Episode Details

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Madeline, a counsellor for millennial women and mum of one from Melbourne, to talk about mum rage, self-compassion, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and the identity shifts that come with motherhood.

Madeline shares how becoming a mother challenged her lifelong people-pleasing tendencies and became the catalyst for a deeper understanding of herself. Together, we explore how motherhood can uncover parts of ourselves we've spent years trying to silence, and how approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help us respond to those parts with curiosity and compassion rather than judgement.

We also discuss mum rage, perfectionism, creativity, and the unexpected ways motherhood can reconnect us with who we really are. Madeline offers a thoughtful perspective on embracing our emotions instead of fearing them, reminding us that healing often begins with self-understanding rather than self-criticism.

If you've experienced mum rage, you're learning to let go of people-pleasing, or you're curious about Internal Family Systems and self-compassion, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone and a little more at home within yourself.

Book mentioned

• No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma & Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz

Topics discussed: mum rage, maternal anger, Internal Family Systems, IFS, parts work, self-compassion, people-pleasing, motherhood identity, creativity, emotional healing, counselling, maternal mental health.