When was the last time someone asked what your favorite ice cream is and you actually knew the answer? In this episode, host Sarah Dooley sits down with Dr. Julie Fernandes, an occupational therapist, coach, and mom of three, to talk about what it really means to restore yourself after years of pouring into everyone else.

Julie brings her OT lens to family life in the most grounding way. We talk about why your home environment shapes your mental state more than you realize, how boundaries are actually an expression of love rather than control, and why setting clear expectations for your kids may be the most supportive thing you can do for your family right now.

We also get into tech boundaries at home, how Julie uses AI as a practical tool (not a magic fix), and why she believes parents have far more influence than they give themselves credit for.

If you have been feeling stretched thin, disconnected from yourself, or unsure where your authority ends and your anxiety begins, this conversation is for you.

Topics covered in this episode:

• The flamingo analogy that explains why moms lose their glow (and how to get it back)
• OT-informed strategies for managing clutter, routines, and mental load
• Why boundaries are love, and how to set them without the guilt
• Navigating screen time and AI with kids in a thoughtful, age-appropriate way
• How AI supports Julie's family life in small, practical ways
• Finding yourself again in the middle of the motherhood season

Guest: Dr. Julie Fernandes | @juliefernandesco on Instagram

Host: Sarah Dooley | @aiempoweredmom on Instagram

What if the relationship that helps you navigate parenting isn’t with another person, but with AI? In this Galentine’s Day special episode, Sarah Dooley sits down with Alexandra Samuel,AI and workplace speaker, Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review contributor, and host of the Me + Viv podcast, to explore what it really means to build a relationship with AI.

Alexandra shares her journey through what she calls “extra large parenting” as the mother of an autistic son, and how AI went from being a productivity tool to becoming Viv, her AI coach and companion. From creating personalized homeschool schedules in minutes to modeling lifelong learning for her kids, Alexandra reveals how AI can hold your hand while you hold theirs.

This conversation challenges the idea that AI is just another tool. Instead, discover how building an intentional relationship with AI can reduce your mental load, support your parenting journey, and deepen your human connections.

Topics discussed:

• What “extra large parenting” means and why work became Alexandra’s respite
• How AI transformed hours of homeschool planning into minutes
• The evolution of Viv from custom GPT to full AI companion
• Why parents need to co-learn AI alongside their kids
• Using AI to model lifelong adaptation and curiosity
• How AI can deepen connection rather than replace it

If you’re curious about AI but unsure where to start, or if you’re looking for ways to lighten your mental load without adding more to your plate, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what’s possible.

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"I ended up in the hospital."

Ekaterina Konovalova was spending $2,000 a month on tutors and therapists, driving her daughter to appointments five days a week, trying to be the perfect wife who cooks fresh meals and keeps a spotless house. She was managing her career, her family, and her household until she collapsed. A severe migraine. Dehydration. The hospital.

That's when she and her husband made a decision: pack up, leave Austin, move to Pittsburgh for a free dyslexia school that's one of the best in the nation. By third grade, her daughter was reading at sixth grade level.

This conversation explores what it means to push yourself past exhaustion before asking for help, the physical and emotional toll of advocating for your child, and how Ekaterina channeled her experience into Trust Me Mom, a podcast where she interviews experts to help other parents.

If you've ever felt like you're drowning trying to do it all, this episode offers both clarity and permission to make hard choices.

Connect with Ekaterina at Trust Me Mom podcast and on LinkedIn.