No Shrinking Violets

About No Shrinking Violets

No Shrinking Violets is all about what it truly means for women to take up their space in the world – mind, body and spirit. Mary Rothwell, licensed therapist and certified integrative mental health practitioner, has seen women “stay small” and fit into the space in life that they have been conditioned to believe they deserve. Drawing on 35 years in the mental health field and from her perspective as a woman who was often told to "stay in your lane," Mary discusses how early experiences, society and sometimes our own limiting beliefs can convince us that living inside guardrails is the best -- or only -- option. She'll explore how to recognize our unique essential nature and how to use that to empower a new narrative.Through topics that span psychology, friendships, nature and even gut-brain health, Mary creates a space that is inspiring and authentic - where she celebrates the intuition and power of women who want to chart their own course and program their own GPS. Mary's topics will include sleep and supplements and nutrition and how to live like a plant. (Yes, you read that right - the example of plants is often the most insightful path to knowing what we truly need to feel fulfilled). She’ll talk about setting boundaries, communicating, and relationships, and explore mental health and wellness: trauma and resilience, how our food impacts our mood and the power of simple daily habits. And so much more! As a gardener, Mary knows that violets have been misjudged for centuries and are actually one of the most resilient and ecologically important plants in her native garden. Like violets, women are often underestimated, and they can even mistake their unique gifts for weaknesses. Join Mary to explore all the ways the vibrant and strong violet is an example for finding fulfillment in our own lives.

Publisher

Mary Rothwell

Category

education · health & fitness · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Nov 2024

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 176 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Mobbing: Group Exclusion and Psychological Harassment

   Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! One quiet pattern can wreck a workplace or a school community without ever looking like “bullying” on the surface: mobbing. We’re talking about systematic group exclusion, subtle psychological harassment, and the kind of coordinated cold shoulder that makes a capable person start asking, “Am I imagining this?” I’m joined by Alicia Laszewski, a marketing and culture leader who lived through mobbing at work while her daughter faced a similar pile-on in high...

2. 

   15 Oct 2026

   One Honest Conversation: Why Waiting Costs Us More Than Speaking Up

   Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! You can be brilliant at work and still feel oddly powerless in your own relationship. Mary Rothwell starts with a candid admission: she stayed far too long in partnerships that left her alone with a partner, not because she didn’t know, but because she avoided the decision and the conversation. That pattern is more common than we like to admit, especially for high-achieving women who are used to pushing through hard things and telling themselves to “wait ...

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   REPLAY: The Grief of Blindness and the Role of Grit and Gratitude

   Thoughts or comments? Send us a text! A nine-year-old hears the words “you will lose your sight,” but no one can tell her when. Laura Bratton lived in that uncertainty for years, then watched her vision change rapidly through high school until only limited light perception remained. What stays with me most is how honest she is about the emotional cost: denial that turns into grief, anxiety about the future, and the quiet exhaustion of trying to look “fine” while falling apart inside. W...

Inside a recent episode

Navigating High-Conflict Divorce

Published 2 Dec 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And you know, you weren't stupid. Again, as somebody who works in the mental health field, it's very common to encounter someone that has a different set of rules in how they operate in a relationship. And we tend to often think it must be me. Nobody would intentionally do that. No one would intentionally lie to me. No one would intentionally, whatever it is. And so we spin it around and think, well, maybe I'm doing something wrong or I'm misinterpreting. So I'm glad that you brought that up because it's really important to understand that dynamic. And I know you've used the word narcissist. And I'm always really careful because I think we use those words narcissist, sociopath, without really understanding. […]

Who has been a guest on No Shrinking Violets

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

• Shari Rash
• Davina Hehn
• Laura Bratton
• Jorie Houlihan
• Kristen Swan

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 44 / 100

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

Quality

68

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Questions about No Shrinking Violets