Today Kat Rhadans, Hilary Phelps, Maggie Quinn and I sat down for a really honest conversation about maternal mental health—the parts we understand, the parts we still don’t, and the things women are often afraid to say out loud.

And WOW. I could not have asked for better women to have this conversation with.

Katherine Rhadans is a writer, mother of five, recovery advocate, and the hilarious mind behind No Wine in the Carpool Line. With nearly 13 years of sobriety, Katherine has become a powerful voice in the recovery and quit-lit communities, using her own experience with motherhood, addiction, rehab, divorce, and recovery to help other women feel a little less alone. She brings the kind of raw honesty that makes other women feel safe enough to tell the truth.

Maggie Quinn brought the clinical perspective to our conversation. With years of experience as a psychiatric postpartum nurse caring for women during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, Maggie understands maternal mental health from a perspective many of us never see. But what struck me most was her compassion. She never lost sight of the WOMAN behind the diagnosis.

And Hilary Phelps guided this conversation beautifully. Hilary is a speaker, advocate, writer, and certified addiction recovery coach who has been open about her own journey with alcohol and sobriety. She knew when to ask the hard questions, when to push a little deeper, and when to simply let us talk.

And then there’s me. 😂

My own story includes what I now believe was PMDD, postpartum depression, suicidal thoughts, addiction, motherhood, recovery, menopause—and now 7½ years of sobriety. There were times in my life when everything probably looked perfectly fine from the outside. SHOCKER! It wasn't.

The four of us came to this conversation from very different places, which is exactly why I think it mattered. We talked about postpartum depression and other maternal mental health conditions. Addiction. Mommy wine culture. Shame. Stigma. Hormones. Recovery. Motherhood. And what can happen when a woman is drowning behind a life that looks completely normal to everyone around her.

We didn't answer every question, but maybe we made a little more room to ASK them because mothers should not have to become a tragedy before we become curious about what they were carrying.

Katherine, Maggie and Hilary—THANK YOU. I am incredibly grateful to have shared this conversation with you.

And to every woman who watches, listens, shares, or quietly recognizes herself somewhere in our stories: this conversation is for you.

This is why I started Sharing Out Loud.

Because sometimes saying the thing out loud is where everything starts.