Toxic Friendships, Social Rejection, and the Hidden Health Cost of Mom Groups - Ericka Sóuter on Motherhood, Connection & Emotional Wellbeing

About this episode

Dr. Taz and Ericka Sóuter discuss the health impacts of toxic friendships and social rejection on women, particularly in the context of motherhood.

What if the stress you feel around certain friendships is not just emotional, but something your body is carrying too? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Ericka Sóuter, journalist and author of How to Have a Kid and a Life: A Survival Guide to explore the hidden health impact of toxic friendships, toxic mom groups, social rejection, motherhood, loneliness, and the deep need for real connection. In this episode, Ericka explains why toxic female friendships can leave women feeling anxious, rejected, drained, and unsure of themselves, and how social rejection can activate the same neural pathways as physical pain. She shares how these dynamics often begin early in girlhood, continue into adulthood, and become even more complicated when motherhood raises the stakes of belonging. Ericka and Dr. Taz discuss why so many women stay in social groups that do not feel good, often because of proximity, fear of rejection, their children’s friendships, school communities, social pressure, or the emotional cost of leaving. They also explore the different roles that show up inside toxic groups, including the queen bee, flying monkey, emotional arsonist, silent stabilizer, and disruptor…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Taz MD

Guest: Ericka Sóuter

Topics covered

• toxic friendships
• social rejection
• motherhood
• emotional wellbeing
• connection
• loneliness

Keywords

• toxic friendships
• social rejection
• motherhood
• emotional wellbeing
• connection
• anxiety
• loneliness

Sponsors

Eu Natural

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Eu Natural’s Conception for Her

Books & works: How to Have a Kid and a Life: A Survival Guide

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