Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

About Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

Motherhood is hard. We don't allow moms to be real about their feelings, frustrations and needs. You can read about child psychology and human development but the REAL stuff comes when you live it. The mamas you will hear from in this podcast are real. They have struggled, had their share of hard times but also amazing mama moments. These interviews are meant to inspire, educate and entertain while giving you the opportunity to hear things that will make you think, "I get it."

Publisher

Nikki Brooker

Category

health & fitness · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Jun 2022

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

319 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Let's Be Real - Mama Journeys - Episode 218 W/Dr. Tiffany Troso-Sandoval

   What happens when you've spent your entire career caring for others, only to find yourself facing a life changing health challenge of your own? On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Dr. Tiffany Troso Sandoval, a mother of three, medical oncologist, author, and women's health advocate who spent more than 25 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center helping women navigate breast and gynecological cancers. From raising three children while building a demanding medical career to navigating the challenges of parenting adult children, Dr. Tiffany shares the realities of motherhood that so many of us can relate to. Together, Nikki and Tiffany talk about working mom guilt, the pressures society places on mothers, the challenges of being part of the sandwich generation, and why some of our worst mama moments might actually teach our children the most valuable lessons. But Tiffany's journey took an unexpected turn when a rare, progressive eye disease forced her to step away from the career she loved. Rather than allowing that diagnosis to define her future, she found a new way to use her decades of experience to empower women facing cancer. Through her book, Calming the Cancer Chaos, she is helping women better understand their diagnoses, advocate for themselves, and feel less overwhelmed during one of life's most frightening experiences. This conversation is filled with laughter, honesty, wisdom, and reminders that motherhood doesn't come with a perfect roadmap. Whether you're raising little ones, navigating life with adult children, balancing aging parents, or discovering a new purpose in life, there's something in this episode for you. Because sometimes the greatest lessons come from the moments we never saw coming, and no matter what stage of motherhood you're in, you are never alone.

2. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Let's Be Real - Mama Journeys - Episode 217 W/Katie Trexler

   Can you love being a mom with your whole heart and still need something more? In this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with former Denver news anchor, public relations professional, author, and mom Katie Trexler for a raw conversation about motherhood, career, identity, and the choices women make along the way. Katie shares what it was like to walk away from a career she loved for her family, only to realize years later that something inside her still felt unfulfilled. As she puts it, her children filled her heart, but her soul needed more. Together, Nikki and Katie talk about mom guilt, career sacrifices, financial independence, relationships, the pressure to be everything to everyone, and the complicated truth that loving motherhood does not mean motherhood has to fulfill every part of who you are. Katie also opens up about her memoir, What Do I Tell My Daughter?, and why she chose to tell the truth about the decisions she made as a woman, wife, professional, and mother, including the consequences she never saw coming. This is the kind of conversation so many moms have quietly in their own heads but are afraid to say out loud. You can love your children fiercely and still want a career. You can be grateful and still feel like something is missing. You can be an incredible mom and still want something that is yours. Maybe we need to stop asking moms to choose between the two.

3. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Let's Be Real - Mama Journeys - Episode 215 W/Sylvia Alvarez

   On this episode of Let's Be Real Mama Journeys, Nikki sits down with Sylvia Alvarez, Founder and Executive Director of the Housing and Education Alliance and author of It's Hard to Kill a Bougainvillea: From Slavery to the American Dream. Sylvia shares the extraordinary story of her mother, Cello, whose childhood in Cuba was marked by unimaginable loss, hunger, abandonment, and enslavement before she escaped to New York City in search of freedom. Despite everything she endured, Cello became a joyful mother, successful entrepreneur, real estate developer, and passionate advocate against injustice. Her strength and determination inspired Sylvia to preserve her story and continue her legacy by helping families achieve homeownership. Through the Housing and Education Alliance, Sylvia has helped secure more than $163 million in down payment assistance for 12,000 families. This deeply moving conversation explores motherhood, generational trauma, forgiveness, resilience, homeownership, and the legacies women create through the lives they touch. Sylvia's story is a powerful reminder that even after the harshest seasons, we can continue to grow, bloom, and create something beautiful.

Who has been a guest on Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Meredith Cole
• Hollie Wildethorn
• Sharon Harmon
• Katie Fenske
• Alessia Lloyd

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

94

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Let's Be Real: Mama Journeys

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.