The Sparkle Project
(Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast)
The Sparkle Project is a feminist podcast for moms who are done carrying the weight of motherhood alone and are ready to connect with who they truly are - their sparkle, if you will.
So many of us feel overwhelmed not because we’re failing, but because we’re mothering inside a patriarchal system that expects us to give endlessly, stay quiet, and lose ourselves in the process. This space challenges those outdated expectations and embraces a more empowered, more supported, more self-honoring version of motherhood.
Hosted by Emily Rose MacDonald, a divorced mom of two on her own journey to shine a little brighter, each episode explores the realities of modern motherhood through a feminist lens that values equity, autonomy, mental health, and the humanity of moms.
You’ll hear conversations about identity, mental health, self-care, healing, and the many ways we can reclaim ourselves in a world that often overlooks the needs of mothers.
If you’re a mom who believes we deserve more than survival, and that our culture has to evolve for moms to truly thrive, you’re in the right place.
Welcome to The Sparkle Project.
Instagram:
@honestlyemilyrose
@thesparkleprojectpod
TikTok:
@thesparkleprojectpod
Episodes
252 episodes
Why Making Mom Friends Feels Impossible & What Actually Works with Baily Hancock
Making mom friends can feel surprisingly lonely, awkward, and exhausting - especially when you're already stretched thin by motherhood. In this episode of The Sparkle Project, Emily is joined by Baily Hancock, connection strategist, mo...
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Episode 178
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57:48
The Glow Up: How I Found My Sparkle (Introducing The Sparkle Project)
Motherhood doesn’t have to mean losing yourself.In this first episode of The Sparkle Project, Emily introduces the evolution of the podcast and the deeper conversations ahead about identity, mental health, fulfillment, and what ...
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Episode 177
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15:51
Welcome to The Sparkle Project!
The Sparkle Project is a podcast for moms who are done carrying the weight of motherhood alone and are ready to connect with who they truly are - their sparkle, if you will.So many of us feel overwhelmed not because we’re failing, but b...
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1:08
[REPLAY] Can Women Have It All? Exploring Happiness in Motherhood with Dr. Giselle Goodwin
This is a replay of one of our most popular and impactful past episodes, and originally aired in April 2024. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you give yourself grace when mother...
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56:43
[REPLAY] Why You Need To Stop Equating Your Worth To Your Roles with Ashley Fernandez
This is a replay of one of our most popular and impactful past episodes, and originally aired in November 2022. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you recognize your worth outside...
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1:01:25
[Self-Care Snippet] Make Sure Your Basic Needs Are Being Met with Stacy McCann
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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3:36
[REPLAY] Protecting Your Peace: Setting Boundaries with Difficult Family Members with Lauren Auwood
This is a replay of one of our most popular and impactful past episodes, and originally aired in March 2025. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you navigate complex family dynamic...
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31:52
[REPLAY] Breaking Cycles of Trauma Through Inner Child Healing with Mindi Kessler, PhD
This is a replay of one of our most popular and impactful past episodes, and originally aired in November 2022. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you learn how to navigate trauma...
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46:42
[Self-Care Snippet] Choose What You Do For You with Courtney Florey
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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3:11
[REPLAY] Mom Rage: Why Anger Shows Up In Motherhood & What We Can Do About It with Alexis Bonsall
This is a replay of one of our most popular and impactful past episodes, and originally aired in April 2024. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, this episode will help you feel seen in your experience of...
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40:23
When It’s Time to Evolve: What’s Next For Worthy Mother Podcast
You’re tuning in to the final episode of Worthy Mother Podcast as we know it... But this is only just the beginning! In January 2026, the podcast will return, but things will be different. In this episode, Emily...
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Episode 176
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16:06
[Self-Care Snippet] Your Kids Are Watching And Learning Aly Pain
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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3:30
Redefining Success and Ambition as a Working Mom with Aparna Kumar Boehm
Becoming a mom can completely change how you see yourself, especially if your identity was built around career achievement. In this episode, Emily talks with Aparna Kumar Boehm, a working mom coach and former tech leader, about redefining succe...
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Episode 175
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46:30
Why Calm Isn’t the Goal: Rethinking Emotional Regulation in Motherhood with Mackenzie Kinmond
Do moms really need to stay calm all the time? In this Worthy Mother Podcast episode, Emily talks with Mackenzie Kinmond, parenthood transformation coach and attachment-focused therapist, about the pressure to regulate emotions perfect...
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Episode 174
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42:55
[Self-Care Snippet] Create Rountine With Your Embodiment Practices with Jocelyn Diles
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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3:27
Romanticize Your Life: Small Acts That Inspire Gratitude Every Day
In this episode, Emily opens up about how romanticizing her daily life has helped her rediscover gratitude, self-love, and peace in the middle of motherhood’s chaos. From sipping coffee in a favorite glass to lighting a candle while making dinn...
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Episode 173
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18:52
How Choosing Yourself Changes Everything in Motherhood with Katie Eberman
What does it really mean to choose yourself as a mom? In this conversation, Emily sits down with single mom and entrepreneur Katie Eberman, to explore how motherhood, identity, and self-worth intertwine. Katie opens up about her transf...
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Episode 172
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43:27
[Self-Care Snippet] Don't Forget To Have Fun with Morgan Danielle
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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1:28
How to Get Better Sleep as an Overwhelmed Mom with Dr. Daniella Marchetti
We all know sleep is important, but actually getting good sleep in motherhood is easier said than done. In this episode, Dr. Daniella Marchetti, a clinical psychologist board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine, joins Emily to explore the cr...
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Episode 171
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32:57
Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: Why Taking Care of You Is a Gift to Your Kids
Is self-care really selfish? Or could it be one of the best gifts you ever give your kids? In this episode of Worthy Mother Podcast, Emily shares a refreshing and empowering take on what it truly means for moms to take care of themselv...
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Episode 170
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23:38
[Self-Care Snippet] Putting Self-Care Time On The Calendar with Kyira Wackett
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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3:46
Matrescence & The Identity Shift of Motherhood with Dr. Emily Guarnotta
Becoming a mother is often described as beautiful and life-changing, but what about the profound identity shift that comes with it? In this episode, host Emily talks with Dr. Emily Guarnotta, a perinatal psychologist and mom of two, about matre...
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Episode 169
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36:22
Motherhood & Neurodivergence in a World That Hasn’t Caught Up with Amanda Losch
Motherhood is already complex, but when neurodivergence, medical needs, and systemic gaps are part of the picture, the challenges (and the growth) can feel overwhelming. In this episode, Emily is joined by Amanda Losch, a complex trauma therapi...
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Episode 168
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50:14
[Self-Care Snippet] Do What Energizes You with Sally Bisbee
This is a Self-Care Snippet from Worthy Mother Podcast. As mothers, we need to prioritize our own care. Within this few-minute long episode, you will hear how our past guests prioritize their own self-care and some tips on how you can do the sa...
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4:30
Letting Go Of The Pressure To Be "Productive" All The Time
Do you ever feel guilty for sitting down, resting, or doing something just for joy? If so, you’re not alone. Our culture glorifies productivity, and for moms, that often means carrying impossible expectations both inside and outside the home. B...
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Episode 167
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16:43