A Fresh Story

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores the habit of emotional over-functioning and the pressure to hold everything together. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to release responsibility that doesn't belong solely to them.Designed for anyone who feels like the organizer, fixer, or emotional anchor in their relationships, this episode supports healthier boundaries and shared responsibility. Jenny offers reassurance that letting go can create space for balance, rest, and more authentic connection.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and beginning each morning with clarity and self-trust. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell reframes the nervous system as a source of support rather than something to control or fix. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to approach their bodies with curiosity and compassion, especially during moments of stress, anxiety, or emotional fatigue.This episode supports emotional wellness, nervous system awareness, and self-trust by helping listeners understand that physical responses are signals — not failures. Olivia invites listeners to listen to their bodies, prioritize safety, and build regulation through gentleness rather than force.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast designed to help listeners start their mornings with calm, clarity, and emotional steadiness. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this Simple Tips to Support Yourself episode of A Fresh Story, host Olivia Howell is joined by therapist and author Oona Metz to offer clear, practical guidance on one of the most difficult parts of divorce: talking to your kids when your co-parent refuses, avoids the conversation, or isn't emotionally available. With nearly 30 years of clinical experience and more than 15 years leading divorce support groups for women, Oona brings calm, child-centered expertise to a moment that often feels overwhelming for parents.Oona breaks down actionable co-parenting strategies for navigating this conversation solo, including how to explain divorce in age-appropriate language, how much information is enough, and how to answer hard questions without blaming or oversharing. She explains why children don't need perfect wording—they need emotional consistency, honesty, and reassurance—and how one regulated parent can create stability even in high-conflict or uncooperative co-parenting situations. These divorce recovery tips are especially helpful for single parents carrying the emotional labor of the transition.The episode also draws from Oona's book, Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women, which focuses on the emotional realities of divorce rather than legal logistics. Listeners will leave with increased emotional resilience, practical scripts, and a key mindset shift: you don't need agreement from your ex to protect your children's emotional wellbeing. Presence, clarity, and care are enough.

Some Fridays feel like a finish line. And some Fridays feel like the moment you realize you've been running the whole time—quietly, bravely, on fumes and faith—while the world keeps asking you to prove it counts. In this cozy, funny, unexpectedly tender weekly wrap-up, sisters Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen start with the kind of behind-the-scenes chaos that is modern life and somehow end up in the deep end of what it really means to rebuild yourself.Because the conversation turns, as it always does, toward the stories we've been told—and the ones people use to control us. Olivia opens up about the unnerving experience of “dream logic” being used as manipulation: how someone can cloak pressure in spirituality, how narrative-weaving becomes a weapon, and how hard it is to name what happened when it didn't look like the usual kind of harm. Jenny calls it what it is: a form of spiritual abuse. And in that naming, there's a small, steady permission slip: if your inner world was used against you, you're not “dramatic.” You're awake.From there, it's the grounding stuff—the holy stuff, honestly: making an office feel like yours again, building tiny miniatures because your nervous system needs something gentle to hold onto, swimming because you remember your body is allowed to belong to you. Olivia shares a moment that will hit every working mom (and every entrepreneur) right in the chest: her kids asking when she'll get a “real job,” as if building a company, holding dozens of divorce support consults, and keeping an entire community of people afloat is somehow… imaginary. The takeaway lands like a hand on your back: rebuilding isn't always loud. Sometimes it's wallpaper and a calendar and a deep breath between calls—proof that your life is still yours, and you're still becoming.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell explores the idea that protecting your energy is a necessary and compassionate practice — not a selfish one. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection invites listeners to reconsider boundaries, rest, and capacity through a lens of self-respect rather than guilt.This episode supports emotional wellness, burnout prevention, and healthier boundaries by encouraging listeners to honor their limits without over-explaining or apologizing. Olivia reframes energy management as an act of honesty and sustainability, helping listeners start the day feeling more grounded and supported.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast designed to help listeners begin each morning with clarity, self-trust, and compassion. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this Simple Tips to Support Yourself episode of A Fresh Story, host Olivia Howell is joined by therapist and Fresh Starts Expert Oona Metz to break down one of the most universal—and misunderstood—experiences of divorce and major life transitions: healing a broken heart. With nearly 30 years of clinical experience and more than 15 years leading divorce support groups for women, Oona brings clear, grounded, therapist-backed insight into what heartbreak actually does to the nervous system, emotions, and sense of identity.Oona shares practical, accessible strategies for divorce recovery and emotional resilience, including why heartbreak often comes in waves, how grief and relief can coexist, and what helps people move forward without rushing the healing process. Listeners will learn simple but powerful tools for emotional regulation, boundary-setting, self-compassion, and rebuilding trust in themselves—especially relevant for those navigating co-parenting, single parenting, or starting over after divorce. These tips are designed to be realistic, repeatable, and supportive during moments when emotions feel overwhelming.The episode also highlights Oona's forthcoming book, Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women, which focuses entirely on the emotional journey of divorce—from heartbreak and identity loss to healing and renewal. Whether you're in the early stages of separation or years into post-divorce recovery, this episode offers clear guidance and reassurance: a broken heart doesn't mean you're broken—and with the right support, healing is possible.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores the permission to change your mind without guilt or over-explaining. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection supports listeners in honoring evolving needs and trusting themselves as circumstances change.Designed for anyone navigating boundaries, decision fatigue, or people-pleasing, this episode reframes changing your mind as a sign of self-awareness rather than inconsistency. Jenny encourages calm, respectful adjustments that build self-trust and emotional steadiness.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and beginning each morning with clarity and confidence. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell offers a compassionate reminder that personal worth is not defined by productivity. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to release hustle culture expectations and reconnect with their inherent value — even on days when energy is low or rest is needed.This episode supports emotional wellness, burnout recovery, and a healthier relationship with productivity. Olivia reframes rest, healing, and quiet internal work as meaningful and valid, reminding listeners that they do not need to earn their worth through output.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast designed to help listeners start their mornings with clarity, self-trust, and compassion. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

