Moms, Mats and Manuscripts

By Ksenia Volkova Tomaz

Listen to a podcast, please open Podcast Republic app. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.


Category: Personal Journals

Open in Apple Podcasts


Open RSS feed


Open Website


Rate for this podcast

Subscribers: 0
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 47

Description

Moms, Mats and Manuscripts is a podcast hosted by Ksenia Volkova Tomaz, a former molecular biologist, yoga teacher and mindset coach for scientists, and mom. This is a space for honest, unpolished conversations about the parts of academia and ambition we don’t talk about enough.

Here, we explore the mental and emotional load of being a young scientist or high-achieving woman: the pressure to constantly produce, the identity crises, the inner critic, the fear of slowing down, the guilt around rest, the invisible labour of motherhood, and the messy process of redefining success on your own terms.

I share personal stories, science-backed insights, and yoga-psychology tools to help you navigate burnout, self-worth, boundaries, and the overwhelming push to “do more.”

Think of this space as a friend's couch, where you can have a cup of coffee, relax, exhale and be seen.


Episode Date
E46 - Due dates & deadlines: pregnancy in the last year of a PhD and figuring out who you are after (with Dr Katerina Danezi)
May 12, 2026
E45 - Not lost - becoming: matrescence, postpartum recovery, and radical rest (with Munirah Razak)
Apr 28, 2026
E44 - From PhD to parenthood: on identity, becoming unapologetic and letting go of control (With Dr Lauren A. Mason)
Apr 14, 2026
E43 - From vague goals to real life: A seasonal reset (and what I'm learning along the way)
Mar 31, 2026
E42 - Freelance career after leaving academia: freedom, insecurity and finding balance
Mar 17, 2026
E41 - Academia wasn't worth my life: Leaving academia, not-so-alternative careers and redefining success
Mar 05, 2026
E40 - Leaving academia without burnout (with Dr Ana Amaral)
Feb 17, 2026
E39 - I thought I'd be further ahead by now
Feb 06, 2026
E38 - When you're ambitious but exhausted: a gentle approach to goals
Jan 20, 2026
E37 - New Year, new podcast (kind of)
Jan 09, 2026
E36 - (S3E16) Starting a family in academia: a conversation on fears, ambitions and the myth of perfect timing (with Dr Asya Martirosyan)
Dec 03, 2025
E35 - (S3E15) Science, startups, and sanity: finding balance while wearing many hats with Dr Asya Martirosyan
Nov 12, 2025
E34 - (S3E14) Speak up: A conversation on finding your voice and confidence with Emma Gaskin
Oct 30, 2025
E33 - (S3E13) Becoming the mentor you needed: a conversation with Dr Liz Berry about mental health, mentorship and changing academic culture
Oct 14, 2025
E32 - (S3E12) What 2 years of motherhood taught me about life, work and growth
Sep 30, 2025
E31 - (S3E11) You can't fail at rest: a solo reflection on letting go of "perfect" self-care
Sep 16, 2025
E30 - (S3E10) Rest as rebelllion: a solo reflection on how rest is an act of resistance
Aug 26, 2025
E29 - (S3E9) The courage to slow down: a solo reflection on finding your pace in a world that won't stop rushing
Aug 13, 2025
E28 - (S3E8) Prenatal yoga: our honest experiences, challenges and lessons
Jul 29, 2025
E27 - (S3E7) Hormone health, cycle-informed living and productivity: Interview with Emilia Villegas
Jul 15, 2025
E26 - (S3E6) On hearing our bodies’ messages (and learning to not ignore them)
Jul 01, 2025
E25 - (S3E5) Building a business and raising a toddler
Jun 17, 2025
E24 - (S3E4) Academic mobility: Lessons and love stories from the places we’ve lived in
Jun 03, 2025
E23 - (S3E3) Burnout recovery, rewiring the brain and healing through yoga: Interview with Sylvie Lahaie
May 27, 2025
E22 - (S3E2) Journey from burnout to balance & sustainable productivity: Interview with Anahita Amirpour
May 19, 2025
E21 - (S3E1) Welcome to Season 3: Stories of struggles, strength and connection
May 13, 2025
E20 - (S2E10) How motherhood changes us, part 3: On coming home to ourselves, redefining success and the evolution of friendships
May 06, 2025
E19 - (S2E9) How motherhood changes us (part 2) - On heritage, the love that made us, and the Motherhood Club
Mar 03, 2025
E18 - (S2E8) How motherhood changes us (part 1)
Feb 13, 2025
E17 - (S2E7) Why change feels so hard (and how to keep going anyway)
Jan 31, 2025
E16 - (S2E6) Intentions, goals and New Year's resolutions
Jan 17, 2025
E15 - (S2E5) Ksenia's journey through PhD, burnout and starting over
Dec 10, 2024
E14 - (S2E4) Ivna's thesis story part 3 - Post-defense reflections and future plans
Dec 04, 2024
E13 - (S2E3) Checking in three days before the defense (Ivna's thesis story pt2)
Oct 21, 2024
E12 - (S2E2) Managing distractions, mom guilt and a tight deadline (Ivna's thesis story)
Oct 18, 2024
E11 - (S2E1) The Power of New Beginnings
Oct 01, 2024
E10 - Showing up imperfectly
Sep 19, 2024
E9 - Living the Good Times
Aug 25, 2024
E8 - Self-care and showing up during tough times
Aug 09, 2024
E7 - Body Image in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Jul 26, 2024
E6 - Navigating pregnancy and maternity leave in academia
Jul 12, 2024
E5 - Intuition in Academia - Navigating relationships & career choices
Jun 28, 2024
International Day of Yoga Special - 6 Lessons from the yoga mat
Jun 22, 2024
E4 - Intuition & Trusting your body in motherhood
Jun 14, 2024
E3 - Maternal Mental Health
May 31, 2024
E1 - How it started
May 24, 2024
E2 - Mental health crisis in academia
May 24, 2024