That's Total Mom Sense

She built a community of over a million moms by telling the truth—but this conversation goes even deeper. Libby Ward joins me to unpack the realities no one prepares you for: mom rage, postpartum depression, burnout, and how childhood trauma quietly shapes the way we parent. We talk about what it actually means to break generational cycles, why so many mothers feel overwhelmed and triggered, and how healing yourself might be the most important thing you do for your kids. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing as a mom… you’re not alone—and this episode will show you why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to live your dream and then have your world shattered? TODAY Show co-host Sheinelle Jones knew since fifth grade that she was made for morning television. She manifested it, worked for it, and built a life of beauty alongside her Northwestern sweetheart Uche. Then came the nightmare no vision board could prepare her for. In this deeply personal Mom Sense conversation, Sheinelle opens up about growing up surrounded by her mother's affirmations, falling in love on a college campus, raising boy-girl twins while anchoring national television, and walking through the unimaginable loss of her husband to glioblastoma. She talks about her debut book Through Mom's Eyes, the friends who put her back together, and the mantra she holds every single day: I am fighting for my joy. Bring tissues — and leave inspired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of That’s Total Mom Sense, host Kanika Chadda Gupta sits down with nationally recognized clinical psychologist Rachel L. Goldman to talk about something so many parents silently struggle with: burnout, stress, and the pressure to do it all. Dr. Rachel, a cognitive behavioral therapy expert and author of When Life Happens, shares practical tools for navigating emotional overwhelm, breaking patterns of overachieving, and building healthier coping strategies for everyday stress. Together, they discuss why high-performing parents are especially vulnerable to burnout, how emotional eating and chronic stress are often signals from the body, and what it actually looks like to process trauma while raising children. In this conversation, you’ll learn: • How to recognize the early signs of parental burnout• Why overachievers struggle to slow down—and how to reset• CBT tools to manage stress in real time• Healthy ways to respond to emotional eating triggers• Simple daily practices that help regulate the nervous system If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly running but still falling behind, this episode will help you pause, reset, and move forward with more compassion for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kanika opens this episode by sharing her personal story living in the “sandwich generation” as a mom of three (including twins) and caregiving for her mother who has dementia. She is later joined by ⁠Danielle Cabral⁠, star of Real Housewives of New Jersey, for an on stage keynote interview to talk about motherhood, fame, and the challenges of being on reality TV. They discuss the importance of support from their tribe and dealing with criticism from fans on social media. Their conversation is real, poignant, funny and heartwarming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After kids, many parents notice that their bodies don’t respond the way they used to. Weight loss feels harder. Energy fluctuates differently. Hormones, sleep disruption, stress, and the mental load of caregiving all intersect — and the growing conversation around GLP-1 medications has added a new layer of curiosity, confusion, and questions. Join us for GLP-1s & the Post-Kids Body: What’s Different, What’s Working & What’s Next, a nuanced and evidence-informed conversation exploring how bodies change after pregnancy and caregiving — and where GLP-1s fit (and don’t fit) into the bigger picture of health, metabolism, and sustainability. Moderated by journalist and host Kanika Chadda-Gupta, this discussion brings together clinical expertise and structured behavior-change insight to ground the conversation beyond headlines and hot takes. We’ll explore: ✨ Why the post-kids body responds differently than before ✨ The role of hormones, stress, sleep, and mental load in metabolic health ✨ What GLP-1s do, what they don’t, and who they may be appropriate for ✨ How behavior change, nutrition, and support intersect with medication ✨ Common misconceptions and safety considerations parents should understand ✨ What long-term, sustainable health looks like beyond a single intervention Moderator: Kanika Chadda-Gupta, That’s Total Mom Sense Panelists: Dr. Alexandra Sowa (SoWell) + Olivia Ward (Weight