There's a moment in the middle of the night, when the house is quiet and the questions feel loud, that this conversation begins. In this A Fresh Story: Book Talk episode, Olivia Howell sits down with therapist and Fresh Starts Expert Oona Metz, whose new book Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women was written for exactly that moment—when you need proof that someone else has been here, survived it, and is willing to sit beside you while you figure out what comes next. Oona doesn't speak from theory alone. She speaks as a woman who has lived through divorce herself—twice—and spent decades walking alongside hundreds of women as they untangled their lives, identities, and hearts.Unhitched is not a how-to manual or a checklist. It's a companion. The book gently guides readers from the earliest whispers of “Should I stay?” through the practical and emotional realities of telling people, supporting children, navigating grief, setting boundaries, and rebuilding a sense of self. Oona weaves clinical insight with deeply human language, making space for the messiness—the simultaneous relief and devastation, the shame that lingers quietly, the identity shift that no one prepares you for. In this conversation, she shares how years of running divorce support groups planted the seeds for the book, and why she felt compelled to write something that centered the emotional journey of divorce—something that didn't exist when she needed it most.What makes this episode especially powerful is Oona's vulnerability. Writing Unhitched required her to confront the shame she still carried as a therapist who had been divorced twice—and to model the very honesty she invites readers into. Together, Olivia and Oona talk about divorce as a life transition we don't culturally prepare for, the quiet courage it takes to reach for help, and the healing power of knowing you're not alone. This episode—and this book—are for anyone standing at the edge of a life change, wondering if it's okay to open the door. You don't have to walk through it yet. You just have to know there's someone waiting on the other side.GRAB UNHITCHED HERE: https://amzn.to/4pBQvG9

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores the difference between being nice and being clear. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to practice honest communication without guilt or over-softening.Designed for anyone navigating boundaries, people-pleasing, or difficult conversations, this episode reframes clarity as a form of kindness. Jenny supports listeners in building trust, reducing misunderstandings, and starting the day with grounded, respectful self-expression.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and beginning each morning with clarity and confidence. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell reframes uncertainty as a meaningful and necessary part of personal growth. Rather than treating not knowing as failure, this daily morning reflection invites listeners to see uncertainty as a sign of listening, recalibration, and self-trust.Designed as part of a short daily ritual, this episode supports emotional wellness, intuitive decision-making, and patience during periods of transition. Olivia offers reassurance for anyone feeling unsure about next steps, reminding listeners that clarity often arrives after — not before — a pause.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on helping listeners start their mornings with compassion, clarity, and emotional steadiness. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores emotional responsibility and the difference between kindness and over-functioning for others' feelings. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection supports listeners in setting boundaries without guilt or self-blame.Designed for anyone who struggles with people-pleasing or emotional over-responsibility, this episode helps listeners practice respectful communication while releasing the pressure to manage others' reactions. Jenny offers reassurance that honesty and compassion can coexist.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and beginning each day with clarity and self-trust. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell explores the idea of relief as a powerful and often overlooked source of self-trust. Rather than chasing constant motivation or intensity, this daily morning reflection invites listeners to pay attention to moments of ease and calm as meaningful signals from the body.As part of a short daily ritual, this episode supports emotional wellness, intuitive decision-making, and a more compassionate approach to personal growth. Olivia reframes relief as information — not weakness — encouraging listeners to trust what helps them feel grounded, safe, and supported.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast designed to help listeners begin each morning with clarity, emotional steadiness, and self-connection. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

Some mornings you sit down to be productive—and instead you end up at the top of the stairs, Notes app open, heart racing, because someone on the internet just called divorce a “chaotic lifestyle” like it's a punchline. That's where this Friday wrap-up begins: with chocolate, a million deadlines, and Olivia Howell getting hijacked by the familiar feeling of having to say the truth out loud—not polished, not perfect, just honest.Olivia is joined by her sister/co-founder and co-host Genevieve “Jenny” Dreizen, whose love language is systems, forms, and quietly saving the business from administrative doom while Olivia lives in audio scripts and emotional urgency. Together, they zoom out and realize the same thing they keep realizing: divorce is not niche. It's not messy entertainment. It's a life transition that deserves dignity—and it's exactly why they built what they built. They celebrate the unexpected magic of Divorce 101, Olivia's Sesame Street-meets-Schoolhouse-Rock series that breaks divorce terms down like you're five… and they share the origin story of Divorce Guide Magazine, Jenny's “I'll just play with this layout for a second” project that became a full-blown national publication because, somehow, no one else had made space for this conversation.Then the episode shifts—deeper, quieter, truer. They talk about the undercurrent so many people can't name until it finally escalates: emotional abuse, contempt dressed up as jokes, the shame gap between “you're not leaving for that” and “why didn't you leave,” and the way our nervous systems keep receipts long after we've tried to logic our way out. It's a conversation about reclaiming your own reality, remembering you're allowed to go, and finding your way back to safety—plus a few bright, human details that make life feel possible again: a heavy $1.25 mug, a handmade duvet, and the reminder that you don't have to do any of this alone.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny offers a calming reframe for everyday discomfort. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to differentiate between genuine danger and normal emotional unease — especially in moments of boundary-setting or growth.This episode supports emotional regulation, self-trust, and healthier communication by reminding listeners that discomfort does not require immediate resolution. Jenny helps listeners build confidence in their ability to sit with uncertainty without rushing to self-abandonment.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and starting each morning with clarity and calm. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell invites listeners to begin the day with self-compassion by arriving in their lives without judgment. Rather than turning every feeling or moment into something to analyze or fix, this reflection encourages simple awareness and emotional gentleness.As part of a daily morning ritual, this episode supports mindfulness, emotional wellness, and a more compassionate inner dialogue. Olivia explores the difference between awareness and self-criticism, offering listeners permission to show up exactly as they are — without evaluation or pressure to perform.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast designed to help listeners start their mornings with clarity, calm, and self-trust. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores the difference between being easy and being kind. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to examine where people-pleasing may be costing them clarity, energy, or self-respect.This episode is designed for anyone who has learned to prioritize harmony over honesty. Jenny reframes kindness as something that includes the self — not something that requires self-erasure — and supports listeners in building healthier boundaries through clarity and compassion.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and starting each morning with intention and self-trust. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell offers compassionate reassurance for anyone who feels behind in life, especially at the start of a new year. Rather than pushing productivity or comparison, this short daily reflection invites listeners to release unrealistic timelines and honor the pace their real lives require.As part of a daily morning ritual, this episode supports emotional wellness, self-trust, and a more grounded approach to personal growth. Olivia reframes progress as something that includes rest, pauses, and unseen internal work — reminding listeners that moving slowly or differently does not mean failing.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on starting the day with clarity, compassion, and emotional steadiness. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny explores the idea that boundaries don't require justification. As part of a daily morning ritual, this reflection encourages listeners to practice saying no without over-explaining or feeling guilty for protecting their time and energy.Designed for anyone who struggles with people-pleasing or boundary-setting, this episode offers a compassionate reframe: a clear no can be both kind and respectful. Jenny supports listeners in building self-trust and emotional steadiness through simple, honest communication.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, boundaries, and starting each morning with clarity and confidence. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell offers a compassionate reminder that the start of a new year doesn't have to be rushed or overengineered. Instead of pushing for immediate productivity or clarity, this episode invites listeners to approach January as a softer landing — a time for rest, reflection, and honest self-check-ins.Designed as part of a daily morning ritual, this short episode supports anyone feeling overwhelmed by new-year expectations, emotional fatigue, or the pressure to “try harder” before they're ready. Olivia encourages listeners to release urgency, listen inward, and allow presence — not performance — to guide the beginning of the year.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, self-trust, and beginning each morning with compassion and clarity. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Jenny Dreizen explores what it means to take up space without guilt. With warmth and clarity, she reframes confidence, boundaries, and self-respect in a way that feels accessible and empowering.A short, aspirational morning reflection for anyone wanting to move through the day with more presence and ease.

