When I started Her Village, I thought I was creating a place where women could make new friends.

What I didn't expect was what those first few months would teach me—not just about friendship, but about belonging.

In this solo episode, I'm sharing some of the biggest lessons I've learned while building this community from the ground up. From women nervously walking into events alone to conversations that linger long after the official end time, I've realized that what so many of us are searching for isn't simply more friends—it's a place where we can show up as ourselves and feel genuinely connected.

If you've ever wondered why making friends as an adult feels so different, or if you've found yourself craving deeper connection in this season of life, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I share:

• Why I realized women aren't just looking for more friends—they're looking for belonging.
• What surprised me most after hosting Her Village events.
• The biggest misconception about adult friendship.
• Why meaningful connection takes intention in this stage of life.
• Small, brave steps you can take to begin building your own village.

Whether you're navigating motherhood, a new city, a career change, or simply a season where life feels a little lonely or disconnected, I hope this conversation reminds you that you're not the only one looking for your people.

And maybe… your village starts with one conversation, one invitation, or one courageous "yes."

🌻 Connect with Her Village

If you're local to the Chicago suburbs and looking for meaningful connection with other women, I'd love to welcome you to an upcoming Her Village gathering.

Learn more at joinhervillage.co

Follow along on Instagram: @hervillagehq

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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When we're kids, friendship just... happens.

We're surrounded by classmates, teammates, roommates, and neighbors. But somewhere between careers, motherhood, relationships, and the never-ending to-do list, making meaningful friendships can start to feel surprisingly difficult.

In this episode, I'm joined by licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and founder of Bluebird Counseling Services, Alexandria Gohla, to unpack why connection feels so much harder in adulthood—and why so many women find themselves longing for something deeper than another group chat.

Alex shares insights from her work with women, the inspiration behind her upcoming book, More Than the Group Chat, and the importance of vulnerability, intentionality, and creating spaces where women feel safe to truly belong.

Together, we explore:

• Why adult friendships require more intention than they did growing up
• What's really keeping women from forming deeper connections
• The difference between being surrounded by people and feeling genuinely known
• How vulnerability strengthens relationships
• Practical ways to begin building meaningful friendships—even if you're starting from scratch
• Why online communities can be a starting point, but in-person connection still matters

If you've ever caught yourself thinking, "I wish I had people like that," this conversation is for you.

Connect with Alex:

• Blue Bird Counseling Services
• More Than the Group Chat

Connect with Her Village:

If you're longing for deeper connection and you're local to the Chicago suburbs, I'd love to meet you at an upcoming Her Village event!

🌻 Learn more: joinhervillage.co

📸 Instagram: @hervillagehq

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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She Left Her Career to Raise Her Kids. Then She Started Again.

What happens when the life you've built no longer fits the woman you're becoming?

This week on the Her Village Podcast, Jacqueline sits down with Dr. Vandana Arcot to talk about identity, ambition, motherhood, and the courage it takes to reinvent yourself.

After a successful global health career spanning more than a decade and work across 13+ countries, Dr. Arcot made the decision to step away from her professional life to focus on raising her children. Years later, she found herself navigating the vulnerable process of returning—not to who she used to be, but to a new version of herself.

Together, Jacqueline and Dr. Arcot explore:

• The emotional realities of stepping away from a career to focus on family
• Losing—and rediscovering—your sense of identity
• The guilt and fear that can come with wanting something more
• How motherhood reshaped Dr. Arcot's definition of success and leadership
• The pressure women feel to choose between caregiving and ambition
• Why reinvention isn't about becoming someone new—it's about reclaiming the parts of yourself that were waiting to be rediscovered
• The permission to evolve through different seasons of life

Dr. Arcot is the founder of Komselj, a strategy firm advancing women's and children's health and empowerment worldwide, and VUND, a home décor and fragrance company that supports women-led beekeeping initiatives. Her work has helped raise millions for global health causes while empowering women and communities around the world.

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to dream again, pivot careers, pursue a passion, or redefine what success means to you, this conversation is for you.

Because every season changes us—and sometimes beginning again is exactly what we're meant to do.

Connect with Dr. Vandana Arcot:

• Website: https://www.komselj.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvandanaarcot/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvandanarcot

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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Reinvention is often portrayed as a dramatic before-and-after moment—a bold leap, a fresh start, a perfectly curated transformation.

But what if it doesn't look like that at all?

In this solo episode, Jacqueline shares what she's learning about reinvention while living it in real time. From infertility and loss to motherhood, podcasting, and building Her Village, she reflects on the many versions of herself she's loved, outgrown, and carried with her along the way.

Together, we'll explore:

• Why reinvention can feel a lot like grief—even when it's chosen
• The pressure women feel to justify change
• What happens when people don't understand your evolution
• The courage it takes to keep going in the messy middle
• How to recognize when restlessness may actually be an invitation

If you've been questioning what's next, missing parts of who you used to be, or wondering if you're allowed to want something different, this conversation is for you.

