Do you feel that familiar dread or restlessness in your body as the weekend winds down? You’re NOT alone! In this episode, we explore the Sunday Scaries through the lens of the nervous system, naming the hidden pressure so many women and moms carry into the week.

We’ll break down why this anticipatory anxiety happens, how it can activate survival responses and what your body is trying to tell you.

Then, I’ll guide you through a grounding visualization called The Sunday Sanctuary, a practice you can return to any time to feel more regulated, resourced, and ready for the week.

In this episode:

• What the Sunday Scaries actually are and why they show up
• How your nervous system reacts to the anticipation of the week ahead
• A new way to meet the pressure...with gentleness and self-trust
• A 7-minute visualization to help you reconnect with your values and feel ready to begin again

Mentioned in this episode:

• Substack companion post + full visualization script
• Learn more about becoming a client at www.drcassidymft.com

Visualization music credits: Take a moment to breathe- instrumental by normal the kid

In this solo episode of Holding Space, I’m diving into one of the most common and quietly painful questions I hear from parents (and ask myself too):

Why am I so reactive?

If you’ve ever found yourself snapping before you even realized what was happening, crying over something small, or wondering, what is wrong with me? This episode is for you. You're not broken. You're carrying a lot. And reactivity is often your nervous system’s way of trying to protect you.

In this episode, I explore the deeper layers beneath reactivity and offer practical ways to create just enough margin to respond instead of react.

I talk about:

• How emotions are messengers
• What your nervous system is trying to tell you when you feel flooded
• Why fawn, fight, freeze, flight, and flock responses are so common in parenthood
• The invisible labor of caregiving, and how it fuels burnout and shutdown
• Sensory overwhelm in modern parenting and why it hits so hard
• How your hormones and cycle shape your emotional capacity

Want to go deeper?

Come hang out with me on Substack! This post includes every reflection, tool, and prompt from the episode...plus a few extras.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

→ Dr. Haver’s provider directory: https://thepauselife.com/pages/recommended-physicians

→ Substack: A Little Space, Please: https://drcassidy.substack.com/

→ Other related episodes:

136: How to Carry Less While Enjoying Motherhood More

127: How to Rest (Realistically) as a Modern Day Parent

103: The Default Parent

94: The Depleted, Distracted, Grumpy, Guilty Parenting Cycle

Download my free triggers guide here!

Learn more about our therapy services for California and New York parents here: https://www.drcassidymft.com/

In this episode of Holding Space, I welcome parenting educator and content creator behind the account Mother Could, Myriam Sandler, for a real and refreshing conversation about play in parenthood.

Together, we unpack the pressure many parents feel to “play the right way,” especially in today’s era of intensive parenting.

Episode highlights:

• How perfectionism and productivity culture shape our expectations around play
• Why boredom matters—and how it supports creativity and independent play
• The role of accessibility in helping kids play independently
• What to do when your child wants to play with you—but you need space
• How to identify your own “play superpower” (even if it’s not getting on the floor)
• Practical tips for setting up multi-age play spaces at home

Whether you love crafting sensory bins or prefer connecting through board games, 3D printing, or sports, this episode invites you to reclaim play in a way that honors your capacity and your child’s uniqueness.

Resources Mentioned:

• Playful by Design by Myriam Sandler
• Follow Myriam on Instagram @mothercould