Behind The Fold

The Longest Shortest Time: Navigating Mat Leave, Mental Health & Motherhood with Megan Rafuse

Rachelle Saevil Episode 26

In this soul-nourishing episode of Behind the Fold, I sit down with Megan Rafuse—therapist, mom of two, and CEO of one of Canada’s leading virtual mental health practices, Shift Collab. Megan opens up with raw honesty about building a business alongside her husband, navigating mat leave twice, and discovering what true integration (not balance) really looks like. We talk about what it means to lead as a clinician, mother, and founder, and how important it is to keep showing up, even when it’s messy. Megan is incredibly open about her ADHD and the ways it empowers her in both parenting and entrepreneurship. I guarantee, you’ll walk away feeling seen, grounded, and ready to redefine how you manage motherhood and ambition.

Keep listening as we talk about:
04:11 – The full-circle story of working with Megan and her husband as clients, collaborators, and now friends.
07:34 – How Megan built and scaled Shift Collab.
12:58 – The contrast between her two maternity leave experiences and how each shaped her personal and professional growth.
21:45 – Megan’s personal journey with ADHD, the impact on motherhood, and how learning to ask for help became a game-changer.
29:57 – How motherhood reshapes our friendships, and why choosing depth over breadth is the secret to greater fulfillment.
37:42 - Why championing our own needs is one of the most powerful ways we can lead by example as mothers.
40:56 – The mental health shifts to look out for postpartum and why honoring your capacity is key to long-term sustainability.

If you loved this conversation, I’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to rate and review the podcast—it helps Behind The Fold reach more women who need these honest, real conversations. You can also share this episode with a fellow mom who’s in the thick of it and might need to hear this exact message. Until next time, let’s keep lifting each other up! 

Connect with Megan:
Website: https://www.shiftcollab.com/therapists/megan-rafuse
Instagram: @meganrafuse
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-rafuse/?originalSubdomain=ca

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