Chill Like a Mother Podcast
This show shares stories, offers tips and tricks, and provides education to help you feel more chill like the mother you know you want to be.
Hey! I'm Kayla Huszar, a creative counsellor who's all about unconventional therapy that encourages creativity, curiosity and finding what makes you feel alive (again). I've helped so many women navigate the waves (ups and downs) of motherhood, and I'm here for you, too!
So, if you're feeling overwhelmed or need a moment to yourself, grab your headphones and press play on an episode!
You're not alone, and you already know what you need.
Chill Like a Mother Podcast
Art Journaling Magic: Reclaim Your Identity Beyond Motherhood
Hey mama, are you ready to swap overwhelm for creative magic? Art journaling isn’t just a pastime—it’s a lifeline. For mothers juggling the never-ending to-do list, this therapeutic outlet becomes a much-needed rebellion against the mundane, a place to let loose and rediscover you.
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In this episode, we’ll dive into the beautifully imperfect world of art journaling:
🎨 How to use this soulful practice to process emotions and reclaim your identity
✨ Why there’s no such thing as mistakes, only messy, glorious discoveries
🖌 Techniques for exploring your creativity with just a handful of supplies (and zero art degrees)
💡 The surprising ways this practice lowers stress and lifts your mood
💬 Plus, an invitation to join The Motherload—a community where moms just like you get to connect, create, and thrive.
Whether you’re collaging in the glow of fairy lights or doodling with one eye on your toddler, art journaling is your ticket to a little unicorn space of your own. So, grab your favorite mug, light a candle, and let’s channel those big feelings into something colorful and unapologetically yours.
Meet Kayla Huszar, the Host of the Chill Like a Mother Podcast
Kayla Huszar is a Registered Social Worker and Expressive Arts Therapist who helps mothers reconnect with their authentic selves through embodied art-making. She encourages moms to embrace the messy, beautiful realities of their unique motherhood journeys. Whether through the podcast, 1:1 sessions or her signature Motherload Membership, Kayla creates a brave space for mothers to explore their identities beyond parenting, reconnect with their intuition, and find creative outlets for emotional expression and self-discovery.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your day—kids running amok and all! If this episode helped you feel a little more chill, please leave a rating or review. Your feedback helps the podcast reach more moms who need to hear it.
Hey there, mama. It's that time of year the holidays have left the building, you've finally finished washing the glitter out of the carpet maybe there's still some in mine and the new year is staring you down like an unfinished to-do list, feeling like your brain is still running on holiday overload. Before you get sucked back into scrolling on your phone for just five minutes. Before you get sucked back into scrolling on your phone for just five minutes. Well, it's never just five minutes. Let's talk about feeding your creative soul. Most moms know that there is a better, better way to spend those precious five minutes, but finding alternatives isn't really the real challenge here. The mental load is Imagine that you could have this slice of time that's carved out just for you no kids, no chaos, just you, your thoughts in a blank page. That's what art journaling is all about. It's like giving your brain a spa day while your hands get to play. And here's the best part it's really for anyone. No art degree or Pinterest-level skills are required, though I used to believe this too and today I am breaking down everything you might need to know to start an art journal as a mom, even if you have zero free time. So grab your coffee or that half-drunk tea from this morning and let's dive in. And let's dive in.
Speaker 1:Art journaling is basically a visual diary where you combine art and words to express yourself. It's not about making something pretty or perfect. It's about letting whatever is in your head or your heart spill onto the page. Think of it as a judgment-free zone for your thoughts, a space where you get to be messy and moody and colorful and quiet. Honestly, for moms, this is a lifeline when the endless giving and the doing start to make you feel invisible. This is a safe place to vent all of that and express yourself without draining your mental energy. We all know that pull of the mindless scrolling, the numbing escape that feels good in the moment but leaves us feeling empty and disconnected. This art journaling offers that same blissful mental break, but instead of draining the energy, it's active, engaging and scientifically proven to boost your mood and lower your stress. And here's where the magic happens. When you make space for this creativity in your life, you're giving yourself something that we all desperately need. It's what E Rodsky calls unicorn space. It's time just for you, just for you and your thoughts, your dreams, your emotions, your frustrations, the ones that fester and the ones that are easy to let go. It's time just for you. You're not a mom, a partner or an employee. You're just you. So here's what you'll need to get started.
Speaker 1:A great thing about art journaling is that it is honestly super low maintenance, even though, if you consume any kind of art online, you may have your own self judgments or self criticisms about what good art is or what good art supplies is. And here's the thing is that you don't need fancy art supplies or hours of free time. You can just start with what you have, and here's a basic list of things to get you started. For today's exercise, you're going to need a journal or a notebook, or even just printer paper, and start with one of the following things that speaks to you Either something to do with something to paint with, or something to doodle with, something to paint with, or something to collage with. Today, I'm going to be using these hoo-hoo markers that I found on Amazon. It has become one of my favorite art mediums, alongside collaging. Collaging is my absolute favorite, and if you're not new here, you'll likely know that I love these markers and how it just feels like a marker. You can be bold, you can be subtle and it's just a marker, so it's incredibly forgiving. If you're interested in building your own art supply collection, I've carefully curated my favorite materials and the Amazon link is below.
Speaker 1:So in countless conversations with moms, I've noticed that art supplies often become the unexpected source of stress in the whole process. Some feel overwhelmed by the sheer variety of options, while others feel like they're not real artists unless they invest in professional grade materials. So let me assure you there's absolutely no right or wrong when it comes to choosing the creative tools you want to use today. So if you're ready to jump right in, even if you've only got 10 minutes before someone yells mom, I am recording this right now, at 9 30 AM on Saturday, december 28th, and my children are downstairs watching TV. There may be an interruption or two, so find a spot where you won't be interrupted just for five minutes. I know that this might sound impossible, but maybe it's in your bathroom. I have done many of art journals in my bathroom. Maybe it's at the kitchen table, maybe your partner's home today and you're able to sneak away and actually get some time.
Speaker 1:Grab your art stuff, pick whatever material feels right today. Maybe it's bold markers, maybe it's soft watercolors. Take a deep breath, check in. How are you feeling right now? Stressed, joyful, overwhelmed, whatever it is. This is your starting point and start creating.
Speaker 1:Just start put that pen, marker, brush, crayon to paper and just scribble, doodle, get lines, shapes and colors on the paper. There's no right way to do it, which means there's no wrong way to do it, which can feel unnerving for some, especially if you are in a place right now where being a good mother, a good human, has taken up a lot of your thoughts and processes. And just layer, experiment, put the colors down, blend them, intersect them, use space, speed, color, cadence to express yourself. You feel like layering. You can add pieces of magazine, you can paint over them, you can scribble all over the page. You could color it in complete black. There's no rules and then, when you're all done, you can step back and take a look at your page. What stands out for you? How do you feel now compared to when you started? Is there something that feels unfinished? Is there something that you'd like to explore more of, feel more of, reflect on? On the blog, I've got five easy prompts to get you started. You can take a look at those in your own time and your own leisure.
Speaker 1:But the biggest takeaway with this is that art journaling isn't about creating a masterpiece. As you'll see in my own, it certainly is not artwork that is going to be displayed in a museum. It is artwork, it is emotions, it is thoughts coming from me and landing on the page. I'm not thinking about it too much, I'm just allowing my hand, my thoughts, to guide it. It doesn't even look like anything, or maybe it does. Send me a message and tell me what you think this looks like. If it looks like anything Really, it's about creating space for yourself Mentally, emotionally, physically.
Speaker 1:It's about putting down the mental load. This isn't one more thing on your to-do list. It's a tiny act of rebellion against the chaos of motherhood, against the gender roles, against what's expected of you. And I know life is full. The idea of starting something new can feel overwhelming. It doesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't have to take hours. Art journaling can be as simple as grabbing a pen and scribbling, just scribbling. So, as you step into the new year, remember you're not just a mom. You can be a creator, a dreamer, a healer Hell, maybe even an artist, but most definitely you are a damn good mom, and there's no questioning that ever, and you deserve a little magic in your day. So grab your journal, grab your pen. Your blank page is waiting. In February, the doors open for my membership, called the Motherload, where we get together and create brave space around putting down the mental load, processing the easy and the hard and the chaos and the messy bits of motherhood. And I invite you to check it out and I'll see you next week. You, you, you.