The EMBER Project Podcast

Finding My Wings: Choosing Love Over Hate

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, I sits down at my kitchen bar on a rainy day with my friend Shannon, a woman whose story is equal parts heartbreak and healing. Shannon grew up in a home marked by alcoholism, violence, and fear, carrying burdens no child should bear. At just eighteen, she became a mother longing for love and stability. What followed was a journey through grief, trauma, resilience, and rediscovery.
Together, Susan and Shannon explore the generational scars left by abuse, the impact of losing her father to suicide, and the desperate hope that motherhood could finally bring unconditional love. Shannon opens up about rebuilding her life through therapy, setting boundaries with a toxic parent, quitting cigarettes, joining the PTA, rescuing animals, surviving long COVID and severe sleep apnea, and learning to see herself as worthy of love and peace.
This episode is raw, honest, and redemptive, a reminder that healing is possible and that even when the past tries to smother your light, you can still rise and shine.
Content warning: This episode talks about abuse, alcoholism and suicide.
To find out more about The EMBER Project, please visit us at www.TheEMBERProject.org. There you will find links to volunteer, donate or take the first step in changing the future of your family.

Through the Fire -Rebuilding, Healing, and Becoming Whole

Welcome to The EMBER Project Podcast, where early mothers become empowered and resilient. In this second part of Surviving the Storm, I continues my conversation with our courageous guest, whose journey from trauma to transformation reminds us that healing is possible, even after the fiercest storms.
In Part One, we heard about her painful childhood, marked by loss, abuse, and instability. In this episode, she shares how those early wounds followed her into young adulthood and motherhood—and how she began to face them with courage and faith.
She opens up about the challenges of early marriage, betrayal, and heartbreak, and how those experiences pushed her to confront the pain she had long carried. As she battled addiction, grief, and loss, she also discovered the resilience that had always been within her.
Through each season of hardship, she found new strength, and began to redefine what love, family, and healing truly meant. Her story is one of survival, but more importantly, of renewal—a reminder that even the smallest ember can reignite into a flame of hope.
If you missed Part One of Surviving the Storm, be sure to listen to it first for the full story of her incredible journey.
To learn more about The EMBER Project and how we help early mothers rebuild their lives through mentorship, education, and empowerment, visit www.theemberproject.org to find volunteer opportunities and the link to enroll in our program.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Together, we keep the fire burning. 🔥

Through the Fire -Rebuilding, Healing, and Becoming Whole

Welcome to The EMBER Project Podcast, where early mothers become empowered and resilient. In this second part of Surviving the Storm, I continues my conversation with our courageous guest, whose journey from trauma to transformation reminds us that healing is possible, even after the fiercest storms.
In Part One, we heard about her painful childhood, marked by loss, abuse, and instability. In this episode, she shares how those early wounds followed her into young adulthood and motherhood—and how she began to face them with courage and faith.
She opens up about the challenges of early marriage, betrayal, and heartbreak, and how those experiences pushed her to confront the pain she had long carried. As she battled addiction, grief, and loss, she also discovered the resilience that had always been within her.
Through each season of hardship, she found new strength, and began to redefine what love, family, and healing truly meant. Her story is one of survival, but more importantly, of renewal—a reminder that even the smallest ember can reignite into a flame of hope.
If you missed Part One of Surviving the Storm, be sure to listen to it first for the full story of her incredible journey.
To learn more about The EMBER Project and how we help early mothers rebuild their lives through mentorship, education, and empowerment, visit www.theemberproject.org to find volunteer opportunities and the link to enroll in our program.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Together, we keep the fire burning. 🔥

