Have you ever thought about how parents spend 20ish years preparing their kids to eventually break their hearts? Are you missing your adult child, but also missing the feeling of being needed? What emotions arise for you when the end of an important chapter is near? In this tender and compassionate episode, two DevaTree mamas share their early experiences with empty nesting.

Join Carolyn Burke and Bija Repta and I on this fifth episode of the Love Who You Are Podcast.

Both women explain what’s unfolding for them after recently launching their adult children. We chat about the expected emotions, the surprises, and the importance of being gentle with yourself as you find your new rhythm. Leaning on Carolyn’s perspective as a therapist, we discuss the conflicts that can arise as couples venture into these uncharted waters, and how to navigate relationships when we’re having very different experiences.

Moving through the unknown is difficult, but Carolyn and Bija share what they’ve being doing to cope with this transition, reminding us of the tools we can use in times of stress, grief, and overwhelm. Above all, this episode reminds listeners to acknowledge difficult emotions in order to move past them—because new beginnings are always on the horizon.