1301. What We Learned from Our Surrogacy Journey w/ Maria Menounos

Heal Squad x Maria Menounos

Maria Menounos, Heal Squad

Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness, Self-improvement

4.7 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 June 2026

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hey Heal Squad! This Throwback Thursday is a meaningful one. This week marks Athena's 3rd birthday, so we're bringing back the episode that tells the incredible story of how she came into our lives. Maria and Kev sit down with their surrogate, her husband, and the team who helped make their dream of becoming parents a reality. Together, they share the emotional highs and lows of the surrogacy journey, the lessons they learned about trust, faith, and letting go of fear, and the unexpected bond that formed between their two families along the way. They also discuss the realities of surrogacy, what intended parents and surrogates wish more people understood about the process, and how compassion, communication, and genuine human connection can transform the experience for everyone involved. Maria also opens up about receiving a shocking health diagnosis during the pregnancy and the perspective it gave her on family, gratitude, and what truly matters most. This episode is a powerful reminder that families are built in many different ways, and that sometimes life's greatest blessings arrive after its hardest chapters.! Join us at our Canyon Ranch 2026 Retreat: https://www.canyonranch.com/lenox/retreats/heal-retreat-maria-menounos HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website: https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy’s Page: https://stylecrew.macys.com/@mariamenounos EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos’ passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company’s Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.

Transcript

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0:00.0	So I was just on Cape Cod for our Heel Squad Day of Reset.
0:03.6	And honestly, the cottages, the water, the slowdown, everything was so picture perfect,
0:09.4	making your nervous system reset and go, honestly, they did the work for me.
0:15.2	That ocean was so peaceful.
0:17.1	The beaches were so quiet.
0:19.6	And seeing the darling cottages on the Cape has me thinking that
0:22.4	these homeowners should list them on Airbnb while they travel so other people can enjoy that
0:26.6	same peaceful, relaxing Cape Cod experience too. And let's be honest, extra income right now can be really
0:32.4	helpful. That's why Airbnb's co-host network is actually so helpful. You can connect with a vetted local co-host who has hosting experience and can help
0:41.3	with important details like guest communication and reservations.
0:44.4	And while you're away recharging on your own trip, your space could be helping fund your
0:48.7	next getaway instead of just sitting empty.
0:51.4	So if you've ever thought about hosting but didn't know where to
0:54.3	start, find a co-host at Airbnb.com slash host and enjoy those beautiful beaches. So we just
1:02.4	had our Heel Squad day of Reset in Cape Cod. And everywhere I looked, there were these adorable
1:07.0	little beach cottages that made you think, wait, could I totally live here? That's what I love about staying at a home on Airbnb. You just don't visit a place. You actually experience what life could feel like there. And here's the fun part. While you're away, you can list your own space on Airbnb and bring on a little extra cash towards your next trip. And now with Airbnb's co-host network, you can connect with a vetted
1:28.3	local co-host to help take care of important details from guest communication to on-site
1:33.0	support. So the whole process feels a lot more manageable. Find a co-host at Airbnb.com slash host.
1:41.4	I'm on a journey to heal and get better in all areas of life, and I want to do it with you.
1:46.5	Welcome to Heal Squad by Maria Menunoz, where we improve and heal all parts of our lives,
1:51.7	most importantly, our health. Heal Squad by Maria Menuno's, your life improvement series starts now.
1:59.6	Hello, hello, everybody.
	...

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