Through the Fire: Surviving Childhood, Motherhood, and the Breaking Point

Welcome to The EMBER Project Podcast, where early mothers become empowered and resilient. In this emotional first episode of a two-part series, I sit down with a woman whose story of survival, courage, and faith reminds us that even in the darkest seasons, a spark of hope can still remain.
Our guest shares what life was like growing up in Warren, Ohio, surrounded by poverty, instability, and trauma. From her mother’s disability and her brother’s ADHD to abandonment and hunger, she faced more by age seven than most do in a lifetime. After being placed in thirteen foster homes and enduring abuse, she learned early that safety and trust were never guaranteed.
At eight years old, a brutal assault changed her world forever, leaving her silent for two years. She speaks about that silence, the loss of her therapist, and what those years taught her about fear, strength, and survival. Gymnastics later became her outlet and escape, giving her a rare feeling of confidence and control, even as she faced heartbreak and loss.
As she entered her teens, the longing for love and stability led her into a relationship with an older man who would become her first husband. By fifteen, she was pregnant and navigating motherhood with little guidance or support.
This episode tells the beginning of her powerful journey, one defined by pain but also by perseverance. Be sure to listen through to the end and join us next week for Part Two, when she begins to find healing, identity, and strength beyond survival.
To learn more about The EMBER Project and how we support early mothers, visit ⁠www.theemberproject.org⁠. Connect with us on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠.
Together, we keep the fire burning. 🔥

A Mother Reclaimed: Strength, Sobriety, and Starting Again

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of The EMBER Project Podcast, I speak with a woman whose journey embodies what it truly means to rise from the ashes.
Becoming a mother at sixteen, she faced adulthood before she was ready — balancing school, work, and motherhood while carrying the weight of trauma, addiction, and grief. From surviving sexual abuse in her childhood to losing both parents and her brother, her story is one of unimaginable pain and remarkable perseverance.
Through honesty, faith, and a commitment to healing, she has reclaimed her life — embracing sobriety, breaking destructive family patterns, and redefining what resilience means for herself and her children.
This conversation explores how trauma shapes us, how motherhood can ignite the will to heal, and how even in the darkest moments, hope can still burn quietly beneath the surface.
If you or someone you love has walked through trauma, addiction, or loss, this episode offers both truth and tenderness — a reminder that no matter what you’ve endured, your flame can still rise.
Connect with us and learn more at ⁠theemberproject.org⁠ or follow The EMBER Project on Facebook and Instagram for more inspiring stories and resources for early mothers.

6 to 12 Months - Milestones, Movement & Mama Moves

In this second half of our two-part Positive Parenting series, I continue the journey through the first year of motherhood, exploring the incredible growth that happens between six and twelve months for both mother and child.
From first steps to first words, this season of motherhood is filled with discovery, laughter, and constant change. But it can also bring uncertainty, exhaustion, and moments of doubt. In this episode, we talk about embracing it all with grace and patience, and about how positive parenting creates space for learning and love to grow side by side.
We discuss the milestones that often unfold during this stage, how to support your baby’s development at their own pace, and what it looks like to adapt to changing routines around feeding, sleep, and play. We also explore how daily moments, from mealtime to bedtime, can become opportunities to teach emotional safety, consistency, and trust. Together, we look at ways to create a home that encourages curiosity while remaining safe for exploration, and how to balance your own personal growth as your baby becomes more independent.
This conversation also reminds mothers that support matters. Whether that comes from partners, family, mentors, or community connections, no one is meant to do this alone.
Positive parenting isn’t about getting everything right, it’s about showing up every day with love, consistency, and curiosity, and learning to give yourself the same grace you offer your child.
If this episode encouraged you, please share it with another mom who might need a reminder that she’s doing better than she thinks.
You can connect with us and find more resources at ⁠theemberproject.org⁠, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Thank you for listening to The EMBER Project Podcast, where together, we keep the fire burning.
 
Resources for this episode
⁠Newborn Cues narrated - What is Your Baby Trying to Tell You?⁠
⁠https://www.zerotothree.org/⁠
⁠https://developingchild.harvard.edu/

The First Six Months - Bonding, Feeding & Figuring It Out

In this episode of The EMBER Project Podcast, I sit down with Margaret Stridick, founder of 3P Parenting, to explore what positive parenting truly means, especially for young and early mothers navigating those fragile first months of motherhood.
This is episode one of a two-part series on Parenting Your Infant, and it focuses on building strong emotional bonds, understanding early development, and nurturing both baby and mother during this critical season of life.
Together we unpack the principles of building secure, loving relationships from day one. Margaret explains how small daily interactions such as eye contact, tone of voice, and skin-to-skin moments create deep emotional safety for both mother and baby. She offers practical strategies for bonding through everyday routines like feedings, diaper changes, and bedtime, reminding young moms that even the simplest gestures can shape lifelong trust and connection.
Throughout their conversation, they explore understanding infant cues and different types of cries, setting realistic expectations for newborn sleep, creating learning opportunities through daily routines, managing stress and sadness, and maintaining strong communication with your support system.
 
