obediah Cole Foundation and saving Floridian fowl with Save Our Seabirds. Momma B’s link goodie bag: Learn more about temperament evaluations: http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/register.aspx Learn more about Cognitive Behavior Therapy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It was produced by Juliet Hinely & Rebecca Garza-Bortman. Editing and mixing by Juliet Hinely. Audio assistance by Bryan Garza. Publicity by Jane Riccobono. Workbook editing by Nathalie Arbel. The theme music is by Love, Jerks—http://www.lovejerks.com. The song throughout this episode is Rebel in Motion by Scissors for Lefty—http://www.scissorsforlefty.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

This episode comes with a downloadable breakup workbook. Get your copy here: http://www.advicefrom.mom/workbook Complete show notes, questions and visuals available: http://www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ This episode’s second opinions include: Introduction: Lee Bryon (http://leebyron.com), Facebook designer, engineer and data scientist and creator of Information is Beautiful’s Peak Break-Up Times on Facebook, Here are the visualizations: https://www.visualnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Lee-Byron-Breakup-Likelihood-3.png https://www.visualnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Lee-Byron-Breakup-Likelihood-2.png https://www.visualnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Lee-Byron-Breakup-Likelihood-1.png Question 1: Damona Hoffman (https://damonahoffman.com), certified dating coach and host of Dates & Mates on UBN Radio Question 2: David Katznelson, Grammy-nominated music producer and Executive Director of Reboot (http://www.rebooters.net/engage) Question 3: Gabrielle Moss (https://twitter.com/gaby_moss), associate lifestyle editor at Bustle and author of GLOP: Non-Toxic, Expensive Ideas That Will Make You Look Ridiculous & Feel Pretentious. I even have exciting news for the credits for those of you who care about my sanity and wellbeing or just the quality of this show. I’ve found a creative partner to build this podcastle with!! Juliet Hinely is co-producing this episode with me. She has also edited and mixed it. The workbook that I hope you will pour your soul into soon was edited by Nathalie Arbel. Jane Riccobono does our publicity. Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. The opera you heard with Momma B’s story was indeed LA TRAVIATA as performed by the famous Madame Maria Callas. Our theme music is by Love, Jerks. That’s my band with my husband. Save the arts! Thanks to Papa B, Jocelyn, Aviva, Serena, Hadley, Ash, Ginny, Jane, Emily, Blair, Nina, Jasmeet, and my man, Bryan.

This episode is crafted to help you with your workplace woes. This month we take on three classic workplace woes: toxic work environments, losing your job, and feeling like you can’t be yourself at work. Every question you’ll hear on today’s show has been sent in by a fellow listener. We are always taking new questions, so if you want some advice from Momma B, please request advice: http://www.advicefrom.mom/request/. You can also leave a voicemail or text us your request: 706-9-ASK-MOM. Less fancifully, that number is (706) 927-5666. We are currently working on upcoming episodes about break-ups and creative pursuits. Send those questions in pronto! QUESTION 1: RECOVERING FROM A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT For the complete question, go to: http://www.advicefrom.mom/listen/ The guests in this segment are Sadia Harper of Collective Health and Julie Mora-Blanco of Adobe. QUESTION 2: BUILDING BACK YOUR CONFIDENCE AFTER LOSING YOUR JOB The guest in this segment is Robert (Tre) Laughlin. He runs All Systems Health ( www.allsystemshealth.com ). and has a Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine, certified medical qigong practitioner, certified as a functional medicine practitioner, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in Longevity at Yo San University in L.A., a Chinese and Integrative Medicine University founded and informed by the Ni family, that holds a 39 generation lineage in Taoist healing. In addition to being a master acupuncturist and herbalist, he loves geeking out on specialized lab tests that can help see the big picture for ultimate health and wellbeing. Tre also loves biohacking, and considers Chinese Medicine to be the original biohacking platform. He combines the most ancient medicines with the most cutting edge tech to create a personalized and optimized treatment plan. QUESTION 3: BRINGING YOUR PERSONAL TO WORK The guests in this segment are Kelli Dragovich is the SVP of People at Hired ( https://hired.com ). Tim Federle (https://timfederle.com ) is the author of Better Nate Than Ever and the bestselling recipe books, including Tequila Mockingbird (over 200,000 copies sold) and Gone With the Gin. Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It produced & edited by me, RGB. Sound engineering by Bryan Garza. Our theme music is Love, Jerks. Big thanks to everyone who sent us questions, and to all my friends who gave input & advice for this episode—Natalie, Aviva, Serena, Hadley, Rick, Jocelyn, Ash, Mbot, Ali, Ginny, Jane, & Emily. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

