Ksenia Volkova Tomaz

Moms, Mats and Manuscripts

Personal Journals Parenting Life Sciences English

Moms, Mats and Manuscripts is a podcast hosted by Ksenia Volkova Tomaz, a former molecular biologist, yoga teacher and mindset coach for scientists, and mom. This is a space for honest, unpolished conversations about the parts of academia and ambition we don’t talk about enough.

Here, we explore the mental and emotional load of being a young scientist or high-achieving woman: the pressure to constantly produce, the identity crises, the inner critic, the fear of slowing down, the guilt around rest, the invisible labour of motherhood, and the messy process of redefining success on your own terms.

I share personal stories, science-backed insights, and yoga-psychology tools to help you navigate burnout, self-worth, boundaries, and the overwhelming push to “do more.”

Think of this space as a friend's couch, where you can have a cup of coffee, relax, exhale and be seen.

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03 December 2025

S3E16 - Starting a family in academia: a conversation on fears, ambitions and the myth of perfect timing (with Dr Asya Martirosyan)

In this honest and beautifully chaotic episode, Dr Asya Martirosyan joins me once again for a vulnerable conversation about starting a family in academia: the fears, ambitions, cultural expectations, and the persistent myth of “perfect timing.”We dive into the pressures placed on women in STEM to excel at everything: building a career, being a present mother, running a household, staying balanced...

12 November 2025

S3E15 - Science, startups, and sanity: finding balance while wearing many hats with Dr Asya Martirosyan

In this episode of Moms, Mats, and Manuscripts, Ksenia sits down with Dr Asya Martirosyan to explore the highs and lows of life in academia, the pressures of PhD and postdoc work, and how she rediscovered her love for science when freed from external expectations.We dive into:The mental and emotional toll of PhD life and academic pressure;How cultural factors affect the way we work, perceive...

30 October 2025

S3E14 - Speak up: A conversation on finding your voice and confidence with Emma Gaskin

Public speaking, whether in a conference room or on stage, can feel absolutely terrifying. For many scientists, it’s part of the job, yet few of us are ever taught how to really do it: how to command a room, connect with an audience, and share our message with confidence and authenticity.In this episode, Ksenia talks with Emma Gaskin, a former speech therapist and founder of The Speaking Hub, who...

14 October 2025

S3E13 - Becoming the mentor you needed: a conversation with Dr Liz Berry about mental health, mentorship and changing academic culture

What makes a great mentor, and how can we create a healthier, more compassionate academic culture?In this episode of Moms, Mats, and Manuscripts, we talk with Dr Liz Berry, assistant professor at New York Medical College and creator behind @dr.lizberry on Instagram and TikTok. Liz shares her honest experiences moving from PhD student to educator, how burnout shaped her approach to mentorship, and...

30 September 2025

S3E12 - What 2 years of motherhood taught me about life, work and growth

In this solo episode, Ksenia is reflecting on two years of motherhood and the 7 powerful lessons it has taught her about life, work, and growth. These are not just parenting lessons; they’re insights anyone can apply in their career, studies, or personal life, especially if you’ve ever struggled with boundaries, perfectionism, or identity in your work.She talks about:🌱 The importance of...

16 September 2025

S3E11 - You can't fail at rest: a solo reflection on letting go of "perfect" self-care

Do you ever feel like rest and self-care have become just another task on your never-ending to-do list? In this solo episode, Ksenia wraps up her 3-part series on rest and slowing down. She shares why so many of us turn self-care into another chore, why hustle culture and perfectionism convince us that we can “fail” at rest, and what that mindset is really costing us.From holidays that feel like...

26 August 2025

S3E10 - Rest as rebelllion: a solo reflection on how rest is an act of resistance

In this episode, Ksenia is diving deeper into the idea that rest is an act of rebellion. We've all been there: the pressure to constantly hustle, especially in fields like academia and other demanding careers, can be overwhelming. But what if slowing down and prioritising rest wasn't a sign of weakness, but a powerful act of resistance against a system that glorifies burnout?Ksenia shares bits of...

13 August 2025

S3E9 - The courage to slow down: a solo reflection on finding your pace in a world that won't stop rushing

What if slowing down was not a weakness, but a skill?In this solo reflection, Ksenia talks about how she went from constantly rushing (and feeling like rest was something she had to “earn”) to slowly learning the courage it takes to pause, breathe, and choose a different pace, even when the world (and her mind) is screaming “go faster.”She shares:- Why slowing down often feels so uncomfortable -...

29 July 2025

S3E8 - Prenatal yoga: our honest experiences, challenges and lessons

In this intimate, honest episode, we (two moms and yoga teachers) open up about how yoga supported us through pregnancy, labour, and postpartum - not just in the physical sense, but in how we learned to listen to ourselves, surrender, roar, and recover.We reflect on: 🧘‍♀️ How our prenatal yoga routines shifted across trimesters 🔁 What we’d definitely do again and what we wish we had done...

15 July 2025

S3E7 - Hormone health, cycle-informed living and productivity: Interview with Emilia Villegas

Stress, overwork, and constant hustle can wreak havoc on your hormones, especially if you're constantly ignoring your natural cycle and your body's cues. In this episode, Ksenia sits down with hormone health expert Emilia Villegas to discuss how modern work culture impacts our hormonal well-being and what we can do to reclaim balance.We cover everything from how stress throws off your endocrine...