Podcasts · Kids & Family · Society & Culture

Lessons From Our Mothers

Cressida and Isabella

45 episodes

What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt from your mum? How have the maternal figures in your life shaped you? In Lessons from Our Mothers, sisters Isabella and Cressida explore the wisdom, love, and lessons passed down through generations. They speak with remarkable people like Kate Winslett, Mary Berry, Alain de Botton and Dr Shefali about the maternal figures - biological or not - who influenced them. The life lessons they’ve carried forward, the things they’ve chosen to leave behind, and how certain experiences have informed the way they parent. Whether they had a strong relationship or a more complicated one, they reflect on how that bond - or absence of it - helped shape who they are today. Thoughtful and heartfelt, these conversations uncover the power and importance of motherhood in all its forms.

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Episodes

  1. Jools Oliver: “It's ruined 45 years of my life thinking it's something else”

    · 38 min · S1 E4

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by entrepreneur, designer and mother of five, Jools Oliver. 🌸 Jools opens up about raising five children, navigating the teenage years and life in a neurodivergent household. She…

  2. Susan George: “We can't look back. We must look forward in life”

    · 33 min · S5 E3

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by actress and 70s film icon Susan George. 🌸 Susan shares stories from her remarkable Hollywood acting career, her unbreakable bond with her late husband Simon MacCorkindale, and her…

  3. Sarah Wright Olsen: “Our school was gone, our community was gone, our home was gone”

    · 44 min · S5 E2

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by actor, author and mother of four, Sarah Wright Olsen. 🌸 Sarah shares why she is a “get on the floor and play” kind of mum, how she balances work with raising four children, and…

  4. Sir Michael Morpurgo: “My mother gave me the magic of storytelling”

    · 49 min · S5 E1

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by one of Britain's best loved children's authors, Michael Morpurgo. 🌸 Michael reflects on the profound influence of his mother, who read to him every night as a child, and how those…

  5. Poppy Jamie: Lessons in Intuition, Magic and Trusting Yourself

    · 46 min · S4 E9

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by entrepreneur, bestselling author and wellness advocate Poppy Jamie. 🌸 Poppy shares the inspiration behind her new book, opens up about growing up with a mother who is a witch, and…

  6. Dr Lousie Newson: Lessons in Hormonal Wellbeing- From Misinformation to Empowerment

    · 47 min · S4 E8

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by Dr Louise Newson, Leading Hormone expert, menopause specialist and best selling author. 🌸Louise discusses her mission to transform the conversation around women's health and…

  7. Jennifer O’Connell: Lessons in Putting Women at the Heart of Health Research

    · 36 min · S4 E7

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by Jennifer O'Connell, co-founder of the supplement brand, Sisterly. 🌸Jennifer discusses the importance of women being properly represented in women's health research and science,…

  8. Dr Karan Rajan: Lessons In The Simple Health Habits Everyone Should Know

    · 40 min · S4 E6

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by doctor, author and TikTok star Dr Karan. 🌸Karan reflects on how growing up with a mum who was also a doctor shaped his path into medicine, he explores the often underestimated…

  9. Natalie Imbruglia: Fame, ‘Torn’ And Her Journey To Motherhood

    · 43 min · S4 E5

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by singer and songwriter Natalie Imbruglia. 🌸 In this honest and reflective conversation, Natalie opens up about the whirlwind success of ‘Torn’ and the pressures that came with…

  10. Nerina Pallot: Lessons In Resilience, Rejection, and Finding Her Way

    · 37 min · S4 E4

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by singer-songwriter Nerina Pallot. 🌸 Nerina reflects on her relationship with her mother, including the challenges they faced during her teenage years, and the lessons she’s carried…

  11. Jessica Brown Findlay: Lessons From the Women Who Helped Me Find My Voice

    · 48 min · S4 E3

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by actor Jessica Brown Findlay, best known for her role as Lady Sybil Crawley in Downton Abbey. 🌸 Jessie shares what it was like growing up with dyslexia in a small village, guided…

  12. Dacher Keltner: The Science Behind Awe and Where to Find It

    · 40 min · S4 E2

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by psychologist, author, and awe researcher Dacher Keltner, whose work explores the science of human emotion, connection, and the power of awe in everyday life. 🌸 Dacher shares how…

  13. Jessica Urlichs: The Poetry That Found Me in Motherhood

    · 38 min · S4 E1

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by poet Jessica Urlichs, whose widely shared work captures the raw realities of modern motherhood. 🌸 Jessica opens up about her early days of motherhood and the postpartum anxiety…