On this episode, we provide advice for those who miss the puppy love of younger years, for those who feel misunderstood while dating, and for those who are looking to make a friendship into a romance and so much mawwwwr!!! For advice from Momma B, go to www.advicefrom.mom/request or leave a voicemail or text: 706-9-ASK-MOM aka (706) 927-5666. We are currently working on upcoming episodes about working woes and break-ups. Send those questions in pronto! Each question on this episode gets 3 doses of advice. First you’ll hear Momma B’s advice. Next: You’ll hear a segment called Mother-Daughter Pickleball, where your host, Rebecca presents some clarifying questions and builds on Momma B's advice. Last, you’ll hear a second opinion, because it’s always good to get a second opinion. For the complete question texts and show notes, go to http://www.advicefrom.mom/listen Here are our guests on this episode: Question 1 from "Knock knock knocking on 40's door"—advice for those who miss the puppy love of younger years Our guest is Lisa Podell. Lisa Podell is a former matchmaker for The Dating Ring and founder of Better Sessions (www.bettersessions.com) She has over 10 years of experience as a teacher, educational specialist, certified life coach, and public speaker; specializing in helping individuals attain their personal and professional goals. Lisa is also known for her position in Washington Square Park as Free Advice Girl (www.freeadvicegirl.com), by which she seeks to uplift humanity one conversation at a time. She has spoken to over 5,000 people in service to this mission. With her passion for education, Lisa piloted The Advice Project. This was a series of educational workshops held in NYC public schools designed to empower adolescents to develop and express their own voice. Question 2 from "Doubtful Dater"—Advice for those who feel misunderstood while dating Our guest is Ronda L. Metcalf. She works at UCSF, dispatching for Facilities Services. She is the most awesome person to ever give advice on this podcast, even Momma B says so. Question 3 from "Handsome Nugget Lover"—Advice for those who looking to make a friendship into a romance. Our guest is Charlie Beckerman. Charlie Beckerman is kind of surprised anyone wants his advice about dating, but not so surprised that he's not going to give it. He's the creator of the podcast Serial Dater which can be found at www.serialdaterpodcast.com, as well as on iTunes and Stitcher. He's also one-half of Fashion It So, the Internet's premiere Star Trek: The Next Generation fashion blog. During the day he writes for Bustle.com about all sorts of political stuff. For more information about all of his projects, check out www.charliebeckerman.com. Advice from Mom is a production of Wise Ones Advice Services. It produced & edited by me, RGB. Sound engineering by Bryan Garza. Our theme music is Love, Jerks. Big thanks to everyone who sent us questions, and to all my friends who gave input & advice for this episode (Sasha, Ash, Aviva, Jane, Michael, Brad, and Bryan) and to Papa B and my sister Laura for helping me organize a special birthday treat for Momma B for her 70th birthday. If you’d like to add your birthday wish to Momma B, call 706-9-ASK-MOM, I promise to never answer if you promise always to sing. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

This is a holiday bonus segment for Episode 01 of Advice from Mom. If traveling for the holidays means visiting politically-divided households, this bonus is for you. Momma B & me would like to offer you a little audio care package for your journey. Each question gets 3 doses of advice. First you’ll hear Momma B’s advice. Next: You’ll hear a segment called Mother-Daughter Pickleball, where your host, Rebecca presents some clarifying questions and builds on Momma B's advice. Last, you’ll hear a second opinion, because it’s always good to get a second opinion. Here’s the question: I voted for Hillary this election and let’s just say my mom voted very differently. She keeps telling me everything's fine. I should "get over it." She's invalidating my feelings and it absolutely breaks my heart. I consider my mom my best friend, but right now, she doesn't understand me. I'm going to see her next week. I feel like if I attempt to talk to her about this, we'll both get too emotional and overreact. We are peas in a pod that way. How can I move towards a place of understanding and forgiveness without causing a huge argument? I worry if I say something, it will end badly. If I don't say something, then her choice is validated, which I certainly don’t want. Is there middle ground? Signed, Drinking in San Francisco The guest in this segment is Diane. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

