What Fresh Hell Podcast

17/11/2025

This week, we're revisiting our interview with Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Gordon Neufeld of the Neufeld Institute. In the revised edition of their book ⁠HOLD ONTO YOUR KIDS⁠, Dr. Maté and Dr. Neufeld explain the crucial importance of remaining attached to our children as they grow.

Dr. Gordon Neufeld is an internationally renowned psychologist and foremost authority on child development, and founder of the Neufeld Institute. Dr. Gabor Maté is a renowned speaker and bestselling author, highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development.

Amy, Dr. Maté, and Dr. Neufeld discuss:

Why "peer orientation" doesn't actually have to be the way things go
How cultural shifts in society have accelerated the rise of peer orientation
How we can reattach to our children and remain their most important role model

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/deep-dive-dr-gabor-mate-and-dr-gordon-neufeld-on-maintaining-healthy-connection-with-our-kids/

17/11/2025

So much of today’s teen independence—and even teen rebellion—didn’t exist in the same way before the mid-20th century.

Drs. Gabor Maté and Dr. Gordon Neufeld of the Neufeld Institute break down how we went from multigenerational guidance to young people looking to their peers for guidance rather than their parents.

Listen to the full interview with Drs. Maté and Neufeld here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-dr-gabor-mate-and-dr-gordon-neufeld-on-maintaining-healthy-connection-with-our-kids/

15/11/2025

So many of us grew up absorbing messages about our bodies we never asked for. Now we’re raising kids in a world where those messages still find their way in—no matter how body-neutral our homes are. Kate Baer, author of the new poetry collection HOW ABOUT NOW, explains what it feels like to be a mom trying to break that cycle.

Listen to the full interview with Kate here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-kate-baer-how-about-now/

14/11/2025

Amy and Margaret talk with Kate Baer, three-time New York Times bestselling poet, about her new poetry collection How About Now— a book born out of a season of unexpected change.

From sudden health crises to the shifting identity of motherhood, Kate invites us into the raw material of her life — and shows us how poetry can hold what the forms and boxes of everyday life cannot.

We talk about how time begins to accelerate in midlife, how our bodies both betray and reveal us, and how friendship, marriage, and motherhood become the scaffolding for truth-telling. Kate Baer's work makes the ordinary sacred and the chaotic strangely comforting.

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-kate-baer-how-about-now/

12/11/2025

Amy and Margaret discuss two new studies on boys and their lives online—in social media and gaming—and how today's digital culture shapes boys’ mental health, relationships, and ideas about their bodies and about masculinity.

We discuss why gaming fills social and emotional needs for many boys, why the time spent may be of more concern than the content, and how parents can stay involved without over-policing.

You’ll learn practical ways to become an “ask-able” parent, set boundaries, and how to know whether their time spent online is more harmful than helpful.

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/boys-online-what-the-latest-data-shows/

10/11/2025

Contrary to what social media would have us believe, not every hobby has to turn into a madly successful side-hustle that takes the world by storm. Margaret talks with Liz Gumbinner, co-host of the podcast ⁠"Spawned with Kristen and Liz⁠," about why it's okay to just make really delicious cookies.

⁠Liz Gumbinner⁠ is a writer, award-winning ad agency creative director, and mom of teens. Online she’s better known as the publisher of ⁠coolmompicks.com⁠ and the author of the OG mom blog Mom-101. Her Substack newsletter, ⁠I’m Walking Here⁠, looks at media, politics, and culture through a witty parenting lens.

Liz and Margaret discuss why parenting itself has become another thing to "hustle" around, as well as the difference between ambition and "the hustle."

It's great to spend a night with your family or friends without taking/posting any pics at all and just being present, says Liz. It gives you perspective on what's important in life and helps you refocus how you want to spend more of your time.

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/deep-dive-liz-gumbinner-on-ditching-the-hustle/

10/11/2025

“If women collectively decided to break from systems that were never built for us… those systems would crumble.”

Jen Hatmaker, author of the new book AWAKE, joins us to talk about waking up at midlife. About realizing how much of women's compliance is conditioning, and how freeing it feels to finally opt out.

Listen to our full interview with Jen here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-jen-hatmaker-awake/

09/11/2025

Caregiving for an aging parent can be emotionally brutal—especially when the parent you’re caring for doesn’t even recognize you anymore.

This kind of work—lifting, bathing, comforting, remembering—rarely gets seen or celebrated. But it is profound, difficult, and deeply human.

In this episode, we talk about the invisible labor of caregiving and how caregivers can work to put their own health first.

Listen to the full episode "Caregiving" here: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/caregiving/

08/11/2025

07/11/2025

Amy and Margaret talk with bestselling author and "For the Love" podcaster Jen Hatmaker about her new memoir AWAKE.

Jen's book begins with the moment she knew her marriage was over, and goes on to tell the story of the midlife reckoning that followed—and how her life up until that point had left her, in some ways, particularly unprepared.

In this interview, Jen shares:
How women are taught to ignore their instincts and prioritize belonging
Why midlife brings inevitable upheaval — and opportunity
How to meet your past self with compassion, not shame

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/fresh-take-jen-hatmaker-awake/

06/11/2025

Our November bonus episode, inspired by the film Sliding Doors, is about the small decisions we make that can change the rest of our lives afterwards.

Sign up for What Fresh Hell Plus on Supporting Cast to get all episodes ad-free, plus monthly bonus episodes. Supporting Cast works right where you already listen!

Go to whatfreshhell.supportingcast.fm to subscribe in two taps for just $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year.

05/11/2025

Amy and Margaret honor National Caregiving Month with an honest, compassionate look at the realities of caregiving. From raising kids to caring for aging parents—or both at once—they explore the invisible labor, emotional toll, and financial strain that caregivers face every day.
They share personal stories, research-backed insights, and practical advice for managing burnout, compassion fatigue, and family dynamics. Whether you’re part of the “sandwich generation” or just beginning to navigate caregiving, this conversation offers solidarity and tools to help you find support and protect your own well-being.

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/caregiving