In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with my dear friend Joey McCune, a visionary entrepreneur, sacred space designer, and portal guide. Joey is the founder of the stunning Sound Healing Tulum and Cenote Sagrado sanctuary in the Yucatan jungle, as well as the leader of Sakred Journeys, a platform for transformative retreats to sacred sites around the world.

Our conversation centers on Joey's own journey of learning to receive care after years of being a constant giver and "mother" to others. She shares the powerful story of how she followed a channeled message to build a sound temple, the lessons she learned in trusting the universe during the pandemic, and what led her to a point where she knew her own cup was nearly empty. We explore the profound medicine of sisterhood, the bittersweet healing that can come from simple acts of care, and how allowing herself to be "mothered" on my Ireland retreat sparked a period of profound creative expansion in her own life.

You'll also hear about:

• (01:57) How a powerful channeled message in the middle of the night led Joey to sell everything and birth a sacred sound sanctuary in the Yucatan jungle.
• (04:49) Why Joey, a retreat leader herself, recognized her own cup was nearly empty and made the intentional choice to receive mothering.
• (09:45) The profound and bittersweet experience of being "tucked in" for the first time, and how this simple act revealed a deep mother wound.
• (15:12) The pattern of over-mothering her own children to fill a void from her childhood, and the sense of loss she felt when they left home.
• (17:50) How allowing herself to be filled up sparked a massive creative rebirth and expansion in her own life and work.
• (20:19) The realization that sisterhood is not just a support system, but a "divine puzzle piece" essential for self-mothering and spiritual evolution.
• (39:03) Joey's 20 years of dharma work leading sacred, transformative journeys through the temples of Egypt.

Join us for this beautiful exploration of what it means to be a creator, a mother, and a woman willing to be held, and discover why the act of receiving is just as sacred as the act of giving.

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Learn more about Joey McCune

• Follow Joey on Instagram
• Learn more about Joey's Retreats at Sakred Journeys
• Follow Sound Healing Tulum on Instagram

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother...

In this powerful episode, I am joined by Valerie Jones, author of The Selfish Year, host of The Selfish Woman podcast, and founder of The Selfish Woman Movement. Valerie shares her incredible journey from being a chronic people-pleaser, conditioned to be the "good girl," through two difficult marriages that ultimately led her to a profound breaking point. In a radical act of self-preservation, she embarked on a year-long experiment to be selfish—a decision that changed everything.

Our conversation is a deep dive into what it truly means to be selfish, redefining it not as a dirty word, but as the sacred act of being "full of self." Valerie introduces the beautiful concepts of the "First Girl"—the exuberant, authentic version of us before the world told us who to be—and the "Hurt Girl," the protector who emerges to keep us safe. We discuss the immense cost of people-pleasing, the patriarchal programming that conditions women to be selfless, and the two stages of reclamation: first, learning to put yourself first so you can give from abundance, and ultimately, arriving at the freedom of prioritizing yourself simply because you are worthy.

You'll also hear about:

• (03:23) Valerie’s journey as a chronic people-pleaser through a 24-year marriage that ended in divorce.
• (06:36) How an externally perfect life in Spain led her to a breaking point and the decision to start her "Selfish Year" experiment.
• (13:23) The first crucial lesson Valerie learned: in order to be truly selfish, you must first get to know yourself.
• (15:38) Redefining selfish as being "full of self" and learning to mother the parts of ourselves that are scared and afraid.
• (21:04) The concepts of the "First Girl" (our true, unconditioned self) and the "Hurt Girl" (our protector self) and how to integrate them.
• (27:08) The high cost of being a "good girl"—including resentment, depression, and patterns of self-abandonment.
• (40:58) The two stages of embracing selfishness, from a "Trojan horse" for the brain to the ultimate freedom of prioritizing yourself, full stop.

Join us for this liberating conversation and discover why Valerie’s message is so vital: "You are not broken. You are becoming."

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Learn more about Valerie Jones:

• Learn more on Valerie's Website
• Buy the book: The Selfish Year
• Listen to The Selfish Woman Podcast
• Follow Valerie on Instagram

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s

Episode Title Options:

• Should We Listen to Our Mothers? A Legacy of Love and Strength with Jackie Tantillo
• The Golden Thread of Motherhood: Lessons from a Large Family with Jackie Tantillo
• Rewriting the Mother Code Through Communication and Forgiveness with Jackie Tantillo
• Growing Up with Seven Siblings: A Story of Family, Creativity, and Connection with Jackie Tantillo

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jackie Tantillo, the host and executive producer of the award-winning podcast,

Should Have Listen to My Mother. Jackie shares the beautiful and dynamic story of her upbringing as the youngest of seven children and the profound impact of her mother, Linda—a trailblazing, creative, and forward-thinking woman who worked for the Rockefeller Foundation in Peru before raising her family.

Our conversation explores the "golden thread" that connects us all through our relationship with our mothers, whether that bond was a source of strength or a challenge to overcome. Jackie reflects on how her mother’s love for music and conversation inspired her own four-decade career in broadcasting. We also discuss the vital importance of family rituals, the lessons learned from having five older sisters, and how her mother modeled challenging the status quo, both in her community and her faith. After six seasons of her podcast, Jackie shares her biggest takeaways on motherhood, forgiveness, and the power of truly listening.

You'll also hear about:

• (04:32) How Jackie's mother, Linda, and a house filled with music inspired her career in radio.
• (07:09) The incredible story of Jackie's mother, a forward-thinking linguist and world traveler who raised seven children.
• (13:34) The common paradigm of mothers who encourage their children but struggle to give themselves the same love and support.
• (24:14) The power of nightly family dinners (with no TV!) to foster deep connection and conversation.
• (32:45) What it was like growing up with five older sisters who acted as "second mothers".
• (37:21) Key lessons Jackie has learned after six seasons of listening to guests share stories about their mothers.
• (45:39) Jackie’s powerful interpretation of "Rewrite the Mother Code" and the importance of apologizing to your children.

Don't miss this heartwarming and insightful exploration of family, legacy, and the enduring influence of our mothers.

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Learn more about Jackie Tantillo

• Listen to Should Have Listen to My Mother
• Visit her Website
• Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn
• Follow Jackie on Facebook

Follow Dr. Gertrude:

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on