Listen To My Mother

12: A Digital Timecapsule: "How Did Your Family Relate to Religion?"

Shain opens up about her “soul friend” in the ICU and what it feels like to be the person everyone relies on in a crisis. With no listener submission this month, Sarah pulls out one of her keepsake journals and asks Shain a question straight from the page: “Were your parents religious when you were growing up?”
That single prompt leads to stories about Holocaust-survivor parents, Jewish identity, and the very different versions of “family dinner” they each grew up with. They wrap by reflecting on the best advice Shain ever received — and the advice she wishes she hadn’t. It’s tender, honest, and exactly the kind of conversation Sarah is grateful to have recorded.
Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmissionAnd follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/

11: The Comparison Trap: "How Can I Make Peace with a Path That Didn’t Pay Off?"

This week, Shain and Sarah respond to a listener who’s struggling to make peace with a career risk that didn’t go as planned—and the sting of comparing herself to friends earning four times her salary. They unpack what it means to redefine success when life doesn’t follow a straight line. Shain applauds the courage it takes to start over and Sarah explores how grief, growth, and comparison intertwine. Together, they offer grounded insight on how to honor the lessons, release the shame, and move forward with purpose.
Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmissionAnd follow us on Instagram at: @listentomymother

10: Friendships in Transition: “Should I talk to her about her boyfriend?”

This week, Shain and Sarah tackle a listener’s question about a friend who seems to be drifting away. Is it just the natural pull of a new relationship, or something more concerning? 
For the first time, mother and daughter don’t quite see eye to eye—Shain doesn't hold back, while Sarah leans into the complexities of grief, boundaries, and what it means when friendships shift. Along the way, they share how to grieve the end of an era, how to stay connected without judgment, and what to do if a friend may be caught in an abusive or controlling relationship.
Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmissionAnd follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/

9: Stuck In The Past: “Why can’t I let go of resentment?"

In this week’s episode, Shain and Sarah dive into a listener’s heartfelt question, "What happens when attraction fades in a long-term marriage—even after repair?"
Shain shares her own story of decades of resentment, hurtful words, and disconnection as well as the surprising ways intimacy and trust eventually found their way back. Sarah brings the clinical lens, weaving in how the body remembers past trauma and what it takes to rewire safety, trust, and desire in partnership.
Together, they offer both the motherly wisdom and therapeutic insight that remind us it’s possible to hold past pain and present love at the same time. And sometimes, letting go takes time.
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And follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/

8: Questioning Motherhood: "Do you ever wish you didn't have kids?"

With no listener question this week, Sarah turns the mic on Shain and asks, "Do you ever wish you didn’t have kids?" Their conversation touches on societal pressures, the modern dilemma of choice, and their relationships to the children in their lives. Shain reflects on the lack of choice she felt when starting her family, while Sarah opens up about her own uncertainty.
Want your anonymous question answered on air? Submit your question using the link in the show notes and there's a high likelihood you'll be chosen!
Have a question you'd like answered on-air? Submit it at bit.ly/listentomysubmission
And follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/listentomymother/

7: Relationship Breakdown: "How Do I Reclaim My Peace?"

Shain and Sarah receive a submission from 'Bella,' a woman facing a sudden and puzzling change in her neighbor's demeanor.
Once supportive and friendly, her neighbor has turned hostile, complicating Bella's life and leaving her unsure how to proceed.
In this episode, Shain and Sarah dig into the complex dynamics of neighborhood relationships, personal boundaries, and the difficult choices Bella faces to reclaim her peace.

6: Mini Episode: "Why Are You Flying Into a War Zone?"

In this quick check-in episode, Shain and Sarah discuss Sarah's upcoming trip to Israel amidst travel chaos and global tensions.
The resulting conversation touches on the Jewish experience both in America and Israel and highlights contrasting fears faced by Jews around the world.

5: Confidence: "Do I Still Have What it Takes?"

Shain and Sarah receive a submission from 'Nurse D' about her growing lack of confidence in her career. Nurse D asks the question so many of us are quietly holding: "What if I’m not as sharp as I used to be?" In this episode, Shain and Sarah explore the complicated intersection of aging, identity, and self-worth.

4: Body Shaming: "Where did you learn that?"

In lieu of a listener's submission, Shain turns the mic toward Sarah and asks, "If you could ask me one question before I die, what would it be?"
What unfolds is a raw and real conversation about how a mother’s words can become a child’s self-talk, the legacy of body shaming, and the lifelong echoes of the way we were seen as children.

3: Family Communication: "He really cannot read the room!"

It's a family affair as Mara, Sarah's older sister, joins Shain and Sarah to talk about antisemitism, the legacy of holocaust survivors (and whether or not humor is an appropriate part of remembrance), and the pitfalls of family communication.