Shows
The Motherlands PodcastA Primal Wound: What Your Doctor Isn't Saying About Your FertilityThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.If you're exploring fertility options or know someone who is, this episode is a must listen.This week, we're joined by Kallie Fell, MS, BSN, RN, Executive Director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network to unpack Big Fertility. Kallie brings a wealth of experience as a perinatal nurse, shedding light on the overlooked aspects of assisted reproductive technologies (ART).In our conversation, we delve into the lack of regulation and transparency in the...2025-06-2345 min
The Motherlands PodcastEmpowered BeautyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Taylor Mckay Smith, a mother, model, and doula, for a powerful conversation about beauty, resilience, and reclaiming the narrative of womanhood.In this extended conversation, Taylor reflects on how her experiences in modeling and motherhood have reshaped her understanding of beauty. She candidly discusses the pressures of the fashion industry's external gaze, sharing that her first modeling job was for a wrinkle campaign at just 15 years old. ...2025-06-0949 min
The Motherlands PodcastSugar-Coated LiesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.If you know a girl coming of age right now, this is a critical conversation to listen to.This week’s guest is Brook Urick, a former publicist and sugar baby at the controversial dating website Seeking Arrangement (now Seeking) and author of the memoir Wink, wink, nudge, nudge: sexual exploits and secrets from inside a sugar daddy website.Seeking Arrangement intentionally branded itself as a sugar dating platform, promoting the illusion of empowered, mutually be...2025-05-2650 min
The Motherlands PodcastHonoring the Hands That Hold Us TogetherThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.This week’s guest is Kate Granchelli, CEO and Founder of Modern Minders, a creative childcare and staffing agency. We explore the often overlooked value of professional childcare, examining how caregiving sits at the intersection of emotional labor, gender roles, and social inequity. It highlights the cultural and structural challenges caregivers face such as undervaluation, inconsistent expectations, and lack of legal protections while also emphasizing the emotional bonds and ethical tensions inherent to the intimacy found in domestic work....2025-05-1244 min
The Motherlands PodcastReimagining Self NourishmentThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.In this episode, I sit down with Kacie Carter, owner of Honey Hi, to explore what nourishment really means; beyond food, beyond wellness trends, and deep into the heart of care. Together, we dive into how connection, community, and self-compassion shape true health, especially in the tender seasons of pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood.We speak about the pressures placed on women, the unrealistic ideals, the weight of expectation and how these narratives often leave mothers feeling unseen...2025-04-2845 min
Spiral Deeper47. INNER TRUST IN BIRTH ~ Keely Semler on Birth, Safety, Discernment, and SupportEpisode OverviewIn this episode of Spiral Deeper, our host, Gaby Azorsky, speaks with Keely Semler. Together, they dive into her origin story and path to working in the interdisciplinary field of women’s reproductive health, judgement in birth, safety, discernment, being a mentor and teacher, her educational course and podcast - Motherlands, and more. Thank you for joining us on this journey of self-discovery and growth! Here is a little more about Keely: Keely’s career began with a deep commitment to service, working with a nonprofit that provided medical devices to vulnerable populations in war-torn regio...2025-04-171h 36
The Other Way106: The Value of Caregiving in a Fast-Paced World with Keely SemlerIn this episode, we delve into the often-overlooked value of caregiving in a society obsessed with speed and material success. Our guest, Keely Semler, a doula and health educator with a master's in maternal and child health, shares her journey from the nonprofit world to becoming a doula. We discuss the misconceptions about birth, the transformation women experience during pregnancy, and the societal shift away from family values and caregiving. Keely emphasizes the importance of both external resources and internal intuition in navigating the complexities of birth and fertility. Tune in for a profound conversation about the trade-offs women...2025-04-1651 min
The Motherlands PodcastBehind Closed Doors EXTENDED INTERVIEW/BONUS EPISODEAn intimate extension of the Motherlands Podcast, Behind Closed Doors is a space for deeper storytelling where guests speak with honesty, vulnerability, and courage about the often-unseen dimensions of reproductive life. We explore the emotional and relational terrain of fertility, loss, longing, intimacy, identity, and the quiet reckonings that come with being a woman. These extended interviews and bonus episodes offer space for the kinds of conversations that don’t often happen in public, but are vital to our collective well-being.This private, subscriber-only offering exists not just as bonus content, but as a public health intervention; ro...2025-04-141h 09
