The Torch Mom Podcast

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Motherhood comes with experiences that don’t always get talked about. The Torch Mom Podcast is changing that, one honest conversation at a time. Hosted by Tia Lilley, the Torch Mom Podcast gives mothers a space to share their real stories, experiences, and perspectives without judgment or expectations. From motherhood and identity to relationships, mental health, grief, healing, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, no two conversations are the same. Each episode features real mothers having open conversations about the things they’ve experienced, the choices they’ve made, the challenges they’ve faced, and what they’ve learned along the way. Because every mom has a story worth hearing, and sometimes hearing another mother’s truth is exactly what someone needs to feel less alone.

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60 recent

November 12, 2026Episode 911 hr 25 min

Motherhood + Life After the Military

What is life like after serving in the Navy when you’re also navigating marriage, motherhood, and your own ambitions? In this special Veterans Day episode of the Torch Mom Podcast, we’re joined by a Navy veteran, military spouse, mother of three with baby number four on the way, and MBA student. We’re opening the conversation around life after military service, raising daughters, navigating marriage through deployment, and pursuing an education while raising a family. Whether you’re a veteran mom, military spouse, or a mother working toward goals of your own, there’s a seat for you in this conversation. Follow the Torch Mom Podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. Share this conversation with another mom who needs to hear it. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen.

November 8, 2026Episode 901 hr 5 min

My Daughter's Birthday Made Me Realize How Different Her Childhood Is

There are childhood experiences that change the way you see motherhood. For Monique, even her children’s birthdays can bring those memories back. Monique is a mother of four who grew up navigating foster care, adoption, and complicated family relationships. She always wanted a family she could call her own, but becoming a mother also brought fears and expectations she hadn’t anticipated. In this episode of the Torch Mom Podcast, we talk about how her childhood shaped the mother she wanted to become, what family means to her today, and the personal milestones she’s experienced while raising her children. We also get into raising four very different personalities, the reality of working from home with children, learning to release expectations of family, and the parts of herself she’s still discovering outside motherhood. This conversation is about more than overcoming a difficult childhood. It’s about the everyday experiences of a woman determined to give her children something different. Follow the Torch Mom Podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. Share this conversation with another mom who needs to hear it. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen.

November 1, 2026Episode 8943 min

I Swore I’d Never Be Like My Mother

She wanted to be nothing like her mother but motherhood revealed patterns she didn’t realize she was repeating. Matilde grew up in an emotionally unsafe home and believed becoming a mother would finally give her the loving family she’d always wanted. Years later, she found herself struggling with her eldest daughter, despite believing she was raising her children differently. In this episode, we talk about how childhood experiences can follow us into motherhood, the impact they can have on marriage and parenting, and what happens when you recognize that your good intentions aren’t enough to change a pattern. Matilde shares why she chose to go no contact with her mother, how she began rebuilding her relationship with her daughter, and what she’s learned about listening to her children instead of trying to shape them according to her own expectations. This is a conversation about motherhood, family, accountability, and the courage it takes to recognize when something needs to change. Connect with Matilde: Podcast: Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers Website: https://womenreclaimingtheirfullness.me Follow the Torch Mom Podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. Share this conversation with another mom who needs to hear it. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen.

October 25, 2026Episode 8858 min

Afraid My Daughter Would Be Like Me: Motherhood, Self-Worth & Money

Would you be afraid to raise a child who turned out just like you? For Jewlz, that fear was real. Despite having a life that looked successful from the outside, she spent years working through questions about her own worth before becoming a mother at 36. Now raising a daughter who reminds her so much of herself, Jewlz joins Tia for an honest conversation about motherhood, self-acceptance, parenting without a rulebook, and learning to let go of perfection. She also shares how she and her husband paid off $107,000 in debt, what she later learned about her ADHD, and why getting their finances in order changed the choices they could make for their family. From the fears we carry into motherhood to the financial habits we want to change, this conversation is about creating a life that works for your family instead of trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations. Guest: Jewlz the Budget Nerd | Host of The Debt Rebel Podcast Follow The Torch Mom Podcast on Spotify so you don’t miss new episodes. Share this conversation with another mom who needs to hear it. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Jewlz and her resources Threads https://www.threads.com/@jewlzthebudgetnerd Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jewlzthebudgetnerd?mdxt=anhjcmV1cjdudzlh Free ADHD Paycheck Planner https://www.jewlzthebudgetnerd.com/guide Listen to the Debt Rebel Podcast https://www.jewlzthebudgetnerd.com/podcast

October 18, 2026Episode 871 hr 10 min

Spent Years Being Mom Then I Had to Find Myslef Again

What happens when being a mom has been the center of your world for so long that you don’t know what to do when your children grow up? In this Torch Talk, Christine opens up about the emotional reality of empty nesting, the childhood experiences that shaped her parenting, and the unexpected process of rediscovering her identity. Now, she’s returning to creative dreams she once put aside, exploring podcasting and content creation, and learning to do things even when she’s afraid. She’s no longer convinced she needs to have herself completely figured out. This is a conversation for the mom who loves being a mother but knows there’s still a woman inside her with a life to live. Follow The Torch Mom Podcast Following adds the show to your library, helps you keep up with new episodes, and supports more moms discovering these conversations. 🔥 Share this episode with a mom entering a new chapter. Content note: Discussion of parental death, gun violence, foster care, and pregnancy loss. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Christine and her resources The link to everything https://linktr.ee/christineinprogress

