Purpose in Pain - One Mom's Path through Motherhood, Grief and Growth

Purpose in Pain - One Mom's Path through Motherhood, Grief and Growth

From Wanna Grab Coffee? with Natalie Lisk by Natalie Lisk

February 14, 2026 · 48 min · Season 1 · Episode 11

About this episode

Natalie Lisk and Stephanie Perkins discuss the challenges of motherhood, grief, and personal growth during difficult times.

In this episode of Wanna Grab Coffee? , I’m joined by my longtime friend Stephanie Perkins, someone who’s been part of my life since our now-husbands were classmates, roommates and co-workers back in the day. We talk about the real-life season Stephanie and her husband walked through when he left athletic training to pursue PA school, and she became the sole provider while also stepping into motherhood. We get into what it actually felt like to be a working mom in survival mode, the pressure we put on ourselves, and how those hard years shaped their marriage, parenting, and decision-making as a team. We're interrupted multiple times by my precious angel children who decided printing coloring pages and burping loudly in the next room over were totally appropriate while mom recorded her podcast. We're raising little ladies over here, after all! Stephanie also shares the heart behind Rad Moms Club , the “get a hobby” moment that sparked it, and why she’s so passionate about celebrating moms in the chaos, not just the highlight reel. Plus, we get into the underrated magic of car rides with your kids, how real conversations happen when everyone’s facing forward, and simple prompts…

People in this episode

Host: Natalie Lisk

Guest: Stephanie Perkins

Topics covered

  • motherhood
  • grief
  • parenting
  • working mom
  • marriage
  • self-care

Keywords

  • motherhood
  • grief
  • working mom
  • Rad Moms Club
  • parenting
  • self-care
  • miscarriage
  • stillbirth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Rad Moms Club

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