Lessons From Our Mothers

What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt from your mum? How have the maternal figures in your life shaped you? In Lessons from Our Mothers, sisters Isabella and Cressida explore the wisdom, love, and lessons passed down through generations. They speak with remarkable people like Kate Winslett, Mary Berry, Alain de Botton and Dr Shefali about the maternal figures – biological or not – who influenced them. The life lessons they’ve carried forward, the things they’ve chosen to leave behind, and how certain experiences have informed the way they parent. Whether they had a strong relationship or a more complicated one, they reflect on how that bond – or absence of it – helped shape who they are today. Thoughtful and heartfelt, these conversations uncover the power and importance of motherhood in all its forms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Tanya Burr: How A YouTube Star Navigates Motherhood in the Public Eye Oct 19, 2025

Show notes

🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by OG YouTuber and actor Tanya Burr.

🌸Tanya opens up about navigating motherhood while keeping her son (and husband) out of the public eye. She discusses the importance of setting boundaries around phone use and social media, despite it being her job. She explores the influences of her mum and nanny on her love of fashion and make-up. And she explains how her family keeps her grounded, even with more than 4 million followers!

🌸Join Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson as they explore how maternal figures have shaped the lives of their guests. Each episode delves into the valuable lessons they’ve carried forward, those they’ve left behind, and the profound impact their maternal figures have had throughout their lives.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Ollie, who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum.

🌳 A massive thank you to our sponsor Ancient and Brave. Go to www.ancientandbrave.earth/planet and use code LESSONS for 20% off your first order.

💍 And a huge thanks to our sponsor Philippa Herbert. Discover their range at https://philippaherbert.co.uk/

📱Have a lesson to share? Send us a DM or voice message on Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haemin Sunim: A Zen Buddhist monk’s guide to healing old wounds and finding inner peace Oct 12, 2025

Show notes

🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by one of the most influential Zen Buddhist monks in the world, the best-selling author Haemin Sunim.

🌸 Haemin shares his gentle wisdom on how to speak to children about death, the importance of self-compassion, and how to foster emotional and spiritual well-being in our homes. He also speaks candidly about a childhood incident that left him with a deep fear of abandonment and how years of reflection and inner work helped him heal.

💬 Plus, hear from Paul who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

🌳 A massive thank you to our sponsor Ancient and Brave. Go to www.ancientandbrave.earth/planet and use code LESSONS for 20% off your first order.

💍 And a huge thanks to our sponsor Philippa Herbert. Discover their range at https://philippaherbert.co.uk/

📱Have a lesson to share? Send us a DM or voice message on Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parenting Differently: Donna Ashworth on embracing neurodiversity Oct 05, 2025

Show notes

🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by best-selling Scottish poet and author Donna Ashworth.

🌸Donna opens up about her son’s autism and ADHD diagnoses and what they’ve taught her about embracing different ways of experiencing the world. She reflects on how humans have lost touch with their instincts and shares tips on how to look within ourselves for answers. Plus, she discusses how to cope with the loss of a mother.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Max, who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

🌳 A massive thank you to our sponsor Ancient and Brave. Go to www.ancientandbrave.earth/planet and use code LESSONS for 20% off your first order.

💍 And a huge thanks to our sponsor Philippa Herbert. Discover their range at https://philippaherbert.co.uk/

📱Have a lesson to share? Send us a DM or voice message on Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Day: How struggling to conceive made her reimagine motherhood Sep 28, 2025

Show notes

🌸Welcome back to season two of Lessons From Our Mother. In this episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by acclaimed novelist, journalist, and broadcaster Elizabeth Day.

🌸Elizabeth shares how her mother inspired her love of books, reading, and writing, and opens up about her own journey with motherhood. She talks candidly about reaching acceptance that she would not be a biological mother - and how she’s discovered many different, meaningful ways to mother in the world.

💬 Plus, hear from Ed Taylor who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

🌳 A massive thank you to our sponsor Ancient and Brave. Go to www.ancientandbrave.earth/planet and use code LESSONS for 20% off your first order.

💍 And a huge thanks to our sponsor Philippa Herbert. Discover their range at https://philippaherbert.co.uk/

📱Have a lesson to share? Send us a DM on Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers.