This conversation is filled with warmth, honesty, and gentle wisdom. Whether you are a new mom, a mentor, or someone supporting young parents, this episode offers encouragement and practical tools to help early mothers thrive, not just survive, in those first precious months.
As promised, I've provided resources here.
⁠Newborn Cues narrated - What is Your Baby Trying to Tell You?⁠
⁠https://www.zerotothree.org/⁠
⁠https://developingchild.harvard.edu/⁠
Connect with The EMBER Project:
🌐 www.theemberproject.org
 

Budgeting, Baby Bottles, and Breaking Free

In this episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Ra'cole, entrepreneur and financial literacy expert.
Generational poverty isn’t just about money. It’s about patterns, pressures, and missed opportunities passed down for decades. In this episode, we uncover what keeps families stuck and how young mothers can begin to rewrite their stories.
From understanding the difference between generational and situational poverty to tackling the stigma of using WIC or EBT, we explore how early parenthood, financial strain, and lack of healthy money role models affect long-term stability. We also break down the psychology of spending, practical ways to budget and save with very limited income, and how mentorship and financial literacy can change the future for both moms and their children.
This is a conversation filled with real strategies, compassion, and hope—for anyone ready to believe that breaking the cycle is possible.
Learn more at ⁠www.theemberproject.org⁠ and follow us on Facebook & Instagram: @TheEMBERProject
Learn more about Ra'cole by visiting
⁠ywcann.com⁠⁠⁠⁠riseyoungstown.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠rockbrook3.com⁠
As always please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!! But most importantly SHARE our podcast with a friend who might find encouragement in it.
 

The Marigold Moment: The Roots That Sparked The EMBER Project

This episode, is the beginning of a three-part series about how The EMBER Project was born. For the first time, I share my own story of becoming a teen mom at fifteen—the stigma, the shame, the words spoken over me that I would never be more than a failure. I talk about my determination to prove them wrong, the years of working and studying with no balance, the times I thought I couldn’t keep going, and what it cost me as a young mother.
Join me as I open this series with my own marigold moment, the painful roots that grew into The EMBER Project.
To learn more about The EMBER Project—how you can support us, or how we might support you—visit our website: ⁠www.theemberproject.org⁠. You can also connect with us on social media: ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠LinkedIn⁠.
If this episode speaks to you, please like, subscribe, and most importantly share it so others can find hope here.
Thank you
 
 

She said I'd never make it... So I had to.

In this episode of The EMBER Project Podcast, I sit down with my guest Mary, who became a mother just days before her fifteenth birthday. For the first time publicly, Mary shares how she navigated early motherhood, judgment, and a medically fragile newborn while fighting to build a life that no one believed she could achieve.
Mary describes adding years to her age to avoid the reactions of strangers, leaving high school to take her GED, and working long hours to support herself and her daughter. She explains how she found independence before turning eighteen, managed her finances with determination, and avoided public assistance because she feared reinforcing the stereotypes placed on young mothers.
Listeners will hear how Mary used temporary jobs to build experience, found stability in bookkeeping, and later attended college with her daughter by her side. She talks about the decade she spent working full time, parenting, and taking classes, and how stubbornness and common sense fueled her through exhaustion and setbacks. Mary also shares how her master’s degree helped save her job during the recession and reflects on the pride her family felt as she built a career that defied every prediction made about her future.
Her story is one of grit, growth, and quiet strength. It reminds us that early motherhood does not define a woman’s potential. Mary’s journey is a powerful example of what happens when determination meets opportunity and how support, confidence, and critical thinking can change the entire trajectory of a life.
At The EMBER Project, we believe in the potential of early mothers and their right to rise. Thank you for listening and for supporting this mission.
Please visit us at www.theemberproject.org to learn more.