Holding Space

Latest Episodes:

153: Why Your House Is Stressing You Out (and What To Do About It) with Katy Wells Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

On today’s episode I’m joined by holistic decluttering expert and host of the top-rated podcast The Maximized Minimalist, Katy Joy Wells.

As a therapist and parent, I know how often our homes can feel like one more place we’re “falling behind.” In this conversation, we explore how clutter impacts our nervous systems, our relationships, and our sense of enoughness. Katy offers a shame-free, deeply human approach that looks at the emotions, beliefs, and habits under the piles.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why clutter isn’t neutral...how visual chaos pulls on our time, energy, and attention
The difference between clutter and expected mess...and why that distinction can instantly lower your shame
Katy’s idea of a “good enough home” and how it connects to good enough parenting
Why traditional decluttering methods (bins, labels, marathon purges, “spark joy”) often backfire for busy, emotionally-connected humans
How we can model softening, self-compassion, and boundaries with stuff for our kids

My hope is that this episode offers you something Katy and I kept coming back to: hope for a lighter, calmer home that supports presence with the people you love...without having to become a different person or maintain a Pinterest-perfect house.

Connect with Katy

Listen to Katy’s podcast: The Maximized Minimalist
Get her book: Making Home Your Happy Place: A Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm
Find her on Instagram: @katyjoywells

If you loved this episode

Share it with a friend whose home feels “loud” right now
Support the podcast and leave a rating or review!
Subscribe to my Substack, A Little Space, Please, and check out the post that goes with this episode!

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152: Parenting Together When You Feel Miles Apart Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever noticed how much harder parenting feels when things are tense between you and your partner? Maybe you start off trying to calm your kids in the back seat… and somehow end up arguing about the volume of the music. Or one of you sets a boundary with your child, the other undermines it, and suddenly you’re in a standoff that feels way bigger than it should.

In this episode, Dr. Cassidy explores how the stress of parenting can shake the foundation of even the strongest relationships, and what you can do to reconnect when the patience runs thin and the reactions run hot.

In this episode you’ll learn how to:

Recognize why parenting amplifies relational stress
Use “reserves check-ins” to communicate needs and prevent resentment
Shift from “me vs. you” to “us vs. the cycle”
Bring repair, rest, and appreciation back into your partnership

You’ll also hear simple ways to rebuild connection that don’t require date nights, fancy plans, or extra childcare - just small, intentional moments that help you remember you’re on the same team.

Would you love to have this episode written out for you? Check out this substack post!

Interested in learning more about my therapy practice? Click here!

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151: You, Your Partner, Your Kids and...the In-Laws with Dr. Tracy Dalgleish Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

In this conversation, I’m joined by my dear friend and fellow therapist Dr. Tracy Dalgleish to explore the tender, complex space between partnership and extended family...where love, loyalty, and old patterns can collide.

We talk about why these dynamics feel especially charged for so many of us right now, what it means to navigate guilt and control in family systems, and how we can stay connected to our partners (and ourselves) when generational patterns start to resurface.

Dr. Tracy shares insights from her new book You, Your Husband, and His Mother - a compassionate guide to understanding in-law dynamics, communicating as a united front, and finding your footing as a couple when family expectations run high.

We also talk about:

The cultural shifts that are reshaping how couples and families relate across generations
Common patterns like guilt-tripping, control, and codependency
Why boundaries rooted in core needs (not blame) lead to deeper connection
How aging, identity, and relevance show up in these transitions
And the hope in becoming the kind of mother-in-law or grandparent we want to be someday

This episode is for anyone standing in that middle place...between the family you came from and the one you’re creating while trying to honor both love and autonomy along the way.

Learn more about Tracy’s work and her book at drtracyd.com.

Connect with Tracy on Instagram @drtracyd.

Connect with me on Instagram @drcassidy and learn more about my private practice at www.drcassidymft.com

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150: When Your Teen's Anxiety Triggers Your Own with Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

When our teen's worry sets off our own, it can feel like two nervous systems locked in the same storm. In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with my friend and colleague Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart to unpack what’s really happening beneath those moments of reactivity and how parents can shift from fear-based reacting to compassionate, grounded responding.

