Mommywood Podcast

In this solo episode, Emily gets personal about something so many moms in entertainment rarely say out loud: I didnt know who I was anymore. From sleepless nights to missing auditions, feeling disconnected from your creativity to not recognizing yourself in the mirror, she dives into the blurry, beautiful, and bumpy path of rediscovering your identity after having a baby.

Emily shares the real story of how becoming a mom shookand ultimately reshapedher sense of self as a woman and actor. She talks about what helped her feel like herself again, how motherhood has changed her work, and why reclaiming your identity is not a return to the past but an evolution.

Whether youre deep in the baby years, pregnant and panicked, or years out and still figuring it outthis ones for you.

In This Episode:

When the identity shift really hit

The grief and beauty of letting go of your before self

What surprised her about the timeline of coming back

How creativity shifted post-baby

The small things that made her feel like Emily again

Words of encouragement to any mom feeling invisible right now

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This week on Mommywood, it's just the two of us—Emily and Cecilia—pulling back the curtain and catching up on all the beautiful chaos of working mom life. No guests, no filters, just real talk. We’re diving into everything from preschool drop-offs and career curveballs to late-night edits and early-morning tantrums (from us or the kids? You decide).

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all and somehow still missing something, this one’s for you. It’s raw, funny, and just a little messy—like motherhood itself.

Takeaways

Life can get busy, and scheduling can be challenging.

Finding time for self-care is essential for parents.

Schooling choices can be overwhelming for parents.

Community support plays a crucial role in parenting.

Balancing work and family life requires constant adjustment.

Children's school experiences can greatly impact family dynamics.

Sharing parenting experiences can help alleviate feelings of isolation.

The importance of having a support system in parenting.

Future aspirations can evolve as children grow older.

Engaging with guests can provide new insights into motherhood. Motherhood is often described as the hardest job.

Celebrity parents face unique challenges in balancing work and family.

Family planning discussions can be complex and emotional.

The pressure to have multiple children varies among parents.

Every parent's threshold for managing children is different.

Creating a loving environment is a key parenting win.

Apologizing to children after losing patience is important.

Parents often feel guilty about their parenting choices.

The importance of communication with children about feelings.

Celebrating the unique qualities of our children is essential.

Chapters

00:00 Reconnecting After Time Apart

03:00 Navigating Parenting and Work Life

05:59 Schooling Decisions and Experiences

11:56 The Impact of Community and Support

15:10 Future Aspirations and Guest Ideas

20:14 The Reality of Motherhood

23:45 Family Planning Conversations

26:02 The Pressure of Parenting

30:32 Wins and Fails in Parenting

41:05 Celebrating Our Kids

Audrey's Acting Career and Business Insights

Audrey discusses her journey in the acting industry, emphasizing that she's always learning and that the business is constantly changing. Audrey shares that while she's had many challenges, she's never considered quitting acting.

Supporting Actor Parents and Child Choices

Audrey discusses her passion for supporting actor parents, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in storytelling. She shares her personal decision not to have children, explaining that she always knew motherhood wasn't for her. Audrey describes her supportive role as a friend to parents, making herself available to help and be part of their chosen family in Los Angeles.

Actors' Parenthood Challenges and Media Representation

Audrey discusses the challenges actors face when considering parenthood, highlighting the lack of transparency about time, energy, and financial commitments. She emphasizes the fear and uncertainty actors experience, especially in the first decade of their careers, as they balance their acting pursuits with the desire to start a family. She expresses frustration with the lack of detailed discussions about the logistics of balancing parenthood and an acting career, particularly in media interviews and podcasts.

Parenting and Friendship DynamicsEmily discusses her experiences with friendships after becoming a parent. Emily emphasizes the importance of putting oneself out there to form new connections, particularly with other parents.

Supporting New Mothers and Caregivers

Emily and Audrey discuss ways to support new mothers and caregivers. They emphasize the importance of taking initiative rather than asking open-ended questions about needs. Suggestions include bringing food, doing household chores, and offering specific help like grocery shopping or hiring a cleaner. They also stress the importance of setting boundaries and communicating them clearly.

Balancing Acting Careers With Parenthood

Emily and Audrey discuss the challenges of balancing acting careers with parenthood, particularly regarding self-tape auditions. They highlight the difficulties of finding time and space to record auditions while caring for children, as well as the financial burden of childcare or schooling. Emily shares her experience of having an actor husband as a reader and paying for her daughter's schooling to create time for auditions. They also touch on the isolation some parent actors face when unable to reciprocate as readers for their non-parent actor friends.

Parenting Challenges and Socioeconomic Disparities

Audrey and Emily discuss the challenges of parenting as children grow older. Audrey shares that her friends with older children find themselves busier with activities and social commitments, contrary to expectations of having more free time. Emily expresses concern about managing multiple children's schedules and the financial burden of extracurricular activities, especially in Los Angeles. They also touch on the socioeconomic disparities in LA and the difficulties of maintaining a middle-class lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding in these situations.