The Motherlands PodcastWhen Nature Meets NurtureThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.Our guest today is Mary Gonzalez, an herbalist, mother, doula, and the heart behind Sweet Mountaintop, a beautiful outdoor nature preschool nestled on her family’s farm. The entire program takes place outside, deeply rooted in the rhythms of the land and the changing seasons.Mary lives in such harmony with nature… It is truly felt in the way she mothers, gardens, and supports others. She’s a gentle, wise presence and an incredible resource for new and gr...2025-04-1454 min
The Motherlands PodcastEXTENDED INTERVIEW/BONUS EPISODEFirst off, a big thank you for being a paid subscriber. Your support means the world to us—it helps me continue working with the incredible team who makes this podcast possible. We’re so grateful to have you here.In this exclusive content, you’ll get the extended interview with Katie Schubert, plus a special bonus solo episode where I dive into global fertility trends, why family values seem to be fading, and how these changes will impact all of us moving forward.Some of the main points from our conversation include:G...2025-03-3152 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe Shocking Truth About Women's Health ResearchThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.I’m thrilled to introduce the next episode of the Motherlands Podcast with Katie Schubert from the Society of Women’s Health Research (SWHR). Katie is a trusted leader and consensus builder among women’s health stakeholders, and previously served as chief advocacy officer at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). She is a previous president of Women in Government Relations, and in 2020 was named Advocate of the Year by Professional Women in Advocacy for her work on inclusion of pre...2025-03-3131 min
The Motherlands PodcastUncovering the Hidden History of the Pelvic ExamThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear the full conversation, visit keelysemler.substack.com.I'm excited to introduce our guest today, Wendy Kline, Ph.D, a recognized scholar in the history of medicine and women’s health. Wendy is the Chair in the History of Medicine at Purdue University and has earned international recognition for her groundbreaking work. She is the author of several influential books, including Exposed: The Hidden History of the Pelvic Exam and Coming Home: How Midwives Changed Birth. Wendy has also contributed to notable documentaries, such as Netflix's Sex, Ex...2025-03-1747 min
The Motherlands PodcastYour Joy is My JoyIn our culture, there’s a tendency to shy away from discussing loss. Conversations about death often feel absent, even though it is something that profoundly shapes who we are. Perhaps we avoid talking about it in the hope that by ignoring it we can somehow escape its reach. But the truth is, avoiding it doesn’t make it any less inevitable.We can honor death in much the same way we appreciate the changing of the seasons. Winter, for instance, is a time for reflection and stillness—a season of turning inward and embracing pause. So it fee...2024-12-231h 24
The Motherlands PodcastOur Vulnerability Tethers Us TogetherI think we all are in agreement here that our culture does not prioritize or support families very well. In fact, most of the time family is an afterthought or dare I say a perceived hindrance to capitalism. What is interesting to me is that if families were better supported - specifically mothers - then we would see more mothers eager to go back into the workforce as opposed to dreading their return.Part of my mission is to resource people on how to better care for mothers. When mothers are well taken care of, they can...2024-12-1100 min
The Motherlands PodcastClaiming SpaceOn the last episode of MOTHERLANDS with Paula Mallis, you may recall us talking about the philosophy of space and how we occupy physical and emotional space. In this episode I am very excited to be sharing the conversation I had with Cassandra Ogier and her enlivening practice with horses called The Reflective Horse. Cassandra supports people by providing opportunities to encounter horses in a strikingly unique way. I met Cassandra a number of years ago and was able to experience her teaching firsthand. It is difficult to describe just how meaningful her work is, but I...2024-12-091h 06
The Motherlands PodcastThe Power of Silence & Reconnecting with NatureI had the pleasure of sitting down with Paula Mallis at her ranch in Ojai, California where we delve into conversation on the spiritual process of cycles (or circles) and being in communion with nature. As you tune in, you may hear us sipping tea or a bird chirping overhead in the old oak trees. This episode feels special as were fully immersed in the natural soundscape of her property.Paula explains that circles create movement, as there is no definitive beginning or end. In her work as a circle facilitator, she takes participants through a four...2024-11-2543 min
The Motherlands PodcastWhat is Private? What is Sacred?There comes a point when every person gets to decide what they want to share about their kids on the internet. I asked my client Jackie Shea if she would be willing to speak about her recent change of heart in how she publicly shares information about her children. I would like to preface by saying that this is a conversation that provides a perspective of a parent who is simply learning how to navigate the complexities of being a new mother. This is not to shame or guilt anyone into doing anything they do not want...2024-11-1139 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe True Essence of Community Based Midwifery CareWhile many people move through life with a conscious need to differentiate themselves from their chosen career, Tema Mercado offers a refreshing and sincere perspective… Which is that the work she does as a midwife is inextricably woven into all facets of her life but most importantly, her family. She talks about how supportive her husband is to her and their children, how he draws her a bath after she returns home from a long birth or leaves the house with her kids so that she can catch her breath in silence.She shares about the harsh re...2024-10-2844 min
