Mess and Meaning is a show for busy parents who want to ditch the spin cycle for a more intentional life of connection and purpose. When we’re bombarded with distractions and demands, noise and clutter (and 28 consecutive themed dress-up days at school), it’s easy to lose sight of the stuff that really matters. Join Dr. Kara Shade – a wife, mom of 3, and an award-winning relationship coach – on her quest to reclaim the meaningful amidst the messy. Listen in for thought-provoking interviews, cutting-edge research, and relatable personal stories as we learn more and live better, together.
It Goes Dark Fast: Meeting the Challenges of Modern Parenthood with Dr. Marcey Mettica
*Little Ears Warning* We discuss some topics in the episode preview, and in the final third of the episode, that you probably won't want little ears to hear (e.g., pornography, digital dangers, and addictions). My guest for the season 1 finale is Dr. Marcey Mettica, owner of Prosper Counseling, PLLC. She's a licensed professional counselor supervisor and a registered play therapist supervisor with more than 20 years of experience serving children, teens, and families. Marcey expla...
22 Jan 2025
Would You Be Ready? Chasing Dreams with Matt Eicheldinger
Hello, this is Matt, and he's a teacher . . . In this episode, I chat with one of the good guys of the internet, Matt Eicheldinger. He’s a veteran teacher and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who knows a thing or two about the power of stories to connect and inspire us. We talk about the significance of small moments, Matt’s fast rise to fame after unclogging a parking lot drain, and the profound journey of self-discovery that followed. He urges us to really slow down ...
8 Jan 2025
It's Not Fair! Mastering the Mental Load with Dr. Morgan Cutlip
Dr. Morgan Cutlip is a relationship expert who knows what it feels like to lose yourself in motherhood, and she’s committed to helping moms navigate it better. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the mental load, intensive parenting, and the great expectations of modern motherhood. Morgan shares what you can do on the toilet to improve your life, why stuffing your needs typically backfires, and how partners can close the gap when the division of labor feels out of whack. It's a gr...
24 Dec 2024
Leap of Faith - Letting God Lead with Brenna Milleville
Brenna Milleville, owner of popular Christian apparel company Elly and Grace, shares how a nudge from God led her away from a career in public policy to an unexpected life of entrepreneurship. We talk about living your values, fending off copycats, and the long commutes with tear-stained cheeks that ultimately prepared her for Elly and Grace. Brenna's all about leaps of faith and letting God lead, and you'll leave this conversation inspired to follow the tugs on your heart to see wher...
11 Dec 2024
Naked Out There - Vulnerability and Entrepreneurship with Assia Mahmood
In part two of the mompreneur mini-series, I chat with Assia Mahmood, owner of Windhaven Academy, children’s book author, and host of the She Busy podcast. We discuss some of the parallels between entrepreneurship and parenting, the importance of resilience and delegation, and how to make sure you don’t die on a hiccup. Assia shares what it was like growing up in a wildly entrepreneurial family, how she launched a daycare just as the pandemic began (with a newborn and a toddler t...
27 Nov 2024
Talk Me Through This - The Art of Collaboration with The Bluebird Design Co.
In the first installment of a new mompreneur mini-series, I chat with the co-owners of The Bluebird Design Co., Krystin King and Vanessa Harrell, on adult friendship, entrepreneurship, and their best home organization tips for parents. Is it really a good idea to go into business with your best friend? How do you juggle competing priorities at home and work without the guilt? And why is my family completely oblivious to the clutter in our house? We talk "business dating," the hidden potenti...
13 Nov 2024
Friday Fries + Secret Sauce - The Case for Connection with Dr. Dave Schramm
Dr. Dave Schramm is an associate professor and family life extension specialist at Utah State University, and he has given more than 600 presentations around the world on happiness, marriage, and parenting. We talk gratitude, the power of French fries, and the two places our phones shouldn’t go with us. We also discuss the loneliness epidemic, Dr. Dave's “secret sauce” for thriving families and businesses (the basis of his TEDx talk), and the research that backs it all up. The ha...
30 Oct 2024
Let It Be - Navigating Grief with Dr. Jennifer Ryan
This episode features personal stories and reflections on grief from my friends Stephen Shanabrook and Davenna Ward, as well as an interview with Dr. Jennifer Ryan, a licensed professional counselor supervisor and the managing director of I Choose Change in Allen, TX. No one is immune to loss, and when it happens, we don’t get to skip the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it. Consider this episode your permission to feel it all, and let it be. Whether you’re in the throes of grief...
23 Oct 2024
Rage Against Groundhog Day - Keeping Marriage Fun with Amberly Lambertsen
Amberly Lambertsen is a certified family life educator, marriage coach, and host of the Prioritize Your Marriage podcast. In our chat, she shares candid personal insights and practical tips to help couples make their marriages a priority throughout every stage of life. We also discuss inappropriate reels, postpartum diapers, and her kids’ obsession with hotel toilets as we brainstorm ways to reclaim the fun and spontaneity in our relationships, leverage our support networks, and set better bo...
9 Oct 2024
Just Stop It - A Marriage Masterclass with Dr. Scott Stanley
Dr. Scott Stanley, one of the leading relationship and commitment experts in the world (and an overall groovy guy), packs this episode with research-based insights and time-tested advice from his more than 40 years in the field. We also chat about septic tanks, little forks, and kitchen massages as we translate relationship science to real life. Researchers have long known the hallmarks of happy marriages; unfortunately, a lot of us never got the memo... Learn how to fight for ...
29 Sept 2024
Trailer - Mess and Meaning with Dr. Kara Shade
Hi, I'm Dr. Kara, and this is the Mess and Meaning podcast. It's a show for busy parents like you who want to ditch the spin cycle for a more intentional life of connection and purpose. If you're ready to build a life you love, listen in for thought-provoking interviews, cutting-edge research, and relatable personal stories as we learn more and live better, together. *New episodes every other Wednesday.* ABOUT YOUR HOST: Dr. Kara is a wife, mom of ...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
43
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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