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Sam, Rachel, and Zara are back for an unfiltered Mom-Talk! This week: Sam drops a jaw-dropping story about a friend who discovered herself in the Epstein files. Rachel opens up about going no contact with her mom, her bipolar and autism diagnosis, and her alcohol-free journey. Zara sparks a conversation about maternal ambivalence after a Love Is Blind contestant goes viral. Plus: the BYU wage gap, Ballerina Farm's 9th pregnancy, the cartel crisis in Puerto Vallarta, influencer brand deal transparency, and why raising emotionally intelligent boys is harder than anyone warned us.

Episode Summary: The episode kicks off with Sam sharing a stunning Super Bowl Sunday story — a mom friend revealed she was referenced in the newly released Epstein files by a former boss. This launches a broader conversation about the files and what's (not) being covered in mainstream media.

Rachel then opens up about her complicated journey to going no-contact with her mother, rooted in a violent incident involving her brother that her parents failed to adequately address. She shares how a therapist guided her through writing an unsent letter, eventually reconnecting briefly with her mom — and why the relationship remains strained. She also discusses being diagnosed as bipolar and autistic as an adult, and how those missed diagnoses shaped her childhood and family dynamics.

The hosts dive into sobriety — Rachel is over two years alcohol-free, Sam has been sober from alcohol for 13 years, and Zara has never really drunk. They discuss generational drinking norms, anxiety, and how knowing yourself is the key to staying the course.

A Love Is Blind storyline about maternal ambivalence sparks a rich discussion about whether moms "regret" having kids — and how that conversation echoes the Chappell Roan controversy. The hosts get honest about delayed bonding, postpartum struggles, and how quitting corporate jobs changed everything.

They tackle Ballerina Farm's 9th pregnancy, the BYU gender wage gap ($800/year average for female graduates), gender roles in parenting, and raising emotionally intelligent boys. Rachel shares a hilarious anecdote about her son thinking cursive is "Spanish writing," and Sam reflects on only-child guilt.

The episode wraps with influencer business talk — Rachel breaks down brand deal rates with rare transparency, and the hosts discuss the Puerto Vallarta cartel crisis, the viral "folliculaire" moment, and algorithm rabbit holes.

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/

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In this raw, wide-ranging Pop Culture Mom Talk episode, Sam and Zara are joined by new co-host Rachel Gibbs (@rachonlife) for an unfiltered conversation about what’s flooding women’s algorithms — and why it feels so overwhelming right now.

They unpack everything from toxic TV relationships like Tell Me Lies to the unsettling ripple effects of the Epstein files, the Blake Lively / Justin Baldoni discourse, and why so many women feel like pop culture has crossed from escapism into emotional overload.

The conversation weaves through influencer ethics, why more moms are pulling their kids off social media, how motherhood changes your tolerance for “hot mom” culture, and what it really means to parent intentionally in a world that feels increasingly unsafe and unregulated. From unaccompanied minors on flights to uncomfortable truths about privacy, power, and who actually gets held accountable — nothing is off-limits.

It’s funny, uncomfortable, validating, and very much a reflection of the moment we’re all living in. If your algorithm feels dark, confusing, or too real lately — you’re not alone.

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Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/

Send us a text

A high-pressure desk at JP Morgan. A meal-prep side account called Freckled Foodie. A car accident that made everything loud and urgent. Cameron Rogers takes us through the leap from finance to full-time creator and the even bigger transition that came with becoming a mother during a global pandemic. We get candid about how identity can fracture and reform in those first months, why postpartum depression doesn’t always look like you expect, and how honest help—childcare, a cleaning routine, and a truly shared division of labor—keeps families and careers afloat.

We dig into the mental health side that rarely shows up on glossy feeds: intrusive thoughts that arrive like movie scenes you never asked to see, anxiety that clings to every doorbell, and the slow recalibration of medication, sleep, and boundaries that make days feel doable again. Cameron shares how she set guardrails around her kids’ privacy while still speaking openly about motherhood’s hardest edges, and why transparency about support matters. You’ll hear how she reframed “real work,” built a financial runway, and grew a sustainable creator business—with a podcast schedule, a team, and a product designed for busy, buzzing minds: Quiet Your Mind and Busy Your Hands.

There’s practical wisdom here too: swapping but for and to hold two truths without guilt, carving out time that belongs only to you, and using small joys like romance novels to reset attention and rekindle desire. We also talk Fair Play, the realities of entrepreneurship, the loss of corporate stability, and the joy of building your own team. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re allowed to love your kids and need space, to be grateful for work and still crave rest, this conversation offers language, tools, and relief.

If this resonated, follow and subscribe for more real talk on motherhood, mental health, and creative work. Share the episode with a friend who needs permission to say and instead of but, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Support the show

Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/