On the Conscious Conception Show, we often talk about fertility from a mind, body, and soul perspective. While the physical aspects of conception are important, they are only part of the story. In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of being joined by empowerment mentor and soul growth therapist Karen Bashford for a deeply moving conversation about what it truly means to awaken the mother within.
So many women on a fertility journey feel broken, overwhelmed, or disconnected from their bodies. Yet our bodies are not failing us—they are communicating with us. Karen’s work beautifully highlights how our early life experiences, emotional wounds, and beliefs about self-worth can directly affect how safe our bodies feel to receive and conceive.
Karen shared her own powerful journey, shaped by emotional neglect, self-sabotage, illness, and ultimately a nervous breakdown that became a profound turning point. Through months of deep inner work, she discovered something simple yet life-changing: she had never learned to love herself. That realization now sits at the heart of the work she does with women today.
For Karen, awakening the mother within begins with learning self-love and compassion for our inner child. Our inner child—or as Karen describes it, our soul—holds the emotional memory of everything we’ve experienced. If that part of us still feels unsafe, unseen, or unloved, the body may unconsciously resist conception. Fertility, after all, requires a deep sense of safety.
We also explored intuition—something we all have, yet often ignore. Intuition doesn’t shout; it whispers. It asks us to slow down, to get quiet, and to listen. In a world that glorifies busyness, this can feel uncomfortable, but slowing down is often where the deepest healing happens. When women take the time to listen to their bodies, subtle signals begin to emerge—tightness, warmth, emotion, or even sudden clarity—guiding them toward what needs healing.
Karen shared how asking gentle questions of the body can reveal emotional or energetic blockages, including unresolved grief from past losses or miscarriages. These experiences can leave imprints that are not physical, but emotional or energetic, and acknowledging them with compassion can be profoundly freeing.
One of the most beautiful reminders from our conversation was this: a baby arrives into an environment of love. When we nurture ourselves—emotionally, energetically, and spiritually—we create the most welcoming space for new life. Loving yourself is not selfish; it is foundational.
If you are feeling stuck or disconnected, Karen’s advice is simple yet powerful: breathe, and connect with your inner child. That small step can begin a profound shift.
When we prepare for conception in a truly holistic way, we are not just creating babies—we are creating healthy, happy parents and families. And that, to me, is the greatest gift we can give our future children.
