The Sparkle Project
The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design.
The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more like yourself in all the rest.
Somewhere between the mental load and the mom guilt, your shine is still there. The Sparkle Project is your space to find it.
(Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast)
The Sparkle Project
Healing Trauma in Motherhood Through EMDR Therapy with Abbie Ames
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Motherhood has a way of bringing anxiety, overwhelm, and unresolved trauma to the surface. In this episode, EMDR therapist Abbie Ames joins Emily to explore how motherhood can trigger old wounds, why so many moms feel overstimulated and emotionally exhausted, and how healing is possible through approaches that go beyond traditional talk therapy.
Abbie shares her own journey through pregnancy loss, fertility struggles, postpartum anxiety, and becoming a mom during COVID, along with the insights that led her to specialize in EMDR therapy for women and mothers. Together, they unpack the nervous system’s role in trauma, the pressure modern moms carry, and why so many women feel like they’re failing when they’re actually overwhelmed and unsupported.
This episode covers:
- Why motherhood can feel so triggering
- How trauma lives in the body
- Birth trauma, fertility struggles, and postpartum anxiety
- Why moms can’t always “think” their way out of overwhelm
- How EMDR therapy helps heal trauma beyond traditional talk therapy
- Breaking generational cycles and finding more peace in motherhood
This episode is an honest, compassionate conversation about healing trauma in motherhood, breaking generational cycles, and learning how to care for yourself without shame.
🔗 Connect with Abbie:
Instagram: @emdr.mom.therapist
Website: www.abbieamescounseling.com
✨ Let’s keep the convo going:
Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod
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