Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

Koren Motekaitis joins me for a conversation about what it means to be the leader of your life, creating meaningful work, and how to build a support network, even when it’s extremely scary and vulnerable. Koren is a Master Certified Life and Leadership coach who is passionate about helping you create the life you truly desire. In this episode (and in Koren’s work), we explore what it means to be in connected relationships and enjoy this one precious life we all get to live NOW. Featured topics: Koren shares some key learnings from hosting her podcast, How She Really Does It, for over 16 years and having guests such as Kristin Neff, Brené Brown, and Gay Hendricks (4:53) Koren answers, “Is meaningful work even possible?” (8:59) What it means to be the leader of your life (12:00) Owning your voice: how to overcome the obstacle of silencing oneself and speaking your truth (18:05) Advice for building the support you need (21:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we are discussing one of my favorite topics ever - money. For most people, money is emotional; it’s not just about the money. We cannot hear enough from professionals about this topic, so I invited Keisha Blair to share her expertise on holistic wealth, including what it is and how to achieve it. Keisha Blair is the award-winning, international bestselling author of Holistic Wealth Expanded and Updated: 36 Life Lessons To Help You Recover From Disruption, Find Your Life Purpose and Achieve Financial Freedom. She is regarded as the “Mother of Holistic Wealth” and the Founder of the Holistic Wealth Movement. Featured topics: Holistic Wealth: what it is, why it is so important in today's world, and how it goes beyond money. (3:44) How having a life purpose can help someone who struggles with financial health (6:10) Keisha describes her Personal Financial Identity Framework (8:47) Advice for women who ignore or avoid financial issues (16:00) The impact of intergenerational trauma on our money stories (19:40) Choosing a financial advisor that is right for you (28:10) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode is all about shit sandwiches. Of course, not literal shit sandwiches, but metaphorically when life gets hard. Save this podcast for when life hands you that type of sandwich, or send it to a friend going through a particularly tough time, or you may need these tips right now. In this episode, you’ll hear me riff about the following: The importance of acknowledging your feelings. Practicing the basics of self-care activities. Breaking down the problem into smaller, manageable steps. Making a plan and set achievable goals. Seeking help or support from friends, family, or professionals if needed. Focusing on the positive aspects of your life and gratitude. (this one has a caveat!) Keeping a growth mindset and learning from your challenges. Taking time for yourself to recharge and rejuvenate– whatever that is for YOU. Staying positive and maintaining a hopeful outlook for the future. Remembering that challenges are a part of life, and it's how you deal with them that matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“What do we find when we push ourselves further than we ever thought we could go?” That is just one question Nicole Antoinette explores in her new book, How to be Alone: An 800 Mile Hike on the AZ Trail. This week, Nicole returns to the show to talk about her book and the lessons she learned from her loooong hiking journey. Together we have an insightful conversation about the privilege of choosing your own suffering and the process of becoming a better friend to yourself along the way. Nicole Antoinette is a writer, long-distance hiker, and former indoor kid who never imagined she’d wind up spending months of each year pooping in the woods. She is the author of two adventure memoirs, How To Be Alone and What We Owe To Ourselves (coming September 5, 2023), and she writes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Wild Letters. Featured topics: Why Nicole set out to hike the 800-mile Arizona Trail alone (5:13) How Nicole kept going even when it felt really hard (11:10) Being able to quit things publicly and out loud (16:33) The privilege of choosing your own suffering (16:53) Intentionally choosing to practice trusting your intuition (23:31) Being a solo female hiker: identifying fears and working through them (29:18) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Rachel Luna returns to the show! Rachel joins me to talk about some of the topics featured in her upcoming book, Permission to Offend: The Compassionate Guide for Living Unfiltered and Unafraid. This book is so much in alignment with the work that I do and what you often hear about on this podcast. I am excited to share our conversation with you. We talk about what it means to have permission to offend and how it affects the many different roles in our lives. Rachel is a highly sought-after international speaker & Certified Master Neuroscience Coach to 6 and 7-figure earning entrepreneurs. Named by Forbes as one of The 11 Most Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs To Follow On Instagram, this former US Marine has a reputation for inspiring confident action and helping her clients double, triple, and quadruple their income. Her clients often referred to her as their “secret weapon.” Featured topics: Why Rachel is giving people "Permission to Offend" and what she means by this phrase (5:41) The four Offender Identities: what are they and why they are important (9:15) A thoughtful and heated conversation that stems from the question, “Should the Kanye West’s of the world have permission to offend?” (28:59) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve been thinking about confidence and I turned on the mic today to give you a reminder about it. Confidence can be that thing we think will come along if we wish it into existence, but it does take actual steps to make it grow in our lives. I wrote a whole chapter on it in Make Some Noise but thing I’m focusing on today in this minisode, is how far you’ve come. And you might be thinking, “How far I’ve come! I should be farther along than I am!” and if you’re thinking that, this episode is especially for you. When we only see that we “don’t have our shit together” or that we’re moving too slow, or whatever else is in the realm of NOT being where we think we should be, we’ll keep looking for evidence of that and subsequently feel like shit. But, if you look for even the slightest of progress you’ve made, the risks you’ve taken to step out of your comfort zone even when it doesn't work out as planned, THAT is progress, THAT is evidence that you are moving forward and that all adds up to your growth. Listen in for a little pep talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are talking about work/life balance, motivational strategies, and how to stop self-sabotaging. My guest this week is the amazing Amanda Walker. Amanda is a Certified Master Performance Coach who helps service-based entrepreneurs, primarily women, reach their full potential! We also explore how women can heal, coach themselves, and become their best damn coach. But wait, before you dive in, I wanted to let you know I am doing a giveaway! 