In this special Mother’s Day episode of Immigrant Conversations, host Mehran sits down with Marcela Rada Trujillo and Kerstin Kirchsteiger— two inspiring immigrant professionals and mothers — for an honest fireside chat about the realities of raising children in a new country.

We explore the unexpected freedoms of parenting outside cultural norms, the heartbreak of raising kids far from extended family, and the emotional toll of navigating motherhood in intercultural relationships .

While immigrant mothers carry a huge burden at the moment, in the spirit of Mother’s Day, this episode is a celebration: of strength, resilience, and beauty in reclaiming your story.

Grab your cup of tea

Plus, Mehran shares a personal resource that’s helped her reconnect with herself — a journal created by a second-generation immigrant mom, linked in the show notes.

✍Visit thedivineselfbyjosieanderson.com/journal to grab your copy today. https://thedivineselfbyjosieanderson.com/journal/

Marcela Bio:

I was originally from Colombia. I studied engineering and moved to the Netherlands to do my masters in Management of Technology. I work full time, have two little kids, and I’m married.

Kerstin Bio and Contact info:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkirchsteiger/

FB:https://www.instagram.com/kerstin_kirchsteiger/

https://www.facebook.com/kkirchsteiger/

www.kerstinkirchsteiger.com

Kerstin Kirchsteiger, Ph.D. is a Scientist turned Executive Coach for ambitious women who want to build a wildly successful career and make the impact they desire WITHOUT burning out. She is a GENOS-certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner and ICF-ACC-certified executive coach.

Kerstin has been coaching emerging and seasoned female leaders to unlock their full potential and prepare them for the next step in their careers while integrating the demands of work and life.

In her Consulting, she focuses on Leadership development specifically on Emotional Intelligence and the interpersonal sphere. She is passionate about equipping leaders with research-backed, proven tools that make their jobs more enjoyable and impactful, leading to higher performance and improved talent attraction and retention.

She has worked with international clients from Leaders Lounge Australia, Thermo Fisher, Boeing Leadership Network, Quidel, Exelixis, Aprio, and Elemis.

When Kerstin is not working with clients, you can find her mountain biking or enjoying the outdoors with her family.