Welcome to January! In this episode of Wake Up Fresh, Olivia Howell offers a compassionate reminder that the start of a new year doesn't have to be rushed or over-engineered. Instead of pushing for immediate productivity or clarity, this episode invites listeners to approach January as a softer landing — a time for rest, reflection, and honest self-check-ins.Designed as part of a daily morning ritual, this short episode supports anyone feeling overwhelmed by new-year expectations, emotional fatigue, or the pressure to “try harder” before they're ready. Olivia encourages listeners to release urgency, listen inward, and allow presence — not performance — to guide the beginning of the year.Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily motivational podcast focused on emotional wellness, self-trust, and beginning each morning with compassion and clarity. New episodes release daily throughout January, alternating between Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen.

Wake Up Fresh with Olivia & Jenny is a daily 3–5 minute motivational podcast designed to help you start your morning grounded, clear, and a little more connected to yourself.Hosted by sisters Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen, this 30-day series offers compassionate, practical reflections on boundaries, self-trust, emotional wellness, and modern life. Each episode is a gentle reset — part pep talk, part grounding moment, part reminder that you're allowed to take up space, change your mind, rest, and begin again.Rather than hustle culture or toxic positivity, Wake Up Fresh focuses on realistic encouragement for real life. Episodes include short reflections, calming guidance, simple action steps, and words you can carry with you throughout the day — perfect for busy mornings, quiet moments, or anytime you need a reset.This podcast is for anyone navigating change, personal growth, emotional overwhelm, or simply trying to feel a little more steady in their day-to-day life. You don't need to fix yourself. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need a few minutes to come back to yourself.

Some books feel like a warm light in a room you didn't realize you'd been sitting in the dark. The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard Conversations That Create Secure, Lasting Love is one of those books—because it names the thing so many of us do to keep the peace: we swallow the truth, we smooth the edges, we “handle it,” we don't rock the boat… and then we wake up one day with a body full of resentment and a life that doesn't feel like ours. In this Book Talk episode of A Fresh Story, Olivia sits down with Colette Jane Fehr—licensed psychotherapist, couples therapist, relationship expert, and first-time author—to talk about the heartbreak behind silence, and the brave, almost holy work of finding your voice again.Colette doesn't write from a pedestal. She writes from the trenches. She takes us back to the origin story: a childhood shaped by destructive conflict, a first marriage shaped by conflict avoidance, and a painful realization that “keeping things calm” can sometimes mean abandoning yourself one quiet moment at a time. In the episode, Colette opens up about the way women—especially the oldest daughters, the people-pleasers, the ones trained to be “good”—learn to disappear inside relationships. And she connects that lived truth to her years in the therapy room: the pattern is everywhere. Avoiding the problem becomes the problem. The book's message lands like a permission slip: you can be kind and still be clear. You can be regulated and still be honest. You can love someone and still refuse to lose yourself.What makes this conversation hit so deeply is that it's not just about romantic relationships—it's about every relationship where silence has been mistaken for safety: parenting, friendships, family systems, even caring for aging parents. Colette's concept of self-connected communication isn't about winning fights; it's about returning to yourself so you can speak from your real feelings and needs, without blame or performance. If you're starting over after divorce, scared to trust your own voice again, or simply tired of living in “fine,” this episode offers a path back to emotional intimacy—first with yourself, and then with the people who are meant to meet you there.

In this Book Talk episode of A Fresh Story, Olivia sits down with journalist and author Ej Dixon to ask a deceptively simple question: is there really such a thing as a “bad mother,” or have we built her, brick by brick, out of fear, patriarchy, and pop culture? From Brooklyn to the pages of New York Magazine's The Cut, Ej brings both sharp humor and deep curiosity to a role women are told they're born to play—and constantly told they're getting wrong.Ej's forthcoming book, One Bad Mother: In Praise of Psycho Housewives, Stage Parents, Momfluencers, and Other Women We Love to Hate, digs into the figure of the “bad mom” through history and pop culture. She traces how the idea of a “good mother” is actually a relatively recent invention—emerging alongside the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the parenting advice industry, and shifting cultural norms about childhood. Together, Olivia and Ej talk about everyone from Joan Crawford to MILFs, Dance Moms to trad wives, Kris Jenner to the polished, soft-lit momfluencers of Instagram. The result is a conversation that's part cultural history, part media study, and part group therapy for anyone who has ever felt crushed under the weight of “good mom” expectations.What emerges is not a parenting manual, but a fierce, funny, and deeply feminist critique of the stories we've been handed about motherhood. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered why the bar for mothers keeps rising while structural support disappears, why women who dare to deviate are so quickly labeled “selfish,” “unfit,” or “bad.” If you're navigating motherhood, thinking about becoming a parent, questioning cultural norms, or starting over in your own life, this conversation offers language, context, and relief. One Bad Mother was written to take some of that pressure off—to remind women that the “bad mother” might be less a monster and more a mirror, reflecting back the impossible standards we were never meant to carry alone.

In this episode of A Fresh Story: Simple Tips to Support Yourself, executive coach and licensed clinical therapist Laura Fink, offers clear, actionable guidance on how to navigate boundaries—especially during seasons of heightened stress like the holidays. With a background in high-performance coaching and clinical mental health, Laura brings an expert lens to why boundaries matter, how they evolve over time, and the role they play in emotional resilience, healthy communication, and overall family wellbeing. She breaks down the difference between protective boundaries that keep you grounded and rigid boundaries that unintentionally shut people out, helping listeners understand where and how to create space for themselves within complex family dynamics.Throughout the episode, Laura shares practical tools for reading your own internal signals—particularly the physical and emotional cues that surface when something feels off. She offers accessible strategies to help listeners distinguish between avoiding discomfort and responding to an authentic need for safety or calm. Her tips support anyone navigating tricky family dynamics, parenting pressures, or seasonal overwhelm, emphasizing discernment, flexibility, and staying aligned with personal values.Laura also provides empowering insight into when to soften boundaries, when to strengthen them, and how boundary fluidity supports healthier family systems—especially during high-pressure moments like the holidays. Listeners will learn how to make decisions rooted in self-trust, cultural context, and emotional clarity. Whether you're re-establishing boundaries with a parent, managing expectations with extended family, or simply trying to protect your peace, this conversation offers gentle, practical guidance for creating steadiness, connection, and confidence in your everyday life.

