Episode Details

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In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Sarah Paris about identity loss and transformation through the early challenges of motherhood. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Sarah shares her personal story of postpartum struggle, the unexpected realities of new motherhood, and how she rebuilt her sense of self through community, therapy, and self-care. Listeners will gain insight into the often unseen emotional toll of early parenting, the importance of seeking support, and practical ways to reclaim joy as a caregiver.

About Sarah Paris:

Sarah Parise is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Perinatal Wellness Specialist, and mom who helps women reclaim their energy, identity, and sense of calm through small, sustainable habits. With over 20 years of experience in fitness and wellness, Sarah focuses on wellness practices that fit into real life, not perfection or pressure.

After struggling in her early years of motherhood, she shifted the way she approached health, moving away from all or nothing thinking and toward consistency, self trust, and regulation. Through her signature 2% approach, Sarah teaches women how tiny daily choices can create lasting change for themselves and the families watching them.

Main Topics Covered:

• The emotional and physical impact of traumatic delivery and sleep deprivation for new moms
• Recognizing and addressing postpartum depression, rage, and guilt even when not outwardly obvious
• The myth of the “selfless mother” and the societal pressure to prioritize children above self-care
• Finding and building a support system—including therapy, pelvic floor specialists, and community—for maternal mental health
• The dangers of isolation and the power of sharing honest stories about parenting struggles
• How early experiences as a daughter and oldest sibling shaped Sarah’s ideas of motherhood
• Navigating faith, family guilt, and self-judgment in defining what “good mothering” means
• Practical self-care: Incorporating small daily rituals and movement for mothers at any stage

Quote from the Episode:

"I just feel like I have to do something for myself that's just me to make me feel like I'm a human again…you showed up. Just keep showing up." — Sarah Paris

Timestamps:

[00:00:20] Amy welcomes Sarah; home in Raleigh, NC, and weather talk

[00:01:16] Sarah’s generational identity—growing up Gen X/Xennial

[00:02:15] When did Sarah know she wanted kids? Journey from “no way” as a teacher to becoming a mom at 36

[00:03:44] Pregnancy experience—health, insomnia, and delivery expectations

[00:06:25] Difficult labor and traumatic birth story; NICU moments and rapid detour from a “birth plan”

[00:08:32] How birth trauma and loss of control foreshadow motherhood’s unpredictability

[00:09:36] Sarah’s personality as a “planner who rolls with the punches,” and the complications of a broken tailbone during delivery

[00:11:56] Why postpartum trauma and fatigue matter for emotional recovery

[00:13:18] Sarah’s six-month postpartum breaking point—exhaustion, rage, isolation in Santa Monica

[00:15:10] Moment of crisis on the Palisades park bluff and the decision to seek help

[00:17:20] First steps toward self-care: yoga, small rituals, and building a new support network

[00:21:09] How family modeling (her mother’s selflessness) shaped Sarah’s motherhood ideals and inner critic

[00:23:11] Navigating faith, Catholic guilt, and expectations of sacrificial mothering

[00:25:05] Why staying home with kids isn’t for everyone; judgment and permission to choose other paths

[00:2