We talk about:

Why our teens’ anxiety activates our own nervous system
Practical tools to create space between trigger and response (hello, rage walks!)
How repair and connection help rebuild trust after we come in hot
Loving (and respecting) the teen you have, while holding boundaries, even when it’s hard

Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart is a pediatric psychologist, parent coach, and author of Love the Teen You Have: A Practical Guide to Transforming Conflict into Connection (out October 28). Find her at https://drannlouiselockhart.com and on Instagram @dr.annlouise.lockhart.

Links + Resources:

Love the Teen You Have
Learn more about my private practice for California and New York parents at www.drcassidymft.com

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149: Breastfeeding and Mental Health Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

In this episode we're exploring the relationship between breastfeeding and a new mom's mental health. To help us really go deep (and practical) on this topic, I had the absolute joy of sitting down with Dawnita Wicks, a registered nurse, public health nurse, and internationally board-certified lactation consultant.

I first connected with Dawnita because I had clients who were struggling not just with feeding, but also with their mental health. When they worked with her, they came back to me saying: “She really saw all of me - the feeding goals AND my mental health.” I knew I had to meet this unicorn of a provider.

In our conversation, we talk about what it’s like to sit at the intersection of infant feeding and maternal mental health. We share our own postpartum stories (including my first experience of birth trauma, breastfeeding challenges, and postpartum anxiety), the shame that so often convinces us to stay silent, and the power of support that honors both our goals and our needs.

We also unpack the cultural messages around feeding, why sleep is a critical piece of the puzzle, and how there are so many more options than the “all or nothing” plans we often think we have to follow.

If you’ve ever felt torn between wanting to meet your feeding goals and also desperately needing rest, connection, and mental health support...you are not alone. This episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

Why feeding goals and maternal mental health don’t have to compete
My own story of postpartum anxiety, shame, and perfectionism after a traumatic birth
The pressure to “do it all right” and how it keeps us from asking for help
Why even a 4–6 hour block of sleep can change everything
How to navigate shame and cultural messages like “breast is best”
The importance of individualized, compassionate feeding plans

Resources and Links:

Connect with Dawnita at www.womantwowoman.net
Follow Dawnita on social: @dawnitawicks
Learn more about my practice at www.drcassidymft.com
Find notes from this episode on Substack

If this episode resonates with you:

Share it with a friend who might need this conversation, subscribe to Holding Space, and leave a review - it helps other parents find their way here!

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148: Preparing for Perimenopause: Lessons from Postpartum Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

In today’s solo episode, I open up about how I’m preparing for perimenopause at 40, and why I don’t want to walk into this transition as unprepared as I felt during postpartum.

We’ll talk about:

What perimenopause and menopause actually mean
The commonly known symptoms and the less-discussed symptoms that can feel really destabilizing too
How perimenopause intersects with mental health, parenting, and relationships
The protective practices I’m layering in now (yep, increasing protein is in there).

My goal is to help you feel less blindsided and more resourced, so you can move through this season informed, intentional, and supported!

Resources Mentioned

The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver (plus her provider directory)
Melissa Wood Health for strength and functional movement
Based in CA or NY and ready to start therapy? Learn more about my group practice at www.drcassidymft.com

For written takeaways, resource links, and updates on my journey, subscribe to my Substack: A Little Space, Please

If today’s episode resonated, share it with a friend who might need it too!

Subscribe to Holding Space wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

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147: How To Protect Your Postpartum Sleep (Even When Baby Isn't Sleeping Through the Night) Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

If you’re in the postpartum season, you already know...sleep deprivation is A BEAST. It affects everything: your mood, your relationships, your health, and your ability to feel present with your baby.

In this episode I’m breaking down why protecting your rest matters, how to get restorative sleep (even if your baby is waking frequently), and how to navigate sleep conversations with your partner without spiraling into resentment.