You don't have to have all the answers before you take the next step.

Maybe you're not lost.

Maybe you're becoming.

P.S. This conversation is the first in a series of episodes exploring what it means to evolve through motherhood, identity shifts, and the changing seasons of womanhood. I can't wait for you to hear what's coming next.

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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Something unexpected happened at the first Her Village gatherings.

Women walked in nervous… and walked out feeling lighter, more connected, and reminded that they’re not alone.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing reflections from our very first gatherings and why I believe women are craving real, in-person community more than ever before.

We talk about:

• the loneliness of modern motherhood
• why making friends as an adult feels so hard
• the power of getting women in the same room
• what I observed during our first Her Village meetups
• motherhood, identity, and connection
• why I believe we all need a village again

This episode is less about events — and more about what happens when women finally feel safe enough to exhale.

If you’ve been craving deeper connection, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Her Village:
Instagram: @hervillagehq
Join the email list: joinhervillage.co

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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If you’ve been here for a while, you know this podcast has always been rooted in real conversations.

From the very beginning, Motherhood Intended was a space for the stories behind the highlight reel—centered around infertility, family building, and the journey to motherhood.

But life evolves… and so do we.

In this trailer episode, I’m sharing why this podcast is shifting, what this new season looks like, and what you can expect moving forward.

Welcome to Her Village—a space for real women, real stories, and honest conversations about the things we don’t always say out loud.

Whether you’re navigating motherhood, identity, relationships, growth, or everything in between… you’re not alone.

And you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Follow along for weekly conversations and new episodes as they’re released.

Connect with me:
Instagram: @hervillagehq
Join the email list: joinhervillage.co

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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What happens when the season of life that shaped your story begins to change?

In this episode, I’m sharing an honest update about the evolution of Your Fertility Village, how my own infertility journey has shifted now that our family is complete, and the new vision that has been growing on my heart: Her Village.

When I first started the Motherhood Intended podcast, I was still in the thick of processing my infertility journey. I had experienced infertility, loss, IVF, the NICU, and eventually grew our family through surrogacy. During that season, supporting women navigating infertility felt like the most natural extension of my story.

But life has changed over the past few years.

Our family is now complete, and while infertility will always be part of my story and something I care deeply about, it’s no longer at the center of my everyday life in the same way. I realized that leading a community centered entirely around infertility wasn’t where my heart felt most aligned anymore.

Instead, I began thinking about a different kind of community — one that supports women in the many seasons of life that come after infertility and early motherhood.

That idea became Her Village.

Her Village is about creating spaces where women can build real friendships and meaningful connection in the communities where they live. A village for women who may feel like they’re in-between seasons of life — raising young kids, rediscovering themselves after motherhood, navigating life after infertility, or simply craving deeper conversations and real connection again.

I’m starting small here in Naperville with the first gathering called Her Village: Founders Night, and I’m excited to see where this vision grows from here.

If you’re local to Naperville and the idea of building real friendships, and community resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for being here and for continuing to grow alongside me.

However your journey to motherhood unfolds, I’m really glad you’re not walking it alone.

xo, Jacqueline

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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A real day in the life of a stay-at-home mom in this season of motherhood.

What does a real day actually look like in this season of motherhood?

In this solo episode, Jacqueline walks you through a true day in the life — from the moment she wakes up to when the house finally goes quiet at night. Not the highlight reel. Not the optimized routine. Just the honest rhythm of life right now as a stay-at-home mom of three, balancing motherhood, mental load, and creative work.

Jacqueline shares what mornings look like getting two kids out the door for school, how her days shift depending on whether her toddler is home with her or at her school program, and how her work as a podcaster happens in small pockets of quiet time. She talks about the invisible labor of motherhood, the constant emotional regulation, and the tension between being present with your kids while still wanting space for your own purpose.

This episode is for any mom who feels like her days are full but invisible, meaningful but hard to quantify — and who needs the reminder that showing up counts, even when there’s no checklist to prove it.

In this episode, we talk about:

• A real day in the life of a stay-at-home mom
• Managing the mental load of motherhood
• Parenting multiple kids in different stages
• Working and creating during naps and school hours
• After-school chaos, activities, and evening routines
• Why some seasons of motherhood are about maintenance, not growth
• Letting go of productivity pressure in motherhood

✨ Reflection prompt:
What does your day actually require of you — emotionally, mentally, and physically?

🔗 Connect + Resources Mentioned

• Get on the email list
• Follow on Instagram
• Join the Motherhood Intended Podcast Community on Facebook
• Become a member of Your Fertility Village
• Check out Beddy’s and see how much they’ve simplified morning routines and bedtime in this season of life!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review. These conversations help more women feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Her Village is more than a podcast—it’s a space for real connection, honest conversations, and meaningful friendships in the places we live.

If you want to go deeper and stay connected beyond the podcast, you can join us here: joinhervillage.co 💛

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