Why Motherhood Triggers Past Trauma & What To Do About It with Lilly Risch Artwork

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 This space challenges those outdated expectations and embraces a more empowered, more supported, more self-honoring version of motherhood.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

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The Sparkle Project

Why Motherhood Triggers Past Trauma & What To Do About It with Lilly Risch

July 08, 2025 • Emily Rose Hardy • Episode 156

Why does motherhood seem to resurface wounds you thought were long buried? In this episode, Emily sits down with trauma therapist Lilly Risch to explore the deep, often surprising ways parenting can trigger unresolved trauma, and how healing is not only possible, but transformational.

Together, they discuss:

Why becoming a parent often brings up your "stuff"
The difference between normal parenting stress and trauma-based reactions
What “mother wounds” really are, and how they show up
How to identify when your triggers are rooted in past experiences
Ways to respond more intentionally to your child without shame
The power of repair, self-awareness, and breaking generational cycles

Whether you’re navigating mom rage, guilt, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm, this conversation is a validating reminder that you are not alone, and healing can happen even in the messiness of motherhood.

🔗 Connect with Lilly:

Instagram: @forward.healing.therapy
Website: www.forwardhealingtherapy.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @worthymotherpodcast

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