🎉 Enter to win a CD copy of my new audio workshop, Getting Damn Good At Life! Be sure to listen to this episode to find out how to enter! Featured topics: Owning your ability to be your best damn coach and problem solver (6:09) What it means to create a motivational strategy (15:42) Some common struggles with work-life balance (24:45) How to get out of your own way and stop self-sabotaging (29:05) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“There’s no one right way to do money,” says Chelsea Brennan. That’s right, this week we are talking about how to improve your money mindset with the founder of Smart Money Mamas, Chelsea Brennan. Money is a topic many find challenging, and it’s a topic we’ve explored a few times on the show already. As you know, I love uncovering the various ways we can approach personal development, and this week it’s all about how we manage, think about, and invest our money. An ex-hedge fund manager turned financial educator, Chelsea is dedicated to changing the way we talk about money, helping moms connect with all aspects of their money in a way that lets them overcome emotional blocks, identify what they most want, and create healthy money habits that help them achieve their biggest goals. We’ll be discussing several of those topics and more in this week’s episode. Featured topics: What is money or abundance mindset and why it matters (4:19) Building a financial legacy, investments, and long-term equity: “You have all the skills and resources to earn all the money you will ever need.” (18:48) Advice for SAHMs who don’t work outside the home and their partners typically take care of the finances (39:46) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I’m bringing you an archived podcast episode from January, 2019. This particular episode was one of the sparks I had that ended up developing into the creative project that is now my third book, Make Some Noise. I had listened to a podcast series that got me thinking about the conditioning we as girls and women are handed and grow up in.Those beliefs and conditioning then shape the beliefs we have about how to act and how to feel about what it means to be a woman. There are some questions I take you through as I talk about this, and a free worksheet you can download (see below). ********************************* A few weeks ago I was listening to Scene on Radio, an excellent podcast. It was episode 10, in season 3 where it was a man telling a story about his son going to 6th grade and the changes that took place-- I’ll let you listen to it (it’s REALLY good, please go listen to both season 2 and 3). There was a particular part where Terry Real, psychologist was talking and said something in particular that stopped me, and I had to pause the podcast, and cry. He talks about how children are made to “halve” themselves, to cut off certain parts of themselves (generally speaking for boys, it’s emotions). He talks about a certain age when “the patriarchy hits kids, lands on them, the psychic results can be severe”. He goes on to say, “Now if you read the literature on girls and girls development, that trauma-- and I use that word on purpose-- is traumatic to excise, to cut off half of your humanity, that trauma lands on girls about 11, 12, 13-- the edge of adolescence. That’s when they learn what Carol Gilligan calls ‘the tyranny of the nice and kind’. They learn to over accommodate and resent it. That’s the traditional set up. Fifty years of the women’s movement has changed that for a lot of girls and women, but it’s still part of the culture.” So, in essence, as we enter puberty, (and btw, he goes on in this episode to talk about how it hits even younger for boys), we learn about how to be. We learn to be nice and kind and accommodating. We learn to put others’ feelings, wants and needs before ours. Join me in this podcast episode as I explore this more, and ask a series of questions for you to answer about your own life to get the parts of you back that you were conditioned to let go of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jean McCarthy returns to the show to talk about her book, “Take Good Care” which is a collection of encouragement, reflections, and inspiration for sober living. Jean is an award-winning author, blogger, and podcaster who is best known as a voice of recovery advocacy. In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of recovering out loud, as well as, Jean’s decision to end The Bubble Hour podcast and how in doing so, she created a special documentary and book that catalogs her ten-year journey as a podcaster and recovery advocate. PLUS, we are doing a BOOK GIVEAWAY! Win a copy of Jean’s book, “Take Good Care!” Be sure to listen to this episode to find out how. Featured Topics: Getting grounded in her highest and authentic self is how Jean describes her recovery (6:46) We talk about Jean’s decision to end the Bubble Hour podcast after ten years and how her book, Take Good Care, was released in tandem with the show's final season (12:35) Recovering out loud: The pros and cons of being open about recovery and recovery advocacy in today’s world (33:28) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michelle Smith joins me for a conversation about breaking the stigma of sobriety and recovery. Michelle is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the founder of Recovery is the New Black, a digital community for women living or exploring an alcohol-free life. In this episode, we highlight the importance of seeking help and support and how practicing self-awareness and setting boundaries can go a long way in the journey toward sobriety. This episode marks the end of the theme of recovery. Thank you so much for tuning into all of the themed episodes we’ve explored over the last year. Next week we return to episodes featuring guest interviews covering various areas of personal development. Stay tuned! Featured topics: Some alcohol truths that no one talks about such as alcohol does not discriminate – alcohol dependency can affect anyone (4:28) The first steps someone can take towards sobriety such as practicing awareness and curiosity about why you are drinking, as well as taking a look at your social circle (8:12) Mother-drinking culture as “self-care”: If we are not addressing “why the grief, why the stress, why, the pain, why the overwhelm?” women are going to keep drinking (16:11) Why are boundaries so important in sobriety (33:39) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As I draw closer to the end of the theme on recovery, author Annie Grace joins me on the show! Annie is the author of “This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life” and “The Alcohol Experiment: A 30-day, Alcohol-Free Challenge to Interrupt Your Habits and Help You Take Control.” Her work has made a significant impact on the way many approaches living an alcohol-free life. In this episode, we cover a range of topics, including why willpower isn't effective when trying to stop drinking, the backstory behind her work, “This Naked Mind,” and how Annie's approach to changing the role of alcohol in her life differs from traditional recovery programs. We also delve into the ways alcohol increases anxiety and the societal trend of “mommy wine drinking.” This is a must-listen episode for anyone interested in rethinking their relationship with alcohol or supporting loved ones who are navigating their own recovery journey. Featured topics: Why willpower does not work if you want to stop drinking (11:51) The origin story of “This Naked Mind” (12:51) How does changing the role of alcohol in Annie’s life differ from other recovery programs (15:32) Some of the ways that alcohol increases anxiety (24:55) The culture of mommy wine-drinking (35:43) Misconceptions and stigma about non-drinkers (42:48) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s minisode episode, I’m bringing you the summary of a coaching session I had with a woman named Lisa (not her real name). She came to the session wanting coaching around confidence– it was something she wanted more of, especially around her career. Listen in to this short episode as I walk you through the questions I asked her, that hopefully you will ask yourself to be able to work on your own level of confidence. Spoiler…confidence is the end goal, and the path to get there needs to be intentional and specific. I’m sure you’ll see bits of yourself in this minisode, and find some guidance in the questions and tools I give here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amberly Lago, all around badass lady, is on the podcast this week! In this episode, she shares her incredible story of how she got into a terrible accident, went through unimaginable physical pain, and decided to get sober. We also explore the importance of asking for help and not feeling ashamed of one's struggles, as well as the need to confront shame and practice radical acceptance in order to heal. For those new to Amberly and her work, she is a Peak Performance Coach, TEDx Speaker, Podcaster, and a leading expert in the field of resilience and transformation. Some of the topics we discussed include: Amberly shares her story of how she started drinking wine to cope with pain which led to her alcohol addiction (4:35) Confronting shame and embracing radical acceptance (17:47) The difference between grit and resilience (29:55) What it means to live life from a place of ease and flow (36:36) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Sober Body Builder Brad Jensen is on the show this week! Brad is a former client of mine who has a tremendous redemption story. He is the founder of Key Nutrition where he works with his clients to help them live healthy lives and understand how food and fitness can change your life for the better. In this episode Brad shares his journey of overcoming addiction and finding wellness through fitness, nutrition, and personal development. Some of the topics we discussed include: Brad shares his downward spiral into addiction and later recovery, which spanned six treatment centers between 2005 and 2012 and 17 bookings in the county jail (5:37) “The gift of desperation often offers a moment of clarity. The gift is to be desperate enough to do something different.” (31”08) How Brad handles triggers today and employs better coping mechanisms following his recovery (34:57) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warning, this episode contains talk of attempted suicide and harm to children. The Lindsay Clancy story may not have made national news, but you’ve probably seen it if you live in the eastern U.S. Lindsay was a mother of three, who allegedly killed her three young children while suffering from postpartum psychosis. This is an absolutely unimaginable and tragic case, and one that opens up a bigger conversation about women’s mental health. As well as a personal one for me, as I struggled greatly with postpartum anxiety and some psychosis after the birth of my son in 2007. Lindsay was being treated for her mental illness, and allegedly was on several medications. A recent article quotes an OB/GYN nurse and perinatal mental health advocate by the name of Melissa Anne DuBois, where she explains, “The rhetoric coming from the prosecution and other people in authority hazardously distort the medical complexity of this disorder. When they paint Lindsay as a monster who carried out an elaborate, premeditated murder, instead of as someone suffering from a serious mental illness that wasn’t properly treated and who subsequently had a psychotic break, it sends a message to all the struggling parents out there [that] nothing can help me.” This episode shares Linday’s tragic story, my own personal journey here, touches on how privilege is operating here, as well as what we can do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Laura Cathcart Robbins returns to the podcast to share her story of addiction and recovery from prescription pills. Her forthcoming Atria/Simon & Schuster memoir, STASH, comes out next month, and I am thrilled to have her back to talk about her journey. The episode continues our current podcast theme on recovery, which features guests who have struggled with addiction in different areas of their lives. Even if you don't identify as an addict, Laura’s journey (and memoir) is a great story. I hope you tune in! In this episode, you’ll hear: Laura recounts her addiction to prescription pills and how it impacted her life (7:20) What Laura means when she says addiction is a disease of “not enough” (7:56) The effects of hiding your addiction from loved ones (13:33) Laura’s experience with “doctor shopping” as a means to satisfy her addiction to benzos (28:02) The point of no return; what happened when the pills ran out (43:28) Some of the hard truths of recovery, including the fact that “You can’t take everyone with you.”