About the Book: Second Moms

Available for purchase now!

Learn how to recognize, harness, and celebrate the wisdom of the “other mothers” in your life through the transformative lessons in Second Moms.

Second Moms: The Healing Power of Women Who Love Us as Their Own

Unlock the Wisdom of the Women

The journey to adulthood is complex, and even the best mothers can't provide everything we need. Enter the “second moms” or “other mothers”: mentors, friends, and guides who shape our lives in unexpected ways. Although widely experienced, their significance remains seldom explored—until now.

In Second Moms, Dr. Shin-Yu Lee shares her personal journey of being "re-raised" by four extraordinary women who helped her break generational patterns and find her own path.

This book offers readers the tools to:

  • Define unmet needs

  • Recognize mentors from past and present

  • Harness these women’s wisdom

  • Create a growth-oriented village

Heartfelt and humorous, this book empowers young women to create multigenerational relationships that give us liberating permission to be our authentic selves.

Praise for Second Moms

  • —Heather Holleman, PhD, speaker, teacher, and author of Seated with Christ: Living Freely in a Culture of Comparison and The Six Conversations: Pathways to Connecting in an Age of Isolation and Incivility

    “If you endured a challenging child-mother relationship, Second Moms will fill you with hope. Even if you have a healthy relationship with your own mother, it will encourage you to find second moms. This book inspired me to not only seek other mothers to provide what was missing from my own life, but to also serve as a second mom to others. 

    Whether readers need a second mom to inhabit a new life of safety, joy, play, and acceptance (or whether they serve in this role for others), Second Moms will comfort your heart and show you a path forward in seeking second moms to bless your life. When you finish, you'll want to call and thank every woman who has ever served as a second mother to you.”

  • —Nancy Stella, PhD, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

    “In Second Moms, Dr. Lee uncovers the profound impact that supportive maternal figures have on women's lives. She powerfully demonstrates how these second mom relationships fulfill the deep need for community, shared experiences, and personal growth, offering a vital source of strength through the joys and challenges of parenting. By highlighting the transformative power of nurturing connections, Dr. Lee calls on readers to step into the role of a second mom—extending warmth, support, and wisdom to those around them. 

    Embrace this invitation to not only enrich your own life but to build stronger, more resilient communities that thrive on care, empathy, and connection.”

  • —Dr. Michelle Stephens, PhD, CPNP, RN, CRO of Felt Clinic, cofounder and Executive Director of ACTS 17 Collective, and former cofounder and CNO of Oath Care

    “A unique and important perspective on the very definition of mother. As an early childhood stress scientist, there is immense research showing that positive caregiving experiences, even in the face of trauma and immense stress, have the power to repair our neurobiology and create resilience to more healthily face future issues. "Second moms" are who create those positive caregiving experiences. Second Moms is how women support women. After reading this book, I will be intentionally seeking out "second moms" for myself and for my sons. This book is exactly what our world needs now more than ever. Read this instead of watching your newsfeed.”

About the Author

“As a healthcare provider, I teach my patients to nourish their bodies with healthy foods and how to take their medications, all to heal their bodies...

Now as an author, I find that writing is just as nourishing for our souls. Sharing our stories of trauma releases us from the bondage of those memories, and in turn, we can help those who may be suffering similarly. Writing is medicine.”