In this A Fresh Story: Simple Tips to Support Yourself episode, domestic abuse survivor, journalist, and divorce coach Amy Polacko, founder of Freedom Warrior, shares expert-backed guidance on how to quietly and safely plan an exit from a relationship. Drawing from her lived experience, professional coaching practice, and years of reporting on divorce and domestic abuse, Amy walks listeners through the early, often invisible stages of preparing to leave—especially when safety, finances, or emotional well-being are at stake.Listeners will learn practical divorce recovery tips focused on self-protection and preparation, including how to manage digital privacy, create separate communication channels, and gather financial documents before conflict escalates. Amy explains why quiet planning is not manipulative—it's strategic—and how early preparation can save time, money, and emotional harm later. This episode also addresses financial abuse awareness, documentation strategies, and why education is a critical form of emotional resilience during divorce.This conversation is especially valuable for those seeking single parenting advice, co-parenting strategies, or guidance on starting over after divorce while still living with a partner. Amy emphasizes maintaining peace, building a discreet support network, and empowering yourself through education—long before you say anything out loud. The episode offers calm, actionable support for anyone navigating uncertainty and planning their next chapter thoughtfully and safely.

You think you've made peace with your past—until the world decides to turn it into a headline. In this A Fresh Story: Book Talk conversation, Olivia sits down with author Melissa Petro, whose life was forever altered when the New York Post splashed her face across the front page, reducing her to a caricature of “dirty hooker teacher.” What the paper didn't capture was the human being behind the story: a young woman who once took a stripping job in Mexico to pay her bills, a recovering addict, a public school teacher, and eventually a stay-at-home mom trying to do her best in a world that seems determined to shame women no matter what they choose.Melissa's book, Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification, weaves her own memoir with the stories of more than 150 others, mostly women, to examine shame as the quiet force shaping our lives. She unpacks how shame shows up in big, dramatic moments—like public humiliation, sex work stigma, or career loss—and in the small, everyday ways we “mess up” as mothers, partners, or professionals. Melissa and Olivia talk about how shame keeps us small, makes us hide parts of ourselves, and convinces us that belonging is something we have to earn by being “good enough.” The book becomes both confession and mirror: a self-help guide wrapped in raw, unflinching storytelling.Throughout the episode, Melissa shares how she moved from secrecy and self-censorship to curiosity, honesty, and community. She explains how telling the truth about her past—and listening to the stories of others—helped her reclaim a narrative that once felt weaponized against her. For anyone who has ever felt judged, exposed, divorced, “too much,” “not enough,” or quietly ashamed of the life they've lived, Shame on You offers a path toward self-acceptance that doesn't require perfection. It's a book for people in the messy middle of a life transition who suspect that their shame isn't proof of their brokenness, but evidence of the impossible standards they've been living under—and who are finally ready to rewrite the story.

There are books that feel like confession and books that feel like prayer—and then there are books like Ring of Salt, which feel like stepping into someone's storm and finding, somehow, that the wind has shifted in your favor. From the first page, Betsy Cornwell brings listeners into a life carved by longing, survival, and the quiet bravery of beginning again. In this episode, Betsy joins us from the wild coast of Ireland, where she rebuilt her life as a single mother after an emotionally abusive marriage—one she entered with an open heart and left with a baby on her hip and a new truth taking shape inside her.Ring of Salt is her memoir of that unraveling and rebirth. Braided through her story are the landscapes that held her—green cliffs, ancient tides, a historic knitting factory that became her refuge—and the ghosts that tried to follow her from childhood trauma into adulthood. The book reads like a long, lyrical poem: part survival narrative, part love letter to Ireland, part reckoning with the ways emotional abuse distorts a woman's sense of self. It is a story of leaving, of coming home to one's own body, and of discovering that single motherhood, though terrifying, can also be expansive and sacred. Betsy writes with a steadiness that tells the truth without flinching, and a tenderness that reminds every survivor to inhale, to rest, to trust that life can love you again.What emerges from our conversation is a portrait of a woman who has turned pain into offering. Betsy talks about the fear of publishing her own wounds, the responsibility of writing for other survivors, and the hope she pours into the residency space she is building for single mothers in Ireland. Ring of Salt matters because it names what so many live but cannot articulate. It matters because it says: you are not imagining it, you are not weak, and you are not alone. And for anyone standing at the edge of a life transition—unsure, afraid, half-dreaming of something freer—this is the book you reach for in the middle of the night.

You don't realize how much you've been carrying until someone quietly names it: Why am I so tired? In this A Fresh Story: Book Talk episode, Olivia sits down with economist and author Dr. Corinne Low, whose book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women's Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours reads like a mirror held up to modern womanhood. Between the groceries arriving mid-interview, the crying babies on the book cover, and the dinner on fire, Corinne's world looks a lot like ours: a life built on ambition, love, and care—held together by one woman's invisible labor.Having It All weaves together fifteen years of rigorous research with Corinne's own story of becoming the primary breadwinner, default parent, and eventually a divorced single mom who chose to start over. She shows, with hard data, how gender roles have converged at work but stubbornly refused to shift at home; how men are still doing roughly the same amount of housework as they did in the 1970s, while mothers spend twice as much time with their kids as previous generations. Inside the numbers is a deeply human story: the slow realization that the “deal” she was living in was unsustainable, the terror of considering divorce, and the shock of discovering that, afterward, her life actually got easier—less cooking and cleaning, more sleep, more room to breathe.In this conversation, Olivia and Dr. Low talk about treating the household like an enterprise, your joy like a “utility function,” and your life as a story in which you are allowed to be the protagonist. They explore the grief of letting go of a marriage, the healing that comes from finally centering your own needs, and the quiet regeneration that happens when you stop contorting yourself to keep everyone else comfortable. Having It All was written for the woman in a life transition—the burned-out married single mom, the newly divorced mother, the high-achieving professional who can't shake the exhaustion—who needs someone to say: it's not you, it's the system. You are allowed to renegotiate the terms of your life. You are allowed a fresh start.BUY THE BOOK HERE!