(51:08) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Laura McKowen returns to the show! Laura opens up about the turning point that led her to sobriety and the underlying issues she had to confront. She also shares some insights and teachings from her latest book, Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Sobriety (and Everything Else). She is also the Founder of The Luckiest Club, an international sobriety support community. We also discuss how drinking is often just one symptom of deeper issues and the importance of honesty and vulnerability in the healing journey. Whether you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, this episode offers insight and hope for anyone seeking a life in recovery and offers a compassionate perspective for understanding and overcoming these challenges. Some of the topics we discussed include: Laura's sobriety and the turning point that made her realize she had to get sober (5:24) How alcohol can be a red flag for underlying issues (7:03) Substance addictions are only a small part of a bigger issue of addiction that is almost always rooted in trauma (21:16) Honesty as the foundation for developing healthier coping mechanisms and relationships (23:51) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve talked about what I refer to as “the point of no return” many times in my books and on the podcast, and I’m talking about it again today. This is a point in our lives that we reach many different times, and everyone does to varying degrees. Today I’m referring to when you’re in transition. You decided you’re done with your ultra-stressful job and you have to quit– but you’re not sure what’s next. You can’t go back to feeling like you can just trudge through, but you’re not ready yet to take the next step. Or maybe that’s happened in a relationship. You leave a partner (or make the decision to leave) and you can’t go back, but are nervous for what’s next. This is such an important time in our lives and one that doesn’t get talked about enough. So, I'm talking about it today! Even if this isn't where you are right now, make sure you save this episode in case you need to listen to it again, or share it with someone who you know who's going through a transition in their life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have another thrilling and exciting interview for you today around recovery. Melissa Bond joins me to discuss her story of addiction and recovery from benzodiazepines, more specifically, Ativan. Melissa is a narrative journalist and poet. In the years of her dependence on benzodiazepines, she has blogged and become a regular contributor for Mad in America. She is also the author of the memoir Blood Orange Night where she writes about becoming dependent upon and then withdrawing from benzodiazepines. Some of the topics we discussed include: Melissa shares her story of addiction to benzodiazepines and how it affected her life with her family (5:53) “Benzos are the thieves that take everything.” (21:29) How Melissa decided to withdraw from benzos and took it upon herself to do it (24:19) Identifying as an addict and why as a culture we must ask, “What is addiction?” (38:12) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we explore how to stop overdrinking with special guest Sherry Price. Sherry helps women moderate their drinking and as someone who identifies as an addict, I was a bit skeptical of her work. However, after our conversation, I have new insight into her expertise and her thoughts on alcohol and addiction. We also discussed the stigma around addiction, different paths to recovery, and the importance of having the right support network during your journey. Sherry is a certified life coach, pharmacist, and creator of the Drink Less Lifestyle podcast and EpicYOU program. Using empowerment-based tools, she helps women to stop overdrinking, lose weight, improve relationships, and live as their most epic self. Some of the topics we discussed include: Drinking for the experience versus self-medication (12:09) The joy of saying, “No.” (14:28) Overdrinking: what it is and some reasons women may do it (18:24) We explore the question, “Is alcoholism a disease or not?” (29:01) Why “you can’t punish addiction out of somebody.” (32:49) The importance of figuring out the “why” for your overdrinking or addiction (34:40) http://andreaowen.com/506 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m going back to my roots today and giving you a pep talk of sorts around following your dreams. I know, I know, follow my dreams? In this economy!? Stay with me… So, a dear friend of mine is turning 50 at the end of this year, and she posted on Facebook about bucket list items she wants to do before she turns 50. She wants to have 50 things to do and needed more ideas to fill her list. As I was reading through all her comments, things like skydiving, volunteering at a shelter, and traveling to Europe, it got me thinking about all of you. Listen to this episode as I give you some coaching questions to ask yourself as you think about your own bucket list, small action steps to take, obstacles to look for, as well as giving you a good old fashioned motivational speech about going after your dreams. You may want to listen to this one more than once and send it to your friends! http://andreaowen.com/505 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode marks the introduction to the recovery theme of the podcast. Betsy Byler, LPC-SAS, ICS, LPCC, joins me to talk about substance addiction, love addiction, and the difference between the two. We also discuss addiction from the perspective of brain science and how the brain actually changes the addicted person. It’s a fascinating and insightful conversation. Before you turn the episode off or think this theme might not be applicable to you - there's a saying in recovery, “Everyone's recovering from something.” So even if you don’t have a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol or another substance, throughout this series we'll be talking about recovery in general. If you are interested in personal development, I really do think that you will walk away with some nuggets of wisdom. If nothing else, you will understand what it's like to be a person in recovery. I hope you do tune in. For those of you new to Betsy, she is a mental health therapist, substance abuse counselor, clinical supervisor, and host of the All Things Substance podcast. Some of the topics we discussed include: The signs that substance use is moving from recreational to problematic and what it means to be an addict (6:16) Why addicts do the things they do based on how the brain changes the addicted person (14:24) Trauma is highly correlated with substance (32:01) How love addiction is biologically different than substance addiction (37:48) http://andreaowen.com/504 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Dr. Teralyn joins me to discuss what she believes is the missing link for improving mental health. Together we also explore brain health and talk about topics related to health autonomy, including taking a functional medicine approach to your health and more. Dr. Teralyn has been practicing as a therapist for almost 2 decades. It wasn't until she went into private practice that she noticed clients (primarily women) were getting sicker and sicker despite therapy and medication. Listen as she helps us to think about our health in a broader way and encourages us to uncover the root of the issues to help us feel better. Some of the topics we discussed include: Some of the things women have been told about their health when they try to seek help (5:50) What is stress? What is emotional stress versus physiological stress? (9:49) Staggering statistics about women's prescriptions