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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.

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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.

pop culture podcast, mom podcast, motherhood and pop culture, Epstein files discussion, Blake Lively controversy, influencer kids privacy, parenting in 2026, intentional parenting, mom mental load, TikTok algorithm moms, Instagram motherhood, child privacy online, influencer ethics, modern motherhood stress, parenting and social media, pop culture commentary women, millennial moms podcast, Gen X moms podcast, women talking pop culture, internet safety for kids

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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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/

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From Blake Lively to Bank Accounts: Casting Kids, Quitting Hollywood & Making Money Online

What happens when a former Hollywood casting director walks away from Disney, kid actors, and a very dark industry… and accidentally builds a wildly profitable pop-culture media empire?

In this episode, @thisisdanabowling (TT/YT) pulls back the curtain on everything — from casting Zendaya and Jenna Ortega to why she would never let her own kids enter the entertainment industry. We talk Blake Lively headlines, the uncomfortable truth about child actors, and how millennial women were sold a How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days fantasy career that never actually existed.

Dana opens up about hitting financial rock bottom while “keeping up with the LA mom crowd” (that included actually Real Housewives like Teddi Mellencamp) while quietly drowning in debt, and the exact pivot that helped her rebuild — fast. She breaks down how Daily Dose of Dana really makes money (YouTube, podcast ads, Patreon, brand deals), why content creation is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and what most people don’t understand about going viral.

We also get real about:

• The hidden power (and emotional cost) of being able to pivot
• Why your friends won’t support you when you start posting online
• The Blake Lively coverage that sent her views through the roof
• Why women are better at reinvention than men (sorry, not sorry)
• Raising kids in a world where everything is content
• And what it means to be unapologetically Jewish in today’s pop-culture landscape

If you’ve ever fantasized about quitting your job, side-eyed influencer money, or wondered what actually happens behind the scenes in Hollywood — this episode is the reality check you didn’t know you needed.

🎧 Listen now — especially if you love pop culture, money talk, and the truth about motherhood no one says out loud.

#BlakeLively
#BethennyFrankel

#motherhood

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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Parenthood didn’t just change our guest’s calendar; it rewired her relationship with work. Kaleana Quibell spent years inside Bay Area benefits, rolling out wellness, mental health, and family programs for marquee tech companies. Then two kids, an eight-minute delivery room sprint, and a parade of sick days revealed what the slide decks missed: policies don’t parent; people do. She chose a different path—part-time caregiving, part-time consulting, and a new platform, Both And, that maps real options for working families.

We dig into the practical moves that make flexibility real. Kaleana explains why to set up an LLC before you “need” it, why a simple website and scope template save hours, and how to quote your first “pick your brain” call without flinching. We unpack health insurance for independents, state leave programs, and the growing set of platforms bundling coverage with invoicing. If benefits have kept you tethered to a job that no longer fits, this is your permission slip—and your playbook—to build a safety net outside the org chart.

Care gets reimagined, too. Instead of outsourcing the moments that matter, Kaleana shows how to offload everything else: a mother’s helper for two hours, a retired neighbor for errands, targeted help for laundry or car seats. That patchwork approach turns invisible labor visible, lowers stress, and catches the inevitable surprises—school closures, coughs, and last‑minute travel—without blowing up your week. We also confront culture head-on: how “above and beyond” rewards availability over outcomes, how moms are judged on extras, and why consulting can flip the power dynamic to pay for results.

By the end, you’ll have a clearer map for stay, shift, or step away: negotiating part-time or IC roles, keeping a toe in your craft, and measuring success by time, health, and presence—not just salary. Ready to design a career that fits your family and your ambition? Listen, share with a friend who needs options, and subscribe for more real‑world playbooks. Then tell us: what’s the first lever you’ll pull to reclaim your time?

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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The cracks in the system aren’t hairline—they’re chasms you feel every school morning and late-night Slack. We sit down with filmmaker and producer Melissa Panzer (WABE’s The Work Behind the Work) to unpack why so many women who could be leading are instead leaving, and what it would take to make work and family actually coexist without breaking us.