The Motherlands PodcastWe Are Made of StardustToday on the MOTHERLANDS podcast we have Alex Taylor. Alex is a mother, a women’s health advocate and the cofounder of Perelel Health. The main topics of interest in this conversation are Alex’s personal experience of giving birth twice, how she had to unlearn her millennial programming of needing to do everything “right”, how eerily unregulated the vitamin and supplement industry is in the United States and what Perelel Health is doing to maintain quality and integrity with all of their supplements. It was eye opening hearing Alex explain the huge disparity in women’s health res...2024-10-1443 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe Adventurous Unfurling of MotherhoodA few years ago I met Elizabeth at her cozy chic spa in Topanga called Honest Rituals. I was looking for a practitioner that could help me relieve jaw tension as I suffer from TMJ (anyone else?). I had heard that she offered a facial treatment that incorporates massage which sounded intriguing. My experience was nothing short of calming and restorative. Not only were her hands gentle, but also her presence was soothing. As a doula who holds significant energy and emotional space for clients, I left the spa feeling lighter; Almost like my own energy had...2024-09-3046 min
The Motherlands PodcastSomatic Awareness Within the PelvisWe spend most of our waking moments in our minds. Planning, rationalizing, thinking, evaluating. All of these are important processes. But did you know that the pelvis speaks a language of its own? Kimberly Ann Johnson describes how the body carries not only personal stories from our life experience, but also ancestral stories. These stories are lodged within the body and can be expressed in an infinite number of ways.More specifically, our tissues hold memory. For example, when there is scar tissue present, it is physical evidence of trauma. Trauma can mean different things...2024-09-1653 min
The Motherlands PodcastEarth Womb EmbodimentWhen it comes to being a woman, pleasure is not really something as a culture we are taught to explore or prioritize. For Marissa Correia, it is her passion to share about the importance of pleasure in our lives and how it allows us to be more connected to our bodies and our environment.In our conversation, we discuss what it means to build a practice of embodiment. She explains that embodiment is a process of re-inhabiting our bodies.Marissa explains that sometimes pleasure is used as a means to leave our bodies, or a...2024-07-0141 min
The Motherlands PodcastWhen Advocacy and Spirituality CollideKim is an outspoken, fiery mother of three children. Her husky, confident voice immediately puts you at ease. You can tell within a few moments of speaking to her that she really has a lot of life experience that informs the incredible work she does as a doula. You may also know her online as Mama Three Birds. In this episode, she shares about how her childhood impacted her ability to provide support to birthing families. Starting with the birth of her brother, she has been fascinated by childbirth since she was a young child. We talk...2024-06-1735 min
The Motherlands PodcastResilience & Establishing Safety from WithinIt is with great pleasure to share this incredible conversation with Nkem Ndefo about trauma and resilience. We examine how our bodies uniquely adapt to our surroundings. Every person has their own internal system of regulation, or how our bodies filter and respond to our environment. Sometimes we can tolerate stressful conditions, and other times it can take us over the edge into overwhelm.Nkem explains that there is good stress, like preparing for a new job, or getting married. However, there is also toxic stress, and distressing situations - this is the type of stress that...2024-06-0339 min
The Motherlands PodcastWhen Our Wounds Lead Us to Deeper ConnectionPart of the reason why I love being the host of the MOTHERLANDS Podcast is because I get to interview guests about deep and meaningful ideas about what it means to be a woman. But when it comes to myself I find it difficult to open up about my own process. This episode is my attempt to be both brave and vulnerable. I talk about how doula work found me. My childhood prepared me well for the job of a doula, especially my role as a caregiver for my older brother who was born with a rare...2024-05-2024 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe Journey of Listening to Your IntuitionA couple of years after the birth of her first son, Yvonne Strahovski became pregnant with her second child and was determined to have a radically different experience. In this episode, we discuss how birth is just as much a mental and emotional experience as it is a physical one. As she begins to prepare for the arrival of her third baby, Yvonne shares her journey of learning how to listen, prioritize, and trust her intuition in which she describes as the intelligence found within the body.This episode was already released last year, but somehow it...2024-04-2935 min