  14. Pearl & Daisy Lowe: An ADHD Diagnosis That Explained Everything

    · 50 min · S3 E8

    🌸 And the secret to raising kids who still come home. 🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by fashion designer, writer and former singer Pearl Lowe, alongside her daughter - model and presenter Daisy Lowe. 🌸 In this…

  15. Nazanin Boniadi: Raised by Women Who Refused to Be Silenced

    · 48 min · S3 E7

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by actor Nazanin Boniadi, known for her roles in How I Met Your Mother, Homeland and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. 🌸 In a conversation recorded just before the recent…

  16. Two Cultures. One Truth: Gurinder Chadha on Identity, Belonging & Owning Your Story

    · 59 min · S3 E6

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by award-winning film director Gurinder Chadha. Best known for her 2002 hit Bend It Like Beckham, Gurinder has spent her career telling stories that explore identity, family and…

  17. Gabriella Wilde: How My Mother Showed Me We Can Always Transform Ourselves For The Better

    · 49 min · S3 E5

    💬 Raising three boys and honouring a mother’s courage to change. 🌸 This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by their sister - actor, grief counsellor and palliative care Soul Midwife, Gabriella Wilde. 🌸 Gabriella…

  18. Tilly Rose: My Mother’s Relentless Quest to Save my Life

    · 52 min · S3 E4

    💬 “I got the worst luck medically, but all the luck getting her as my mum” ~ Tilly Rose 🌸 This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by author and chronic illness advocate, Tilly Rose, whose life was…

  19. Julia Samuel: How a Therapist Deals with a Complex Maternal Relationship

    · 46 min · S3 E3

    💬 “When someone dies, you can always write to them” ~Julia Samuel 🌸 This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by psychotherapist, author, and mother of 4 Julia Samuel. 🌸 Julia explores the very complex relationship…

  20. Riley Keough: The Gift and Challenge of Finishing Lisa Marie Presley’s Memoir

    · 47 min · S3 E2

    🌸 This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by actor, filmmaker and producer Riley Keough. 🌸 Riley opens up about the extraordinary journey of finishing her mother Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir after her death - a…

  21. Kate Winslet: From “Put Up and Shut Up” to Raising Confident Children

    · 1 h 05 min · S3 E1

    On breaking generational silence and raising children who know their voice matters. 🌸 This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by the incredible, award-winning actor Kate Winslet. 🌸 Kate discusses the launch of…

  22. India Rakusen: The surprising truths about motherhood uncovered making BBC’s ‘Child’

    · 51 min · S2 E11

    🌸This week Cressida and Isabella are joined by journalist, documentary producer, presenter and award-winning podcaster India Rakusen. 🌸India shares some of the fascinating insights she uncovered while making the…

  23. Chelsea Hirschhorn: How her mother’s influence ignited a revolution in mothercare

    · 42 min · S2 E10

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by Chelsea Hirschhorn, the founder and CEO of Frida. 🌸Chelsea reflects on the lessons she learned from her mother - from resilience and empathy to courage and ambition -…

  24. Alex Ikonn: How extreme challenge shaped his mindset, attitude and choices

    · 38 min · S2 E9

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by Alex Ikonn, founder of Intelligent Change and creator of The Five Minute Journal. 🌸Alex reflects on how gratitude was born for him through extreme challenges. From…

  25. Alan Titchmarsh: From Yorkshire roots to national treasure

    · 48 min · S2 E8

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by gardening royalty, TV presenter and national treasure Alan Titchmarsh. 🌸 Alan reflects on what he calls a ‘blissful’ childhood in Yorkshire, and how the unwavering…

  26. Donna Lancaster: The pain of being “unmothered” and the journey back to love

    · 47 min · S2 E7

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by writer, teacher and spiritual mentor Donna Lancaster. 🌸 Donna speaks openly about her complex relationship with her mother - a woman deeply affected by the trauma of…

  27. Jamie Laing: How his mum shaped his life, business, and views on parenthood

    · 39 min · S2 E6

    🌸This episode, Cressida and Isabella are joined by presenter, podcaster, and entrepreneur Jamie Laing. 🌸Jamie opens up about his anxieties around soon becoming a parent, sharing what he’s most looking forward to in…

  28. Jo Woodhurst: How her mother’s cancer journey inspired a life of wellness

    · 45 min · S2 E5

    🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by Jo Woodhurst, Director of Nutrition at Ancient + Brave. 🌸Jo shares how her mum’s dedication to nutrition, mindset, and holistic wellbeing helped her live ten years…

  29. Tanya Burr: How A YouTube Star Navigates Motherhood in the Public Eye

    · 32 min · S2 E4

    🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by OG YouTuber and actor Tanya Burr. 🌸Tanya opens up about navigating motherhood while keeping her son (and husband) out of the public eye. She discusses the importance…

