27. Are You Feeling the Invisible Weights of Motherhood? with Michelle Marks

Parenting can be heavy - especially when you’re navigating burnout, neurodivergence, or the constant mental load of holding everything together.

In this episode of Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina sits down with Michelle Marks, a neurodivergent parent raising neurodivergent children, to talk about the unseen emotional toll of motherhood and how mindfulness can help you reconnect with calm, even when life feels overwhelming.

Together, they explore the realities of burnout, recognising its sneaky signs, and building self-awareness through gentle mindfulness practices that restore energy and compassion - for both you and your child.

You’ll Learn:

• How to recognise the early signs of burnout and overwhelm
• What mindfulness really looks like for a busy, neurodivergent parent
• How to manage anxiety and emotional overload with simple grounding tools
• Why it’s okay to take up space, slow down, and prioritise rest
• Practical ways to help you and your child find calm in the chaos

Why This Episode Matters

The invisible weights of motherhood can be exhausting - emotional labour, sensory overload, and the pressure to “get it right” take a silent toll. Too often, parents accept exhaustion as normal.

This conversation shines a light on those unseen struggles and offers hope through mindfulness - not as another task to master, but as a way of being kinder to yourself. It’s a reminder that your worth isn’t measured by productivity and that caring for yourself is part of caring for your family.

Take Home Action

This week, notice when you compare your parenting to someone else’s — another mum at school, a post online, or even your own expectations.

When that comparison appears, pause and remember Michelle’s reflection:
 “Stop measuring yourself against people who aren’t carrying the same weights as you.”

Take a breath and gently affirm: “I’m doing enough. I am enough.”
Every family, every child, and every nervous system is different — and that’s exactly as it should be.

Take the Next Step

If you’re ready to lighten the invisible weights of motherhood, book a free 20-minute Clarity Call with Nina. Together, you’ll uncover one or two simple strategies to bring more calm and connection back into your days.

Links and Resources

• Nina’s free resource: 5-Day Mindfulness Challenge
• Connect with Michelle: Instagram or YouTube

Let’s Connect

• Instagram: @mindfulparentinglifestyle
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: nina@mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au

About the Hosts

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, speaker, and founder of Mindful Parenting Lifestyle. A mum herself, she understands the invisible weights parents carry - the constant juggling of emotions, expectations, and exhaustion that can leave you feeling stretched thin.

Her mission is to show parents that calm, compassionate parenting isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence, repair, and remembering you’re not alone.

Michelle Marks is a neurodivergent parent, business owner, and creative who speaks openly about burnout, mental health, and parenting children with higher support needs. After experiencing chronic burnout herself, Michelle now shares her story to help other parents feel seen, supported, and reminded that they are doing enough - exactly as they are.