We’ll cover:

Why your sleep matters
How to get consolidated rest when your baby’s not sleeping through the night
Support strategies for breastfeeding parents
How to share the load with your partner
A framework/scripts for bringing up tough sleep conversations
Practical ideas for splitting shifts, activating support, and improving sleep hygiene
What to do when anxiety or hypervigilance keeps you awake

If you’re ready to start valuing your own rest without guilt, this episode will give you permission, strategies, and a plan to start tonight.

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Read the written version of this episode on Substack here
Find a therapist or learn more about my practice here

If you found this episode helpful:

💌 Subscribe to my Substack for written tools and strategies from new episodes.

🎧 Share this episode with a friend in the postpartum season.

⭐ Leave a review to help other parents find this resource!

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146: Soften the Sunday Scaries Jul 26, 2025

Show notes

Do you feel that familiar dread or restlessness in your body as the weekend winds down? You’re NOT alone! In this episode, we explore the Sunday Scaries through the lens of the nervous system, naming the hidden pressure so many women and moms carry into the week.

We’ll break down why this anticipatory anxiety happens, how it can activate survival responses and what your body is trying to tell you.

Then, I’ll guide you through a grounding visualization called The Sunday Sanctuary, a practice you can return to any time to feel more regulated, resourced, and ready for the week.

In this episode:

What the Sunday Scaries actually are and why they show up
How your nervous system reacts to the anticipation of the week ahead
A new way to meet the pressure...with gentleness and self-trust
A 7-minute visualization to help you reconnect with your values and feel ready to begin again

Mentioned in this episode:

Substack companion post + full visualization script
Learn more about becoming a client at www.drcassidymft.com

Visualization music credits: Take a moment to breathe- instrumental by normal the kid

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145: Why Am I So Reactive? Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

In this solo episode of Holding Space, I’m diving into one of the most common and quietly painful questions I hear from parents (and ask myself too):

Why am I so reactive?

If you’ve ever found yourself snapping before you even realized what was happening, crying over something small, or wondering, what is wrong with me? This episode is for you. You're not broken. You're carrying a lot. And reactivity is often your nervous system’s way of trying to protect you.

In this episode, I explore the deeper layers beneath reactivity and offer practical ways to create just enough margin to respond instead of react.

I talk about:

How emotions are messengers
What your nervous system is trying to tell you when you feel flooded
Why fawn, fight, freeze, flight, and flock responses are so common in parenthood
The invisible labor of caregiving, and how it fuels burnout and shutdown
Sensory overwhelm in modern parenting and why it hits so hard
How your hormones and cycle shape your emotional capacity

Want to go deeper?

Come hang out with me on Substack! This post includes every reflection, tool, and prompt from the episode...plus a few extras.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

→ Dr. Haver’s provider directory: https://thepauselife.com/pages/recommended-physicians

→ Substack: A Little Space, Please: https://drcassidy.substack.com/

→ Other related episodes:

136: How to Carry Less While Enjoying Motherhood More

127: How to Rest (Realistically) as a Modern Day Parent

103: The Default Parent

94: The Depleted, Distracted, Grumpy, Guilty Parenting Cycle

Download my free triggers guide here!

Learn more about our therapy services for California and New York parents here: https://www.drcassidymft.com/

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144: When Play Feels Hard in the Age of Intensive Parenting with @mothercould May 12, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Holding Space, I welcome parenting educator and content creator behind the account Mother Could, Myriam Sandler, for a real and refreshing conversation about play in parenthood.

Together, we unpack the pressure many parents feel to “play the right way,” especially in today’s era of intensive parenting.

Episode highlights:

How perfectionism and productivity culture shape our expectations around play
Why boredom matters—and how it supports creativity and independent play
The role of accessibility in helping kids play independently
What to do when your child wants to play with you—but you need space
How to identify your own “play superpower” (even if it’s not getting on the floor)
Practical tips for setting up multi-age play spaces at home

Whether you love crafting sensory bins or prefer connecting through board games, 3D printing, or sports, this episode invites you to reclaim play in a way that honors your capacity and your child’s uniqueness.

Resources Mentioned:

Playful by Design by Myriam Sandler
Follow Myriam on Instagram @mothercould

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