The Motherlands PodcastPaid Leave For AllDawn Huckelbridge is a mother and the Founding Director of Paid Leave for All. In this conversation we discuss (and lament) how the United States is one of the few countries left in the world that does not have any national Paid Family Leave program.Nearly 1 in 4 employed mothers have to return to work within two weeks of giving birth and only 25 percent of US workers have access to paid family leave through an employer. For the employers that do offer some kind of leave, it is usually anywhere from 6-12 weeks which is simply not enough...2024-04-1526 min
The Motherlands PodcastBirthwork is Nervous System WorkIt is with great pleasure I introduce the next guest on the MOTHERLANDS Podcast.I first encountered Nicole Morales when I was a new doula, seeking out additional training and education on supporting clients through birth. I attended a Spinning Babies course in San Diego and Nicole was my instructor. She left such an impression on me as she taught me to be deeply curious about how a baby’s position in labor has everything to do with how labor progresses. Thanks for reading Keely’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and...2024-04-0144 min
The Motherlands PodcastPelvic Wellness Through the Lens of PreventionAllison Oswald (PT, DPT, WCS) is a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic wellness. She takes a personalized and holistic approach to women’s wellness, integrating different modalities, such as pelvic mapping, manual techniques, visceral mobilizations, and movement education. She supports women who are pre, mid, or post pregnancy or experiencing pelvic pain, incontinence, or pelvic injury.We discuss how she supports women with connecting and understanding the pelvic floor as it relates the rest of the body. Allison’s unique approach to educating women and applying it to their daily lives is refreshing and extremely practi...2024-03-1840 min
The Motherlands PodcastMeditation with a GoalYou may have heard of hypnosis before. It is often portrayed in movies and books as something quite dubious, as if it is some kind of mind control. But did you know that self hypnosis has incredible physiological benefits? This next guest teaches hypnobirthing to support clients through the process of giving birth. Ashley Mitchell Scott, MA HBCE, is a mother of two, a doula, and an educator. I had the honor of supporting her and her husband through the birth of her first child. She explains how self hypnosis is an incredible too...2024-03-0450 min
The Motherlands PodcastLife After BirthMolly Nourmand, LMFT, is a Psychotherapist that specializes in perinatal mental health. She started an incredible company called Life After Birth where she facilitates group sessions with new mothers as they process the complexities of becoming a parent, shifts in identity, changes related to intimacy and so much more. We discuss what are some common ways that Postpartum Anxiety and Mood Disorders (AKA PMADS) present in early parenthood. Molly also shares a bit about her own birth story – which ultimately lead her to creating her company, Life After Birth. I have been truly thankful for the...2024-02-191h 12
The Motherlands PodcastThe Magic of the Milky WayJennifer Davidson and Kimmy Mills are a team of lactation consultants best known as the Milky Way Mamas who are on a mission to educate and empower clients on the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. Our conversation covers a variety of common breastfeeding topics such as milk supply, engorgement, thrush, and mastitis. While honoring the unique journey of every nursing mother, Jennifer and Kimmy share helpful tips and resources so that new mothers feel both supported and validated. You can connect with Jennifer and Kimmy by visiting their website or following them on Instagram @themilkywaymamas and @theartofnurture. We apologiz...2024-02-0553 min
The Feminine Profiles Podcast020. Keely Semler: on preparing for birth, reframing pain, & informed consentWelcome back to The Feminine Profiles Podcast! I am so excited to share my conversation with Keely Semler. Keely is a birth doula and host of The Motherlands Podcast. Today we cover topics including: her journey to becoming a birth doula, physical ways to release and surrender during labor, refraining labor pains, informed consent (fetal monitoring, cervix checks, ultrasounds), I share more about my prenatal journey so far, and ways to mother yourself. I hope you enjoy and soak in all the wisdom she has to share!Xo, Brooke2024-01-3148 min
The Motherlands PodcastMothering Through the Mundane MomentsJules Blaine Davis is a mother, writer, wayshower and coach. She has been called the "midwife to life", encouraging women to live the life that is right here, right now. We go deep in our conversation where we discuss giving ourselves permission to listen to the body, how we often say "No" to ourselves. We also talk about how every person is a mother - including men. And that we are constantly birthing the new mothers inside of us. To purchase a copy of the Kitchen Healer or to find out more information about Jules you ca...2024-01-2257 min