✅ Please consider subscribing to the show, leaving a review and sharing the podcast with a friend.

🎙️Music composed by Isabella and Waves Rush in and production by OG podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geri Horner-Halliwell: "Motherhood is better than a number one record" Jun 15, 2025

Show notes

🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by pop icon turned author, Geri Halliwell. The former Spice Girl reveals how she naturally took on a motherly role within the band, why she’ll always support her former bandmates, and we hear what her own mum thought of her fame. Geri also shares her experience of parenting a 19-year-old daughter, and her candid thoughts on screen time for kids and teens in today’s digital world.

🌸 Join Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson as they explore how maternal figures have shaped the lives of their guests. Each episode delves into the valuable lessons they’ve carried forward, those they’ve left behind, and the profound impact their maternal figures have had throughout their lives.

💬 Plus, hear from Dr Vivek Murthy, former United States Surgeon-General, who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production. On site production but Tristam Kaye.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Hoover: “ I was allergic to being a mother. It was the worst thing that could have happened to me, and I felt monstrous for thinking that way” Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

🌸Cressida and Isabella are joined by bestselling author, Sarah Hoover who opens up about her path to motherhood, marked by birth trauma and the often-overlooked realities of postpartum depression. Sarah reflects on the complex lessons she inherited from her own mother - some she carries forward, others she’s chosen to leave behind. Plus we hear how her memoir, The Motherload: Episodes from the Brink of Motherhood, became both a creative outlet and a lifeline as it explores what it means to become a mother in the modern world.

🌸Join Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson as they continue to explore how maternal figures have shaped the lives of their guests. Each episode delves into the valuable lessons they’ve carried forward, those they’ve left behind, and the profound impact their maternal figures have had throughout their lives.

❌ Trigger warning: This episode contains a discussion of birth trauma, postpartum depression and suicidal thoughts.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Karma, who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Haidt: “All of these things are designed to take over your child's life” Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

🌸Cressida and Isabella are joined by social psychologist, bestselling author, and cultural commentator Jonathan Haidt. Known for his powerful insights into the modern world, Jonathan reveals how smartphones and screen time are reshaping childhood - and not for the better. He shares practical, research-backed advice for parents raising children in the digital age: from how to set healthy screen boundaries to helping kids build real-world resilience. Jonathan also reflects on his own childhood, sharing fond memories of his late mother.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Karine, who shares some of the most valuable lessons she’s taken from her mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Camila Alves McConaughey: “Finding the balance of giving them everything I think they deserve and also what I think I deserve, is a challenge” May 24, 2025

Show notes

🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by Brazilian-American model, designer, and entrepreneur Camila Alves McConaughey. Camila opens up about the complexities of her relationship with her mother, the balancing act of motherhood, her career and life alongside her husband, Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey. Plus, she shares her top tips for parenting teenagers with wisdom and humour.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Nessie, who shares some of the most valuable lessons she’s taken from her mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mishal Husain: “She really liberated me - she said, your life is completely different from mine, you've got to pursue the talents God's given you” May 17, 2025

Show notes

🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and author Mishal Husain. Known for her work with the BBC and now Bloomberg, Mishal reflects on the powerful lessons she learned from her mother - and how those lessons have shaped both her journalism and her approach to motherhood.

📚Mishal also shares the inspiration behind her book, Broken Threads, which traces the lives of her four grandparents as they migrated to the newly formed Pakistan in the 1940s.

💬 Plus, hear from 102 year old listener Peter, who shares some of the most valuable lessons he’s taken from his mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alain de Botton: “Children will smell their parents' compromises, neuroses - to force the parent towards maturity" May 10, 2025

Show notes

🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by philosopher, bestselling author and founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton. In this episode, Alain explores the complexity of a mother’s love, how our relationships with our mothers shape us as adults, and why parenting doesn’t require perfection - just being “good enough”.

💬 Plus, hear from listener Lucy, who shares some of the most valuable lessons she’s taken from her mum!

📱Have a lesson to share? Head over to Instagram @lessonsfromourmothers and send us a voice message.

🎙️An OG Podcasts production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.