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This week, Chelsea steps away from their typical format to "try again" at a moment they’ve replayed for twenty years. At sixteen, Chelsea met their hero, Brandi Carlile, and was left stumbling over words, unable to express the profound impact of her music.

Now, in their late 30s, navigating life as a disabled, non-binary, and chronically ill parent, Chelsea uses this space to pen an open letter to the artist who has been the "steady hand" on their shoulder through every storm.

Chelsea reflects on how Brandi’s discography served as a lifeline during mental health mayhem, gender identity journeys, and the "pitch black void" of perinatal mental health struggles. From psychiatric hospitalizations to living room concerts with their "neuro-sparkly" children, Chelsea shares how specific songs like The Mother, The Joke, and The Story helped them navigate the specific shame and beauty of being a disabled mom.

This episode is a raw testament to the power of art to save a life hundreds of times over.

🗝️Key Takeaways

• The Impact of Art on Survival: Chelsea credits Brandi Carlile’s music as a primary reason they are "still breathing" after two decades of mental and physical health challenges.
• Navigating Disability and Motherhood: Being a disabled mom involves a "specific kind of mess" that requires relying on others to carry a load you wish you could carry yourself, often accompanied by heavy guilt and shame.
• Music as a Clinical Tool: Chelsea recounts singing lyrics softly at the suggestion of kind nurses to survive endless nights during psychiatric hospitalizations.
• Identity and Duality: Through their journey as a non-binary and queer individual, Chelsea found comfort in the idea that one can be "mainstream and a misfit at the same time".
• Vulnerability as Light: Instead of hiding "broken parts," Chelsea discusses learning that these vulnerabilities are what actually "let the light in".

💬Sound Bites

• "How do you tell a person in 30 seconds behind a merch table that they are the reason that you're still breathing?"
• "I've spent much of my life in a body that feels like a house on fire."
• "Being a disabled mom is a specific kind of mess. It means relying on everyone else to carry the load I wish I could carry."
• "Your music reminds me that right isn't a straight line."
• "Our stories don't mean anything if we've got no one to tell them to."

Links & Resources

• Music Highlight: The Mother by Brandi Carlile (A reflection on the mess and beauty of parenthood)
• Support Resource: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988)

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Real moms. Real talk. Zero sugarcoating.
Join Odd Moms On Call as we tackle parenting in a world on fire—one hot take, eye roll, and belly laugh at a time.

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

When Amy became a mom, she thought she had to “grin and bear it.” Instead, she found herself battling exhaustion, anxiety, and postpartum rage that left her terrified of her own reactions.

In this raw and compassionate conversation, Amy shares what it felt like to lose control, the turning point that led her to accept medication, and how she found her way back to herself. We also talk about cultural stigma, the importance of support networks, and why giving kids honest language around emotions matters.

Whether you’ve experienced postpartum rage yourself or love someone who has, this episode is a powerful reminder that naming our struggles is the first step to healing.

• Postpartum rage is common but often overlooked — and deserves recognition and support.
• Accepting medication is not failure; it can be a lifeline.
• Cultural attitudes toward mental health still impact how we seek help.
• Parenting without a “village” leaves many mothers isolated and vulnerable.
• Honest conversations with children about emotions help break generational cycles of silence.

• “I was terrified I was going to hurt my kids — and that’s when I knew I needed help.”
• “Taking Lexapro didn’t make me a failure. It made me a better mom, a better wife, and a better me.”
• “Most grown adults can’t handle their emotions — why do we expect parents to always hold it together?”
• “We all deserve at least one person we can fall apart with, snot bubbles and all, without judgment.”
• “Postpartum rage isn’t an official diagnosis, but it is very, very real.”

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

From missing Thanksgiving and family parties to navigating the "reentry anxiety" of the holiday season, this episode explores the intentional boundaries Chelsea and their husband have set to protect their health while raising two "neuro-sparkly" children. It is a candid look at the intersection of parenting, disability, and the profound impact of simple acts of consideration from friends and community members.

🗝️Key Takeaways

• The High Stakes of Common Viruses: For those who are immune-compromised and chronically ill, a simple virus can result in weeks of total isolation and physical exhaustion.
• Adrenal Insufficiency & Steroid Stress: Chelsea details the "nightmare" of having to increase steroid intake to help their non-functioning pituitary gland fight infection, leading to intense physical and "ragey" symptoms.
  
  
• Medical PTSD Triggers: Being confined to bed due to illness can be deeply triggering for those with medical trauma, often mirroring the isolation of a difficult postpartum recovery.
• Leaning into the Village: Recovery requires a radical acceptance of help. Chelsea shares their journey of becoming better at asking for support from family and their husband for daily tasks they physically could not perform.
  
  
• Intentional Health Boundaries: Living as a chronically ill parent involves strict hygiene protocols, such as masking in specific settings, using hand sanitizer, and teaching kids about germ safety to limit exposure.
  