The Motherlands PodcastChinese Medicine & The Baby PalaceLina Bardovi, L.Ac, found her calling to Chinese medicine in her 20s when she discovered that her boyfriend had brain cancer. The one treatment that seemed to make him feel better was acupuncture. In this episode we discuss how all humans are a delicate balance of yin and yang energy, the importance of the 5 elements within the body, as well as the 5 pathogens according to traditional Chinese medicine. Lina discloses that she is currently pregnant – and shares how she has prepared for pregnancy. Chinese Medicine refers to the mother's womb as the baby palace, and we discuss everything from...2024-01-0856 min
The Motherlands PodcastBirth Without FearThis episode is very special as I interview my mentor, Julie Freitas. Julie was a childbirth educator and doula for over forty years. She taught in hospitals, clinics and in her home in Los Angeles. Her intimate style of teaching was coveted by the hundreds of families she taught from all different cultural backgrounds. In this episode, Julie describes the way in which women give birth has changed over time and she shares the story of her first son's birth. We also discuss postpartum depression, breastfeeding, sleep training, and the early days of parenthood.*This is...2024-01-0840 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe Intersection of Free Will and DestinyIn this episode we exchange ideas on the importance of doula work, and how each birth signifies the brilliance and miracle of new souls choosing their arrival. Rima Thierry has given birth four times, four different ways, in which she says, her children's personalities distinctly shine through each experience. Rima Thierry is a birth doula, yoga teacher, and cofounder of SovernLA, a healing arts organization that uplifts and supports black + indigenous women and gender non-binary people. To attend a class or a new moon circle led by Rima, please visit https://www.sovern.la2023-11-271h 11
The Motherlands PodcastThe Infinite Colors of MotherhoodIn this episode Olivia Van Dyke, a wife, a mother, and a CEO, speaks about her experience conceiving her first child at 24, the self-imposed pressure to get pregnant before her ailing father passes away, along with grieving the loss of her father while simultaneously preparing to give birth. This conversation is exceptionally moving as we examine together the heartbreak and the beauty found within the everyday moments of motherhood. www.keelysemler.com2:46 Origins and inspiration for the Motherlands Podcast3:12 Misconceptions about conception...2023-11-181h 05
The Motherlands PodcastRedefining Ambition After Having a BabyIn this episode, Michelle divulges how how she relates to her career after having a baby, and the stigma around being a mother whilst being a female business owner. We discuss topics that are often perceived as taboo such as sex and intimacy post birth, sleep training, and gender roles. The episode concludes with the story of her son's birth. Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz is the founder of Holisticism, a community and educational platform for wellness-oriented entrepreneurs and creatives. She is also the co-host of The Twelfth House PodcastYou can follow Michelle on instagram at https...2023-11-0846 min
The Motherlands PodcastThe Hard Truth About FertilityKristina Dahlin is a physician assistant and homebirth midwife assistant. While deeply respecting the physiological process of childbirth, Kristina eloquently bridges the gap between the medical world and the holistic/natural world. Additionally, she offers pregnant clients gentle bodywork rooted in the indigenous practice of the rebozo technique to help ensure the baby is in an optimal position for labor and birth. To find out more about Kristina, please visit her blog: https://theevidenceexperience.blogspot.com*This episode is not medical advice.2:19 IUI, IVF, and Steps to Understan...2023-11-0841 min
The Motherlands PodcastRelinquishing ControlLara Elliott is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who teaches integrative healing techniques such as reiki and meditation. She works with clients individually and in groups as well as leads trainings worldwide. She resides with her family in Ojai, California.To find out more about Lara Elliott and her offerings, please visit https://www.laraelliotthealing.com.*This episode is not medical advice.1:40 Wanting to be a mother2:24 Lara’s childhood in Germany7:21 Lara’s father’s role in her and her siblings’ births9:30 Storie...2023-11-0844 min
The Motherlands PodcastHow to Consciously Move Your BodyJustine Malick is a certified Pilates instructor, trainer, and owner of Sapphire Pilates. She works with clients from all walks of life to facilitate a sense of ease within the body. Justine specializes in Somatics, Body Mind Centering (BMC), Deep Bodywork Massage, Resistance Flexibility Strength Training (RFST), Chinese Medicine, and Prenatal/Postpartum Corrective Exercise (PPCES).To visit her studio, book a private session, or find out more about her services and offerings, please visit https://www.sapphirepilates.com*This episode is not medical advice.3:58 Movement and...2023-11-0844 min
The Motherlands PodcastGiving Birth Outside of the HospitalNancy Beyda is a homebirth midwife in Los Angeles. Prior to becoming a midwife, she was a birth doula for over 20 years. Nancy believes that the way we birth has a profound impact on how we move through life. She is also the Executive Director of FoodCycle LA, a nonprofit that recovers food to communities that are experiencing food insecurity. Nancy finds that there is a deep connection between childbirth and the environment and she consciously seeks out ways in which to improve the outcomes of both.To find out more about her midwifery practice and her...2023-11-0855 min