  30. Haemin Sunim: A Zen Buddhist monk’s guide to healing old wounds and finding inner peace

    · 38 min · S2 E3

    🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by one of the most influential Zen Buddhist monks in the world, the best-selling author Haemin Sunim. 🌸 Haemin shares his gentle wisdom on how to speak to children about…

  31. Parenting Differently: Donna Ashworth on embracing neurodiversity

    · 48 min · S2 E2

    🌸This episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by best-selling Scottish poet and author Donna Ashworth. 🌸Donna opens up about her son’s autism and ADHD diagnoses and what they’ve taught her about embracing different…

  32. Elizabeth Day: How struggling to conceive made her reimagine motherhood

    · 1 h 03 min · S2 E1

    🌸Welcome back to season two of Lessons From Our Mother. In this episode Cressida and Isabella are joined by acclaimed novelist, journalist, and broadcaster Elizabeth Day. 🌸Elizabeth shares how her mother inspired her…

  33. Geri Horner-Halliwell: "Motherhood is better than a number one record"

    · 38 min · S1 E12

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by pop icon turned author, Geri Halliwell. The former Spice Girl reveals how she naturally took on a motherly role within the band, why she’ll always support her former bandmates, and…

  34. Sarah Hoover: “ I was allergic to being a mother. It was the worst thing that could have happened to me, and I felt monstrous for thinking that way”

    · 39 min · S1 E11

    🌸Cressida and Isabella are joined by bestselling author, Sarah Hoover who opens up about her path to motherhood, marked by birth trauma and the often-overlooked realities of postpartum depression. Sarah reflects on the…

  35. Jonathan Haidt: “All of these things are designed to take over your child's life”

    · 47 min · S1 E10

    🌸Cressida and Isabella are joined by social psychologist, bestselling author, and cultural commentator Jonathan Haidt. Known for his powerful insights into the modern world, Jonathan reveals how smartphones and screen…

  36. Camila Alves McConaughey: “Finding the balance of giving them everything I think they deserve and also what I think I deserve, is a challenge”

    · 45 min · S1 E9

    🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by Brazilian-American model, designer, and entrepreneur Camila Alves McConaughey. Camila opens up about the complexities of her relationship with her mother,…

  37. Mishal Husain: “She really liberated me - she said, your life is completely different from mine, you've got to pursue the talents God's given you”

    · 45 min · S1 E8

    🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and author Mishal Husain. Known for her work with the BBC and now Bloomberg, Mishal reflects on the powerful lessons…

  38. Alain de Botton: “Children will smell their parents' compromises, neuroses - to force the parent towards maturity"

    · 42 min · S1 E7

    🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by philosopher, bestselling author and founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton. In this episode, Alain explores the complexity of a mother’s love, how…

  39. Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice: “We'd have to do 10 of these recordings to really get into the many different things she's done for us”

    · 40 min · S1 E6

    🌸This week, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by two very special guests: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie. 👑In this deeply personal and heartwarming…

  40. Giovanna Fletcher: “I don't remember my mum playing with us…you might not be the one chasing kids around, but you are creating their safe spaces”

    · 51 min · S1 E5

    🌸This week on Lessons From Our Mothers, Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by Giovanna Fletcher - bestselling author, actress, presenter, podcast host and founder of the Happy Mum Happy Baby community. 💡In…

  41. Dr Shefali: “Allow your child to be who it is they are”

    · 47 min · S1 E4

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by psychologist and wisdom teacher Dr Shefali, who has been hailed by Oprah as ‘revolutionary’. She’s the best-selling author of Conscious Parenting and host of the podcast…

  42. Mary Berry: “ She died at 105, and how lucky was I that she still had her mind?”

    · 35 min · S1 E3

    🌸This week, Cressida and Isabella are joined by the iconic food writer, chef, baker, and television presenter, Mary Berry. Mary opens up about her childhood, sharing fond memories of her mother and reflecting on the…

  43. Karl Lokko: “I started to understand the mother I had the first time I got arrested”

    · 43 min · S1 E2

    🌸 In this episode, hosts Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson are joined by Karl Lokko, a former gang leader turned activist and public speaker. Karl shares some of his earliest memories of his mother, how he credits…

  44. Clover Stroud: "Motherhood destroys who you are, yet completely makes you"

    · 56 min · S1 E1

    🌸 Cressida and Isabella are joined by author Clover Stroud whose teenage years were shattered when her mum was left severely brain-damaged after a riding accident. Clover talks about the pain of losing her mum, how she…

  45. Trailer: Lessons From Our Mothers

    · 2:20

    Have you ever stopped to think about the maternal figures in your life and how they have shaped who you are today? Have you ever asked them about their own experiences, or thought about the lessons that you have…

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