Watchers) Whether you’re curious about GLP-1s, navigating postpartum or post-kids body changes, or simply trying to understand why your body feels different now, this conversation will offer clarity, context, and grounded insight — without judgment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi everyone. I’m Kanika Chadda Gupta. I’m a television journalist, podcast host of “That’s Total Mom Sense,” wife and mom of three. I am having a fangirl moment right now because I am with the beautiful, talented singer, songwriter, actress, and author who has grown up alongside us. She’s been singing her whole life and began her musical career as a founding member of Destiny’s Child and here we are with children of our own. I’m about to “say her name, say her name.” Kelly Rowland is an American singer, performer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. She soon released her debut solo studio album, Simply Deep in 2002, debuting at #1 on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Rowland eventually became a judge on the eighth season of The X Factor (UK version), as well as the 3rd season of The X Factor (USA) in 2013. She has continued her television career by hosting Chasing Destiny, and starred as a coach on The Voice (Australia). Throughout her career, Rowland has sold 40M+ records as a solo artist, and an additional 60M+ records with Destiny's Child. She's won 4 Grammy Awards, 1 Billboard Music Award, and 2 Soul Train Music Awards — she's also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of Destiny's Child, and as a solo artist, she has been honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and Essence for her contributions to music. In 2014, Fuse ranked Rowland in their "100 Most Award-Winning Artists" list. Kelly and her husband Tim Weatherspoon have two sons, Titan and Noah. In 2022, she released her children’s book, Always with You, Always with Me. Meet My Guest: INSTAGRAM: ⁠@kellyrowland⁠ TWITTER: ⁠@kellyrowland⁠ FACEBOOK: ⁠/kylierowland529⁠ YOUTUBE: ⁠/kellyrowland⁠ Press MARCH OF DIMES: ⁠March of Dimes Raises $1.4M at 6th Annual Celebration of Babies®: A Hollywood Luncheon⁠ 21NINETY: ⁠Exclusive: Kelly Rowland on Marriage, Money Moves And Advice For New Moms: 'Be Patient With Yourself'⁠ Mom Haul AMAZON: ⁠Always with You, Always with Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if regret isn’t something to avoid, but a compass to guide your biggest decisions? In this episode, I sit down with Parul Somani, business strategist, MIT and Harvard Business School graduate, former Bain & Company leader, cancer survivor, and author of The Path of Least Regret. After being diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 31, shortly after the birth of her second child, Parul transformed her personal and professional journey into a powerful framework for resilient decision-making. We explore how to lead through uncertainty, make values-aligned choices, and redefine success beyond conventional achievement. This conversation is about courage, clarity, and choosing intentionally, even when the stakes feel impossibly high. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode called Ma Ki Rasoi (from his Mother's Kitchen) to Michelin Star, Kanika sits down with Chef Vikas Khanna at his NY restaurant, Bungalow. The common thread is the letter "M" as they open by admiring a floral mandala and he shares poignant stories about his motherland, mother, Masterchef India, Michelin Star, and manifestation. Meet My Guest: WEBSITE: ⁠www.bungalowny.com⁠ INSTAGRAM: ⁠@vikaskhannagroup⁠ X: ⁠@TheVikasKhanna⁠ Press: ⁠Forbes⁠ ⁠Vogue India⁠ ⁠Gotham Magazine⁠ ⁠MSN⁠ ⁠Eater NY⁠ ⁠The Juggernaut Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The term “mental load” gets thrown around a lot — but what does it actually mean, and why does it so often fall on moms and primary caregivers? Join us for The Invisible Workload: Why 75% of the Mental Load Lands on Primary Caregivers, a candid, expert-led conversation about the invisible labor that keeps families running — and the emotional, logistical, and identity toll it takes. We’re joined by three powerhouse women who are reshaping how we talk about care, support, identity, and the weight parents carry: 🧠 Neha Ruch — Bestselling Author and Founder of THE POWER PAUSE🤖 Sheila Lirio Marcelo — Co-Founder, CEO of Ohai.ai; and Founder of Care.com🎙 Kanika Chadda-Gupta — former CNN anchor and host of That’s Total Mom Sense, the hit parenting podcast loved by millions Together, we’ll explore: ✔️ What the mental load really is — and why it’s so hard to offload ✔️ Why it disproportionately impacts moms and default parents ✔️ How identity, ambition, and self-worth get tangled up in caregiving ✔️ The role of tech, AI, systems, partnership, and communication