In this episode of A Fresh Story: Simple Tips to Support Yourself, energy healer Jo-Anne Suriel shares her expert insights on the healing power of creativity during major life transitions. With extensive experience in Reiki, Akashic Records readings, and sound healing, Jo-Anne guides listeners through practical tools to support emotional resilience, nervous system regulation, and the process of starting over after divorce, burnout, or other life changes. Her approach integrates spirituality with grounded, accessible techniques designed to help listeners reconnect to themselves.Jo-Anne explains why creativity is not just an artistic pursuit, but a foundational part of personal healing and emotional balance. She offers simple, actionable strategies—like one-minute presence practices, breath awareness, and nervous system grounding—that support divorce recovery, co-parenting clarity, and the overwhelm of single parenting. Listeners learn how to rebuild inner stability, cultivate alignment, and reopen the door to inspiration when life feels flat, colorless, or uncertain.The episode also highlights Jo-Anne's transformative album, The Remembering, created as a form of spiritual medicine to help listeners reconnect with themselves through sound. She shares the intuitive process behind receiving songs, the power of vibration in healing, and how reconnecting with creativity can support emotional recovery and confidence during life transitions. Whether you're navigating divorce, rediscovering your purpose, or seeking tools for daily grounding, this episode delivers simple, expert-backed tips to help you move forward with clarity, ease, and self-trust.Learn more about Jo-Anne: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/energetic-well

There's a quiet power in learning how to sit with your own feelings—and in this episode of A Fresh Story, we dig into that transformative work. Executive coach and licensed clinical social worker Laura Fink joins Olivia Howell for a conversation that goes far beyond therapy buzzwords, revealing the real, raw, and sometimes messy truth of what it means to be emotionally agile in today's world. From the endless swirl of social media comparisons to the guilt we carry over emotions we “shouldn't” have, Laura reminds us that the question isn't whether we'll face struggles—it's who we'll be when they arrive.Laura opens the door to emotional agility as both a practice and a lifeline. She shares how we often fall into one of three unhelpful patterns—bottling, brooding, or splashing our feelings everywhere—and explains why none of them lead to real relief. Instead, she guides us toward awareness, naming what we feel, and learning how to move through emotions without judgment. With vulnerability and clarity, Laura makes it clear that our bodies, not our racing thoughts, hold the deepest truths we need to hear.For anyone navigating divorce, single motherhood, or simply the everyday chaos of modern life, this conversation is a balm. Laura's perspective offers not just hope, but tangible tools for slowing down, checking in, and choosing emotional honesty over repression or chaos. It's an episode about courage, resilience, and the radical practice of honoring your own humanity—even when the world tells you to “calm down.”

The first time money breaks something you love, it doesn't sound like coins; it sounds like silence. In this intimate Book Talk, we sit with Heather and Douglas Boneparth—partners in marriage, parenting, and work—who wrote Money Together because they lived the gap between what couples say about money and what they can't bear to say out loud. The episode opens where most advice books don't: inside the messy, human moments—doors closing, calendars clashing, one person carrying the weight of “contribution” without a paycheck to show for it.Heather, a recovering corporate attorney turned money writer, and Douglas, a financial advisor and resident finance meme-lord, built their book as a series of love stories about money. Through real couples' narratives and their own, they show how cultural scripts, childhood histories, and unequal caregiving shape what we spend, save, hide, or fear. The chapters on “Beginnings” and “Contributions” ask harder questions than “What's your budget?”—they ask who taught you what “providing” means, whose time gets valued, and what counts as care.Money Together matters because it replaces lectures with language, and shame with doable conversation starters. It's a book for anyone craving equity at home and intimacy that can survive a bank statement—an invitation to stop performing the relationship and start living it. If you're in a season of transition—new baby, job loss, divorce contemplation, or the slow realization that something has to change—this conversation offers a gentle push and practical prompts to open the door, sit down, and begin again.Learn more about Money Together and buy the book: https://domoneytogether.com/Subscribe to Heather and Doug's Substack: https://www.readthejointaccount.com/

What if the problem isn't that you want “too much,” but that the world keeps insisting you be just one thing? In this A Fresh Story: Book Talk, Amanda Goetz opens the door to the messy middle—those seasons when ambition and tenderness, rebuilding and exhaustion, motherhood and desire, all crowd the same room. She tells the truth about filing for divorce while leading marketing at The Knot, raising three kids under four, and learning to love a life that refused to fit a single lane.Her new book, Toxic Grit: How to Have it All and (actually) Love What You Have, is a practical guide for anyone trying to reconcile competing parts of themselves. Drawing on her years as a founder (House of Wise) and a marketer, Amanda offers “character theory,” a framework for re-meeting the cast inside you—the worker, the mother, the lover, the friend—and rewriting their scripts. Across three sections—Meet Your Characters, Honor the Imbalance, and Master the Multiverse—she gives language and tools for intentional seasons, “front-burner” focus, guilt-free check-ins, and spin cycles that help you redistribute energy when life shape-shifts without asking.Why does this matter now? Because life transitions—divorce, career pivots, becoming or unbecoming in motherhood—demand both grit and gentleness. Amanda's story is a permission slip: set an end date for your sprint, name what's on the front burner, and communicate the season to your supporting cast. This is a book you can work through with your therapist, your book club, or alone at the kitchen table—a restorative companion for anyone who needs a framework to feel whole again, not smaller. If you are lost, numb, or newly starting over, Toxic Grit offers a map and the courage to choose yourself.Toxic Grit: How to Have it All and (actually) Love What You Have by Amanda Goetz

Some books arrive in the world because their authors have always dreamed of writing them. Others are born from heartbreak, stitched together from the pieces of a life forever altered. Your NICU Story is the latter — a tender, practical, and deeply human guide born from Ravi and Mahaley Patel's experience of loving and losing their daughter, Saachi, after a birth injury and a NICU stay. What began as unimaginable grief became a mission: to help other parents navigate the uniquely disorienting, exhausting, and often traumatic world of the NICU — whether their child came home or not.Co-written with therapist Emily Souder, Your NICU Story is part journal, part reflection guide, part lifeline. Structured like a workbook, it gently walks readers through five stages of the NICU journey — from those first moments in the unit, to the long days and nights by an incubator, to the complexity of going home (with or without a baby). With prompts that invite honesty, space for partners' voices, and room to write or simply sit with memories, it offers both a tool for processing trauma and an anchor for those still feeling adrift. The book's structure is intentional — trauma fragments memory, and these pages help knit it back together.But Your NICU Story is more than a book; it's an act of generosity. In sharing their own heartbreak with vulnerability and even moments of hard-won humor, the Patels have given other families permission to speak their truths. For parents, grandparents, partners, and friends touched by the NICU, it's a reminder that healing is not linear, that small wins matter, and that love endures beyond every beeping monitor. Above all, it's proof that even in the wake of profound loss, there is still a way to create meaning, to connect, and to honor the smallest lives in the biggest way possible.Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience by Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel: https://amzn.to/41Fx5a6

