What is Next: The Newsletter?

Part memoir, part personal essay, Next is a meditation on how to heal the mother (and other) wound(s), the effects and symptoms of being a parentified child, and how to mother ourselves with love and compassion in a world that’s frankly, not always as loving as we were promised “in utero.”

Inspired by Jungian wisdom, systemic approaches, the observation of nature, shamanic practices, the wisdom of sacred scriptures from around the world and much more, the term “Next” and the body of work that comes with it is a reference with a double meaning. On the one hand, “Next” refers to the inherited, to that which we have received, and to the circumstances we’ve been handed down, as in us being “next:” the next ones in our family lineage, in the karma cycle, etc… On the other hand, “next” stands for our ability to choose, as in the “next page,” and as in “What’s next?”

So, how does the interplay between our personal story and the wounds we carry with us affect how we react to what’s going on in our lives? Do we subconsciously react based on the script we’ve been handed down (and have made our own), or can we find the creativity and freedom to look at things from a new perspective?

“Next” is an invitation to reflect again and again on how we can revisit the subtle, unspoken decisions that we’ve taken along the way, so that we can engage more freely with life in the present.

Think of it as a slow read, that you might discuss with a friend in deep conversation during a walk or in front of a cup of tea, or even, on a call, as you both acknowledge to each other, that yes, things are sometimes hard, but you see the light: your own, each other’s and the world’s.

Who is this Substack for?

This Substack is written with a female audience in mind, and it will resonate with any woman in the grip of the mother complex, and with women—young and old—who were parentified (asked however subtly to step in the role of mother of their mother), assigned responsibility for themselves and others from too young an age, or otherwise asked to take on a role, a mask, or a personality that no longer (or never) truly fit with who they are and want to be.

About Stefania

I am Italian, I am a twin, and I grew up between the province of Milan and the very high peaks of Aosta Valley, until I decided to overcome the mountains and go on a one-year student exchange, to Pennsylvania, in the U.S., at the age of 16.

I thought I was going to fly. I landed pretty hard back to Earth when my parents separated, half-way through my student exchange. Thus began my search for home and for healing, through a journey that spans many countries (Norway, France, Benin, Ireland, Switzerland, Australia, Venezuela, and counting), a few careers (development cooperation, tour guiding, tech, sales, and media), a number of jobs in high profile organizations (the U.N. and Google), and a significant number of healing journeys and practices (everything from psychotherapy to yoga, meditation, breath work, shamanic journeys, family constellations, coaching and more), through which I became especially aware of how much my birth and mother wound was showing up (and wreaking havoc) in every area of my life.

I am working on my first book—a memoir whose working title is Next—which explores my obsessive journey falling in love with a man whom I met three times in five years, and how, to get over him, I had to heal my mother wound, take my place as the daughter, and allow myself to believe that I could be loved. Unconditionally.

Aside from writing, I am a coach, and I offer 1:1 journeys for women looking to let their light shine, by learning to mother themselves, so that they can embody the person they want to be and give life to that which they long to bring into the world. If you want to hear more about 1:1 coaching with me, book a discovery call.

Fluent in five languages (with a good passive understanding of another four), I have lived in over ten different countries in four different continents.

I live in Spain, and when not working, writing or reading, I can be found hiking the beautiful Galician coast.

Share your feedback or collaborate

Whether you’re new to this newsletter, or you’ve known me for years, I would love to hear your feedback.

And if you’d like to collaborate in some way or shape, send me an e-mail.