The Good Enough Mother

*The Motherhood Studies Certification is currently open for enrolment, starting May 6th: https://drsophiebrock.com/motherhoodstudies

In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on a feeling that so many of us carry - the sense that we’re not doing enough. This can show up as the never-ending to-do list, the sense of being “behind”, comparison to others, or the pressure to keep doing more. In this episode, I explore where this feeling comes from and reflect on:
- The difference between “not being enough” and “not doing enough”
- Why “enough” often feels like a moving target
- How cultural expectations shape our internal narratives

If you work with mothers (or are moving into this space), I also explore the sense of relational responsibility many practitioners carry - and why your humanness is not a limitation, but part of your work. I speak to the importance of locating yourself within a broader system, rather than positioning yourself outside of it.

If you’d like to explore the idea of “good enough” more deeply, you can also listen to:
Ep 100. What is the Essence of 'Good Enough'? Bridging Child and Adult Psychology with Dr Tanya Cotler - https://on.soundcloud.com/ApWBt5ayLUUxGYdop1

Have you ever felt two completely different emotions about motherhood at the same time?

Moments of deep love and connection… alongside frustration, resentment, or overwhelm?

Have you ever wondered whether something is wrong with you for feeling this way?

Or noticed how often mothers feel pressure to present only the loving, patient, endlessly grateful parts of themselves?

In this episode, I’m joined by psychotherapist and author Dr Margo Lowy to explore the concept of maternal ambivalence - the experience of holding multiple, often contradictory feelings about motherhood at the same time.

Dr Margo invites us to understand maternal ambivalence as a vital part of mothering - the capacity to hold the full range of feelings that arise in relationship with our children.
Together we explore the emotional complexity of mothering, the cultural pressures that encourage mothers to suppress parts of themselves, and how learning to sit with conflicting feelings can deepen connection, compassion, and resilience.

CONNECT WITH DR MARGO LOWY:

• Book: Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood - https://drmargolowy.com/book/maternal-ambivalence-the-loving-moments-bitter-truths-of-motherhood/
• Website: https://drmargolowy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmargolowy

This episode marks a return to the podcast after a profound personal loss. In September 2025, my mother died suddenly. Since then, my world - personally, professionally, relationally - has shifted in ways I’m still coming to understand. In this episode, I speak gently and honestly about grief, responsibility, and what it's meant to me to try and continue with my work without over-functioning or disappearing.

I reflect on what it means to show up 'good enough' in seasons where capacity and pace are altered, and how we might continue mothering, working, and creating.

I also share excerpts from an article I’ve written honouring my mother’s life and work, reflecting on 5 lessons my mum taught me.

In this episode I explore:

- What it means to return to creative and professional work after profound loss
- Grief as an ongoing, embodied process
- Liminality: living in a space that doesn’t “close” or come to neat completion
- The tension between authenticity, boundaries, and public-facing work
- Showing up without over-functioning, performing, or abandoning yourself
- Lessons in resilience, meaning-making, and care learned through relationship
- Creativity, imagination, and art as sustaining practices
- Love as a transcendent, relational force

mETAphor journal for English teachers - https://www.englishteacher.com.au/resources/categories?id=82

What happens when the emotional, hormonal, and cultural shifts of perimenopause intersect with the daily realities of motherhood? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Cristina Cavezza - clinical psychologist, certified Motherhood Studies practitioner, and mother of twins - for a powerful conversation on the complexities of midlife mothering.

Cristina shares her clinical and lived experience of working with mothers during the menopausal transition, exploring how body image, eating habits, and emotional wellbeing are shaped by both personal history and broader systems of power. We talk about the role of objectification theory, the impact of internalised shame and societal shoulds, and the importance of approaching our inner worlds with compassion and curiosity.

Cristina brings a trauma-informed, feminist lens to her work - blending schema therapy, EMDR, and therapeutic re-parenting to support women in understanding their emotional needs and reclaiming a more connected relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves.
She also offers a beautiful reminder about the importance of play - not just for our children, but for us too.

CONNECT WITH DR. CRISTINA CAVEZZA
📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_cristina_cavezza/?hl=en
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573518659491
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cristina-cavezza-222441209/

In this episode I’m joined by Jessica Tomich Sorci, LMFT - a Level 3 Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist, Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional, and the creator of “Mom Parts.” Jessica brings decades of experience in maternal mental health and introduces us to the profound concept of parts work within the context of motherhood. We explore how IFS offers a radically compassionate lens through which to understand maternal distress, not as pathology, but as a protective and adaptive system.
Jessica shares how her own postpartum years “blasted apart her psychological infrastructure,” and how discovering IFS brought the structure and depth she needed, both personally and professionally. We talk about her groundbreaking book When Good Moms Feel Bad (forthcoming in 2026 from Hachette Balance), which helps mothers reconnect with their inner wisdom through compassion, creativity, and curiosity. From rage and reactivity to grief, shame, and intergenerational wounds, this conversation holds space for the full range of the emotional experiences of mothers.
Connect with Jessica:
🌿 Website: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatomichsorci/
🌿 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatomichsorci
🌿 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.sorci.14