When the world shut down, Anna Rollins opened a door she had kept locked for over a decade. A longtime teacher and private writer, Anna found herself postpartum, isolated during the pandemic, and struck by a single, urgent question: Would she go her whole life without telling the truth about what had shaped her? What followed was a furious commitment to finally write the book she'd always feared—and needed—to write. In this intimate episode, Olivia Howell sits down with Anna to discuss her forthcoming memoir, Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl, and the winding, courageous path to saying the unsayable.Anna's memoir dives deep into the tangled roots of evangelical purity culture and diet culture, unearthing the ways these ideologies collude to separate women from their own bodies, appetites, and desires. Structured in three acts—girlhood, marriage, and motherhood—the book blends personal narrative with reportage, including interviews with nearly 50 women who have lived under these same scripts. Anna shares how writing this story helped her reclaim her body, her voice, and her authority after years of self-erasure, and why she believes telling the truth about our most tender experiences is an act of rebellion and liberation.This conversation is not just for those who grew up in religious communities—it's for anyone who was ever taught to shrink themselves. With vulnerability and clarity, Anna reminds us that writing for yourself first is sacred, and that the courage to share your story doesn't have to arrive all at once—it can come quietly, in the margins of your life, and grow louder with time. Whether you're an aspiring memoirist, a woman untangling herself from cultural expectations, or simply someone in search of a fresh story, this episode offers hope, resonance, and a powerful invitation to reclaim the narrative.Buy Famished by Anna Rollins here: https://amzn.to/40E0aT3

It starts with a hot flash. That moment—unexpected, uninvited, and disorienting—becomes the spark that ignites Clementine Crane's quiet rebellion. In this moving and laugh-out-loud episode of A Fresh Story: Book Talk, Olivia sits down with novelist and writing teacher Kristin Bair to discuss her forthcoming novel Clementine Crane Prefers Not To, a fierce and funny feminist tale of a woman who wakes up, drenched in sweat, and realizes she's been sleepwalking through a life of over-functioning, over-giving, and never asking herself what she wants. What follows is Clementine's unraveling—and remaking—of her life, one “I prefer not to” at a time.Kristin brings her sharp wit and deeply lived insight to a conversation about writing, rage, midlife, and the radical awakening that can occur in the most mundane moments of motherhood. Inspired by both her own perimenopausal experience and the literary ghosts of Melville and Ibsen, Clementine Crane Prefers Not To is part love letter to women who are done saying yes to everything—and part battle cry for those still trying to find the language for their no. Clementine is a mother, a wife, a library worker, and a woman who has spent decades appeasing the world around her. But in the quiet heat of hormonal upheaval, something cracks open, and she begins to reclaim the person she's long buried beneath obligation.For anyone moving through a major life transition—whether it's divorce, menopause, career change, or simply waking up to the ache of self-neglect—this novel is an anthem of autonomy. Kristin shares her writing journey with warmth and vulnerability, reminding us that transformation rarely looks glamorous, but it often begins with the smallest refusal. Clementine's story is not just fiction—it's a mirror, a permission slip, and a hopeful blueprint for choosing yourself, over and over again.Buy Clementine Crane Prefers Not To by Kristin Bair: https://amzn.to/3INQ6kg

When Laura Danger first began writing No More Mediocre, it wasn't just a book—it was a lifeline. Born from her own marriage, her classroom experiences, and thousands of digital conversations, Laura set out to unpack one of the most overlooked truths of modern life: domestic labor isn't just a set of chores—it's the foundation of intimacy, equity, and well-being in every relationship. In this powerful episode of A Fresh Story, Olivia Howell sits down with the educator, advocate, and viral voice behind That Darn Chat to explore how Laura's book invites us to stop settling for crumbs—at home, in partnership, and in life.Together, Olivia and Laura unravel the invisible weight so many people carry—the dishes in the sink, the towels folded “wrong,” the long nights alone with the baby while the other parent sleeps soundly. But this conversation goes far beyond rants about chores. With clarity and compassion, Laura explains how sitcom tropes, cultural narratives, and deep-rooted biases have shaped our expectations of care work. And with real, vulnerable stories—including the evolution of her own marriage—she shows us that we're not broken, we've just been handed a broken system.This episode isn't a takedown—it's a wake-up call, a warm hand on your back, and a rally cry for anyone who's ever thought, “Is this all there is?” With practical tools, a high-impact task workbook, and a deep belief in the power of community care, Laura's book—and this conversation—offer more than hope. They offer a new way forward. If you've ever wondered what your life could feel like with real equity, real support, and real partnership…this is the story you need to hear.Pre-order the book: https://www.lauradanger.com/no-more-mediocre

The moment Tiffany Graham Charkosky received the phone call that changed everything, she wasn't a child anymore—but suddenly, her childhood grief came rushing back. In this poignant episode of A Fresh Story, Tiffany sits down with Olivia Howell to share the emotional landscape behind her debut memoir, Living Proof: How Love Defied Genetic Legacy. What began as an unanswered ache—the loss of her mother to colon cancer at age 11—became a search for meaning, identity, and a way forward through the lens of genetic testing. Tiffany's story is not just about DNA; it's about motherhood, memory, and making peace with a future you didn't ask for.As she recounts her journey through grief, motherhood, and writing, Tiffany offers listeners a deeply honest glimpse into what it means to live with inherited trauma—and choose love anyway. With Olivia, she explores how writing can serve as both mirror and medicine, and why some stories take a decade to write. The episode moves through the harrowing reality of testing positive for a genetic mutation, the fierce desire to protect her children from the loss she experienced, and the quiet, persistent act of becoming the parent she never had.This conversation isn't a how-to. It's a heart-to-heart. It's for anyone who has lost a parent too soon, who has faced the weight of legacy, or who is trying to mother without a map. Tiffany's words offer no perfect answers—but they are steady hands reaching out across time and loss. Whether you're a writer, a daughter, a parent, or someone who has simply loved and lost, this story will stay with you.Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/4eYGyPv

It started with a softball game and a dream to become fathers. In this heart-opening episode of A Fresh Story, we sit down with Danny Auld and David Fullner, a couple whose love story spans over two decades—and whose journey into parenthood required courage, creativity, and a cross-country dash to a Honolulu delivery room. What began with a lighthearted “Would you be our surrogate?” turned into a lifelong bond with Auntie Dian, the woman who carried their son Paul into the world eight weeks early and gifted them a family.But this story isn't just about how Paul came to be—it's about what came after: a multi-generational household filled with love, a Kickstarter dream turned national brand, and a baby food company that's as much about flavor and cultural inclusion as it is about nutrition. Kekoa Foods was born from their kitchen and their deep desire to raise an adventurous eater—and the result is a product line now gracing shelves at Sprouts, Wegmans, and Amazon.Danny and David open up about what it really means to build a life together—from marriage under a tree at a Connecticut rest stop, to NICU night shifts, to launching a business during the pandemic. Their story is one of radical love, intentional parenting, and the everyday magic of showing up for your dreams (and your people). This episode is for anyone who's ever asked themselves: “Can I really do this?” Because the answer, as Danny and David prove, is yes. And you just might find your family—and your future—in the most unexpected of places.Snag some Kekoa for 25% off at THIS LINK with code FS25! And check out our review of Kekoa foods HERE.