for depression/anxiety and even menopause that we may not know about (10:46) What is brain health and how we can maintain it (29:40) Four of the most helpful things a person can do to take charge of their mental well-being: eat, sleep, move, and meditate (40:19) http://andreaowen.com/503 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Several days ago I came across THIS TikTok video by creator The Black Shea. She was commenting on the docuseries Harry and Meghan, saying that in her opinion, Harry is trying to do for Meghan what he could not do for his mother, Princess Diana. I agree with this opinion, and not only that, but it got me thinking about people trying to heal generational “curses” in their families and lives. While I don’t love the term “generational curse”-- maybe we can call it “generational dysfunction” – I do think many of you are doing this type of work, whether you know it or not. Seeing patterns in your families and trying to heal them by digging into your own personal work and stopping those patterns. This minisode talks about a few things you can do while you’re on that journey. http://andreaowen.com/502 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I have another conversation about women’s health, specifically about topics or issues we don’t always think to discuss with our healthcare providers. Dr. Kerry-Anne Perkins (Dr. P), a board-certified and dynamic Obstetrician and Gynecologist joins me for a conversation about what women need to know about urinary tract infections (UTIs), the seven supplements women should take for reproductive health, and tips for having a healthy vagina. Dr. Perkins has extensive expertise in global maternal health needs, problems of the female reproductive tract, contraceptive care, and minimally invasive surgery. She also has a burning passion and commitment to fitness and a holistic approach to a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Some of the topics we explore include: UTIs: how and why women get them, as well as, how can we prevent getting them (3:52) The symptoms of PCOS or Uterine Fibroids (10:15) Five signs of fertility or that you are in your fertile window (21:26) Supplements and nutrients for better health, aging bodies, as well as a healthy reproductive system. Necessary supplements Dr. P suggests include: B-complex, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron, and Folic Acid (28:24) Dr. P’s tips for having a ‘healthy vagina’ (38:38) http://andreaowen.com/501 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve made it to Episode 500! This week I welcome Kimberly Johnson for a conversation about somatic experiences for healing, the practice of sexological bodywork, and the fourth trimester of motherhood. We also discuss discerning between being proactive versus reactive in life and activating what Kimberly refers to, in her work, as the “Inner Jaguar.”. Kimberly is a Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner, postpartum advocate, birth doula, author, and single mom. Some of the topics we explore include: Somatic Experiencing: what it is, how to find a practitioner, and some tools women can use to heal (4:18) Activating your “Inner Jaguar” is not about being an Alpha female, it’s about being comfortable in your own skin, helping you to go after what you want or don’t want, and letting go rather than burnout (10:18) What is sexological bodywork? The fourth trimester of motherhood and why is it important for women/mothers to shift their experience of being and mothering (17:09) “What you need post-partum is also what this culture needs to move in a direction that actually honors life.” (38:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year 🥳 With the new year comes endless options for NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, am I right? It can feel a bit overwhelming, and then sometimes we might grab onto one particular ritual, get excited, and then it falls apart. Things like setting new year's resolutions, starting a new fitness program, or if you’re like me, deciding you’re going to learn how to shuffle dance, realize it takes more work than you thought, then quit. For this first minisode of 2023, I thought I’d walk you through a simple ritual I did a few weeks ago for Winter Solstice, and it’s something you can do any time of the year! Listen in to follow along and do your own new year's ritual! Here’s to your BEST YEAR YET! http://andreaowen.com/499 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome, 2023! As we start the new year, we are continuing the Women's Health theme with a conversation about functional nutrition and the impact of a healthy diet on the body, autoimmunity, and Epigenetics. My guest is podcast host and functional nutrition counselor, Andrea Nakayama. Andrea is the host of the 15-Minute Matrix podcast and the founder of the Functional Nutrition Alliance. Her aim is to offer better solutions to the growing chronic illness epidemic by highlighting the importance of systems biology, root cause methodology, and therapeutic partnerships. She also helps historically underserved individuals reclaim ownership of their health. Some of the topics we explore include: Medical gaslighting and why so many women navigating symptoms of chronic illness struggle to get an accurate diagnosis or receive sufficient care (6:36) The circle of influence and how it relates to healing our body (16:06) What is Functional Nutrition and how a functional nutrition counselor helps fill the gaps between what the doctor knows and what the patient knows (36:59) The non-negotiable anchors that are universal for all of us (49:59) http://andreaowen.com/498 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new and updated version of How to Stop Feeling Like Shit is officially OUT NOW! Get your copy (make sure you look for the YELLOW cover) and all your bonuses HERE! 🎉 We had our first ever, in the history of almost 500 episodes and 9 years of podcasting, a live AMA call recording! Emily, who’s been on team Your Kick-Ass Life/Andrea Owen for TEN YEARS, co-hosted with me, and we answered some listener questions and they did not disappoint! Cathryn asks about how to overcome the fear of success, Renee asks about any upcoming writing classes, and Kaleelah asks about friendships, just to name a few of the questions asked! I also reveal in this episode one of my biggest fears or “neuroses” as my therapist calls them, and l invite you to listen in to see if it's one of your fears too. ;) At the end, Emily chose Danelle as the winner of the new edition of How To Stop Feeling Like Shit, congratulations, Danelle! http://andreaowen.com/497 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can you do when you feel unwell, but all of your medical tests come back normal? According to Dr. Efrat LaMandre (known as Dr. E), if you are healthy from a conventional medicine perspective - great. However, your feeling of unwellness still means something and needs to be addressed. Dr. E is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with a Ph.D. in Integrative Medicine who helps people optimize their health, prevent illness, reduce medication, and feel great. Dr. E joins me on the show this week to talk about finding your personal path to wellness whether you are dealing with gut issues, joint pain, fatigue and more. Some of the topics we explore include: The difference between functional medicine and conventional medicine (13:24) It is important to dig deeper and find the root cause (17:29) Why Dr. E says, “Fibromyalgia is not an acceptable diagnosis.” (22:37) Lactose intolerance: what is it, and do you have it or not? (26:21) Why people get worked up over hormonal replacement therapy? (39:23) http://andreaowen.com/496 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A couple of weeks ago, I was coaching a client. She said she had dove back into my first book. 52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life and had been thinking about the first chapter, which is called, “Cannonball Out of Your Comfort Zone”. (Before I continue, the truth is, the chapter titles are meant to be dramatic and catchy. You don’t have to CANNONBALL out of your comfort zone…even dipping a toe into it is great.) We had a great session where we talked about what it meant for her to take action that scared her, how the pandemic has impacted her comfort zone, action she could take, and any obstacles that might get in the way. It was such a great session and I felt like what she was feeling was relatable to so many of you. As soon as she and I got off the phone, I turned the mic on and recorded this minisode for you! Enjoy! http://andreaowen.com/495 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

**Before we jump in, I wanted to remind you that you’re invited to join me for a special Ask Me Anything Episode recording. It’s happening tomorrow, December 15th at 1pm ET (10 am PT)! All you have to do is go to http://andreaowen.com/ama. You can submit your questions beforehand by emailing support(at)andreaowen.com or come live to ask. Hope to see you there! Margaret Romero returns to the podcast! She is a Columbia- trained board certified nurse practitioner. She utilizes functional medicine to treat chronic illness, hormone imbalances, and autoimmune conditions. In this episode, we explore some of the things women should know about hormones and hormone imbalances and the difference between conventional medicine and functional medicine. We also touch on the topic of misogyny in medicine. Some of the topics we also discuss include: Is it normal for women in their 40s, 50s, or even 60s to have low libido? (17:06) Why masculine energy is creating havoc in women’s bodies (21:31) Can you talk about the connection between what we eat and how we feel? (IE: if we eat this often, we’ll feel like that) (30:29) http://andreaowen.com/494 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before we jump in, you’re invited to join me for a special Ask Me Anything Episode recording on December 15th at 1pm ET (10 am PT)! All you have to do is go to http://andreaowen.com/ama. You can submit your questions beforehand by emailing support(at)andreaowen.com or come live to ask. Hope to see you there! This week, we’re continuing the conversation on women’s health and sexuality. Joining me to discuss that, plus today’s culture and reclaiming your sexual agency is sex therapist and clinical sexologist Danielle Kramer. Danielle’s specialties include sexual concerns of women and AFAB folks, religious trauma and purity culture recovery, nontraditional relationship orientations, and those questioning their sexuality. In this episode you’ll hear us talk about: How our culture harms women's sexuality and leads to both relationship and health problems (6:05) Purity culture: what it is and how it harms women's health, sexuality, and sex in relationships (6:48) We explore the topics of talking about sex and sex positivity with our children (19:56) FRIES is a framework everyone should use for consent (32:15) What is healthy sex, anyway? (36:04) Unpacking how misogyny shows up in our lives (51:30) The updated and revised edition of my book How to Stop Feeling Like Shit comes out later this month. Woohoo! 🎉 We have some amazing bonuses and giveaways planned, so head over HERE to pre-order and grab those! http://andreaowen.com/493 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about having goals in personal development– such as kicking an addiction, digging into why we keep making the same mistakes in relationships, or healing from childhood trauma. And on social media, I’ve seen the topic come up around becoming the person you wish you’d had to lean on in your past, and/or becoming the person you wish you could have been when something hard happened in your life. In this minisode, I explore that more and hope that it helps you move the needle in your own journey! Also, ICYMI, How to Stop Feeling Like Shit has been updated and is being RE-RELEASED this month! 🎉🎉🎉We have some amazing bonuses and giveaways planned, so head over HERE to pre-order and grab those! I’d be honored if you were one of the FIRST to purchase this new updated version, which will ship on or around December 27th. http://andreaowen.com/492 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sex educator and pleasure coach Whitni Miller joins me for a conversation about intimacy, relationships, and sex. When I decided to create a theme around women’s health, Whitni was one of the several guests I was hoping would say yes to being a guest. And, she did! Whitni focuses on maximizing female pleasure through self-work and relational communication, which you’ll hear about in this episode. We also discuss: The biggest reason heterosexual couples stop having sex (5:33) Where to start if you and your partner know you’re having intimacy issues (10:17) Top 3 reasons why women lose their sexual desire and what women can do to increase their sex drive (14:55) How arousal works and can it really be turned on and off like a light switch? (27:42) Some ways couples can make sex more playful (32:43) Breath work and its impact on sexual pleasure (35:18) If you missed the announcement, an updated and revised edition of my book How to Stop Feeling Like Shit is coming in December! 🎉 We have some amazing bonuses and giveaways planned, so head over HERE to pre-order and grab those! http://andreaowen.com/491 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we are talking about periods and women’s health! Dr. Saru Bala joins me to talk about what’s normal when it comes to period pain, what we are supposed to track (and why), what causes PMS, and more! Dr. Bala is a licensed naturopathic doctor specializing in women's hormonal health. As I mentioned in a previous episode, I believe that if we don’t have our physical health together, it is really hard to focus on our mental health. I hope you enjoy this episode and my conversation with Dr. Bala!!Oh and in case you missed it, an updated and revised edition of my book How to Stop Feeling Like Shit is coming in December! 🎉 We have some amazing bonuses and giveaways planned, so head over HERE to pre-order and grab those! Some of the topics Dr. Bala and I discuss in this episode include: What is normal in terms of period pain, cramps, and bloating (4:01) The causes of PMS and why women have it worse than others (14:48) The main things that women should track for their period (20:41) Some of the effects of birth control on women’s health and bodies and why Dr. Bala doesn’t like the idea of using birth control for the treatment of hormonal or health issues (22:41) http://andreaowen.com/490 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi! So, I’ve been keeping a huge secret. And that secret is that How to Stop Feeling Like Shit has been updated and is being RE-RELEASED next month! 🎉🎉🎉 The original version came out in 2018 and a lot has happened since then, am I right? The civil unrest of 2020, COVID-19, and a bigger conversation around toxic positivity left me itching to update our beloved HTSFLS, so when I asked the publisher…they said YES! Every chapter has updates and I can’t wait for you to read them (or listen, if you prefer audiobook, which yes, those updates will be in the audiobook too)! We have some amazing bonuses and giveaways planned, so head over HERE to pre-order and grab those! I’d be honored if you were one of the FIRST to purchase this new updated version, which will ship on or around December 27th. In this minisode, I talk about the origins of the book, the journey this book has been on over the last half-decade, and what you can expect in this new version. Oh, and I tell you all about the BONUSES! Thank you so much for listening and supporting HTSFLS! http://andreaowen.com/489 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I am talking with author and business coach Jadah Sellner about detoxing from hustle culture, building and creating friendships, and reducing stress in the form of self-care. Jadah is a bestselling author, business coach, international keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, poet, and host of the Lead with Love® podcast. She's also the author of SHE BUILDS: The Anti-Hustle Guide to Grow Your Business and Nourish Your Life. Book Giveaway 📖 I am also doing a book giveaway! I am giving away one copy of Jadah’s latest book, She Builds! Head over to my Instagram account (@heyandreaown) to find the post about this episode and join the giveaway conversation. Other topics in this episode include: What prompted Jadah to write about hustle culture and she shares her thoughts on detoxing from it (3:38) Your support squad: how to build consistency around maintaining friends and friendships (11:43) Tools and strategies to help you feel less stressed or exhausted. Plus, rethinking the way we view self-care (39:23) 10-seconds of bravery: what is that one uncomfortable thing you need to do to get closer to the thing you want? (48:12) http://andreaowen.com/488 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kim Vopni, The Vagina Coach, joins me to talk about women’s pelvic health. Kim is a self-professed kegel maven and a certified fitness professional who became passionate about spreading information on pelvic health after the birth of her first child. So, you may be wondering why we’re talking about things like vaginas and pelvic floors on a personal development podcast. Well, it is my belief that if your physical health is suffering, you won’t be able to appropriately focus on doing the hard work of personal development. But, if this isn’t your jam, don’t worry, we’ll be back to good old-fashioned self-help very soon! We explore ways to overcome pelvic floor dysfunction, and vaginal dryness, and why we must normalize the conversation around talking about pelvic health. Some of the other topics in this episode include: Kim answers, “Is it an overactive bladder or something else?” (8:56) Pelvic organ prolapse: what it is, its symptoms, and healing (15:00) Is it true that as we age we lose elastin in our vaginal walls? (20:38) What causes vaginal dryness and how we can keep things moisturized (31:55) Why doing Kegels are important and when women should start doing them (38:59) http://andreaowen.com/487 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve been open and fully transparent about my journey with aging. It– like most things in personal growth– has not been linear, but a roller coaster of emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs. I love that some women feel so empowered and embrace it, and it’s not that I’m fighting it…but why is no one talking about the in-between place? The bridge we walk along as we walk towards that empowerment place? In this sixteen-minute minisode, you’ll hear me talk about this; it’s what I brought to my therapist last week. You’ll also hear a conclusion I came to that goes right along with some advice I gave my middle school daughter. http://andreaowen.com/486 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The women’s health theme continues this week with guest Liz Tenuto who specializes in somatic healing for women. She's helped many women recover from trauma and injury for the last fourteen years. In this episode, we talk about how trauma is stored in the body and its effects physiologically, what you should never do when healing trauma, and some signs that you actually are healing. I loved this conversation and hope you do too! Some of the topics we explore: How trauma manifests in the body and its effects physiologically (8:52) Targeting the root cause or area of your body in order to release the trauma (14:23) The three things that you should never do while healing from trauma (17:50) Physical signs that you are actually healing (32:16) How somatics help when healing from trauma (40:16) http://andreaowen.com/485 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana LaVoie joins me this week for a conversation on menopause, aging, and your health. Which is fitting since this episode marks the start of our women’s health theme! Woo hoo! In this episode, we discuss how to treat peri-menopause symptoms, manage your hormones, and Dana shares some of the secrets to healthy aging. Dana is an Herbalist and Acupuncturist who has spent her career helping women balance their hormones naturally. She wants more women to know how to keep menopause and aging from interfering with their careers, home life, and dreams. Some of the topics we explore: Dana answers the question, “How do we know when we are in peri-menopause?” (5:57) The biggest mistake women make in caring for their hormones (15:53) The connection between resilience, burnout, and aging - and why are they all so directly connected to hormones (25:39) Getting on a good plan for managing your hormones helps with stress, anxiety, and brain function (36:57) Hormone "leaks" - what they are and how to address them (38:00) http://andreaowen.com/484 