Feeling and Naming Your Feelings with Rebecca Fox Starr

Feeling and Naming Your Feelings with Rebecca Fox Starr

In today’s episode of “Helping Families be Happy” podcast, host Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a practicing Clinical Psychologist, Wellness Advocate, and Author based in Sonoma County, California talks with Rebecca Fox Starr about her book ‘Mommy Ever After’, and all about her journey of becoming an author.

 

Episode Highlights

• 02:30 – Dr. Carla asks the guest about one or two pieces of the hard work that make Rebecca who she is.
• 04:48 – Rebecca says that after the birth of her son in 2013, she had severe postpartum depression and it came out of nowhere.
• 07:20 – Dr. Carla enquires what is the most magical piece about the book - 'Mommy Ever After' that's different from the other books that Rebecca wrote.
• 10:10 – It is a story about a mother and her daughter as they go through the stages of life, and experience all different emotions, specifically, some of the tough emotions.
• 14:10 - The holistic approach (mind, body, and spirit approach) is so important, says Dr. Carla.
• 17:10 - What is your favorite part about the way the illustrations speak, asks Dr. Carla.
• 19:10 – Rebecca states that it's very hard to choose her favorite illustrations from the book because every page is just exquisite to her.
• 20:50 – Rebecca suggests that whatever feelings you may feel instead of judging them bring them in, welcome them, sit with them, and let them go.

 

Three Key Points

1. Rebecca started to write in real-time about her struggle with postpartum depression on her blog and that changed the trajectory of her life. She opened up about the heart stuff and subsequently wrote two books that are academic books on perinatal mood, anxiety disorders, and maternal mental health. Writing 'Mommy Ever After' has been such a dream realized; it is something magical for Rebecca.
2. Dr. Carla mentions that this book helps check the child and parent, both as a team learn about emotions being good, that all of these emotions are so important to be able to feel and express in healthy ways.
3. Rebecca emphasizes that sometimes feelings don't have names. It's very hard to name these feelings, but it does not make them any less intense or valid. She has tried to instill in her children that they can say I'm not feeling well. If they say I'm not feeling well, she might ask them, physically or emotionally. If they say emotionally, she takes it just as seriously as any physical ailment.

 

Tweetable Quotes

• "Your story is just so beautiful meeting the boy down the street around the corner." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• "Mommy Ever After - the phrase came about when I became a mom in 2010, I was the first of my friends to have a baby." - Rebecca Fox Starr
• "Being a mother, being a mom, it's another layer in life altogether." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• "First of all, I can't take credit for the visual representations in this book." - Rebecca Fox Starr
• "I love the message that goes throughout the book of being in touch with your emotions." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• "I appreciate that you were able to glean that because that's what my intention is." - Rebecca Fox Starr
• "I have so many favorite images but I'll give you two." - Rebecca Fox Starr
• "What a powerful book, it's a gorgeous book." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• "Beautiful and I agree with you, everything starts and ends with love." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families be Happy Podcast Apple
• Dr. Carla Marie Manly Website LinkedIn Instagram Twitter
• Rebecca Foxstarr Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter
• Podcast Editing