Reframing Me
So many prepare us for the transition to motherhood, but no one prepares us for how hard the transition out is, and once our kids become teens, it also can feel very solitary. The issues we face with teens are often ones we need to talk about, yet feel we can't or shouldn't. Together, we can create a community of women who, faced with growing children and changing families, are relearning how to mom, and relearning who they are as women. Grounded in family communication theory, join Dr. Jennifer Brubaker to have those conversations to help you better understand this new chapter of your life. Episodes focus on both family communication with our teens and reflection and self discovery. Dr. Brubaker has her Ph.D in Communication Studies and is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she has taught for 17 years. Prior to UNCW, she taught at The Ohio State University, Kent State University and the University of Toledo. Originally from Ohio, Jen lives in Wilmington, NC, with her husband, three children, three dogs, cat and a menagerie of small animals. She loves spending time with her family, traveling and all things fitness, sports and wellness. Reach out with your questions, issues or experiences to begin the conversation. Or reach out to say hi and let me know you’re listening :) Join the Reframing Me: The Podcast Community Facebook group to connect with others who are looking to relearn how to parent, now that their kids are teens, and rediscover who they are as women, beyond the framework of motherhood. Send emails to jen@reframing-me.com; or on socials: Reframing Me on FacebookAND join the Facebook group Reframing Me: The Podcast Community; @reframingme on Instagram; Reframing Me on YouTube @reframingme on TikTok
Reframing Me
Why Not Me? Emily's Matrenaissance: A Journey of Empowerment
What happens when you realize the life you’re living no longer aligns with who you want to be? How do you navigate the fear, resistance, and self-doubt that come with stepping into a new version of yourself?
In this episode of Reframing Me, I sit down with Emily Allen, a certified alcohol-free life coach who helps women break free from wine mom culture and reclaim their power in midlife. After transforming her own relationship with alcohol while raising her two children, Emily now guides women in creating a future filled with clarity, authentic connections, and true freedom.
Emily’s story is a perfect example of the Matrenaissance in action—she recognized that the narrative she had been living wasn’t serving her, changed the way she spoke to herself, stepped into her power, and now helps other women do the same.
In our conversation, we dive into:
🔹 Recognizing the need for change—How Emily knew it was time for a shift
🔹 The role of intrapersonal communication—How self-talk shapes transformation
🔹 Overcoming fear and resistance—Navigating pushback from yourself and others
🔹 Rewriting your identity—Becoming the kind of person who shows up for herself
🔹 How relationships evolve when we grow—Setting boundaries and finding support
🔹 Breaking free from wine mom culture—Why alcohol and midlife reinvention are so connected
Find Emily at www.livingfreewithemily.com and @livingfreewithemily
This conversation is for any woman who feels stuck—whether it’s in a habit, a role, or a version of herself that no longer fits. Emily’s journey will inspire you to suspend your disbelief, rewrite your story, and step into the woman you were meant to be.
✨ Join the March Matrenaissance movement! If you haven’t already, listen to the main Matrenaissance episode, and stay tuned as I bring you more conversations with women who have transformed their lives.
📢 Let’s keep the conversation going!
💌 Take the Matrenaissance survey: www.reframing-me.com
📲 Follow along @ReframingMe everywhere
📧 Want to share your story? Email me at jen@reframing-me.com
Midlife isn’t the end—it’s your Matrenaissance. Let’s rewrite the narrative together. 🎙️✨
Please help me with my Matrenaissance Identity Theory of Communication research by completing a completely anonymous survey at https://forms.gle/WunxbwZ7L1MmvWEF6
This research has been approved by the UNCW Institutional Review Board.
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