Melissa traces her path from ESPN’s storytelling culture to a decade documenting the labor market, then into the frontline of pandemic-era motherhood. She interviewed 200 moms and kept hearing the same theme: corporate structures weren’t made for two demanding careers and kids, and the nine-to-five still assumes a spouse in the shadows. We explore universal design—solve for moms and you lower friction for everyone—and why Fair Play-style rebalancing at home fails without top-down policy that respects soccer drop-offs as much as sales calls.

We go there on return-to-office mandates, the quiet exodus from leadership, and the real economics behind “flexibility.” The conversation pulls apart social media’s romanticized stay-at-home aesthetic and how MLMs exploit a genuine desire for income and independence. We examine the childcare math that eats entire salaries, the public vs private school squeeze, aftercare lotteries, and what kids actually learn from what we model—who uses the broom, who makes lunch, who gets to rest. Melissa shares how research changed her marriage: loosening control, letting help in, and learning kids do just fine when care is shared, even if the sandwiches look different.

This is a candid, data-aware, and deeply human look at work, caregiving, and the small wins that keep us going—the bedtime finally won, the book finally read, the moment a child says, I did it, and we whisper back, so did I. If this conversation moves you, subscribe, share with a friend who needs the solidarity, and leave a review with the one policy change you think would move the needle. We’re listening.

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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What if your child isn’t “difficult” — just wired differently?

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jessie Stern, assistant professor of psychology at Pomona College and co-author of Beyond Difficult, to break down what attachment theory really means, how child temperament works, and why so much parenting advice oversimplifies complex human behavior.

We talk about secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles — what they are, what they aren’t, and why they’re not permanent labels. Dr. Stern explains how attachment forms through early relationships, how it can change over time, and why attachment styles are adaptive strategies, not diagnoses.

We also explore why children are often born with distinct temperaments, including sensitivity and emotional reactivity, and how parents can respond without shame or self-blame. This conversation is especially helpful for parents raising highly sensitive kids or navigating emotional regulation when both parent and child are overwhelmed.

This episode covers:

• The science behind attachment theory and parenting
• Why temperament is largely innate — and how environment shapes outcomes
• Emotional regulation strategies for parents and kids
• The neuroscience of “mom brain” and parenthood
• Why attachment parenting trends don’t always reflect attachment research
• How community and support impact parenting and mental health

A must-listen for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone interested in child development, attachment, and evidence-based parenting.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Guest: Dr. Jessie Stern, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Pomona College
Co-author of Beyond Difficult: An Attachment-Based Guide to Dealing with Challenging People
Instagram: @drjessiestern | @australianpsychologist

Topics Covered:

• Attachment theory explained (secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
• Nature vs. nurture in child behavior
• Sensitive children and emotional regulation
• Parenting without shame or labels
• Brain changes in parenthood
• Why community matters more than perfection

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

In this episode, we sit down with Olivia Howell, CEO and co-founder of Fresh Starts, the world’s first divorce registry and divorce education platform, to talk honestly about divorce, emotional abuse, financial control, and what women actually need before, during, and after separation.

Olivia shares her personal story of leaving an emotionally abusive marriage, becoming a single mother of two, and rebuilding her life — not through shame or secrecy, but through support, education, and community. We unpack why emotional abuse is often invisible, how gaslighting and financial control slowly erode self-trust, and why so many women don’t recognize abuse until years into a relationship.

We also explore why divorce is one of the most misunderstood life transitions, especially for mothers. Olivia explains why “just leave” advice is often dangerous, how lack of access to money keeps women stuck, and why divorce education is frequently gatekept behind legal and financial barriers.

This episode covers:

• Financial abuse, surveillance, and control inside marriage
• How Fresh Starts connects women to divorce coaches, financial analysts, mediators, and co-parenting support
• Why divorce isn’t a failure — but a transition that can lead to stability and clarity and an amazing co-parenting relationship

This conversation is essential listening for anyone navigating divorce, separation, emotional abuse, financial independence, single motherhood, or co-parenting, as well as friends and family who want to better support someone going through it.

divorce podcast, emotional abuse, financial abuse in marriage, divorce support for women, single motherhood, life after divorce, co-parenting, divorce education, gaslighting, domestic inequity, married single mom, women and divorce, abusive relationships, Fresh Starts divorce, divorce recovery, modern motherhood, coparenting

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/