Welcome to advice from my mom. She's a psychologist & family therapist and I think you will find she really cares! This post-election episode includes 3 questions and some general advice at the top and bottom of the show. Each question gets 3 doses of advice. First you’ll hear Momma B’s advice. Next: You’ll hear a segment called Mother-Daughter Pickelball, where your host, Rebecca presents some clarifying questions and builds on Momma B's advice. Last, you’ll hear a second opinion, because it’s always good to get a second opinion. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer diagnosis or treatment of any medical or psychological condition. All treatment decisions should be made in partnership with your health professional.

This is Part 2 of 5 of Episode 01 of Advice from Mom. The question is: Since the election, I can’t stop reading the news. It’s the only way I’ve found to wrap my brain around what just happened. It’s not calming. It’s fear-inducing. On the other hand, I know I can't just bury my head in the sand, as much as that sounds so nice right now. What are some good coping mechanisms? How can I stay engaged without being on edge all of the time? Signed, Feeling Blue in Blue State The guest in this segment is Ahmad El Najar. Ahmad El Najar is a former legislative staffer and political campaign manager, now working on public policy and strategy at Townsquared.com (https://townsquared.com/blog/author/ahmad/) in New York. Previously, he worked as the Communications Director, City and County of San Francisco, Board of Supervisors. He has an International Human Rights Law degree from Oxford University. His current political advocacy work is with Take Back NYC (http://www.takebacknyc.nyc/) http://linkedin.com/in/ahmad-najjar-a9382017 As mentioned in this segment: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy: http://waterlandlife.org

This is Part 3 of 5 of Episode 01 of Advice from Mom. The question is: I'm a normal person with a normal job and a pretty normal life. Like many people this election season, I was motivated by fear to step out of my comfort zone and get political. I made calls for the Hillary campaign, wrote #ImWithHer letters, and even wore business-casual clothes to Las Vegas where I stood outside for 12 hours as a poll observer. The thing is, I LOVED it. I loved that feeling of working hard for something that mattered, and it was about 10x more satisfying than the sizable paycheck I get from my corporate marketing job. Now the election is over and I'm doing all the things I'm supposed to be doing... reading ALL the news, calling my local and national representatives, becoming a member of the ACLU, etc. But I feel like I'm permanently changed, and now everything in my day job seems so ridiculous and utterly meaningless. I used to think my job was fun, and that I was lucky for getting paid to be creative. Now I come home feeling disgusted with myself for wasting my brain, my time, and whatever meager semblance of talent I have left. (Yep, I'm in THAT kinda dark place.) My question is: What do I do now? How do I know if this feeling is a real sign to make a change or just a fleeting fancy of some 32-year-old with the social consciousness of a freshman at a liberal arts school? Signed, Optimistic People-Pleaser The guest in this segment is Arun Chaudhary. Arun Chaudhary is a filmmaker working in politics. He is currently a partner at REVOLUTION MESSAGING: www.revolutionmessaging.com Chaudhary was the first official White House videographer, a position created for him at the beginning of the Obama administration. Chaudhary traveled extensively with the President, capturing public events and behind-the-scenes moments as well as producing and packaging presidential tapings for the Internet and broadcast television. He is the creator and architect of “WEST WING WEEK,” the first-ever online video diary of the White House. During his tenure, he wrote, produced, shot and edited over 63 episodes of West Wing Week, documenting the President through his rigorous weekly agenda. He also directed many tapings of the Weekly Address. Chaudhary was a key member of BARACK OBAMA’S NEW MEDIA TEAM during the 2008 campaign. As the New Media Road Director, Chaudhary oversaw the team responsible for capturing the day-to-day life of the future president in video and stills. He and his team set a new standard in documenting history, delivering crucial images to the public from the road in real time. Before joining the Obama team, Chaudhary worked in film in New York and was part of the NYU GRADUATE FILM DEPARTMENT faculty. He received his MFA IN FILMMAKING FROM NYU and his BA IN FILM THEORY FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY. Chaudhary has been profiled by the New York Times, the BBC, National Journal, Politico, Fortune, and many political websites. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, son and daughter.