Content Warning: This blog and its associated podcast episode discuss mental health, trauma, miscarriage, suicide, and PMDD. Please take care while reading.

As Season 2 of Touched Out! comes to a close, I sat down (beer in hand) with my incredible wife George, to reflect on the year that was — the highs, the heartbreaks, and the hard-won lessons. If you’re parenting while barely holding it together, feeling touched out, or grappling with your mental health — this one’s for you.

🎙 A Year of Chaos and Courage

2024 was a beast. George and I juggled school, work, three neurodivergent kids, and a few emotional curveballs that we didn’t see coming. George opened up about living with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), a condition that pushed her to the brink each month, leaving her feeling like a stranger to herself. The courage it took to name that darkness on the podcast is something I’ll never forget.

We also talked openly about my own breakdown — the moment TikTok fame stopped being fun and started costing me my presence with my kids and partner. Social media became a hyperfixation, a drug, a distraction — until it wasn’t. I left it. Cold turkey. And I don’t miss it.

🛠 Backyard Builds & Breakdowns

On the lighter side, George shared her creative renaissance — from gothic macramé to backyard landscaping and building a mud kitchen that belongs on Better Homes & Gardens. But behind every build was a breakdown. Every high had a low.

We laughed about overstuffed green bins, toddler toilet training wins, and unsolicited advice from strangers (stop touching our kids, Janet).

And we cried — not just from exhaustion, but from pride. Our kids have grown. We’ve grown. Somehow, we survived.

🧠 PMDD, Burnout & Mental Health Real Talk

George’s experience with PMDD was raw and revealing. It’s not just bad PMS — it’s a beast that can bring suicidal ideation and emotional freefall. With very little help from rural GPs, George navigated the terrain mostly alone — until we figured it out together.

I hope this episode opens a conversation. About PMDD. About maternal rage. About being “touched out.” About how postpartum can change with each child — and how the weight of parenting can sometimes crush the parts of you that used to feel joy.

💡 Takeaways From Season 2

  • You can love your kids and still need space from them.

  • Social media isn’t worth your presence.

  • Creative hobbies can save your sanity.

  • Unsolicited advice isn’t helpful — unless it’s invited.

  • Vulnerability is brave. Talking about suicidal thoughts is brave.

  • Surviving the year is enough.

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

Touched Out! — Season 2 Finale: “We Survived the Year”
Streaming now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and everywhere you get your podcasts.

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