This episode is an emotionally rich, thoughtful exploration of motherhood, storytelling, friendship, and addiction. Sophie reflects on how her podcast began long before podcasting was popular- born out of frustration and a desire for honesty. Instead of curated perfection, she and co-host Jen offered chaos, humour, truth, and community and thousands of women saw themselves reflected, often for the first time.
Sophie also shares deeply personal experiences with mental illness, alcoholism and self-loathing, describing how shame can follow us from childhood into adulthood until compassion interrupts the pattern. Through laughter, vulnerability, and storytelling, she shows how honesty can become a form of healing.
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🎙 Podcasting with No Blueprint- A movement born from instinct, not strategy.
👭 Friendship as Creative Foundation- Trust, humour, and emotional safety.
👶 Motherhood Without Filters- Breaking away from curated Instagram motherhood.
🧠 Postnatal Depression & Mental Health Struggles- Real emotional aftermath of motherhood.
🍷 Addiction & The First Drink at 13- Relief, identity, and survival.
✨ Compassion Through Seeing Children Clearly- Realising nothing was her fault.
📢 Women’s Voices & The Power of Being Heard - Solidarity and storytelling.
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Mother of Pod / Stop the Madness Podcast
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00:00- How the podcast unexpectedly began
05:10- “Be my pod wife” moment
08:40- Building Patreon & creative freedom
13:20- Irish storytelling culture
18:10- Postnatal depression & emotional reality
23:50- When listeners share their truth
30:20- Addiction & first drink story
33:00- Breastfeeding pressure & guilt
40:00- Addiction, breakdown & survival
52:30- Women’s safety & public space
59:00- Parenting, screens & doing our best
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