Some weeks are about productivity. Others are about survival. And then there are the ones like this—where the beauty lies in the whimsy, the detours, and the quiet wisdom that sneaks in while you're painting miniature wallpaper or waiting for a thunderstorm to pass. In this heartwarming episode of Weekly Wrap-Up, Olivia and Genevieve are joined by a very special guest: Weston, Olivia's oldest son, who brings both sparkle and soul to the mic for his podcast debut.The trio dives into the unexpected joys of potion-making, haircuts that feel like declarations of self-worth, and the sacred silliness of summer break. From shopping trips and shadow boxes to missed summer camp days and viral Instagram roundups, the episode offers a tender, funny, and deeply relatable portrait of what it means to live creatively and intentionally—even when the week doesn't go as planned. And in between the laughter and tangents, there's powerful reflection on rest, love after divorce, and learning to find joy in small, magical corners of life.As always, the conversation closes with “weekly wisdoms”—this time from all three voices. Weston reminds us that rest is doing something. Genevieve reflects on the power of whimsy in serious times. And Olivia offers a quiet but stirring reminder that single moms can still believe in love stories. It's an episode full of honesty, heart, and hope—and one you'll want to revisit the next time you need permission to pause.

When Lori Lyons became a stepmom, she knew exactly what she didn't want: the tension, jealousy, and divided loyalty she had grown up with as a child of divorce. Instead, she envisioned something radical for the time—a family that included everyone, even her husband's ex-wife. In this heart-opening episode of A Fresh Story, Lori invites us into her Louisiana home and into a decades-long story of blended family done beautifully right. A Hall of Fame sports writer, adoptive mom, caretaker, and storyteller, Lori's life is a patchwork of intentional relationships, deep empathy, and the kind of resilience you can only earn the hard way.From taking off her engagement ring before a pickup at her now-stepkids' house to asking her husband's ex-wife to be her adopted daughter's godmother, Lori's story is a masterclass in humility, generosity, and healing generational hurt. She shares the tender details—how Cheryl became “Nanny,” how they tag-team holidays and emergencies, and how they grieved, celebrated, and raised children together as a team. Her voice is strong and steady, grounded in years of lived wisdom, but it's the softness underneath—the mother who wanted her daughter to feel included, the woman who chose peace over pride—that stays with you.This is more than a story about co-parenting—it's a story about what becomes possible when we abandon old rules about exes, stepfamilies, and women's roles, and build new families from the heart. Lori reminds us that the people who show up for us—who wash dishes in our kitchens after the Christmas parade, who split the mother-of-the-groom dance without blinking—those are our people. This episode will make you cry, laugh, and maybe even believe that a peaceful, joyful blended family isn't just possible—it's worth fighting for.

Some weeks, it all bubbles over—and this was one of them. In this emotional, unfiltered, and deeply personal episode of The Weekly Wrap-Up, sisters Olivia Howell and Genevieve Dreizen unpack a week full of professional friction, single mom milestones, and the aching beauty of watching your child graduate when life hasn't gone to plan. Olivia shares the vulnerable experience of sitting solo at her son's graduation—reflecting on how far they've come since the early, uncertain days of her divorce—and the overwhelming gratitude she feels for the teachers and support systems that helped carry them through.But it's not all tears and tissues. The sisters pull no punches in their fiery takedown of gatekeeping in the divorce coaching industry, challenging misinformation and defending the importance of kindness in professional spaces. Their candid discussion—sparked by a particularly condescending Facebook exchange—evolves into a powerful meditation on regulation, integrity, and the unseen labor of women who dare to claim space. And somehow, through it all, there's room for fireflies, Marco Polo shoutouts, and a whole lot of laughter.This episode is a testament to the magic of staying soft while standing your ground. Whether you're parenting solo, rebuilding your life, or just trying to make it through another exhausting June, you'll find yourself nodding along—and probably crying too. This one's for the moms with tear-streaked cheeks, overfilled hearts, and unmatched strength.

Some weeks feel like a blur of soft moments and wild schedules, where the biggest revelations are found not in headlines, but in quiet yards, tiny donuts, and the hum of treadmills. In this week's wrap-up, Olivia and Genevieve invite listeners into their real lives—the ones with deer sleeping in the backyard, pool memberships, belt tests, donut day detours, and dreams of Muppet parades. It's a gentle episode full of small delights, missed routines, and the ongoing dance between burnout and creativity.Genevieve shares her renewed love of swimming and her evolving reflections on little treat theory—a life philosophy that reframes happiness as a practice of cultivating tiny moments of joy, not chasing big milestones. Olivia opens up about dealing with physical discomfort, missing her workouts, and the bittersweet magic of seeing a deer and her fawn appear every morning. There's laughter, sibling banter, and a reminder that healing, creativity, and exhaustion can all coexist.The sisters also talk about their newest project, a podcast called Actually I Don't, which will explore the world of broken engagements and canceled weddings, and Olivia shares her excitement about becoming a certified divorce coach and opening up free consultation sessions again. From spontaneous wisdom about contentment to donut box design critiques, this episode is a love letter to the beauty of the ordinary—and a warm invitation to honor your own moments of transition.

Scott Christian Sava didn't plan to write a book or become a YouTube mentor to millions. He just wanted to draw Spider-Man. But as his creative journey unfolded—from comic books and video games to filmmaking and community-building—Scott discovered something bigger than himself: the call to teach, to connect, and to remind others that art is a deeply human experience. In this heartfelt episode of A Fresh Story, Scott shares the long road to becoming the artist—and person—he was always meant to be.At the center of our conversation is Scott's new book, Becoming an Artist: How to Make Art Like a Human by Embracing Failure, Discovering Your Creative Voice, & Finding Joy in the Process. It's part memoir, part creative manifesto, and part love letter to anyone who's ever made something just because it felt good. We talk about the myth of “cheating” in art, the loneliness of creative life, and how perfectionism can block joy. Scott reminds us that making art is not about being the best—it's about being real.Whether you're a lifelong artist or someone who's been too scared to pick up a pencil, this episode is for you. Scott's honesty, humility, and humor breathe life into every lesson, and his story is a reminder that creativity isn't just a skill—it's a legacy. If you've ever felt like giving up, Becoming an Artist just might be your permission slip to begin again.Grab the book here: https://amzn.to/3Hq3oTf

Olivia had a secret—and not the bad kind. This week on A Fresh Story, she shares a joyful surprise: after quietly enrolling in and completing a certification, she's now a certified divorce coach. For someone who's spent years writing about divorce, supporting others through it, and building an entire support ecosystem, it wasn't about adding another title. It was about taking responsibility for her words and the people who read them. What started as a quiet spark during meditation became a proud milestone, made even sweeter by the sisterly reveal.Meanwhile, Genevieve battles a broken washing machine in a rental that seems to fight back at every turn, shedding light on the invisible emotional labor of tenants everywhere. Her story isn't just about appliances or landlords—it's about boundaries, burnout, and the frustrating gray area between dependence and control. But even amid chaos, she finds joy in small rituals: a new bathing suit, the return of lap swimming, the soft power of reclaiming personal style.This week's episode is a celebration of progress—messy, nonlinear, but beautiful. Olivia and Genevieve share music, routines, and reflections on the sacred act of feeling good in your skin. With honest laughter, a few “I told you so”s, and a new podcast award under their belt, the sisters remind us that wisdom lives in the little things—and that you're never too busy (or too tired) to grow.