in rebalancing the load ✔️ How to start the hard conversations — with partners, with kids, and with yourself Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“God could not be everywhere, so he created Mothers.” This adage could not ring more true when it comes to the life of C.J. Taylor. Her life story could be made into an Oscar-winning biopic, and believe me, it’s just a matter of time. She is a divorced single mom of three, an attorney, and a football coach with over 20 years of experience - she is the first female coach in the Snoop Dogg’s youth football league, is the Former Director of Football Operations and Assistant Coach at Los Angeles Southwest College, and was an the Junior Varsity HEAD COACH and Assistant Coach on Varsity at Verbum Dei High School, a private all boys school in southern California. She has generated more than 45 millions dollars, sending hundreds of student-athletes to college on scholarships with over 300 NCAA programs including with Marist College, Univ. of Texas, TCU, Vanderbilt, FAMU, LSU, CAL, Boise State, USC, UCLA, Notre Dame, Syracuse and more. She has single handedly raised three tremendously successful children: her daughter Mi-Calynn is a California State Licensed Nurse who is on the front line during the COVID pandemic. Caylin is a 2017 Rhodes Scholar, 2014 Fulbright Scholar, D-1 Student-Athlete and graduate of Texas Christian University, 2019 graduate of Oxford University, a current PhD candidate, and author of the NY Times bestselling memoir, A Dream Too Big. Last but not least Chase Moore, an Archer Fellow, Children’s Defense Fund recipient, and a recent D1Student-Athlete at the University of Texas at Austin victor of the 2019 Sugar Bowl, and member of the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team. Though the family has witnessed many glory days, life has not been easy. As written in an ESPN profile by Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg, CJ shares, "We used to have a five-bath, four-bedroom house and seven vehicles. We had what looked like the Cosby life. It was like a Monet: From a distance, it looked beautiful, but up close, it was all messed up." Inside those walls, C.J.'s now ex-husband, Louis Moore, was psychologically abusive toward her. She twice saw him physically abuse Caylin, who was just 2 at the time. In 2000, she left him, taking the children to live with her mother in Carson, on the border of Compton. She filed for divorce but still feared for their safety. She always told her kids: “We may live in the hood, but the hood doesn’t live in us.”In 2004, she went to the hospital for heart surgery and came back in even worse shape. She was assaulted while being sedated, and later slipped into a depression. In 2009, her ex-husband was convicted of murder. He had a drunken argument with his girlfriend and fatally shot her with a rifle. After weeks of her kids feeding her and bathing her, her middle child told her, “Get up, Mom. You’ve got to live. You’ve got three kids. We need you!” That’s exactly what she did and she continues to give every bit of her soul to her children every single day. Today, I am honored to welcome CJ Taylor and her youngest son Chase Moore to the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are smartphones and social media harming our kids—or is the truth more nuanced? In this episode of That’s Total Mom Sense, journalist and mom of three Kanika Chadda Gupta sits down with Jacqueline Beauchere, Snapchat’s Global Head of Platform Safety, for a thoughtful, data-driven conversation about parenting teens in a digital world. Together, they explore real online risks, how Snapchat differs from other platforms, and the tools parents can use—like Family Center and The Keys—to stay informed, involved, and proactive. This is not fear-mongering or permissiveness. It’s problem-solving, empathy, and practical guidance for families navigating tech together. 🔗 Resources for parents: • Snapchat Family Center: parents.snapchat.com/family-center • The Keys: thekeys.snapchat.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of That's Total Mom Sense, host Kanika Chadda Gupta sits down with Alex Spitz, Founder and CEO of New Mom School, to explore what happens when the village disappears and how she is rebuilding it. After experiencing the isolation of early motherhood herself, Alex set out to create a solution. Today, she is actively rebuilding the village for modern mothers through New Mom School, a postpartum education and support platform with 22 locations across the United States. Grounded in expert-led programming and real community, New Mom School equips parents with the education, confidence, and connection they need during the fourth trimester. Together, Kanika and Alex discuss the