  
• The Impact of Consideration: Small gestures, like a friend proactively putting on a mask without being asked, can take a massive emotional weight off a chronically ill person's shoulders.

💬Sound Bites

• "A virus is a very different experience when you are immune-compromised... even the tiniest cold becomes this ridiculously long exile from my own life."
• "I had to up my steroids... which was its own nightmare of physical symptoms and ragey symptoms."
• "Anytime I am super sick and I can't leave my bed, it is incredibly triggering for me. I get flashbacks."
• "I'm still on day three of a horrible headache... since my pituitary tumor, I will get a migraine that'll usually last the day, then a lingering headache for three or four days."
• "When people take the initiative and don't get offended or don't even make it a thing... it takes a huge weight off my shoulders."

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

In this honest and energizing conversation, Chelsea is joined by Sarah Johnston: entrepreneur, infertility warrior, and proud parent of a rainbow-loving toddler. Sarah shares her winding path to motherhood through infertility and IVF, the mental toll of a complicated pregnancy, and the terrifying postpartum OCD symptoms that followed.

Together, they unpack everything from generational perfectionism and reparenting, to toddler meltdowns and the joy of rainbow birthday parties. This episode is an ode to vulnerability, community, and the radical act of showing up as your full self in parenting, even when you're still figuring it out.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her Instagram or Website!

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Parenthood often brings unexpected challenges that don’t align with our expectations—and that’s normal.
• Infertility and pregnancy loss are emotionally devastating, especially when the cause is “unexplained.”
• Intrusive thoughts (especially postpartum) are common, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
• Reparenting ourselves is part of parenting our children—especially for those raised in perfectionist or emotionally repressed environments.
• Community and connection, even with “internet strangers,” can be lifelines in times of isolation.
• Empowering children with emotional language and autonomy helps build resilience and mutual respect.
• There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting—each child is unique and deserves a responsive, not a rigid parent.

🔊 Soundbites:

• “Connection is powerful—and you are not alone.”
• “My intrusive thoughts were terrifying. I thought, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ But the truth is, they’re common—and treatable.”
• “Motherhood made me undo a lifetime of perfectionism.”
• “My brain goes: ‘Throw him down the stairs.’ It’s not what I want—it’s my brain screaming ‘DANGER!’”
• “I asked my three-year-old what kind of birthday party he wanted. He said, ‘Rainbow. All the colors.’ And that’s exactly what we did.”
• “You can be deeply grateful and still really struggle. Both can be true.”
• “Parenting is common and unique. It’s hard, and it’s beautiful. It’s both.”

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

In this episode, Chelsea connects with Dr. Sandra Fernandes, a family physician turned burnout coach, for a candid conversation about how motherhood shattered her carefully planned life. Sandra opens up about her experience with multiple ectopic pregnancies, breastfeeding struggles, pandemic-era burnout, and the quiet expectations that nearly broke her.

As a physician, Sandra knew the risks. As a mom, she felt every loss. Her story is one of strength, identity shifts, and learning to sit with discomfort when the path forward isn’t clear. From navigating postpartum pressure to discovering nervous system regulation, this episode is a gentle invitation to slow down, get honest, and remember: you are not alone.

To learn more about Sandra, visit her website or Instagram.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Perfectionism and checklists don't prepare you for the emotional chaos of parenthood.
• Ectopic pregnancies are rare but deeply traumatic—Sandra experienced two.
• Breastfeeding challenges can consume the postpartum period and trigger feelings of failure, even in medical professionals.
• Burnout can be physical, mental, and emotional—and it often goes unrecognized until it’s overwhelming.
• Nervous system regulation and mindset work can provide real tools for healing, even outside of a clinical diagnosis.
• Social media can be both a blessing and a source of deep comparison and anxiety.
• The “village” doesn’t always exist—you have to build it, and it often comes from unexpected places.
• You are not failing. You are overwhelmed by a culture that asks too much of parents—especially mothers.

🔊 Soundbites:

• “Motherhood is a crash course in learning to let go of control.”
• “I didn’t have postpartum depression—but I wasn’t okay.”
• “There’s this whole group of moms who don’t meet the criteria for a diagnosis, but they’re still silently struggling.”
• “We say it’s just a season—but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it alone.”
• “Start feeling comfortable with the uncomfortable. That’s where the real growth happens.”
• “I knew all the things as a doctor—but I was drowning as a mom.”
• “It wasn’t until I lost my job during COVID that I realized I was already burnt out.”

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

Content Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics, including suicide and psychiatric hospitalization. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help.

In this special Quiet Confessions mini-episode, Chelsea's partner, Ben, steps behind the mic to share his perspective on the intense trauma the family has navigated over the last three years, brought on by severe PMADS (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders).