Chloe Sexton didn't plan on becoming a mom—or a business owner shipping massive cookies across the country. But life has a way of rewriting the script. When Chloe's mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and later became pregnant, Chloe stepped up to help raise her baby sister, Charlotte. Years later, that unexpected bond transformed into guardianship. And just as Chloe was navigating pregnancy, job loss, and grief, she found herself baking cookies in her Memphis kitchen—cookies that would soon go viral.What started as a hobby turned lifeline, Chloe's love for Martha Stewart-level baking evolved into a full-fledged company: Chloe's Giant Cookies, a now-booming bakery known for its decadent, oversized treats. With the support of her husband and family, Chloe grew her business into something extraordinary—all while documenting her grief, parenting, and advocacy on TikTok. From mixing dough to managing loss, Chloe shares how authenticity became her superpower.This episode of A Fresh Story is a heart-wrenching and heartwarming look at what happens when you grieve out loud, raise a family that wasn't part of the plan, and build a business that nourishes not just others—but your own healing. Chloe reminds us that family is what you make it, and sometimes the best fresh starts come with a side of cookies.

There's a certain kind of magic that happens when sisters talk—not about the big milestones, but about the quiet moments in between. In this emotional and deeply honest episode of A Fresh Story's Weekly Wrap-Up, Olivia and Jenny invite listeners into one of those rare, intimate conversations where laughter and longing intertwine. What begins as playful banter about Dunkin' Donuts and “noise violations” unfolds into a soulful reflection on energy, sisterhood, and the ways we see (and 'missee') each other.As they peel back the layers of their relationship, Olivia reveals how Jenny's powerful presence has shaped her world since childhood—and how, even now, their energies remain entangled across oceans. They speak candidly about the emotional weight of distance, the burnout that comes from loving too deeply, and the surprising tenderness of growing apart to grow stronger. And as they swap love songs and childhood memories, we're reminded how music becomes the language for what we often can't say out loud.But this isn't just a personal episode—it's also a celebration. Olivia and Jenny share the behind-the-scenes story of their newest creation: the Divorce Guide Series, a rainbow of supportive books designed to be accessible, nonjudgmental, and profoundly helpful. Their commitment to offering these guides for free, no strings attached, underscores what A Fresh Story is all about—making space for healing, humor, and the power of starting over.

In this episode of A Fresh Story, we sit down with Leslie Gray Streeter—journalist, memoirist, and now debut novelist—to unpack the heartbreak, humor, and honesty woven into her new book, Family and Other Calamities. With wit and grace, Leslie shares how she turned personal loss and professional scandal into fiction that cuts close to the bone.We follow Leslie's journey from writing about her own grief in her memoir to crafting a protagonist—Dawn Roberts—who's just as complex, scarred, and compelling. Dawn returns to Baltimore with her late husband's ashes, only to be confronted by the ghosts of betrayal, ambition, and love. Leslie takes us behind the scenes of building this character, revealing how fiction gave her the freedom to explore emotional truths that nonfiction sometimes can't contain.This conversation is about more than a book—it's about reinvention, aging with power, and the radical act of writing women in their 40s and 50s as vibrant, sexy, and deeply human. Leslie talks pop culture, storytelling as self-discovery, and why reclaiming your narrative isn't just cathartic—it's necessary. If you've ever wondered how to turn your calamities into a comeback, this episode is your permission slip.BUY Family & Other Calamities: https://amzn.to/43oN7FA

In this episode of Weekly Wrap-Up, hosts Olivia Howell and Jenny Dreizen of Fresh Starts Registry share an engaging and heartfelt reflection on the week's events. They kick things off with the exciting news that their podcasts have been named semifinalists in the Quill Podcast Awards, highlighting their deep commitment to creating impactful and community-focused conversations. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and passion they pour into their work, sparking a meaningful discussion about the journey of building a brand that prioritizes education and support during life's most challenging transitions.The sisters also introduce a brand-new resource for divorce support—a comprehensive guide with 250+ essential questions to ask divorce professionals, available completely free of charge. Their belief that education during crisis moments should not be monetized underscores their mission to make divorce support accessible and stigma-free. Throughout the episode, they share personal stories, reflections on work-life balance, and the joy of small comforts like warm socks and having ice at home—moments that ground and uplift them during the chaos of life changes.The episode concludes with light-hearted banter, reflections on social media etiquette during divorce, and a reminder of the importance of curiosity in understanding oneself and navigating relationships.Key Takeaways:

Emily Westerfield's journey into surrogacy began not with a grand plan, but with a simple, profound desire to help others. After experiencing her own ups and downs with pregnancy, Emily found herself drawn to the idea of carrying a child for another family—a selfless act of compassion and strength. Her story unfolds with heart and honesty as she shares the transformative experience of being a surrogate, navigating the emotional landscapes of pregnancy and loss, and ultimately finding her calling in helping others build their families. With each step, Emily learned more about the intricate process of surrogacy, from the deep bonds formed to the legal and logistical challenges that come with carrying someone else's dream.But Emily's journey didn't stop at surrogacy. Inspired by her experiences, she transitioned from surrogate to entrepreneur, founding her own surrogacy agency. In her conversation with us, Emily opens up about the crucial importance of psychological readiness, the often-overlooked emotional toll of surrogacy, and the need for a solid support system. She shares intimate moments of connection with intended parents—moments of joy, relief, and sometimes heartbreak. Her story is not just one of motherhood but of creating possibilities for families who had almost given up hope.Throughout the episode, Emily dispels myths about surrogacy, addresses the stigmas attached, and reveals the rigorous screening process that ensures both surrogates and intended parents are fully prepared for the journey ahead. She emphasizes that while the logistics of surrogacy are complex and the legal framework can be daunting, the outcome—a new life and a complete family—is always worth it. Emily's candid insights and heartfelt reflections remind us that surrogacy isn't just about carrying a baby; it's about carrying someone else's hope.