Shows
EmpowerhoodEp.84 Resigning from the Corporate World & New VenturesIn this episode, Allie Badger interviews Erika Thompson, who shares her journey of transitioning from a corporate career to becoming a stay-at-home mom. Erika discusses the challenges of balancing work and motherhood, the importance of family dinners, and her new venture, Northway Meals, which aims to bring families together around the dinner table. She emphasizes the significance of making personal choices that align with one's values and the joy of being present for her children.2025-04-2821 min
EmpowerhoodEp83 Staying Positive in Every Season with Tanya FrazierIn this episode, Tanya Frazier shares her journey as a mother of seven, discussing the challenges and joys of raising a large family. She reflects on her experiences with loss, faith, and the importance of creating a nurturing home environment. Tanya emphasizes the significance of self-care, communication, and prayer in parenting, offering insights into balancing family life while maintaining personal health. The discussion highlights the dynamics of raising boys and girls, the role of faith in everyday life, and the importance of being a positive example for children.2025-04-1031 min
EmpowerhoodEp.82 Supporting Moms with Dom the DoulaIn this engaging conversation, Allie interviews Dominique Spagnola, a dedicated doula and lactation counselor. They explore Dom's multifaceted life as a mother, business owner, and advocate for maternal health. Dominique shares her journey to becoming a doula, the vital role doulas play in supporting birthing individuals, and the importance of lactation counseling. The discussion highlights the significance of community support for mothers and the challenges they face in their parenting journeys. Dom's passion for her work shines through as she emphasizes the need for accessible resources and support for new mothers. Make sure if you are expecting, planning to...2025-03-3129 min
EmpowerhoodFamily Dynamics: Growing up with a Acholic Mother. With sisters Allie & TaylorIn this heartfelt conversation, sisters Allie and Taylor reflect on their childhood experiences growing up with an alcoholic mother. They discuss the challenges and traumas they faced, the impact on their adult lives, and the journey towards understanding and forgiveness. Through their shared stories, they explore the complexities of family dynamics, the importance of healing, and how they honor their mother's memory while navigating their own paths as adults.2025-03-2426 min
EmpowerhoodEp80: Seasons & Change: Megan’s Big Announcement and Allie Takes the MicIn this heartfelt episode of Seasons & Change, host Megan Vandevanter shares a major life announcement that marks a turning point in her podcast journey. After much reflection and growth, Megan passes the mic to her cohost, Allie Badger, as she embraces a huge new chapter of adventure with her family. Tune in for a touching conversation about the challenges and beauty of letting go, how change can foster growth, and the powerful lessons Megan has learned throughout this season of her life. Whether you're navigating a shift of your own or simply looking for inspiration, this episode w...2025-03-1022 minEmpowerhoodEp79: Balancing Life: Setting Healthy Boundaries as Moms and WomenIn this empowering episode of Balancing Life, we dive deep into the importance of setting healthy boundaries for ourselves as moms and women. As caregivers, professionals, and multi-taskers, it's easy to lose sight of our own needs. Megan and Allie share practical strategies for setting and maintaining boundaries that protect our mental and physical well-being. We discuss how saying "no" can be an act of self-care, how to communicate your needs clearly without guilt, and how establishing limits allows us to show up fully for ourselves and those we love. Whether you’re juggling family, work, or your own pe...2025-03-0323 minEmpowerhoodEp78: Danika Gollinger: "Strength Through Struggles: A Single Mom’s Journey"In this vulnerable episode, Danika opens up about her journey as a young, single mom navigating emotional abuse, the mistakes made along the way, and the challenges of parenting her daughter from a very young age.Through it all, Danika shares how these struggles have transformed her perspective on life and motherhood, turning what seemed like obstacles into some of her greatest blessings. From moments of doubt to feelings of triumph, Danika’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unbreakable bond between mother and child. Tune in for an honest and empowering co...2025-02-2423 minEmpowerhoodEp77: Jessica Russo: ADHD, Bipolar, and the Power of HopeIn this heart wrenching and honest episode, Jessica Russo opens up about the hardest challenges of motherhood and how mental illness, including the ADHD and bipolar disorder diagnosis of her son, added layers of complexity to parenting she never imagined. Through her personal journey, Jessica discusses the delicate balance of raising a second child while caring for a sick child, managing the emotional rollercoaster of one bad thing after another, and finding hope amidst the chaos.Jess offers a raw and authentic look at motherhood, mental health, and the importance of self-care in order to survive these...2025-02-1740 minEmpowerhoodEp 76: Linda Weatherby: Co-parenting after Divorce & RemarriageIn this heartfelt episode, Linda Weatherby joins Megan and Allie to discuss the complexities and challenges of co-parenting after divorce and remarriage. Linda shares her insights on how parents can always keep the child’s well-being at the center, work together as a team, and establish respectful boundaries even in difficult situations. From setting house rules to ensuring mutual respect between parents, this episode is packed with practical advice for making blended families work.Key Takeaways:Putting the Child First: Why it’s essential to prioritize your child’s emotional needs above all in co-parenting dynamics.Working...2025-02-1034 minEmpowerhoodEp75: Megan Savaria: A Raw & Empowering Unmedicated Birth StoryIn this powerful episode, Megan Savaria shares her personal journey through an unmedicated childbirth, offering an intimate and inspiring look at her birth story. Megan opens up about her decision to go medication-free after her first two children’s births were not. Tune in to find out why she chose this path, the challenges she faced, and the incredible strength she discovered within herself. Whether you’re preparing for your own birth, interested in alternative birth experiences, or simply want to hear a moving story of resilience, this episode is filled with valuable insights and raw honesty.Key T...2025-02-0324 minEmpowerhoodEp74: Making Connections: Finding Friendship and