This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
If someone asked you "What do you need right now?" would you even be able to articulate it? In her new book NEEDY: How To Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty, intuitive coach Mara Glatzel lays out a roadmap for how to ascertain our needs as human beings, how to ask for it, and how to be comfortable with receiving it.
Mara's work helps humans stop abandoning themselves and start reclaiming their humanity through embracing their needs and honoring their natural energy rhythms. In this episode, Mara and Amy discuss:
The societal pressure to be perfect and need-free as mothers
The difference between a "want" and a "need" and how they intersect
Why it's uncomfortable both to ask for what we need and to finally receive it
Mara argues that the more in tune we are with our own needs, the more we are able to peacefully coexist with others and form authentic relationships.
Here's where you can find Mara:
https://www.maraglatzel.com/
on her own podcast, "Needy."
Here is the link to Mara's free quiz to help you identify what you need and receive all of her best resources and supportive micro-practices.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fresh Take: Dr. Margo Lowy on Living the Full Emotional Truth of Motherhood
22/05/2026 | 36 mins.
We often think "ambivalence" means indifference. Its actual meaning is quite different: ambivalence means having multiple and often opposite emotions in one moment. Motherhood contains much joy—but what about the resentment, grief, anger, fear, exhaustion, and guilt that can exist alongside deep love?
Psychotherapist and researcher Dr. Margo Lowy joins us to discuss her book MATERNAL AMBIVALENCE: The Loving Moments and Bitter Truths of Motherhood and the emotional contradictions at the heart of parenting.
Dr. Lowy explains why naming difficult emotions can actually strengthen our relationships with our children at all stages of our parenting, from postpartum anxiety to learning to let our children go.
We discuss:
Why the pressures of perfectionism are so damaging for mothers
The taboo around negative parenting emotions
How self-awareness and emotional honesty can improve parent-child relationships
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What's the Mom Equivalent of Golf?
20/05/2026 | 41 mins.
Why does it seem so much easier for men to claim large blocks of leisure time for themselves than it is for women? This week, based on a listener question, we are asking: What is the mom equivalent of golf?
We unpack the “leisure time gender gap,” why women’s downtime is often treated as optional, and how motherhood changes the way we think about rest, hobbies, and friendship.
We discuss:
Why golf has become a uniquely protected, and male-coded, form of leisure
How parenting young children turns leisure into a zero-sum game
Practical ideas from listeners for creating more intentional leisure time which includes connection with friends
Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Katie Garrity for Scary Mommy: Is There A Women's Hobby Equivalent To Men's Golfing Habits?
Bruce Drake for Pew Research Center: Another Gender Gap: Men Spend More Time in Leisure Activities
Carolina Aragão for Pew Research Center: Working husbands in U.S. have more leisure time than working wives do, especially among those with children
Check out the whole thread of excellent ideas in our Facebook group!
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DEEP DIVE: Asking for Big Help (And the Best Ways to Give It)
18/05/2026 | 44 mins.
This Deep Dive series revisits some of our past episodes on discerning what we need as moms, and then asking for it confidently.
We’ve all been in moments when we have to make a Big Ask. As in: it’s 2 a.m. The baby is throwing up and spiking a high fever. Your partner is out of town. Your other kid is asleep upstairs. Who are you going to call in the middle of the night? Making that ask is never easy.
But why? Why is it so hard to ask for big help, especially when we’re usually grateful to be able to assist a friend in need? Anyone who’s been a parent long enough has been on both the giving and receiving side of that Big Help ask. And when we’re on the receiving end of that kind of request, from a friend we know is struggling, we’re usually really happy– even grateful– to be able to help.
So how can we become “askable friends” and better helpers?
And how can we prepare for the big help times in our own lives before they arrive?
In this episode, we discuss
the reasons why asking for help can be so hard, especially for mothers
when asking for big help is “justified” (and making asking for small help okay)
acute needs vs. chronic needs
how to really help a struggling friend, rather than saying “let me know if you need anything”
some useful ways to help a friend grieving a loss
and how we can make that short list of friends, and offer to BE on that short list of friends, before the time comes.
In the end, asking for big help is about showing up for ourselves. Here’s how our listener Jennifer put it:
“I can ask for help, even if I can technically handle it, but I just want, or need a break. I don't need to drive myself to the edge of the cliff before I ask.”
Here are links to some of the writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode:
Mayday: Asking For Help In Times Of Need, by Nora Bouchard
lotsahelpinghands.com (@lotsahelpinghands on Twitter)
Enjoli fragrance commercial
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fresh Take: Nicholas Epley on Why Talking to Strangers Can Make Us Happier
15/05/2026 | 42 mins.
Why do we avoid small opportunities for connection with strangers, even when humans are wired for that very connection? Behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley, author of the new book A LITTLE MORE SOCIAL, explains why modern life leaves so many people feeling disconnected—and how small social choices can dramatically improve our well-being.
Nick explains the science behind loneliness, why humans are biologically wired for connection, and how our fear of awkwardness keeps us from reaching out to others. From conversations with strangers on the subway to helping kids build social confidence, this episode explores how meaningful relationships are created through everyday interactions.
The conversation covers:
Why people underestimate how much others want connection too
How smartphones, remote work, and modern convenience reduce social interaction
Why talking to strangers often goes better than we expect
The importance of modeling curiosity and openness for children
Why meaningful conversations matter more than surface-level similarities
How to become “a little more social” through small daily habits
Here's where you can find Nick:
www.nicholasepley.com
Buy A LITTLE MORE SOCIAL: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593319543
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:
https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
About What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms
When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard.
We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like.
In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of laughs, but also practical advice, parenting strategies, and tips to empower you in your role as a mom. We explore self-help techniques, as well as ways to prioritize your own needs, combat stress, and despite the invisible workload we all deal with, find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood.
If you've ever wondered "why is my kid..." then one of us has probably been there, and we're here to tell you what we've learned along the way.
We unpack the behaviors and developmental stages of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers, providing insights into their actions and equipping you with effective parenting strategies.
We offer our best parenting tips and skills we've learned. We debate the techniques and studies that are everywhere for parents these days, and get to the bottom of what works best to raise happy, healthy, fairly well-behaved kids, while fostering a positive parent-child relationship.
If you're the default parent in your household, whether you're a busy mom juggling multiple pickups and dropoffs, or a first-time parent seeking guidance, this podcast is your trusted resource. Join our community of supportive mom friends laughing in the face of motherhood!
whatfreshhellpodcast.com
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