October 11, 2026Episode 8646 min

Still Being Mom While Grieving the Baby I Lost

How do you grieve a baby your children were already expecting while still being the mom they need every day? Natasha Robinson knows what that feels like. In this Torch Talk, Natasha opens up about pregnancy during COVID, the fear of bringing her own emotional struggles into motherhood, losing a baby, seeking therapy, and navigating a season of illness and unanswered prayers. She also shares what happened when she finally stopped telling herself to push through and began acknowledging that she needed help. Because sometimes the mom who’s taking care of everybody else is the one nobody realizes is struggling. Listen, follow the show, and share this conversation with another mom. Content note: Discussion of pregnancy loss, grief, and mental health. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Natasha and her resources Instagram https://www.instagram.com/natasha_r_rob?psln=ZnRwN3FnYTFtMGhr Resources https://linktr.ee/Natasharrobinson Blog https://natasharrobinson.com/words-that-move-2/

October 4, 2026Episode 8552 min

When the Life You Built No Longer Feels Like Yours

What happens when you realize the life you built was shaped by a version of you who never really got to decide who she wanted to be? Mama Audra was raised in a strict Mormon household where she says her identity was essentially handed to her. She married at 20, became a mom at 22, raised three children, became a teacher and spent years trying to live the life she believed a good woman and mother was supposed to want. She eventually left the church at 35. But eight years later, while standing in her kitchen making an apple pie she didn’t even like, Audra realized leaving wasn’t the same thing as knowing herself. That moment sent her into what she calls “grieving the life unlived” and forced her to confront questions about motherhood, career, identity, and even whether the woman she’d become would still choose the husband she’d married at 20. This is a conversation about what can happen when a mom finally starts separating what she chose from what she was taught to choose. 🔥 Share this episode with a mom who needs this conversation. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/ TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Mama Audra and her resources Website https://mamaaudra.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mamaaudraofficial?stkn=MWJiemx6a2VxYzdveg== Resources linktr.ee/mamaaudra

September 27, 2026Episode 841 hr 13 min

She Stopped Doing Motherhood the Way She Was Told

Everybody has advice for moms What to eat How to parent How much to work. What your career should look like What your kids need What a “good mom” is supposed to do Tara became a mom at 23 and somewhere between raising three very different children, building her career, navigating marriage and becoming the breadwinner in her family, she started questioning how much of that advice actually belonged in her life. Tonight, Tara joins Tia Lilley for a conversation about what changed when she stopped automatically following the script and started trusting herself. Because sometimes you don’t need another opinion. You need to hear your own! 🔥 Share this episode with another mom who needs to hear it. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/ TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Tara and her resources Instagram https://www.instagram.com/travel_family_explores?stkn=Y25hYmN2Mncydm1w Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584493882705 Website https://www.travel-fam.com/

September 20, 2026Episode 831 hr 29 min

You Can Love the Life You Have and Still Grieve the One You Imagined

Can you be grateful for the family you have and still grieve the one you thought you’d have? Hannah Neal joins Tia Lilley for a conversation about the complicated parts of motherhood that don’t always fit neatly into gratitude, happiness, or heartbreak. From finding her place as a stepmom to navigating pregnancy loss, motherhood, marriage, identity, mom guilt, and the pressure women put on themselves to be okay, Hannah opens up about what it looked like when life and motherhood didn’t follow the plan she once imagined. And somewhere in this conversation is a reminder for the mom who’s ever felt guilty because she can appreciate what she has while still hurting over what she doesn’t: Both can be true! 🎙️ Follow The Torch Mom Podcast wherever you listen. 🔥 Share this episode with a mom who needs this conversation. Content note: This episode includes discussion of pregnancy loss, miscarriage, infertility, pregnancy complications, and mental health. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/ TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Hannah and her resources Instagram https://www.instagram.com/moderndayminerswife?stkn=MTlqdDJieXU5Y3RnaQ== Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ModernDayMinersWife Blog hannahyneal.com

September 5, 2026Episode 8259 min

Your Life Right Now Is Not Your Final Life

Ashley Ortiz became a mom at 19 and graduated high school with her three-month-old daughter in the audience. She became a single mom, survived an abusive relationship while pregnant with her second child, rebuilt her life, created a blended family, and eventually helped build a seven-figure family painting business. But this isn’t a conversation about pretending the hard parts were necessary to become successful. Ashley joins Tia Lilley for the return of Season 6 of The Torch Mom Podcast to talk honestly about young motherhood, leaving an abusive relationship, raising teenagers, breaking cycles through honesty with her children, marriage, building a business while her kids grew up alongside it, being a woman in a male-populated industry, and realizing that sometimes the person underestimating you is you . She also shares the five-minute conversation that helped change the direction of her career, why she tells her teenagers to call her even when they’ve messed up, the guilt she carried while building the family business, and the moment one of her children finally understood what all those late nights had been for. For the mom who can’t see past what she’s going through right now, this conversation is a reminder: Right now isn’t forever. 🎙️ Follow The Torch Mom Podcast wherever you listen.🔥 Share this episode with a mom who needs to hear it. Content note: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence. Connect with the Torch Mom Podcast Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & Threads @thetorchmompodcast Have questions or experiences to share? Please send us an email to thetorchmompodcast@gmail.com Want to be a guest on The Torch Mom Podcast? Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/231248521047046 Got something on your heart? Call : 202-670-6476 Or send a voice message using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/440562/2/3xjam5jbabj9llyp Just record it on your phone no camera needed. Answer this week’s Confession Question Submit your answer using this separate voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/ TorchMomConfessions Your story could help another mom feel seen. Connect with Ashley and her resources Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bellavistanw Website https://bellavistanw.com/