That Mom | Why Moms Are Wired to Worry More (Pt. 2 with Dr. Risa Weisberg)

Anxiety, Identity, and Becoming Who You Actually Want to Be (Part 2) ft. Dr. Risa Weisberg In Part 2 of my conversation with behavioral scientist Dr. Risa Weisberg, we shift from goals and motivation into something almost every mom feels but rarely understands: anxiety. Risa breaks down why anxiety isn't a flaw to eliminate but an alarm system that's actually doing its job — and why motherhood itself rewires the brain to make that alarm louder. We also dig into identity: why it feels so unsettled in motherhood, how much of who we think we are was actually decided for us in childhood through social comparison, and how — encouragingly — identity isn't fixed. You can change it through your behavior, not just the other way around. Risa shares her own experience traveling for work while raising two daughters, the fear of the story her kids might tell about her absence, and what she learned instead. We close with her advice for busy moms: pick what you really care about, and let the rest go. What We Cover: Why anxiety exists and why eliminating it isn't actually the goal The biology of fight-or-flight, and why it feels so wrong for modern, non-physical stress Why moms are biologically wired to be the more anxious parent — and why that's not a flaw What "identity" really is, and how much of it was set in early childhood How identity can change through behavior, not just dictate it Risa's own story: traveling for work, the fear of her kids' story about her, and what actually happened Risa's current work, including her new project, Future Self AI About the Guest: Dr. Risa Weisberg is a psychologist, behavioral scientist, former digital health executive, speaker, and professor at Boston University. Her work focuses on behavior change, motivation, decision-making, and identity. She also coaches women through major life transitions and is a founding team member of Future Self AI. Links + Resources: Connect or Learn more about https://www.drrisaweisberg.com/ Follow ThatMom:   / thatmomco   Join the ThatMom Community: https://thatmom.kit.com/intentionalmom Learn more: https://riverside.com/www.thatmompodc... Maria's Style Pick: One thing helping me simplify life as a working mom? Renting instead of buying. This episode's outfit is from Rent the Runway. https://www.renttherunway.com/shares/... If this episode resonated, share it with a mom who has been carrying too much for too long. And if you're enjoying these conversations, follow That Mom for more thoughtful discussions about motherhood, identity, ambition, happiness, emotional well-being, and building a life that feels aligned with what matters most.