motherhood

motherland book

Motherland: A Memoir

by Barb Higgins ・ Proceeds go to The Molly B Foundation

Episode 29: Trauma in Unhealthy Relationships

Trauma has impacted my relationships with others throughout my entire life. From getting fired from multiple jobs to creating relationships with abusive people it has shook me to my core. After Molly’s death, it became even more difficult with the...

Episode 27: The Isolation of Grief

The burden of hiding my grief to not make others uncomfortable is large. It is lonely in my grief with everyone wanting the “old Barb” back, but that won't happen. My grief has changed me and that causes people to drift away. In this episode, I...

Episode 26: The Unbearable Heaviness of Remembering

I really made a breakthrough with understanding my self sabotaging behavior and healing the trauma versus the situation. In this episode, I dive into why I sabotage myself when organizing my life, how culture affects how trauma is seen, and the...

Episode 25: I Keep Ending up in Traumatic Situations

Hindsight is a funny thing. Looking back on Facebook memories with Roy, my daughter’s health leading up to her death, and all the other choices made leave me in a tailspin. In this episode, I look into the trauma I’ve experienced and how I...

Episode 24: How Running Made me Confident

I never expected to start running track and field in high school with severe asthma. When I began running, I discovered I was great at it and went on to break records. Through the ups and downs, running helped me to solidify my identity, feel...

Episode 23: How CrossFit Changed my Life

CrossFit has helped me physically and mentally through my job loss and Molly’s death. Times were tough: being on food stamps, my house almost being put up for auction, and getting divorced all rolled into one. Through it all I had exercise which...

Episode 22: Struggling with Dissociation and Job Loss

My job loss took a major hit to my confidence and it caused me to struggle to support my family through tough times. I struggled to stay present and practice mindfulness during these difficult times. In this episode, I explore what brought me to my...

Episode 21: The Shame Alongside Abuse

I have been reading so many wonderful books to learn more abuse, relationships, and illness within the body. These books have allowed me to examine my own actions and shame that comes with being abused. In this episode, I explore my actions that lead...

Episode 20: The Physical Effects of Grief

Throughout my research on grief and trauma I have learned so much about the connection between the mind and body and how grief affects them, while discussing my own experiences of EMDR therapy and having my brain tumors taken out. In this episode, I...

Episode 19: My Support System Through Grief

Although I have gone through tremendous grief, I have a large support system to help me through it. From online support groups to connecting with other mothers in grief and reconnecting with high school friends, my social network has cast far and...

Episode 18: Trauma Bonding in Grief

As a result of trauma, boundaries have been a lifelong struggle for me. From my friendship with Robin, my friendship with Steph, and my job loss at Bow boundary crossing has followed me. I explore these 3 events in my life and how trauma has affected...

Episode 17: The Christmas Show

My daughters have been dancing in the Christmas Show even since they were little. When Molly died traditions in my household changed and I began to see things differently. From starting to raffle off a basket full of things Molly loved, to fundraising...

Episode 16: Letting go of Physical Things

Hanging on to the physical things our loved ones leave behind in grief is an odd subject. For a long time I couldn’t get rid of, or move anything of Molly’s. When I finally started to get rid of or donate items, it was a difficult journey. In this...

Episode 15: Navigating the Holidays without Molly

Molly loved the holidays, and learning to live without her for them has been crushing. Over the past 5 years I’ve tried to distract myself and my family by going to Disney for Christmas, or helping others. The feeling of losing holidays as they used...

Episode 14: Feeling Paralyzed by Grief

In 2016, I felt paralyzed by grief. In between it all I found an attorney, helped my daughter through her grief, and talked to others in my grief groups. When 2017 rolled around, I started working again while juggling a million things on my plate. It...

Episode 13: Molly’s Funeral and Memorial

Planning Molly’s funeral and memorial was a difficult task while I kept my head above water. It was a whirlwind of 2 quick weeks where I made tough emotional decisions on what her funeral and musical would be like. Through it all, I had amazing...

Episode 12: The Last Week of Molly’s Life

In this episode, I look back on the few months leading up to Molly’s death and in particular, her last week alive. The few months leading up to Molly’s death were frustrating, and I worried as her condition worsened. Come along with me as I look...

Episode 11: The Inseparable Bond Between my Daughters

My daughters Gracie and Molly have an inseparable bond. As they’ve grown up throughout the years, they’ve had great times with dance and theatre, as well as struggles with friends and school. At the same time, I had my own struggles with my...

Episode 10: The Loss of my First Child

Long before I lost Molly, I lost my first baby, Gordy from a heart defect and his loss followed me. I didn’t plan on having kids, but Gordy was the first in a chain reaction of interesting events, and through time has shown me each of my children...

Episode 9: Grief and Guilt After Death

The trauma, grief, and guilt that comes with child loss is immense. My day to day life changed after my daughter Molly died, but with the help of online grief groups I've been able to work on my trauma. Not only has my life changed, but my daughter's...