postpartum care gap, maternal mental health, and why proactive support, not survival mode, should be the standard. This episode is especially relevant for pregnant women and parents with babies under one year old, and is required listening for anyone who wants to support the mothers in their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jen Hatmaker on AWAKE, reinvention, grief, divorce, new love, and raising 5 kids. A deeply intimate conversation about rebuilding your life with honesty, tenderness, and hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Allie Ticktin is the founder of Play 2 Progress, and author of the book, Play to Progress, where she provides parents with an overview of all 8 (yes, 8) senses and gives them 90 exercises to engage their children in sensory learning. Dr. Allie uses the science of child development and the joy of play to boost childrens’ confidence and enhance development within all areas of their life, from social and emotional to physical and academic. On the show, she shares her personal journey of self-discovery and loss which has informed her work and life today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Money is one of the biggest sources of stress in modern relationships — especially when you’re raising kids, building careers, and managing caregiving all at once. In this episode of That’s Total Mom Sense, I sit down with Douglas and Heather Boneparth — married couple, wealth experts, and co-authors of Money Together — to talk about how families can create financial systems that feel fair, aligned, and sustainable. We unpack what “contribution” really means, why fairness doesn’t always equal 50/50, how couples can communicate about money without resentment, and how to build a shared financial vision — even with variable income or entrepreneurial careers. Whether you’re parenting, partnering, or planning for the future, this conversation will give you tangible tools to manage money together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful conversation, Kanika sits down with Rei Wang and Anita Hossain Choudhry, founders of The Grand, the global community helping ambitious women navigate transitions with clarity, confidence, and support. They break down motherhood identity shifts, career pivots, fundraising, co-leadership, and the practical tools every woman needs to design her next chapter. If you’re craving purpose, community, or a roadmap for your future — this episode will light the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if 2026 isn’t something that happens to you—but something you intentionally design?In this solo episode, journalist and podcast host Kanika Chadda Gupta breaks down a clear, actionable system for turning vision boards into real-life results. Drawing from frameworks she’s learned through The Grand Pursuit coaching and the Founders Launch Lab, Kanika shares how to move from dreaming to doing—quarter by quarter, habit by habit—without burning out. This episode is for moms and founders who want clarity, momentum, and a plan that actually works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ingrid Michaelson sits down with Kanika at the Mom 2.0 Summit in Nashville to discuss her journey as a singer/songwriter, grieving the loss of her parents, the launch of The Notebook musical on Broadway, and how to find joys in the ups and downs in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Arleen Lamba — physician, former anesthesiologist, and the founder of GLO30 — breaks down exactly what women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s actually need for healthy, glowing skin. From the essentials (Vitamin C, retinol, SPF) to the treatments that really work (and the ones that are hype), Dr. Lamba helps simplify the noise. We also talk hormonal skin changes, perimenopause, budget-friendly routines, and why consistency beats 14-step routines every time. Perfect for moms, entrepreneurs, and anyone aging with intention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After motherhood, our bodies change — but what if that change could be celebrated instead of judged?In this powerful conversation, host Kanika Chadda Gupta sits down with Taryn Brumfitt, founder of The Body Image Movement and Australian of the Year, and Dr. Zali Yager, body image researcher and co-founder of The Embrace Collective. Together, they unpack the motherhood identity shift, why our self-talk shapes our kids’ confidence, and how we can move beyond “body positivity” to genuine body appreciation.You’ll learn small, actionable ways to rewrite the language around food, appearance, and health at home — and discover how two changemaker moms are leading a global revolution in self-worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices