Overthinking About Mommy Issues

About this episode

Amanda Montell and guest Ashley Oerman discuss the complex dynamics of mother-child relationships and the psychological implications of 'mommy issues'.

No matter how old we get, there’s a decent chance a small part of us is still trying to impress, understand, forgive, rebel against, or be comforted by our mothers. This week, Amanda is joined by writer and editor Ashley Oerman (@ashleyoerman), author of Motherf*cked, to spiral about one of the most loaded relationships in the human experience: the one between mothers and their children. Together, they unpack the impossible expectations placed on mothers, the ways our earliest relationships shape our adult identities, and why "mommy issues" have become both a punchline and a profound psychological reality. A tender spiral about the stories we spend a lifetime trying to rewrite. Further Reading: Motherf*cked: How to Stop Your Mothers Toxic Drama from Ruining Your Life by Ashley Oerman - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Thanks to our Sponsors: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at…

People in this episode

Host: Amanda Montell

Guest: Ashley Oerman

Topics covered

• mother-child relationships
• psychological impact of parenting
• expectations on mothers
• personal identity
• mommy issues
• emotional healing

Keywords

• mother issues
• psychology
• parenting
• identity
• expectations
• emotional health
• motherhood
• self-discovery

Sponsors

Shopify, Mint Mobile

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Magical Overthinkers Club

Books & works: Motherf*cked, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality

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