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week I received a DM on Instagram from someone I’d never communicated with before. This person compared not eating meat with addiction. I was perplexed, confused, and angry by this message. So, I replied. Check out this week’s minisode to hear what I said in response, what I think we can all learn from this person’s DM to me, and why this message rubbed me the wrong way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there somebody in your life who has really made an impact and you have not expressed that to them? If so, Gina Hamadey joins me to discuss her interesting take on expressing gratitude in a meaningful, yet easy way-- by writing thank you notes! Writing thank you notes to others can be an aspect of taking care of yourself as well as your relationships. Gina is the author of the book I Want to Thank You which depicts her year writing 365 thank-you notes to friends, neighbors, family members, mentors, and more (much more!) Gratitude isn’t a new topic or conversation, but the way Gina talks about it, is unique and one I really wanted to share with you. Some other topics we explore: What sparked Gina to write thank you cards every day of the year (9:12) Some small ways you can begin to write thank you notes or go on a gratitude journey of your own (20:48) There are mental blocks and excuses when you attempt to express gratitude, Gina shares ways she overcomes some of them (25:25) It’s never too late to express gratitude (25:52) We are built for connection and expressing gratitude is so important in today's world (35:01) http://andreaowen.com/482 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yasmine Cheyenne joins me for a conversation about self-healing, self-boundaries, and friendships. She is a self-healing educator, author, speaker, and mental wellness advocate who helps people learn how to cultivate daily practices to build healthy, joyful lives. In this episode we also talk about the magic of community when it comes to self-care, the benefits of social media for the purpose of self-healing, and acknowledging that healing doesn’t make life perfect, it supplies us with what we need to have ease, peace, and joy even when it feels like the world is falling apart. Some other topics we explore: Why self-healing is an important part of self-care (6:31) Strategies to start your self-healing journey (10:57) How creating boundaries can help you heal (11:23) Self-healing is not something you have to do on your own, you can do self-healing with a therapist, coach, or safe confidant (25:24) What to do when a friendship is not reciprocated (35:11) http://andreaowen.com/481 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is a great deal of studies that show the importance of rest. In Emily and Amelia Nagoski’s book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, the authors say we should try to spend about 42 percent of our time at rest. They continue, “We’re not saying you should take 42 percent of your time to rest; we’re saying if you don’t take the 42 percent, the 42 percent will take you. It will grab you by the face, shove you to the ground, put its foot on your chest, and declare itself the victor.” In this minisode, I talk about the problem– that we tend to not get enough rest; but also ask you two questions that will hopefully help you unpack the reasons you don’t prioritize rest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Angela Jia Kim is my guest this week! We are talking about radical self-love, the power that can be found in feminine energy, and self-care rituals. Angela is a former concert pianist and founder of Savor Beauty + Spa, a Manhattan-based skincare and spa brand inspired by Korean beauty rituals. She’s also the author of Radical Radiance: 12 Weeks of Self-Love Rituals to Manifest Abundance, Beauty, and Joy. I really think you are going to love her work, and this conversation, as much as I did! Some other topics we explore: Awakening and connecting with your feminine energy (5:22) How divorce helped Angela deepen her self-love and embrace a healthy dating mindset in her 40s (13:25) Self-love starts with one small change like taking five minutes at night to wash your face (17:20) Tips for planning self-care sabbaticals, self-love adventures, and inspiration getaways that restore your skin and your soul (30:03) Angela discusses how she went from a solo concert pianist to founding Savor Beauty + Spa (38:16) http://andreaowen.com/479 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Ellen Vora is on the show this week to share several holistic approaches to the treatment of anxiety. Ellen is a holistic psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root. In this episode, we talk about whether or not we are experiencing an anxiety epidemic, strategies for addressing anxiety, the difference between “false” and “true” anxiety, and so much more. I am beyond excited to introduce you to her. She is so smart and has a wealth of information. I had so many questions for her. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Some other topics we explore: The cause of the anxiety epidemic (10:15) Ellen talks about her approach to defining anxiety, “false anxiety” and some strategies for addressing it (13:43) The connection between hormones, birth control, and mood regulation (18:06) The role of psychedelics in treating anxiety and the mystical experience hypothesis (23:14) Ellen shares her controversial views on sunshine, why our bodies benefit from the sun, and some healthy ways to get sun exposure (31:00) How we can realistically improve our sleep and why is scrolling on our phones at night relevant to anxiety (42:42) Ellen’s hot-take on the effects of nutrient-dense diets on post-partum depression and anxiety (51:50) http://andreaowen.com/478 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know how I love exploring different modalities for self-care and healing, right? This week, Stephanie Kwong joins me to talk about the Rapid Rewire Method. Stephanie has worked as a Subconscious Rewiring coach, Hypnotherapist, Breathwork Facilitator, and teacher of Self-Love, and now she’s serving her divine calling as the Co-Founder of the Rapid Rewire Method (RRM). Rapid Rewire is a method that helps you clear the issue you are facing, as opposed to simply learning how to cope with it. It answers the question, “How can we be more efficient with our healing process?” Stephanie and I also discuss the importance of self-love and how loving yourself can make a difference in your life. We talk about: We take a deep dive into the Rapid Re-Wire Method, including what it is and what makes it different from healing modalities (7:48) Why self-love is important and how loving yourself can make such a difference in your life (39:50) What self-love actually looks like. Plus, Stephanie shares the pillars of self-love (40:29) http://andreaowen.com/477 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices