Reframing Me - Self-Development & Parenting Teens for Midlife Moms

Your kids are growing up - but so are you. Reframing Me is the podcast for moms of teens ready to reframe family, identity, and self-development in midlife.

Parenting teens is hard -and parenting while rediscovering yourself in midlife can feel even harder. Reframing Me is the parenting podcast for moms raising teenagers who are also navigating the transition out of hands-on motherhood, identity shifts, and the search for balance, fulfillment, and self-development.

Hosted by Dr. Jennifer Brubaker, a Communication Studies professor, mom of three teens, and intrapersonal communication expert, each episode blends family communication strategies, honest conversations about parenting teens, and self-reflection tools to help moms strengthen family relationships while rediscovering who they are as women.

Together we’ll talk about the issues moms face but don’t always say out loud: changing family dynamics, feeling invisible, letting go of control, and creating new purpose. Through research, theory, and compassionate conversation, you’ll find support, strategies, and a sense of community in this season of parenting and personal growth.

Join the Reframing Me community to connect with other midlife moms, share your stories, and reframe how you see yourself, your family, and your future.

Send emails to jen@reframing-me.com; or on socials: Reframing Me on FacebookAND join the Facebook group Reframing Me: The Podcast Community; @reframingme on Instagram; Reframing Me on YouTube @reframingme on TikTok

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Reframing Me - Self-Development & Parenting Teens for Midlife Moms

What about your friends? Midlife and Friendship

June 20, 2026

0:00 | 33:30

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Available NOW - listen to the free introductions of my NEW courses - Re: Identity and Re: Purpose - both are available now on the Kajabi app/website.

Listen now Re: Identity click here

Listen now Re: Purpose click here

Thank you so much for being here!!

I saw a post that said how people often make the mistake of expecting our friends to fill all of our friend needs, when really, the happiest people recognize that our friends each represent a piece of our identity. Recently, I was lucky enough to have all three of my closest friends together. It made me realize how different friends often represent different parts of our identity and life journey.

While childhood, college, and early parenthood naturally create opportunities for connection through proximity and shared experiences, midlife friendships require much more intention. As children grow up, careers evolve, and life becomes busier, many of the structures that once made friendship effortless begin to disappear.

The episode examines the difference between quantity and quality in relationships, challenges the pressure created by social media's portrayal of friendship, and reminds listeners that there is no single "right" way to build community. Whether you have one close friend, a large friend group, or are still searching for deeper connections, meaningful relationships are built through vulnerability, consistency, and a willingness to reach out.

Ultimately, this is a conversation about being seen, supported, and remembered. It is a reminder that the people who walk beside us through life's transitions become keepers of our stories and help us stay connected to who we are, even as we continue to grow and change.

Thank you for listening and being part of this community! Let's get social. Follow me on Facebook, on Twitter @reframing_me, on Instagram @reframingme and on TikTok @reframingme
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