Audrey's Selftape May Initiative

Audrey discusses her self-tape practice initiative called "Selftape May," which she started to help actors improve their audition skills without spending money. She encourages actors to practice self-tapes regularly, aiming for about four per week, to build capacity and solve logistical issues. Audrey and Emily also discuss the challenges of balancing acting careers with parenting responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of finding ways to practice and improve despite time constraints. Audrey mentions therapy and her supportive husband as her current lifesavers.

Contact Emily Feldt Shabel

Exploring Career Transitions and Growth

Emily Bolt and Emily Feldt discussed their career transitions. Emily Feldt shared her journey from acting to therapy, highlighting how it helped her untangle thoughts and feelings.

Balancing Acting and Family Life

Emily and Emily discussed the challenges of balancing acting and other careers, particularly as people start families. Emily shared her plans to start a family, noting that her work as a therapist has provided her with tools to navigate this process.

Therapy's Impact on Parenting Skills

Emily and Emily discussed the benefits of therapy and its impact on their personal lives. Emily shared that therapy has provided her with valuable communication skills, which she believes will be beneficial in her future as a parent.

Navigating Fears of Starting a Family

In the meeting, Emily Bolt and Emily Feldt discussed the challenges and fears associated with starting a family, particularly for women in the workforce. Emily Feldt emphasized the importance of staying present and communicating with partners, friends, and therapists.

Balancing Creativity and Family Life

Emily and Emily discussed the challenges creatives face when considering starting a family. They emphasized the importance of open communication with partners about finances, parenting styles, and maintaining creativity. Emily suggested that creatives should not feel pressured to have everything figured out from the start and should prioritize flexibility and self-care.

Setting Boundaries for Creatives

Emily and Emily discussed the challenges of setting boundaries between work and personal life, particularly for creatives. They agreed that it's difficult to establish specific boundaries that work for everyone, but suggested being more intentional about where to put energy and getting in tune with one's needs.

Art, Storytelling, and Mental Health

Emily and Emily discussed the importance of art and storytelling in people's lives. They talked about how the perception of art as a valid career can be challenged, and how mental health plays a significant role in sustaining careers and relationships. Emily emphasized that healing doesn't erase life experiences, but rather allows for better functioning.

Balancing Family and Career Flexibility

Emily Feldt discusses her plans for balancing family and career, emphasizing the importance of flexibility. She intends to take a short maternity leave and return to therapy, appreciating the ability to set her own schedule as a therapist.

Artists' Paradox: Control and Confidence

Emily Bolt and Emily Feldt discuss the paradox of control-seeking individuals choosing careers in the arts, where control is limited. They explore the idea that uncertainty and the potential for unexpected success can be enticing. The conversation touches on the need for artists to believe in themselves, with Feldt reassuring that this self-belief is not delusional but a necessary skill. They conclude by drawing parallels between the confidence needed in acting and parenting, emphasizing the importance of believing in one's ability to learn and adapt.

Today, I’m so excited to welcome the incredibly talented Lauren Marcus to the show! Lauren is a powerhouse in the theater world, currently performing in The Jonathan Larson Project at the Orpheum Theater, celebrating the lesser-known works of the legendary Rent composer. You might also recognize her from the film adaptation of Tick, Tick… Boom!, which she filmed during the early days of the pandemic. But beyond her impressive resume, Lauren is also a mom—navigating the ups and downs of parenting while balancing a busy career in entertainment.

In this episode, we get real about what it means to be both an artist and a mother—the joys, the struggles, and those moments when you’re just trying to survive on broken sleep and sheer determination. Lauren opens up about her journey through pregnancy, her challenging birth experience, and how she’s adjusting as her daughter approaches her first birthday. We talk about everything from the pressure to “bounce back” after having a baby to the constant juggle of work, childcare, and personal identity. And, of course, we share some laughs (and maybe a few rants) about things like baby sleep schedules, toddler tantrums, and the challenge of keeping our language in check around little ears!

Lauren also shares what it’s like to take her daughter on the road while performing, the realities of finding childcare when you work unpredictable hours, and the emotional weight of being away from home for long stretches. It’s a conversation full of honesty, humor, and that deep understanding

that only comes from talking to another mom who gets it.

We also dive into the emotional tug-of-war so many of us feel—missing the freedom of our pre-motherhood selves while absolutely loving this new, all-consuming role as parents. Lauren and I talk about how our careers have shifted since having kids, the guilt that creeps in whether we’re working or at home, and the constant challenge of making it all work. Spoiler alert: no one has it figured out, and that’s okay!

Whether you’re a working mom trying to balance it all, a fellow theater parent navigating unpredictable schedules, or just someone who loves a good, honest conversation about the beautiful mess of motherhood, this episode is for you. So grab a cup of coffee (or reheat the one you forgot about three hours ago), get comfy, and join us for a heart-to-heart with the amazing Lauren Marcus.

Let’s get into it! 🎤✨