traumatic experiences

motherland book

Motherland: A Memoir

by Barb Higgins ・ Proceeds go to The Molly B Foundation

Pig Kidney Transplant with Tim (E194)

My friend Tim, is an extraordinary person who advocated for himself to get a kidney transplant - from a pig. With the help from his wife Karen, he prepared himself for the transplant, recovered, and is now living a better quality life. Although it is...

Going to the Boston Marathon (E193)

I finally went to the Boston Marathon again, contemplated more deep feelings of grief, and saw some old friends from the running community. I think I’m finally ready to join the running community again and get involved in things. In this episode, I...

10 Years Without Molly (E192)

As we are upon 10 years without Molly, this anniversary hits especially hard. It makes me relive all the days surrounding it, what I was like, what happened, and the connections that I’ve found. In this episode, I go into what has changed over a...

Baylie’s Coma and What Went Wrong with Shawnee (E191)

Baylie’s story is one of a night with friends gone wrong and how a series of choices lead to her death. From the police, to the hospital, to the investigation, to fighting to pull her off life support because she didn’t want that was a...

Finding Sobriety and Getting Pregnant With Skyler (E190)

Skyler’s story is full of ups and downs from having a rocky childhood to getting pregnant while addicted to then finding sobriety with a husband that supports her. Through her journey she has posted on social media sharing her story, most recently...

Our Dad Was 82 When I Was Born With Eleanor (E188)

This week, I sat down with my sister Eleanor who had a very different upbringing than me considering our father was 82 when she was born. She talks about the judgements people have, having to work hard to forge connections in the family, and how she...

Finding Balance with Michelle (E186)

Michelle and I sat down to have a conversation on her work with the nervous system, biofeedback, neurofeedback, traumatic responses, and addressing the root of a problem. She takes on work that’s not traditional in a therapist’s office, but is so...

Murder, 3 New Siblings, and a Therapist Walk Into a Bar… (E185)

When Amy’s best friend's parents were murdered she suddenly didn’t just have a brother, but three new siblings who needed a lot of help after the trauma. That left Amy in limbo with her family dynamics and not feeling like she had a place. It...

I Miss Molly (E187)

In this episode, I just ask for you to sit with me in grief of losing my child. My thoughts on the birth of all my children, what I love, what I miss, and why dates are so important to people who are grieving. I contemplate Jack’s personality and...

Finding a New Life with Emily (E184)

I got to talk with Emily, a former runner of mine who was a highliner, dealt with Lyme Disease, chatted about how the cycle of trauma can continue, and the life that she’s living now. A nomadic one with more freedom to run her own business and take...

The Season of Guests (E183)

In this episode, I talk about my season of guests, how the podcast has changed, and debating what will happen in the future with the podcast. I have some amazing guests lined up who are all in some way connected to me.  Key Takeaways:  ...

Dead Molly Money (E182)

Filing a lawsuit came with its trials and tribulations, but it also came with a check: dead Molly money. It has taken me so much time to process Molly’s death and put together a foundation. I have finally decided it’s time to really make the...

Lies about Anger (E180)

I’m just angry. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop feeling angry when it comes to certain trauma, but I’m learning new ways to mitigate it. In this episode, I dig into what people think anger is, how I’m mad at myself, and why it’s okay to be...

The Stigma. Period. (E178)

When you hear the word period, what word comes to mind? Probably not something happy or optimistic. It’s most likely something rooted in misogyny or self-hatred. There is still so much stigma surrounding periods today and how they are seen as...

Episode 170: Lies About Grief

As I go into the holidays and my 9th year grieving, here are some lies surrounding grief that I never stop hearing. Some of them just piss me off and some of them I understand better as I’m farther along. Either way, the important part is that you...

Episode 169: Part 2: Lies About Food

The school lunch program in this country is not healthy and creates a divide between the rich and poor. The amount of rules and regulations make it difficult to operate and none of these kids are getting something that is actually fresh and...

Episode 168: Part 1: Lies About Food

The food industry is full of lies because of greedy people that set out to make a lot of money and it’s costing Americans something even greater - their health. From lies about how great low fat is, to how fulfilling a bowl of Fruit Loops are, to...

Episode 167: Lies I Tell Myself

I’m having a not great week and it got me into the lies I constantly tell myself to feel better. The lies around grief, around my life changing, around my business working, around Kenny, and how I have a functioning life. In this episode, I also...

Episode 164: Lies Told in Education

There are many lies we are told in school with the most major ones being that Native Americans broke bread with pilgrims, that the food pyramid was healthy, and that racism ceased to exist because slavery was abolished. In this episode, I dive into...

Episode 162: Lies We Were Told As Children

This is a new season all about lies: lies we were told, lies we tell, the morality of it all, and how perception can make a large difference between a lie and the truth. In this episode, I dive into the often silly lies that people were told as...