As Chelsea has been battling a respiratory virus and completely lost their voice, this created the perfect opportunity to start sharing a partner's side of the journey, which is something we'd like to continue from time to time moving forward.

Ben speaks with raw honesty about the loss of trust when Chelsea conveyed suicidal ideation. He reveals the immense pressure he felt, encapsulated by his belief: "it was my job to make sure that Chelsea was happy... because if I don't, they will die".

He discusses using EMDR therapy to process memories of watching Chelsea taken away in an ambulance for their first inpatient stay, and the powerlessness of feeling unable to "fix" mental health.

🗝️Key Takeaways

• The Partner's Burden: Ben felt extreme stress and anxiety because he believed it was his responsibility to ensure Chelsea's happiness, which translated to keeping them alive, leading to him putting aside his own needs.
• Trauma and Powerlessness: Key traumatic memories involved feeling powerless: watching Chelsea leave in an ambulance for inpatient mental health treatment , and dealing with Chelsea's suicidal intent.
• The Fixer Shift: Ben utilized EMDR therapy to let go of the "fixer" role , learning to compartmentalize and accept that an update about a bad day was a report, not a request for a solution.
• Trust and Communication: Rebuilding the foundation required Ben to learn to trust Chelsea's claims that they were okay and to use articulation to clarify needs: "Is this something that you need me to act on? Or is this something that you just want me to know?".
• Mandatory Self-Care (Adjusted Load): With Chelsea permanently disabled, Ben cannot "pick up all the slack". Survival requires lowering expectations (e.g., easy meals, not folding laundry) and acknowledging that you can only do what you can do. Asking for help is critical.

💬Sound Bites

• "I said, because if I don't, they will die."
• "Watching those doors close and watch the ambulance leave knowing that there wasn't anything I could do and feeling like I wasn't a good enough partner because I couldn't fix this."
• "Now I'm able to understand if they say they're having a bad day, they're just letting me know."
• "Is this something that you need me to act on? Or is this something

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Real moms. Real talk. Zero sugarcoating.
Join Odd Moms On Call as we tackle parenting in a world on fire—one hot take, eye roll, and belly laugh at a time.

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

After a traumatic birth experience left her feeling dismissed and unseen, Brittny found herself battling postpartum depression without realizing what was happening until nearly a year later.

In this candid conversation, she discusses being gaslit by providers, how she learned self-advocacy, and the moment she realized her pain was valid.

Learn more about Brittny on her website or Instagram.

🗝️ Key Takeaways

• Birth trauma can leave invisible scars, even when providers insist everything is “fine.”
• Postpartum depression can go unnoticed for months; recognizing the signs is the first step toward healing.
• Gaslighting during the perinatal period can deepen emotional wounds, but validation and community can help rebuild trust.
• Advocacy isn’t just about fighting for others; it’s about learning to stand up for yourself.
• Healing takes time, and grace is an essential part of the process.

🎧 Soundbites

1. “I didn’t even realize I had postpartum depression until almost a year later. I just thought I was failing."
   
   
2. “When they told me everything was fine, I believed them — but my body knew it wasn’t.”
   
   
3. “It took me being gaslit to learn how to stand up for myself.”
   
   
4. “You can be strong and still need help. Those two things can exist together.”
   
   
5. “Healing isn’t linear. It’s messy and real, but it’s also beautiful.”

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch

Send us a text

A Note from Chelsea: This episode was pre-recorded, but the content definitely still applies to my current situation. I've been battling a respiratory virus on top of chronic illness and exhaustion in an endless germ cycle. In this episode, and today, I remind myself that some phases of parenting aren't about thriving; sometimes, just surviving is enough.

🗝️Key Takeaways

• The Revolving Door: The constant cycle of sickness—one kid, then the other, then the spouse —leads to chronic illness and deep exhaustion for the primary caregiver.
• The Guilt of Survival: There is intense guilt associated with being tired, wanting space, and craving more than just survival.
• Self-Care is Relative: True self-care becomes nearly impossible, reduced to fleeting, low-effort tasks like washing their face or putting on a mud mask.
• A Shift in Mindset: The key is accepting that some seasons are just about getting through and finding moments of breath inside the chaos, rather than waiting for the chaos to stop.
• Resilience is Showing Up: Kids don't need a Pinterest mom or perfection; they need resilience modeled by a parent who shows up anyway, even when it's hard.

💬Sound Bites

• "It feels like my family is living in a revolving door of sickness."
• "The mental wear and tear of never being able to just stop and reset."
• "I feel guilty for wanting more than survival."
• "Parenting through these cycles feels like running a marathon that has no finish line."
• "Survival is okay. Some seasons of this whole parenting journey are not going to be about thriving."
• "They don't need a Pinterest mom. They don't need perfection. They just need me and their dad."

Support the show

Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch