“A richly nuanced, gorgeously written book that treads fearlessly into the paradoxes of early motherhood, simultaneously honoring its many hardships and illuminating its potential for transformation and empowerment. By turns poetic and scholarly, personal and political, Mothershift provides a map for navigating the complex landscape of matrescence. In essence, what Jessie Harrold offers her readers is permission: permission to feel whatever there is to feel, to be utterly rearranged, and even to 'lose yourself' in motherhood, trusting in her gentle and wise assurances that you will ultimately be found.”
—Molly Millwood, PhD, author of To Have and To Hold
“Mothershift is deep nourishment and potent medicine for modern mothers, and Jessie Harrold is the real deal, weaving hard-won wisdom, intersectionality, and heart throughout each page. At a time when most mothers don't have access to wise, initiated elders, Mothershift is especially essential as a source of mature guidance and support. I highly recommend this gem to new mothers and mother lovers, alike.”
—Beth Berry, author of Motherwhelmed
“Mothershift weaves wisdom from nature, wise guidance, profound reflection, and nourishing support for mothers everywhere, creating a space of nurturance and care so often missing in the transformation of motherhood. Jessie Harrold’s loving and intuitive approach is deeply welcoming, reassuring, and so hopeful. Mothershift will help mothers remember themselves whole. It is the book all mothers need.”
—Lisa Olivera, author of Already Enough
“Mothershift is medicine for every new mama’s heart, and wisdom that this world so desperately needs as we re-learn how to honor this profound transition into becoming ‘Mother.’ Even five years after first becoming a mother, Jessie’s words orient me in a new way—and support me in the process of still becoming.”
—Dhyana Masla, author of Ayurveda Mama
“Mothershift is the real deal companion every mother needs to support her through the complex emotional and spiritual landscapes that come up in new motherhood. It’s so much more than a guide—Jessie Harrold provides the data, research, and grounded truths to validate a woman’s complex experience of matrescence. I envision mothers gathering around kitchen tables discussing this book!”
—Becca Piastrelli, author of Root & Ritual
“Mothershift is a beacon and an essential read for the early years of motherhood. While reading it, all I could think about was how much less lonely I would have felt if I'd had this book when my babies were young. But even though my children are older now, Jessie Harrold's words reframed my memories, tenderly soothing remaining traces of not-enoughness or unattended grief. As Harrold says, when you become a mother, you become something new. Finally, we have a book to compassionately shepherd us through that process of becoming.”
—Mara Glatzel, author of Needy
“So many guidebooks for mothers focus on the baby, and yet Jessie Harrold knows that the root of family well-being begins with care for the mother. Rather than what we do as mothers, it is how we feel that truly matters in terms of an empowered and embodied mothering experience. The elemental framework in Mothershift for navigating the transformation of motherhood speaks to our mothering bodies, and the ‘MotherPowers’ that Harrold names are a road map for rebuilding a personal and collective mother-loving culture that will benefit us all.”
—Tami Lynn Kent, author of Wild Feminine, Wild Creative, and Wild Mothering