Resources for MomsIn this episode, Megan and Allie dive into the power of community and connection for moms. Whether you're a new mom or just looking to expand your support network, we share practical tips for making friends, finding resources, and building a sense of belonging in your local area. Plus, we’ll chat about how to overcome the challenges of putting yourself out there and how to prioritize those mom friendships that truly lift you up.Key Topics:The importance of building a support network as a momHow to find local playgroups, mom meetups, and community eventsTips fo...2025-01-2730 minEmpowerhoodEp73: Triplets & finding yourself amidst young children. With Laurie Devernoe.Mom of 5 and author Laurie Devernoe joins us this week. From a miscarriage to naturally conceiving triplets, Laurie joins us to share all her incredible mama wisdom. How do you find peace among the chaos of multiple young children!? If anyone knows how it is Laurie!! This episode is packed with so much great knowledge on how to find yourself within the business of multiple children and also how her faith brought her through some of the darkest times in her life where she lost her vision. Laurie is now a mental health coach, public speaker and author of...2025-01-2031 minEmpowerhoodEp72: "Nutrition Goals that last and get results". With Kayla DiSiena.Kayla from Fitfilled is back and bringing is incredible knowledge to get us fueling our bodies correctly and feeling our best! If you missed Kayla’s first episode(44), check out our chat about why you might not be able to lose weight and some huge reasons why what you eat matters. Today we tackle the most important steps of how to set sustainable nutrition goals for yourself this year and actually keep them! Why do most people fail to keep their New Year's goals? Tune in to find out a simple step most of us miss. Kayla and...2025-01-1324 minEmpowerhoodEp71: "Creating Goals in Every Season". With Megan & Allie.Happy New Year!! Megan and Allie talk about all things goals today as we head into 2025. Using Arnold Schwarzengger’s book “Be Useful” a guide they tackle long term visions to breaking those dreams down into little goals that fit into your life now. They both share what works for them personally and what hasn’t worked. They can both agree on this, consistent goal setting each year has brought growth and accomplishment into their lives. We all want that, no matter how big or small! Tune in to hear all the tips and tricks they use and some of their...2025-01-0631 minEmpowerhoodEp70: “Community support for young moms” With Carissa CorbinCarissa Corbin, a mama to three babies and starter of the Capital Region’s Mom Walk Collective joins us this week. What is The Mom Walk Collective? 100% tune in to find out!! Carissa shares her journey from Nashville to New York with three kids under the age of 4 and how she started the Mom walk Collective here in New York. Her plans to support young moms are above and beyond and Allie and I are so excited to share her vision! To find where the group meets each month check out their Instagram page or message Carissa directly here. 2024-12-3022 minEmpowerhoodEp69: "Making Memories With Traditions" With Megan & Allie.This week Megan and Allie talk about their personal traditions from childhood that they remember vividly and how they have incorporated some into their family traditions today. Why are traditions so important? The girls take a look at what kids actually remember as children and why we find it so important to this day to still make our Grandmother’s cranberry bread, sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, or read a certain book on Christmas Eve. What traditions do you continue to keep in your family? We would love to hear about them! Listen in to hear a blast from th...2024-12-2325 minEmpowerhoodEp68: "Changing lives with Music" - Ashley KochEver heard of music therapy for children? I had but really didn’t really know what it was! Ashley Koch joins us in episode 68 to share her story of how she found her calling(or really how it found her) in music therapy and just how incredible it is for children and adults. Learning disabilities, motor and developmental skills, stress management, fun! You name it, music can do wonders. Ashley now uses music therapy to homeschool her own children and can’t wait to see what the future brings in each season of life. If your child is having trou...2024-12-1629 minEmpowerhoodEp67: "Mindfulness over Perfection". With Leah Ferrone.Leah is back!! If you haven’t listened to her first episode 16, I highly recommend it! She is such a light and in this week's episode we tackle mindfulness as a mom during the holidays. The pull to buy more and do more instead of focusing on what’s most important, making memories with our kids. This chat is power packed with vulnerable topics of unworthiness and also strategic tools to help us navigate this crazy world and tune into ourselves and find out what we truly want. Leah Owns Brave Lion Mind, and she is sharing her “...2024-12-0943 minEmpowerhoodEp66: "Fun facts & a big announcement!!"Woohoo!! We are so excited to announce Allie Badger as Co-host of The Empowerhood Podcast!! Welcome Allie!! Allie was on the pod in episode 59, definitely listen in to get to know her better. She is an incredible mama to three and has a huge heart to encourage and help other moms alongside Megan. In this episode get to know Allie and Megan as they share 3 facts about themselves that no one knows. Comment and follow along on our brand new instagram what you might have in common with our hosts. Thank you so much f...2024-12-0221 minEmpowerhoodEp65: "Crippling Divorce to incredible success" With Paula Figdalgo.Paula Fidalgo, owner of The Dust Busters and a brand new book joins us to share her story of her 13 year divorce (yes it took that long) and how she took the negative energy and turned it into good. Learn how she started her successful company while going through her divorce and being a mom to three kids!! Paula shares about her new journey with her brand new book release, her inspiration behind the book and all of her plans now that her kids are grown. She is an inspiration! You can find Paula and her book on her...2024-11-2525 minEmpowerhoodEp64: "Tips to stay healthy during the holidays" With Grace Loney.Grace is back and we are tackling all things health for the holidays!! How do we stay healthy emotionally and physically during this busy, sometimes taxing season? Holistic Health Coach Grace Loney and Megan talk about some of their biggest personal challenges during the holidays and the strategies they use to get them through. It is a giving and grateful season but in order to do our best we have to fill up our own cup. Listen in for these super helpful, simple tips you can totally make your own to protect your well-being and enjoy these moments with...2024-11-1838 minEmpowerhoodEp60: Tips for work-life Balance with Sarah Trop.Sarah Trop from Funcycled jumps right into all things vulnerable and motherhood. Her wisdom and humor are unmatched in this episode as we jump from one relatable topic to the next. Find out what not to take personally, how to find balance with and play, and how to be intentional and completely present with your kids. You can find Sarah on Instagram or on her website Funcycled. Thank you so much for being here. Want to help support The Empowerhood Podcast? With a small monthly donation you can join our community Patreon group and he...2024-11-1443 minEmpowerhoodEp63: Navigating Unwanted Change with Deb Wallace.Deb Wallace from Erth and Wellness Massage joins us to talk about her motherhood journey and the plans she had versus the reality of what happened. We all make plans, have dreams, have daily goals we want to accomplish and within motherhood these can change in a second. How do we adapt? How do we let go of past dreams and open up to new opportunities? Deb’s story is incredibly inspiring as she navigated with four children through some of the hardest times in her life. You can find Deb on her Instagram above or her Facebook. She is...2024-11-1126 minEmpowerhoodEp62: "Postpartum Depression and Anxiety" With Kara Kramer.Kara Kramer from KSOPT and Mixed and Maker’s Boutique joins us to share her journey through PPD and PPA. This episode is so relatable as Kara tells her with her first baby she had no idea what was happening and never asked for help. But with her child she knew something wasn’t right and was able to get the help she needed instead of just surviving. Advocating is so important! Listen in as we navigate one of the hardest topics as a new mom. You can find Kara on Instagram or also go visit her in he...2024-11-0424 minEmpowerhoodEp61: Homeschooling your Children with Jenn RankinJenn Rankin, mama to four children and owner of Wonder Oral Wellness, joins us this week to talk about all things homeschooling. Curious about homeschooling or scared you might not be able to do it? Jenn covers it all as she shares first her personal unique childhood experience to how she became a teacher to her four children. Have questions? You can find Jenn on Instagram at Wonder Oral Wellness.Thank you so much for being here. Want to help support The Empowerhood Podcast? With a small monthly donation you can join our community Patreon group and h...2024-10-2828 minEmpowerhoodEp59: Allie Badger. "Working through Childhood Trauma"Allie Badger joins us in episode 59 sharing her journey through childhood trauma to having a family of her own. This episode is so powerful as Allie explains the excruciating work she had to do in order to forgive and the realizations she came to as she had her own children. We all have baggage from our childhoods. This chat highlights how important it is to confront it head on in order to heal and break the pattern. Thank you Allie! You can find her on facebook @ allieadele. Thank you so much for being here. W...2024-10-1435 minEmpowerhoodEp58: Emily Boyle. "Surviving Breast Cancer as a young mother"Emily Boyle joins us this week to tell us all about her diagnosis with breast cancer at a very young age, right after becoming a new mom. This episode is so raw and painfully real as Emily takes us through her trauma of how she has gradually overcome the pain to be able to share her story and help other women. You can find Emily on Instagram now coaching women to help prevent cancer from ever happening or support through a similar illness. Follow along for more incredible daily knowledge and inspiration. Thank you so...2024-10-0727 minEmpowerhoodEp57: Angela Mineau. "Unexpected pregnancy and financial struggle"Angela Mineau joins us this week to talk about how becoming a mom was the last thing she wanted but the thing she needed most when she unexpectedly got pregnant. Listen in as she talks about how having her son not only changed her emotionally but also financially, and brought more joy and purpose into her life than she could ever imagine. Thank you so much for being here. Want to help support The Empowerhood Podcast? With a small monthly donation you can join our community Patreon group and help keep us going and gr...2024-09-3038 minEmpowerhoodEp56: Chelsea Kline. "Support Through Unknown Illness"Chelsea Kline joins us this week to talk about the terrifying challenges she is going through right now with her 4 year old daughter. We dive deep into the unknown of childhood illness and being the voice for our children within our healthcare system. Chelsea shares what has helped her through this difficult time and how she desperately wants other parents to have these resources. Chelsea is a regular on Empowerhood, you can find her in episode 4 and interviewing me in last year's finale episode 53. She is an incredible Boudoir Photographer and friend, please keep her daughter in your prayers...2024-09-2338 minEmpowerhoodEp55: Cassondra & Cassy Schauble. "Parent or Friend?"Mother daughter duo Cassondra and Cassy Schauble join us for a really fun episode! Cassondra shares how she raised Cassy, some of the hard times they went through and the light at the end of the tunnel that brought them to the family bond they have now. As parents we all want to have this bond with our children and this duo definitely has it! The family all works together out of the same building and just recently bought land to build their dream family compound. Tune in for so much goodness and laughter as we embark on the...2024-09-1635 minEmpowerhoodEp54: Greye Vandevanter. "Through a Child’s Eyes"Welcome back from our summer break!! I have such a special guest for you this week to kick off the new season!!! My daughter Greye joins us to share her point of view as a kid for us to be able to be even better moms. From going back to school, what core memories helped her growing up, and what moms can do to best support their children now. As her mom, boy was I vulnerable(ahem since I raised her!)I had no idea what she was going to say. Listen into this special episode as Greye gives...2024-09-0921 minEmpowerhoodEp53: Megan Vandevanter. “One Year Anniversary Episode!!”Empowerhood is turning One!! Get to know Host and creator Megan Vandevanter as Chelsea Kline (episode 4) takes over the interview. Megan shares why she started Empowerhood, who she really is as she turns 40 (today!!), and what is going on in her life right now. From colossal mistakes, unexpected circumstances, and on and off depression, Megan shares how she imperfectly takes her obstacles to go out into the world and shine her light in Jesus name. This episode is full of super vulnerable and raw truth moments you do not want to miss!! If you have questions for Megan you c...2024-06-171h 05EmpowerhoodEp52: Jessica Joines. “Don’t let fear stand in your way”Face your fears and step into your power with Jessica Joines. We all have fears, doubts and anxieties. How do we feel them and ultimately find freedom? Jessica brings us through her personal story of fear and how she found her own power and a calling she never expected to find. You can find Jessica on her website or on her social media which is packed full of free resources! Listen to the full episode today!2024-06-1027 minEmpowerhoodEp51: Annie Hartigan. "Single Mom Following Her Dream"In episode 51 my dear friend Annie joins us to tell her story of getting married and pregnant at the young age of 19 that completely changed the trajectory of her life. Becoming a mom was the best thing to ever happen to her, and it also brought the hardest part, an abusive relationship. Annie tells us how she found her way out the relationship and also back to her true self, finding what makes her happy. Annie is now living her dream as a signed singer and songwriter with a major label, writing songs about her experiences to help other...2024-06-0328 minEmpowerhoodEp50: Michelle Buonfiglio “Getting Sober Changed My Life”Michelle Buonfiglio joins us in episode 46 to share her compelling story of getting sober and gaining control and true clarity of her life. If you think not drinking is boring you should meet Michelle! She does not let her recovery hold her back from anything. She is FUN(seriously)! Listen in as we hear her journey from rock bottom, talk moderation, and tips on how to deal with certain situations we might get into. Michelle now uses her experience as a sobriety coach helping other women find their balance with alcohol and find fun in social events without the...2024-05-2754 minEmpowerhoodEp49: Amanda Bryan “Following your instincts vs society’s standards through motherhood”Amanda Bryan joins us in episode 49 to share her motherhood story of having her first daughter and having the instinct to wait 5 years before having another child. Now with 3 children Amanda talks about looking back knowing that age gap was exactly what she needed in the season of life and how going with your own flow is always going to benefit you versus following societies standards. Doing what works best for you, whatever that might be, is the way to go. There is no right or wrong way to grow a family! Your way is the only way you...2024-05-2059 minEmpowerhoodEp48: Kara Conway Love “Doing our best as a mom is enough”Kara Conway Love joins us in episode 48 to talk with us from the perspective of having grown children. Kara was a busy partner in her family's law firm when her kids were little. The demand was sometimes too much and she felt she made huge mistakes that have stayed with her since then. Fast forward to her children now grown, out of the house and thriving, Kara speaks on how her kids are incredible, and she now realizes she was always doing the best she could as a mom. This topic is SO relatable as we all navigate balancing...2024-05-1340 minEmpowerhoodEp47: Abbie Anderson “What to expect when adding on to your family”Abbie Anderson joins us in episode 47 to talk about all three of her pregnancies and deliveries. From the unexpected circumstances, to the easiest and hardest transitions of a growing family. Abbie’s insight from having one child to three is so relatable, as we get into many humorous come to Jesus moments through some of life’s mama situations. Her story is raw motherhood at its best! Expect the unexpected and give yourself grace. Listen to the full episode!Thanks for listening in! This Episode is brought to you by Flourish Health & Beauty.. Learn more...2024-05-0642 minEmpowerhoodEp46: Britt Deitz “Dreams versus the Reality of becoming a mom”Britt Deitz is back with us for episode 46 to tell us all about the joys, challenges, and changes motherhood has brought into her life with her 8-month old son Westin. In episode 11 Britt chatted with us about her infertility struggle and how she ended up getting pregnant naturally. Of course we had to have her back and hear about her life as mom, and her huge achievement award as the Capital Region's Best Personal Trainer in 2024. Pssst!! Britt also shares a very exciting secret towards the end of the episode!! Britt, we are so happy and excited for you...2024-04-2936 minEmpowerhoodEp45: Adventuring all over the world with children. With Anna Glasser.Anna Glasser joins us for episode 45. Anna is a New York Born mom of 3 boys, exploring the world with her family of 5. She tells her story of how it all started by going to Europe at the young age of 14, she knew she would someday live there. Now married to her Danish husband, they have lived in New York, London, and now Copenhagen. Traveling and exploring different places with her family has always been a huge part of who she is. Anna tells us about life abroad, the huge changes from American life growing up, and the adventures she...2024-04-2234 minEmpowerhoodEp44: Reasons Why You Can't Lose Weight. With Kayla Radliff.Kayla Radliff from Fitfilled LLC joins us this week to talk about all things nutrition. Did you know 91% of women in America are unhappy with their body? Kayla and I tackle 3 important topics in this episode to gain knowledge on why you might not be able to lose that stubborn weight, binge eating, addictive foods, insulin resistance and much more! First of all you are not alone, and second it’s not your fault or you will powers fault. Take Susan Pierce Thompson’s susceptibility Quiz to understand your brain with addictive food substances. Kayla breaks it down with easy...2024-04-1545 minEmpowerhoodEp43: Loving Your Pregnant and Postpartum Body. With Nora Matthew.Personal trainer, owner of Her strength Studio, and mama to 4 boys(almost 5), Nora Matthew is back!! If you haven’t listened to episode 1 with Nora, I highly recommend it! This week Nora and I talk all about body image when pregnant, postpartum and beyond. Nora is pregnant with her 5th child, and this pregnancy threw her for a loop. Find out how she has coped with not being able to eat or move the way she is used to and solutions to help all of us find the way to loving our bodies right where we are at. Listen to...2024-04-0846 minEmpowerhoodEp42: Healing trauma, Dating, & Marriage. With Tiffany Dawn.Tiffany Dawn Author and key speaker joins us to talk about her journey from an abusive relationship,an eating disorder, and how she found her partner and now husband James. The path to motherhood was one she did not predict, but all of those steps, those hardships, led her to writing her four books, speaking all over the country to women that have suffered through traumatic relationships and disordered eating as well, to her beautiful family. Listen in as we talk through healing trauma, what to look for when finding a partner and how to continually date your significant...2024-04-0139 minEmpowerhoodEp41: Purpose beyond Motherhood. With Skylar Williams.Skylar Williams joins us to chat about having her first baby and forcing herself to find the joy in motherhood. She now advocates for mamas all over the US, in finding the time to find our purpose beyond being a mom. Skylar created an organization planner to kick start the action we need to take towards clarity and happiness. Getting unstuck from the comparison and social media spiral to focusing on what we really want. 99% of us all dreamed of being mother’s right? Remembering that among the chaos and business is the key to success, and taking the ti...2024-03-2544 minEmpowerhoodEp40: Creating the Life You Want. With Erin Fortin.Erin Fortin joins us in episode 40 from Erin Fortin Photography in Saratoga. Erin is a PHD Chemist turned brand photographer, mama, wife, and so much more. She talks about taking huge leaps of faith for herself and her family. Leaving her cushy cubicle job and the West coast to be creative and help small businesses be authentically seen. Creating not only the business of her dreams but the outdoor lifestyle that she knew she needed the day she pushed her laptop away and left the corporate industry. Listen in as Erin describes what brought her here today and her...2024-03-1830 minEmpowerhoodEp39: Stand in your power, with Grace & MegGrace and I dive into finding our character strengths and superpowers as individuals and moms. FYI we all have them sometimes we just aren’t willing to admit it. Can you accept a compliment without brushing it off as no big deal? Are you ok talking about something you are really good at? I put Grace and myself on the spot in this episode as we tell you our strengths and differentiate between owning them vs. bragging. This episode is PACKED with empowering knowledge to help you focus on your strengths instead of trying to fix your weaknesses. Take th...2024-03-1133 minEmpowerhoodEp 38: From the bottom up, Empowering Women. With Brittany Burnham.Brittany Burnham from PWR 518 and Mom Boss Maximizer joins us this week to talk about her incredible journey from surviving on food stamps as a single mom, and teaching fitness in her moms backyard, to owning PWR and becoming a business and empowerment Coach. Britt’s energy is just incredible as we dive into personal growth, and finding ourselves authentically within motherhood and business. Routine, habits and being completely present. How does she do that and balance a family of 6, two businesses and a podcast? She doesn’t. Let’s delegate, shift perspectives and get rid of the busy burnout...2024-03-0454 minEmpowerhoodEp 37: Breathing, Eating, Speech & Wellness. With Kate Chatigny.Kate Chatigny from Chat Speech Language Pathology joins us this week to talk about what brought her to become a specialist in tongue ties and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for children. This episode is packed with great information on what to look for when your child is young to catch these issues early. Mouth breathing, tongue, cheek and lip ties, speech issues, picky eating and much more. Kate explains why it is vital that we pay attention and address some of these things labeled “normal”, or as simple as breathing correctly. Personally, having a daughter that is a mouth breather I as...2024-02-2628 minEmpowerhoodEp36: Finding Hope Through a Tragedy. With Linda Barrick.I was blessed to hear Linda & her daughter Jennifer speak at my church, and I knew I had to help share their story. Linda’s family were victims of a horrible drunk driving accident that left her and her husband badly injured and their daughter Jen with a traumatic brain injury. Linda leads us through their story of how hard this was as a mom, and how God took a tragedy and turned it into hope for her family. From having to break down her day into tiny little dots in order to make it through, to forgiving the ma...2024-02-1941 minEmpowerhoodEp35: Realistic Goal Setting as a mom. With Grace And Meg.Let’s talk about realistic goal setting as a woman and mom. Grace Loney joins me to tackle this important subject as we reach 6 weeks into the new year. Where are you at with your new year's goals? Have you achieved big things already or possibly abandoned your resolutions already? Listen in as we give our personal history with goal setting and some of the monumental changes we made over years of experience. We even share secret strategies that we use as coaches to help our clients be successful today and in the future. Grace and I will be ho...2024-02-1241 minEmpowerhoodEp34: How to prepare for an empty nest. With Jill Ensminger.Jill Ensminger, mom of three, joins us this week to share her story of her oldest daughter going to college and the detrimental effect it had on her. She talks about how as parents we have to be so strong for our children and in this case she did not prepare herself for this huge milestone in her life. Jill’s journey is so relatable and packed with advice and resources to make any transition we come across as a mom smoother. Soaking up every moment we have with our children, because as we know time flies! You might fe...2024-02-0547 minEmpowerhoodEp33: The Immense Void of Losing a Parent. With Ashley Salvadore.Ashley Salvadore joins us in episode 33 to tell the heartbreaking story of suddenly losing her mom. At the young age of 17 she found herself not only grieving but completely lost without her mother and best friend. Ashley goes into detail on how her life changed that day and all the work she had to put in to pull herself out of the biggest loss she ever experienced. This episode is so special and really shows the bond we have with our children and how important we are to them. Listen in as Ashley urges us to remember “there is be...2024-01-2938 minEmpowerhoodEp32: Intense Chaos of multiples and a toddler. With Kristy Cavaretta.Kristy Cavaretta Mom and incredible artist joins us this week for episode 32. Kristy shares her story of the assumptions that come along with having multiples and how she started off struggling to have a family. Going through years of trying, medical issues and loss of a pregnancy until the gift of her son. Kristy talks about trusting in the timing of her life, which became apparent when she quickly got pregnant again with twins naturally! She goes through the ups and downs of raising three children under three, quitting her job as a graphic designer and using her motherhood...2024-01-2229 minEmpowerhoodEp31: The Ultimate Motherhood Sacrifice. With Grettel Wong.Grettel Wong joins us in episode 31 to tell her story of growing up in Columbia and her mom leaving her and her sister at the age of 9 to come to America and build a life for them. Now having two girls of her own, she talks about now understanding how hard that sacrifice was for her mom to leave her children for 5 years in order to provide them with the best opportunities. Grettel’s story is so endearing as she explains the challenges of coming to America at a young age, not being able to speak the language, and oth...2024-01-1529 minEmpowerhoodEp30: Self Motivation. What’s yours? With Rosemary McHugh.Rosemary McHugh from New Scotland Spirits joins us this week to tell all about her story of how nothing will knock her down and keep her down forever. From a crippling divorce and raising her two boys alone, to getting remarried and raising 5 children while her new husband was deployed in the military. Rosemary is so honest about her struggle and inspirational with her incredible strength to how she got to where she is today. If you are looking for self motivation, you need to listen to this episode! Things happen in life that you can’t control, Rosemary sa...2024-01-0831 minEmpowerhoodEp29: A Journey to find what makes you happy. With Ilissa Goman.Ilissa Goman joins us in episode 29 to talk about her journey from working at a gas station to overhauling her life and finding out exactly what is important to her in this world. Ilissa is a mama, owner of Ilissa & Co, and a new author to the book “Now leaving numb”. Ilissa takes us through her struggle with emotional addiction, leaving an unhappy marriage and designing the SELFF method to get her to where she is today and also help other women do the same. Leaving social expectations behind and following your heart to what will truly make you happ...2024-01-0130 minEmpowerhoodEp28: Birth trauma and our nervous system. With Rhiannon Clauss.Dr Rhiannon joins us in episode 28 to share her expertise as a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor. This is not about cracking backs this is about finding the root cause of why our nervous system might be off balance. Rhiannon’s knowledge and straight forward guidance to getting you and your child as healthy is possible is refreshing. If you think you know what a chiropractor is, you should listen in! I learned so much in this episode and was way off with what I actually thought being a chiroprator is all about. If you had a tramatic delivery tune in...2023-12-1846 minEmpowerhoodEp27: Managing Social Media in a healthy way. With Jessica Lang.Jessica Lang from Social Language Consulting joins us not only as a social media professional but as a woman, and fellow mother trying to find the healthiest approach to our world right now. This interview covers a lot from the unhealthy things we get sucked into with social media to how to balance it. Tricks to stop self comparison, take breaks, limit our time and most importantly stay grounded in what’s most important to us. Jess is such a rockstar, has such a wholesome approach to managing many businesses social media platforms. She has an infectious positivity and re...2023-12-1152 minEmpowerhoodEp26: The Holistic approach to managing this crazy life. With Grace Loney.Grace Loney joins us in episode 26 to tell us all about her journey from climbing the corporate ladder on no sleep, high stress, and not taking care of herself until her body literally told her no by being diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s Disease. Grace goes into detail about this disease, how she manages it, and how she defied the odds and still became a mom to her 3 year old daughter Blake. Find out how she lives a full life without being on medication for the rest of her life. Grace is now a Certified Integrative Nutrition Co...2023-12-0458 minEmpowerhoodEp25 - Create balance and space for all you want. With Patricia Lohan.Patrica Lohan from Powerhouse Feng Shui joins us in episode 26. Patricia is a Feng Shui master and works with women and families all over the world to help balance the energy in their home for prosperity, abundance and peace of mind.. I learned so much in this episode!! Not only about Feng Shui, but also what we do as moms and human beings to hold us back from our true power. Patricia gives away incredible knowledge on how to deal with clutter, how to align the best energy for our family, and even how our children’s bedrooms should be...2023-11-2748 minEmpowerhoodEp24: I refused to let anger take over my life. With Natalie Hixson.Natalie Hixson joins us for a very vulnerable talk about how destructive anger took over her life and how becoming a mom made her put a stop to it and reach out for help. Natalie is a wife, mother, auntie, and certified professional life coach who helps discouraged Christian moms overcome destructive anger and burnout. After learning to thrive in motherhood and process anger in a healthy way, Natalie became convicted to help other moms avoid those dark years of motherhood by helping them to appreciate and process their anger, learn to identify their triggers, and ultimately control their r...2023-11-2043 minEmpowerhoodEp23: The Trials and Triumphs being a special needs parent. With Christa Silva.Christa Silva joins us in Episode 23 to talk about her story of becoming a new mom and having no idea that her son was severely autistic. Christa does not hold back as she speaks about the early diagnosis for her son, the horrible opinions she received when pregnant with her second child, and the incredible support the community has given her and her family through it all. Christa and her husband started an event called “Light it up Blue” to raise money for different special needs resources throughout Maine. She went back to school and is now working as a Qu...2023-11-131h 04EmpowerhoodEp22: Motherhood in a Multigenerational Household. With Kara Kramer.Kara Kramer, owner of KSPT joins us in episode 22 to talk about living in a multigenerational household, and how it has truly changed not only her life but also who she is as a person. When Kara became pregnant with her first child, she and her husband made the move from Florida to New York to be close to family and live with her parents and sister. Her village was created as she embarked on her motherhood journey. Kara talks about how she had to change her mindset and ego around asking for help, and also let go of...2023-11-0637 minEmpowerhoodEp21: Success is nothing without balance. With Catherine Hover.Episode 21 we have Palette’s Founder Catherine Hover with us.Catherine is a powerhouse entrepreneur, mom of three girls, and wife. She shares her personal journey of starting a business becoming a mom and starting a second business while pregnant with her third child. Catherine’s version of career success is having a balanced life of business and family. They have to be equal to have ultimate success. She also shares a near death experience she just recently had, her struggle to bounce back and how the power of community pulled her through and kept her family and business runni...2023-10-3057 minEmpowerhoodEp 20: Breastfeeding Myths Uncovered. With Jilian Carter.IBCLC Jillian Carter from Milk Matters joins us in episode 20 with her expertise as a postpartum nurse and lactation consultant . I call it myth busting but you can call it whatever you want. Jillian clarifies and covers a lot of info pertaining to breastfeeding whether it is newborn, under or oversupply, correct pump flange size(this one blew my mind), hindmilk/foremilk, cluster feeding and much much more. This episode is a must listen whether you want to become a mom, or are a new or veteran mom. Knowledge is power, and Jillian is full of it. I wish...2023-10-2349 minEmpowerhoodEp19: How to Make Food Feel Good. With Lindsay Pleskot.Registered Dietician Lindsay Pleskot joins us to talk about nutrition, why we get stuck in unhealthy patterns and how to start bringing awareness to how we really feel. All the questions come up in this chat; disordered eating, emotional eating, stress eating. You name it, we talk about it! How do we get to the root of why we feel this way about food as women? Lindsay explains intuitive eating and the 3 types of eating we might come across and need to become mindful of. As a mom of two little ones she touches base on eating with multiple...2023-10-1653 minEmpowerhoodEp18: The Fight of a Lifetime. With Amanda Coutsoumbos-Beal.Amanda C. joins us on episode 18 to tell her incredible journey through unforeseen circumstances with each one of her three children. I had goosebumps as she described the premature birth of her daughter, their NICU stay, the excruciating details of not being able to touch or hold her for the first 6-weeks of life. Amanda speaks freely about her battle with postpartum depression and how she had to fight tooth and nail to pull herself out of the darkness. She now can look back and see the beauty of how all of these struggles brought her to rediscover who...2023-10-0955 minEmpowerhoodEp17: Prescription Alone Time. With Dr. Jennifer OkwerekwuDr. Jennifer Okwerekwu from Coral Psychiatry joins us in episode 17 to talk all about mental health as a mom and getting the support you need through the most transformative stages of life. Dr Jennifer shares her postpartum story of wanting to become a forensic doctor until on maternity leave she discovered the hidden field of reproductive psychiatry. She hit the ground running and has been helping women through hormonal transitions ever since in four different states. From postpartum depression, medications while pregnant, managing everyday stress, to the shortage of psychiatrists in the United States. We talk about it! This e...2023-10-0248 minEmpowerhoodEp16: Bringing Mindfulness into Motherhood. With Leah Ferone.Leah Ferrone from Brave Lion joins us to tell her story about finding her own mindfulness practice, and how becoming a mom set her in motion to start her business to bring mindfulness to children and parents. As parents we go through an array of emotions every single day. Not only that we are triggered from past experiences, and current life circumstances. Leah and I talk through recognizing our emotions, finding stillness amongst the constant “to do lists”, and practical ways to catch ourselves from reacting to little things with big emotions. If you have ever yelled at your kid...2023-09-251h 07EmpowerhoodEp15: Divorced, Single Mom to a beautiful blended family. With Victoria Hostig.Victoria Hostig joins us to talk about her journey through divorce with two young daughters. The crippling pain and anxiety of not only going through divorce but having the title of “single mom”. Her story is incredible and full of humor and raw honesty as she shares how her worst nightmare turned into her biggest strengths and how she overcame her darkest days. Find out how she clawed her way through the darkness to take on the single mom title with tenacity and pride, ultimately leading to her now husband and beautiful blended family. Divorce, single mom, to step and...2023-09-1855 minEmpowerhoodEp14: Career Woman & Mother. With Erin Curtis.How do you follow your dreams as a career woman and still show up as the mom you want to be? Erin Curtis Joins us in episode 14 to tell us all about becoming a mom and finding the job that yes fueled her passions, but also supported her as a parent. Erin opens up about how she found success in the workplace, and also how she advocates for young moms to support one another instead of competing. This episode breaks through the superficial walls of what you see on social media versus what is actually true and understanding the...2023-09-111h 11EmpowerhoodEp13: Breastfeeding When the Odds are Against You. With Rachel Murphy.Rachel Murphy (IBCLC) joins us to talk not only about the difficulties of breastfeeding, but also about making it happen when the odds are really against you. Rachel tells her journey of struggling to breastfeed with her first daughter, to emergency surgery and a NICU stay for her second daughter who was born with down syndrome. Her determination and resilience is so inspiring and what led her to become a lactation consultant and start a monthly group through Julia’s Way founded by Ella Gray Cullen supporting breastfeeding for babies with down syndrome. If you have had troubles breastfeeding or ar...2023-09-0448 minEmpowerhoodEp12: Sleep Deprivation as a Mom. With Chastity Van Pelt.Chastity from Bliss Sleep Support joins us to tell her motherhood journey of sleep deprivation for almost two years! Until she got the support she needed she didn’t even know the shape her body and mind were in, never mind how little sleep her child was getting. Chastity’s brutal honesty of how she felt within those two years feels SO relatable: “I felt like something was wrong with me that I could not get my child to sleep.”