Ep 12 ~ Why Mother Exhaustion Isn’t Just Tiredness with Nicola Saunders

You wake up already tired & running through the day ahead before your feet even hit the floor. This is what mother exhaustion really looks like… but it’s not just tiredness. It’s the mental load of motherhood, the invisible pressure of being the default parent & what many women are silently experiencing as depleted mother syndrome. If you’ve been wondering how to get out of survival mode & stop feeling so exhausted, this conversation will land deeply. It’s for you if from the outside, your life looks amazing but inside, you feel stretched too thin, overwhelmed & like something is missing &… If you’re holding everything together but it doesn’t feel fulfilling. In this honest conversation, we explore what’s going on beneath the surface… from identity loss in motherhood to the unconscious patterns shaping how you show up as a Mum, partner & woman. This is about how much you’ve been carrying, often without even realising it. We talk about the pressure to get it right, the emotional weight of parenting without a manual, & why so many women live in a cycle of just getting through the day… while slowly losing themselves in the process. One of the biggest takeaways is that 42% of marriages end in divorce… partly because when life becomes all about managing children, work & everything else, there’s very little time or energy left to invest in the relationship. Disconnection doesn’t happen overnight… it happens slowly, in the background of survival mode. This episode will help you see your experience differently… with more compassion, more awareness & a sense that maybe it doesn’t have to feel like this. There’s also a powerful shift around emotional energy, boundaries & how to set boundaries with your children in a way that doesn’t come from guilt or fear… something most of us were never shown. If you’ve been thinking, “I know there’s more for me”… this is your reminder that you’re not alone & there is another way. 🎧 Press play to hear the full conversation. ✨Your first steps to reclaiming your time & energy… 1. Download your free Overload Reset™ ~ A 10-minute reset for Working Mums with an amazing life… that doesn’t feel like your own. ➡️https://micheleakester-marsh.com/over... 2. Book a 60-min 1:1 Mind Massage (online)… declutter your thoughts, release patterns of expectations & urgency, & set firm boundaries to live aligned to your values. ➡️https://calendly.com/micheleakesterma... Your Guest Nicola Saunders is a Mum of 2 adult children, aged 25 & 21, wife, dog mum & psychotherapist with over 25 years’ experience. She specialises in supporting parents of teenagers who feel as though they are walking on eggshells at home & long for more calm & connection. Nicola helps parents move away from quick-fix strategies & instead develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their family patterns, & how their own childhood experiences shape the parent they are today, creating meaningful change one small, compassionate shift at a time. ➡️www.nicolasaunderstherapy.com ➡️www.facebook.com/Nicolasaunderstherapy ➡️www.instagram.com/nicola.saunders.therapy Your Host I’m Michele, aka The Unshakeable Mama™ ~ wife, Mum of 2 incredible boys & guide for over-functioning Working Mums who look like they’ve got it all together… but feel life doesn’t fully belong to them. I help Mums reclaim their time, energy & capacity so they stop living for everyone else & start creating lives that feel calmer, more supported & deeply aligned with their values every day. I work with Mums who have outgrown coping & are ready to create space for more. When Mums choose change, the ripple effect creates deeper harmony in the home & beyond. ➡️www.micheleakester-marsh.com ➡️www.facebook.com/michele.akestermarsh ➡️www.instagram.com/michele.akestermarsh ➡️www.linkedin.com/in/micheleakester-marsh