Episode 28

Guest Overview

Stacy McCann is a licensed clinical mental health therapist and parenting coach who specializes in supporting mothers through the challenges of early parenthood, perinatal mental health, and attachment-based parenting. With over 15 years of experience, she brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the conversation, offering validation, encouragement, and real talk about the realities of motherhood. She is also the founder of Present Parent Coaching Services, where she helps moms navigate the transition into parenthood with more confidence and less guilt.

📢 Instagram & TikTok Profile:

@presentparenttsyes

Episode Summary

Parenting is hard. Parenting in a post-pandemic world? Even harder. In this episode, we sit down with Stacy McCann, a therapist and mom who knows firsthand what it's like to navigate motherhood in times of uncertainty. She opens up about her traumatic birth experience, postpartum anxiety, and the unexpected isolation of parenting during COVID-19. We also dive deep into the pressures of modern motherhood, the guilt that comes with making the “right” choices, and why it’s okay to let go of your old self and embrace who you’re becoming.

This conversation is raw, validating, and full of wisdom for any parent who has ever felt like they’re not doing enough. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, burnout, or simply the mental load of being a mom, you NEED to hear this episode. 🎧💛

Fun Fact

Before becoming a therapist, Stacy dreamed of being a writer! She even won “Best Food Blog” in St. Louis a decade ago, blending her love for writing and food.

What do you wish you knew before having kids? 

"That you don’t just go ‘back to normal’ after having a baby. You don’t find your old self again—you create someone new. And that’s actually really powerful."

What advice do you give your expectant friends? 

"Start having regular ‘family meetings’ with your partner NOW. Talk about expectations, mental load, who does what, and how you’ll support each other—before the baby arrives. These conversations are so much harder once you're sleep-deprived and overwhelmed."

What has been the most impactful part of your journey in parenthood? 

"Becoming a mother during the first wave of the pandemic. My daughter was 10 months old, I was still figuring out how to be a mom, and suddenly, the world shut down. Her first birthday was on Zoom, and the isolation was overwhelming. That experience shaped how I see motherhood today."

What has brought you unexpected joy throughout this experience? 

"Realizing that having only one child is exactly right for us. There’s so much pressure to have more, but our family feels complete, and I never expected to feel this much peace about it."

What is a sentence that sums up the most impactful part of your journey? 

"I became a mother in crisis—navigating birth trauma, a global pandemic, and postpartum anxiety—but that experience reshaped my purpose and how I support other moms today."