Celebrating 5 Years of The School of MOM: A Journey of Mothering Ourselves Mindfully

Five years ago, in the midst of a global pandemic, The School of MOM was born. Launched on Mother’s Day 2020, what began as a six-week “Mothering Oneself Mindfully” course has blossomed into a vibrant, supportive community that continues to evolve and grow. As we celebrate this milestone, let’s reflect on how far we’ve come and the profound impact of learning to mother ourselves.

From Seedling to Flourishing Tree

Just like a five-year-old child, The School of MOM has developed its own personality, showing us what it wants and needs. Over the years, our programs have evolved organically. “Mothering Oneself Mindfully” became “Mothering Ourselves Mindfully” to reflect our collective journey. We launched the 12-month FLOURISH program to create an integration space for our practices. “Untethered” emerged to support women navigating complicated relationships with their mothers.

Each evolution reflects our commitment to meeting women where they are and providing tools for authentic self-nurturing.

Redefining What It Means to Flourish

When many of us hear the word “flourish,” we immediately think, “I’m so far from that.” But here at The School of MOM, we’re reimagining what flourishing looks like in different seasons of motherhood.

Flourishing isn’t about having picture-perfect days or achieving some external standard of success. True flourishing might look like sobbing before a call with your community and showing up anyway—vulnerable, real, and wholly yourself. It might be recognizing when your body needs to be “empty” to receive new wisdom, or honoring grief as it moves through you.

Flourishing is about being authentically yourself, unapologetically embracing all emotions as gifts, and finding freedom in that acceptance.

The Work, Working

After 8-10 years immersed in mindfulness, self-compassion, and nervous system healing, I can see the work working in my life. What does that look like?

• Being more authentically myself, unapologetically feeling all emotions
• Greater awareness of my body’s language and how it processes experiences
• Allowing thoughts, feelings, and emotions to flow naturally—not just tolerating them but celebrating them
• Surrounding myself with communities where I can be fully seen and supported
• Recognizing that no one is coming to save me, but I’m never truly alone

This is the essence of mothering ourselves mindfully—creating internal resources that sustain us through life’s inevitable challenges and celebrations.

Sacred Nourishment & Remembering

Recently, I attended an event called “Remember” with four women from our community. In a beautiful Boston church, surrounded by 500 women, I experienced a profound remembering of who I am at my core—the fire within me that can sometimes be dampened by the demands of motherhood and partnership.

During a guided meditation, I heard clearly: “I needed you to be empty.” It was a powerful reminder that sometimes we need to create space before we can receive.

I also witnessed a beautiful mother-daughter moment that brought both grief and recommitment. While I grieved the maternal relationship I don’t have, I simultaneously felt deep gratitude for the work we do in The School of MOM. In that church, I knew that many women shared similar experiences to mine, reinforcing how vital our community truly is.

Navigating Mother’s Day With All Our Feelings

As we approach Mother’s Day—the birthday of The School of MOM—I want to honor all the feelings this day might bring. For those with strained or non-existent relationships with their mothers, this day can be complicated. If you’re feeling heaviness, grief, anger, or resentment, I invite you to see these emotions as medicine.

These feelings are waves carrying you toward healing, toward community, toward a new understanding of what’s possible. On the other side of estrangement and difficulty lies love, freedom, relief, and joy that you might not yet imagine is possible.

Looking Forward

Five years in, The School of MOM looks different from the inside, and the people in it—including myself—look different too. As the “forever student” of mothering myself mindfully, I remain committed to this practice and to our growing community.

Whether you’re just discovering us or have been here since the beginning, know that you’re welcome. The door is always open to learn, grow, and flourish together—whatever that looks like in your life right now.

Happy 5th birthday, School of MOM. Here’s to many more years of authentic, mindful mothering—of ourselves and each other.