The pain we never name: Healing the mother wound

Loading player...
What happens when your first heartbreak is your mother?
In this deeply personal episode, author and coach Moshitadi Lehlomela joins Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba to talk about the quiet pain many people carry --the mother wound.

Moshitadi shares how she first recognised her own wound at university, when anxiety and depression began to surface.

“I realised that I had a mother wound in varsity,” she says. “I felt alone. I felt defective.”

Nozi opens up with empathy and honesty, creating a safe space for a conversation about pain, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Together, they unpack how childhood wounds resurface in adulthood, how to unlearn toxic patterns, and what it means to mother yourself with compassion.

“You’ve already done great work so far,” Moshitadi reminds listeners. “Maybe the coping mechanisms you developed are not healthy, but you’ve been doing your best trying to protect yourself.”

This conversation is about healing, identity, and finding peace -- even when the love that shaped you also left a scar.

More about Moshitadi Lehlomela

Moshitadi Lehlomela is a writer, coach, and entrepreneur who helps people heal from the mother wound — the deep emotional scars left by maternal pain. She’s the author of The Girl Who Survived Her Mother and Healing the Mother Wound, and through her work she guides others toward self-love, emotional freedom, and breaking generational patterns.

Core production team:

Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba – Host
Wanjiku Mwaura – Lead Producer (DW)
Silja Fröhlich – Lead Producer (DW)
Asumpta Lattus – Executive Producer (DW)
Diane Macpherson – Executive Producer (Kagiso Media Radio)
Ntsikelelo Khanyile – Production Assistant (Kagiso Media Radio)
Wandile Langeni – Production Assistant (Kagiso Media Radio)
Thandiwe Nkoana – Lead Videographer & Editor
Ronnie Nkoana – Assistant Videographer

#DontHoldBack #HealingTheMotherWound #MoshitadiLehlomela #SelfLoveJourney #NozibeleQamnganaMayaba
21 Oct English South Africa Society & Culture · Personal Journals

Other recent episodes

Let's talk about sex, AGAIN

* Content warning: This episode contains adult themes and is intended for listeners aged 18 and older.* You wanted more candid conversations about sex, so here it is: Nozibele reconnects with gynaecologist and sexologist Dr Nompumelelo "Mpume" Zenda, aka Dr Gynae, for an open, no-holds-barred talk on everything from libido…
7 Oct 34 min

Gcina Mhlophe on embracing culture and tradition

In the latest episode, legendary storyteller, poet and author Dr. Gcina Mhlophe reflects on what it means to preserve culture in a fast-changing world. Dr. Mhlophe shares her journey from a childhood “house of song and prayer” to becoming one of South Africa’s most respected custodians of heritage. She explains…
23 Sep 29 min

Five simple habits to a healthier you

What does “healthy” really mean? In this episode of Don’t Hold Back, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks to fitness coach Kopano Mokhele, who deliberately gained 25 kilos — and is now losing it again — to better understand what his clients face. Kopano shares honest lessons about food cravings, mental health, and…
9 Sep 31 min

5 Things You Need to Know Before You Turn 35

When Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba revealed on the podcast that she’s turning 35 later this year, she admitted she was struggling with questions many women ask themselves: Have I achieved enough? Am I where I should be at this age? It was the perfect moment to bring in a mentor figure. Sitting…
26 Aug 38 min

Living Proudly: Black, Gay, HIV-Positive in 2025

How do you live proudly when the world still carries stigma? In this episode of Don’t Hold Back, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba sits down with Phenyo Moletsane - a proud Black, gay man living openly with HIV in 2025 - for a powerful conversation that goes beyond labels, fear, and silence. From…
12 Aug 33 min