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The Good Enough Mother

The Good Enough Mother

By: Dr Sophie Brock
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The role of being a Mother offers us the potential for incredible expansion, growth, and power, while also being one of – if not THE – most challenging, undervalued, and taken for granted roles in the world. Motherhood Studies Sociologist, researcher, and single Mother, Dr Sophie Brock hosts The Good Enough Mother (TGEM) podcast with an aim to change how Motherhood is culturally defined and individually experienced. TGEM draws its name from a theorist and pediatrician Winnicott, who highlighted the ways ‘good enough’ parenting is actually what is best for our children – not perfectionism. The podcast centres the Mother as the starting point for conversations with experts and change-makers who are passionate about seeing social, cultural, and institutional change to better support Mothers and therefore our families, and communities.All rights reserved
Episodes
  • 129. Motherhood as Leadership Training: Rethinking Ambition, Burnout, and Balance with Nicky Lowe

    129. Motherhood as Leadership Training: Rethinking Ambition, Burnout, and Balance with Nicky Lowe
    Jun 17 2026
    In this episode, I’m joined by Nicky Lowe - award-winning Executive Coach, Founder of Luminate Group - to explore the intersection of paid work, leadership, and motherhood. Nicky shares her experience of burnout after becoming a mother and how it reshaped both her life and her work. We discuss motherhood as a vertical development transition, one of the most profound shifts in identity and growth a woman can experience, and the importance of cultivating personal leadership to navigate career and caregiving in more sustainable ways. Together we reflect on the motherhood penalty, the motherhood advantage, and what becomes possible when women are supported to thrive in systems not yet designed with mothers in mind. . . . CONNECT WITH NICKY LOWE - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/luminate/ - Luminate Group Website : https://luminate-group.co.uk - Podcast: https://luminate-group.co.uk/podcasts/ . . . Download Sophie's free Care Career Conundrum Checklist and see how many indicators you or the mothers you support tick off in navigating the tension between care and career: https://motherhoodstudies.newzenler.com/courses/the-care-career-conundrum-checklist/buy
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    47 mins
  • 128. Matrescence Through the Lens of Occupational Therapy with Hollie Swanton

    128. Matrescence Through the Lens of Occupational Therapy with Hollie Swanton
    May 28 2026
    In this episode, I’m joined by Mental Health Endorsed Occupational Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator and Motherhood Studies practitioner Hollie Swanton to explore matrescence, regulation, identity, and the transition into motherhood through the lens of occupational therapy. Hollie supports women both perinatally and across the lifespan using body-based and mind-body approaches to healing, regulation, and reconnection. Together we explore the often invisible work of adapting to motherhood - the shifts in identity, routines, relationships, nervous system responses, and daily occupations that can emerge during the transition into becoming a mother. We discuss what occupational therapy actually is, how OTs can support mothers, and why motherhood can feel so physically and emotionally dysregulating, particularly within systems and cultures that often leave women unsupported, overstimulated, and disconnected from themselves. CONNECT WITH HOLLIE: Free meditations and somatic practices for mothers: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au/free-meditations-for-mothers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollieswanton_ot/ Website: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au Resources: https://www.hollieswanton.com.au/hearth-womens-health
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    36 mins
  • 127. When It Feels Like You’re Not Doing Enough

    127. When It Feels Like You’re Not Doing Enough
    Apr 29 2026
    *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
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    24 mins
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