. This inspired her as a nurse practitioner to learn more about sleep, become a certified consultant and start her own comp...2023-08-2855 minEmpowerhoodEp11: IVF and Workouts for Pregnancy Miracles. With Britt Deitz.Britt from Britt Deitz Fitness joins us for episode 11 to tell us all about her IVF journey. Being a certified trainer she talks about how she took care of her body through the whole experience, and how she powered through devastating obstacles she came across. Britt goes into detail on how taking care of herself felt like the only control she had during the infertility process. She shares workouts and nutrition to help prime the body for conception and how she knows deep down this ultimately helped her miraculously get pregnant naturally after IVF didn’t work. Congratulations Britt on...2023-08-2146 minEmpowerhoodEp10: Childbirth Expectations & A Mother’s Intuition. With Kayla Taylor.We all have expectations, birth plans, and visions in our mind of how our child will come into the world. Kayla Taylor brings us on her journey through her three experiences of childbirth and how all three were very different and never went as planned. Trusting your mother’s intuition, your body, and being prepared for the unexpected circumstances, which in her case was a home birth! Buckle up! This story is insane and magnifies how truly amazing a woman’s body and intuition really are. Kayla gives incredible advice on how to make a birth plan, listen to your...2023-08-1430 minEmpowerhoodEp9: Miscarriage, Loss, and Grief. With Sarah Denio.Sarah Denio from KindNest joins us today to talk about her journey from miscarriages to finally having her two beautiful daughters. Getting married, having the house and kids ended up not being so simple as they planned. “I never knew it was possible for it to hurt so badly to lose someone I never had a chance to meet.”. Sarah’s story of grief and how the pain she felt ultimately brought her to starting her business KindNest that helps women through infertility, grief and loss to pregnancy and healing. This episode is a must listen not only for women...2023-08-0740 minEmpowerhoodEp8: SAHM or Career? There is no right answer! With Holly Rodriguez.Holly Rodriguez joins us to talk about her motherhood journey from working her dream job as an attorney to becoming a full time SAHM due to unexpected, unplanned circumstances. Seeing motherhood from both perspectives of a working mom to a SAHM is refreshing and ultimately brings to the surface that there is no right or wrong decision when it comes to what we decide to postpartum. Holly’s straightforward honesty of hard times, no regrets, and making the right choices for your mental health and your family is a must listen! Redefining success at home with her boys had to...2023-07-3133 minEmpowerhoodEp7: Peeing Your Pants Isn't Normal. With Laura Rowan.This episode is everything I wish I knew after having my daughter 7 years ago. Laura Rowan from Essential Pelvic Health goes over ALL of us mama’s need to know, from how the pelvic floor functions, what happens after childbirth, to what we need to do to help heal postpartum. Leakage, constipation, pain during intercourse ... isn’t normal!! Is 6-weeks enough time to heal postpartum? What exercises can we be doing within these 6-weeks? If you are a mom, or about to become a mom you do not want to miss out on this treat! Laura is an OT s...2023-07-2436 minEmpowerhoodEp6: Light at the End of the Tunnel. Love, Addiction and Loss. With Katie Costello.Katie Costello tells her compelling story of loving and ultimately losing her partner to addiction. As a mom she had to make impossible decisions to keep her daughter safe and to pull herself out of the darkness. Katie’s strength and determination is incredible and although she has been through so much her story is just getting started. Find out how she is now living the life of her dreams despite all of the heartbreak she has been through. This episode is near and dear to my heart knowing Katie and late husband. I am SO proud and inspired by...2023-07-1725 minEmpowerhoodEp5: Navigating Mental Health, Social Media, & Bullying as a Parent. With Maryanna Lilly.Maryanna Lilly joins us today to speak out about her personal experience with social media and her child’s mental well being. We dig deep into the realistic picture of the world we live in today and some amazing advice on how we can best advocate for our children. Mental health, bullying, Social Media ... where do we even start? Maryanna and Megan break it down into a simple explanation that can relate to all parents, signs to look out for, and how prioritizing your mental health as a parent matters as well! Maryanna is the founder of Bloom, a fr...2023-07-1046 minEmpowerhoodEp4: Beautiful Boudoir and Body Image. With Chelsea Kline.Chelsea from Chelsea Kline Photography tells us her journey from interior designer to empowering women through boudoir photography. Becoming a mom brought her to the realization that she wanted to follow her dreams and passion by combining her love for creativity and hospitality. As a photographer she creates a whole experience for women with one goal in mind to help them love their bodies right where they are today and see what they might not see in themselves. We talk about the body image issues we have in our society today, how to get past our childhood baggage...2023-07-0344 minEmpowerhoodEp1: Why You Should Strength Train Postpartum and How to Get Fit in Your Busy Schedule. With Nora Matthew.Trainer and women’s gym owner Nora Matthew tells us all we need to know about strength training postpartum and beyond, and her own personal journey of recovery after having 4 (yes 4!) children. There's no excuses on how she fits in her workouts while being a mom, homeschooling, and owning a business. Join us to find out the secret to getting your workouts in and why it's so important to do this for yourself especially when you have children. FYI this episode is NOT sugar coated, get ready for the honest truth! You can find Nora at Her Strength St...2023-06-2642 minEmpowerhoodEp2: Domestic Violence: You are Never Alone. With Jen Peters.Jennifer Peters shares her incredible story of survival as a mom in a violent relationship. Jen not only tells us her journey from complete darkness, to escaping and building the life of her dreams but also helps us understand how to help other women going through the same thing. Whether you are in similar circumstances, have a friend or family member that is going through domestic abuse, or just want to know how to help, this episode is amazing. Jen is now a Christian Life Coach helping people live life to the fullest. You can find her at...2023-06-2633 minEmpowerhoodEp3: Unplanned Pregnancy: Get the Support and Resources You Need. With Kyla Schimdt.Kyla Schimdt, founder of Mom Starts Here, tells us about her personal experience with unplanned pregnancy and how it fueled her to start a company helping families going through the same circumstances. MSH gives internal and external support for all the demands of parenting. You are not alone! Knowledge is power. We want to build a community of support to help you show up as the mom you want to be every single day! Find out how to be the support system for a friend, family member or get the encouragement and help you need today. You can...2023-06-2634 minEmpowerhoodEmpowerhood TrailerA short trailer for the Empowerhood podcast.2023-06-2000 min