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MAMA WELLNESS

LET’S GET REAL: WHEN THE MOM EVERYONE SEES ISN'T WHO WE REALLY ARE

 Modern Mommy Doc


PUBLICATION DATE:

August 9, 2021

LET’S GET REAL: WHEN THE MOM EVERYONE SEES ISN'T WHO WE REALLY ARE

 Modern Mommy Doc

CATEGORY: MAMA WELLNESS

Co-worker: Hey, good morning! How are you?


What I wanted to say: Well, I’m running on 4 hours of sleep, ate breakfast in the drop-off line at my kid’s school after helping them study for their spelling test by calling out words while I was in the shower, and all morning I’ve been wondering if I my boss was going to be mad when I ask to leave early again to take my kid to the orthodontist.


What I actually said: Great, thanks! How are you?


It’s HARD to let anyone see what’s really going on. We put on our smiles, our “everything's peachy” attitudes, and keep on trucking. Day after day after day.


It’s exhausting. 



Moms are used to building up these walls that reinforce the “I can do it all--and look great doing it!” mentality. We put on masks that don’t let anyone in. That don’t let anyone see who we really are and how we’re really doing. And we don’t take them down for pretty much anyone.


Vulnerability is, well,

vulnerable. It’s scary.

What if someone sees the real me and they reject me? Or thinks what I’m going through isn’t that big of a deal? What if they just think I'm a hot mess?


Being vulnerable allows us to build trust in our relationships, whether it’s with other moms or with our husband. It’s how our relationships grow stronger and build a deeper connection.


But if we’re being honest with ourselves (and I’m totally raising my hand on this one), sometimes we don't even know how to go about it.



What does being vulnerable even mean?


How does someone become vulnerable in a relationship? What would it actually look like?


Becoming vulnerable means making space to be quiet with ourselves.
We need space to be able to get real. What do you REALLY want to be doing 5 years from now? What do you REALLY want to be spending your time on now? What are you ACTUALLY spending your time on? Are those things the same? We’ve got to take a hard look at those answers, but we can’t if we’re not able to quiet our mind enough to find that space.


Becoming vulnerable means being honest with the people around us about how we’re REALLY doing. 
This one is tough. We’ve got to take that mask down that says, “I’ve got this, all the time!” and start letting your inner circle know that, in fact, you don’t got this, most of the time.


Becoming vulnerable means developing a mindful self-compassion practice.
As moms, we’re used to treating ourselves like a mean drill sergeant would: harshly and critically. We’re all already highly-skilled at giving ourselves a hard time when we don’t mother, show up in our work, or show up for ourselves the ways we want to.


Mindful self-compassion is about learning how to encourage ourselves in tough moments with kindness instead of criticism. Make sure you check out our blog next week--we’ll be doing a deep dive into this one!


Mama, how can you take down your mask in just ONE area of your life? Call up that friend you’ve been putting off? Ask for more help at home? Try it in just one area and then watch as it snowballs into the rest.


We’re going to be talking a LOT about this in our brand new Modern Mamas Club-come check it out!


Raising Body-Confident Kids Starts at the Doctor's Office!

START NOW
By Dr. Whitney December 17, 2025
About the Episode: In this episode, Dr. Whitney sits down with Dr. Jay Gargus and Dave Justus from NeuroQure to discuss the power of early clarity when it comes to autism detection and why earlier intervention can fundamentally change outcomes for childre n and families. Dr. Gargus explains the science behind early behavioral therapies and why their impact goes far beyond short-term skill-building. Research shows that early, evidence-based interventions can lead to measurable, lifelong improvements in IQ, so cial skills, independence, and educational placement, often determining whether a child can thrive in mainstream education or requires ongoing specialized support. The conversation also tackles a critical and often overlooked issue: access. Dave Justus shares the personal motivation behind NeuroQure’s work and explains why the test is being launched at cost, with installment plans and employer subsidies, while the team works toward insurance coverage. The goal is to prevent families from losing precious years waiting for answers. Together, they emphasize a hopeful message for parents: families don’t need to wait for a future “silver bullet.” We already have therapies that work and getting kids connected to them earlier can change the course of a lifetime. In this episode, we discuss: Why early autism detection leads to lifelong changes—not just short-term gains What a 17-point IQ difference actually means for education, independence, and quality of life How early intervention can shift developmental trajectories as early as 6 months The science and validation behind current autism therapies Why NeuroQure is pricing testing at cost while pursuing insurance coverage How early clarity can reduce long-term strain on families, schools, and healthcare systems This episode is a powerful reminder that timing matters and that early access to answers can make an extraordinary difference for children and the families who love them. About Our Guest: Dr. Jay Gargus, MD, PhD is a physician-scientist and nationally recognized expert in neurodevelopmental disorders, with decades of experience researching the biological underpinnings of autism. His work has focused on translating well-established science into meaningful, real-world interventions that can improve lifelong outcomes for children. Dr. Gargus emphasizes that early, evidence-based therapies are already available—and that connecting families to them sooner can fundamentally change developmental trajectories. Dave Justus is a parent and the founder of NeuroQure, whose work is driven by personal experience navigating delayed autism diagnosis and intervention. Motivated by the belief that early clarity can spare families years of uncertainty, Dave is focused on expanding access to early testing through cost-based pricing and ongoing efforts to secure insurance coverage. His mission is simple but powerful: ensure families don’t have to wait for answers that could change everything. Want to Start Raising Body-Confident Kids Today? 📘 Order the Book Order your copy of My One-of-a-Kind Body 👉 www.raisingbodyconfidentkids.com/books 🎁 Claim Your Free Bonus When you order on our site, you’ll also get access to a FREE video mini-course with five bite-sized lessons for parents. In just 25 minutes, you’ll walk away with: Simple, script-style ways to respond when your kid says, “I hate my thighs” How to talk about health without weight talk What to do when your own inner critic shows up How to interrupt diet culture at home The first step to raising a body-confident kid, even if you didn’t grow up as one 📩 Subscribe to The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast for more episodes on parenting with confidence and clarity. Leave a review using the hashtag #ModernMommyDoc.
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ON THE PODCAST


By Dr. Whitney December 17, 2025
About the Episode: In this episode, Dr. Whitney sits down with Dr. Jay Gargus and Dave Justus from NeuroQure to discuss the power of early clarity when it comes to autism detection and why earlier intervention can fundamentally change outcomes for childre n and families. Dr. Gargus explains the science behind early behavioral therapies and why their impact goes far beyond short-term skill-building. Research shows that early, evidence-based interventions can lead to measurable, lifelong improvements in IQ, so cial skills, independence, and educational placement, often determining whether a child can thrive in mainstream education or requires ongoing specialized support. The conversation also tackles a critical and often overlooked issue: access. Dave Justus shares the personal motivation behind NeuroQure’s work and explains why the test is being launched at cost, with installment plans and employer subsidies, while the team works toward insurance coverage. The goal is to prevent families from losing precious years waiting for answers. Together, they emphasize a hopeful message for parents: families don’t need to wait for a future “silver bullet.” We already have therapies that work and getting kids connected to them earlier can change the course of a lifetime. In this episode, we discuss: Why early autism detection leads to lifelong changes—not just short-term gains What a 17-point IQ difference actually means for education, independence, and quality of life How early intervention can shift developmental trajectories as early as 6 months The science and validation behind current autism therapies Why NeuroQure is pricing testing at cost while pursuing insurance coverage How early clarity can reduce long-term strain on families, schools, and healthcare systems This episode is a powerful reminder that timing matters and that early access to answers can make an extraordinary difference for children and the families who love them. About Our Guest: Dr. Jay Gargus, MD, PhD is a physician-scientist and nationally recognized expert in neurodevelopmental disorders, with decades of experience researching the biological underpinnings of autism. His work has focused on translating well-established science into meaningful, real-world interventions that can improve lifelong outcomes for children. Dr. Gargus emphasizes that early, evidence-based therapies are already available—and that connecting families to them sooner can fundamentally change developmental trajectories. Dave Justus is a parent and the founder of NeuroQure, whose work is driven by personal experience navigating delayed autism diagnosis and intervention. Motivated by the belief that early clarity can spare families years of uncertainty, Dave is focused on expanding access to early testing through cost-based pricing and ongoing efforts to secure insurance coverage. His mission is simple but powerful: ensure families don’t have to wait for answers that could change everything. Want to Start Raising Body-Confident Kids Today? 📘 Order the Book Order your copy of My One-of-a-Kind Body 👉 www.raisingbodyconfidentkids.com/books 🎁 Claim Your Free Bonus When you order on our site, you’ll also get access to a FREE video mini-course with five bite-sized lessons for parents. In just 25 minutes, you’ll walk away with: Simple, script-style ways to respond when your kid says, “I hate my thighs” How to talk about health without weight talk What to do when your own inner critic shows up How to interrupt diet culture at home The first step to raising a body-confident kid, even if you didn’t grow up as one 📩 Subscribe to The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast for more episodes on parenting with confidence and clarity. Leave a review using the hashtag #ModernMommyDoc.
By Dr. Whitney November 13, 2025
Stop being so busy, and start being more present.