Moms, Mats and Manuscripts
Moms, Mats and Manuscripts is a podcast hosted by Ksenia Volkova Tomaz, a former molecular biologist, yoga teacher and mindset coach for scientists, and mom. This is a space for honest, unpolished conversations about the parts of academia and ambition we don’t talk about enough.
Here, we explore the mental and emotional load of being a young scientist or high-achieving woman: the pressure to constantly produce, the identity crises, the inner critic, the fear of slowing down, the guilt around rest, the invisible labour of motherhood, and the messy process of redefining success on your own terms.
I share personal stories, science-backed insights, and yoga-psychology tools to help you navigate burnout, self-worth, boundaries, and the overwhelming push to “do more.”
Think of this space as a friend's couch, where you can have a cup of coffee, relax, exhale and be seen.
Moms, Mats and Manuscripts
E47 - “I had a panic attack": becoming a mom as an assistant professor (with Dr Liz Berry)
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Dr. Elizabeth Berry, Assistant Professor at New York Medical College, returns to Moms, Mats and Manuscripts pregnant and really honest about all of it: the panic attack over due-date math, the fear that visible pregnancy would affect how colleagues saw her ambition, and the uncertainty of how the "mom" label would land on top of scientist and professor.
We also go on a couple of rants neither of us saw coming - about childcare costs, people's desire to share horror stories instead of positive ones, and about a medical system that doesn't know what to do with patients who actually want to understand what's happening to them.
If you are a woman in STEM wondering how to combine passion, ambition and a dream to have a family - this conversation is for you.
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Dr Liz Berry info:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.lizberry/
Website: https://razberryscience.my.canva.site/dr-lizberry?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacrlKL1MrpxJTEdEKyr3R8s9ylEAfShvD_cE2UNsvp9tYkz1FWUjnOwKlfz-w_aem_iqHk0JglI6ZBO24h96kF7Q
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Let's hang out! 🎙️ Follow Moms, Mats, and Manuscripts for more conversations on academia, motherhood, and mindful living. And if this episode sparked something in you, don't forget to like and share the podcast so that more people can join our coffee-fueled chats!
I'd also love to hear your thoughts and questions, and if you have ideas for future episodes, drop me a line.
We're also on Instagram:
@moms.mats.manuscripts
@shantiscience_yoga
Reach out: moms.mats.manuscripts@gmail.com
