High School Musical Chairs: The Psychology of Mom Groups
From The Shrink Down by The Shrink Down, LLC
January 30, 2026 · 51 min · Episode 40
About this episode
This episode explores the dynamics of mom groups, their benefits and challenges, and the evolution of friendships during motherhood.
Mom groups: supportive lifeline or unexpected source of stress? In this episode, we explore the history and modern-day reality of mom groups, especially as they’ve shifted to online spaces. We talk about the benefits—connection, shared wisdom, and community—alongside the challenges, including comparison, pressure, and toxicity. Through personal stories, we reflect on how friendships can change during motherhood and why it’s normal to have different levels of connection with different moms. Ultimately, we focus on finding the kind of support that actually feels good and giving yourself permission to step away from what doesn’t.
Topics covered
- mom groups
- support
- stress
- friendship
- motherhood
- online communities
Keywords
- mom groups
- supportive lifeline
- stress
- comparison
- community
- toxicity
- connection
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Shrink Down, LLC
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