The Mental Load, the Shame Spiral, and What Actually Helps, with Dr. Cassidy Freitas, MFT

You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re diving into what’s really happening in those moments where you snap, shut down, or react in a way you never thought you would.

Not because you don’t care. Not because you don’t know what to do. But because your capacity is maxed out.

I’m joined by Dr. Cassidy Freitas, licensed marriage and family therapist and author of Mom Needs a Moment, and we’re unpacking the shame spiral that so many parents fall into, and why understanding your own limits is actually a critical part of showing up for your kids.

We talk about what it looks like to take space without guilt, how shame keeps us stuck while guilt can actually guide us, and why repair matters more than getting it right in the moment. We also get into how our own childhood experiences show up in our parenting, especially in the moments that feel the most charged.

This isn’t about becoming a perfect parent. It’s about understanding what’s happening inside you so you can respond with more clarity, more intention, and a whole lot more compassion.

Alright folks, let’s dive in.

Connect with Dr. Cassidy:

Instagram: @drcassidy

Website: www.drcassidymft.com

Order the book: Mom Needs a Moment

Podcast: Holding Space

Dr. Cassidy’s therapy practice provides individual and couples therapy to parents in California and New York. To learn more and book a free consult please visit: https://www.drcassidymft.com/

Connect with us:

Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew 

Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz

Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now! 

Website: seedandsew.org

Credits:

Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell

Co-host: Rachel Lounder

Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh

Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig