Embraced Podcast

I am so excited about today’s guest! Lauren Kleban is the creator of LEKfit, a dance-inspired fitness and sculpting method designed to create long and lean muscles. Lauren started LEKFIT out of her garage-turned-fitness studio, and recently launched LEKfit On Demand, which allows you to stream full-body workouts every Wednesday straight from her LA studio. As a mom of two littles, LEKfit workouts have been lifesavers for me. If I can start my day with a LEKfit home workout, I know that I will be the best version of myself for the rest of the day. I am so inspired by Lauren and I knew I wanted to have her on the show because not only is she a badass entrepreneur and mama of two toddlers, but she also has such a positive, down-to-earth energy and is constantly bending over backwards to connect with and empower the women (and some men) that come to her classes and subscribe to LEKfit On Demand. On today’s episode we discuss: Lauren’s background in dance and how she shifted from dance into the fitness world; How she came up with idea of LEKfit and the process of building it into the successful business it is today; what she believes contributed to the success of her company, and what distinguishes it from other dance-inspired fitness programs out there; Finding balance as a mother and entrepreneur; what it’s like working with her husband (he is the CFO of the their company) and how they keep their marriage healthy and happy; How she is helping women during and after pregnancy and her frustration with the care women currently receive after they have given birth (specifically we talk a lot about diastase recti); her own self-care routine that helps her stay sane; how she deals with misunderstanding and criticism. I absolutely adore Lauren and LEKfit and I can’t wait for you to listen to this episode (and to try LEKfit)!

I have been following today's guest on Instagram for quite some time now and I love everything she is doing with her company! Eileen Rosete is the founder of Our Sacred Women, which she started after working with female trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and MFT in training. Our Sacred Women is a company whose mission is to restore women to a place of reverence through specialty gifts that help women feel seen, valued, and honored. Our Sacred Women is best know for its ‘Women are Sacred” t-shirts and muscle tees, and I have been seeing inspiring and powerful women rocking this shirt ALL over Instagram. Eileen is also a new mama and uses her platform to be vulnerable and openly share her struggle to balance work and motherhood. Today we talk about: Eileen's story and how she came up with the idea for Our Sacred Women; Her background as a Marriage and Family Therapist and Yoga teacher working with survivors of trauma; Growing her company slowly as she navigated pregnancy and motherhood; The struggles she has encountered trying to balance work and being a mother; What it is like trying to get back into the workforce after taking a year to raise her child; Her passion to help women feel seen and celebrated when often we are overlooked; Building confidence and learning to love yourself. Eileen has the magical ability to exude calm and peacefulness while simultaneously radiating power and confidence, and I know you will all love her as much as I do. I hope you enjoy today's episode!

Today's guest is someone I have been dying to have on the podcast because I knew that you all would feel so empowered by all of the knowledge that this woman has to share! Nicole Jardim is a Certified Women's Hormonal Health Coach and creator of Fix Your Period, a series of programs that empower women to reclaim their hormonal health. Rather than just treating symptoms, Nicole treats women by addressing the root cause of what's really going on in their bodies. Nicole is passionate about empowering women to take charge of their health and their happiness! Today we talk about: Nicole's personal struggle with her period and hormone imbalance, which inspired her to pursue becoming a health coach; What women across the lifespan should know for optimal hormone health; Suggestions for women using assisted fertility including taking clomid or ovulation trigger shots and the impact this has on hormones; Hormone imbalance involving estrogen and thyroid disease, and her approach to treating this problem holistically; How caffeine and sugar affect our hormonal health; Which exercises we should be doing for hormonal health and how it should vary at different times in our cycle. I could have talked to Nicole for another three hours, so we agreed to do a follow up episode to expand on today's discussion. Get a pen and paper and take notes because there is so much good information in this episode! Enjoy!

Meera Lee Patel is an author and self-taught artist whose books focus on different themes of self-exploration, such as creativity, mindfulness, self-motivation and and fear. Her work has been praised by Oprah.com, Teen Vogue, and FLOW Magazine. I found her book Start Where You Are about a year ago and fell in love with her words and beautiful illustrations. This incredible journal/book was full of beautiful artwork and thought-provoking prompts to help the reader work through roadblocks to personal growth and success. Her latest book My Friend Fear addresses how having big fear is an opportunity to make big changes and to discover our true potential. On today’s episode we talk about: -How she got into artwork and writing -Transitioning from artwork/writing as her side-hustle to her full-time job-Emotionally adjusting to leaving her steady, full-time job-Writing her first book Start Where You Are-Her decision to face her fear of traveling alone-Writing her second book, My Friend Fear-The origin of fear-Our reaction to fear and how we can let it conquer us or we can work with it as a compass guiding us toward what is truly important-Her personal fears and how she is constantly working through them-The new book she is writing and how the approaches the creative process If you struggle with fear and anxiety this is definitely the episode for you! Meera is so authentic in discussion of and approach to anxiety/fear. I can’t wait for you to be inspired by this incredible woman. Enjoy!   xo 

Nitika's first line in the 'About' section of her blog reads: "I can be described many ways depending on the day. But, put simply, I’m a woman on a mission to inspire radical self-love." This term can seem cliche in the wellness world, but Nitika talks about self-love from a deep place of knowing. Nitika was only able to arrive at self-love after spending 26 years of battling chronic pain from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as the insecurity, confusion and depression that accompanied it. Now Nitika uses her experience to help others shift their perspective, feel their difficult emotions, offer themselves genuine care and love, and live a beautiful life of purpose. In this episode, Nitika talks about receiving a diagnosis of psoriases at 10 and how this shaped her view of herself and her experiences in the world. She talks about learning ways to offer herself love during some of the darkest times of her life, how she copes with painful emotions, and learning that while she couldn’t control her circumstances, she had a choice of what she could focus on and how she showed up in her life. Nitika is the epitome of resilience and her love for life is infectious. Tune in to hear this inspiring woman's story!

  I am so excited about today’s guest because she is one of the inspirations for the creation of Embraced Podcast. Danika Brysha is a curve model with IMG Models, CEO of Model Meals (a healthy, Whole 30/Paleo-approved meal delivery business), and a self-care and wellness expert. Danika describes herself as a recovered bulimic, binge-eater, and food/sugar-addict, and has a deep passion for helping people who struggle with food and body issues. Danika’s ultimate goal is to help others reach their highest level of happiness through self-care, self-love, and daily affirmations. Today we talk about: How her body image issues started; Trying every diet out there in the hopes of losing weight and becoming a model; Her struggle with food addiction and disordered eating; Finally stopping the endless diets and letting herself settle in at her natural size; Getting approached by an agent to do plus-sized modeling; Discovering the Whole30 and how it completely changed her relationship with food and with her body; Cultivating mindful awareness around our relationship with food, and why we reach for food when we aren’t hungry; Learning to feel her feelings instead of numbing through food; Starting Model Meals out of desire to help others feel their best and heal their relationship with food; Her desire to help women live their fullest possible lives through food freedom; Shifting the media we consume to include images that make us feel empowered and proud of our bodies versus ashamed and self-loathing; The importance of self-affirmations and morning routines; Self-care as necessary to give your fullest self to those you love; Creating a loving and respectful relationship with your partner that goes beyond physical appearance; Creating community and promoting self-love through her Brunch Series events; How to protect yourself from burnout. Danika drops SO much wisdom in this episode and I’m so excited for you to hear this beautiful woman’s story! Enjoy! xo

Antonella Zabaglio is a yoga instructor, performer, and mother of two. I came across a short documentary she did with CodyApp, where she tells her story about her journey from getting implants as a young mother, to getting them removed after years of feeling insecure and uncomfortable in her own body. I asked Antonella to tell her story on Embraced Podcast because it is so important for women to hear what can happen for some women when using plastic surgery as a way to seek external sources of validation to increase self-worth. On today's episode we talk about: Being a young mother in an unhealthy and unsupportive relationship; Feeling insecure about her body after having her first child; Being encouraged to get breast implants when she only wanted a breast lift, and not trusting her inner voice; How she immediately felt different after the surgery; Increased feelings of insecurity after getting implants; How she finally came to the realization that in order to feel authentically herself, she needed her implants removed; Realizing something was wrong after her explant surgery; Not trusting her inner voice when she was reassured by her doctor that everything was 'fine'; Finding her voice, speaking her truth, and finally getting the help she needed; The multiple surgeries she underwent to correct the botched explant surgery, and how she learned to love her "imperfect" breasts; Embracing and loving herself with all of her imperfections. Antonella is so vulnerable and brave in this interview and her story needs to be heard! I hope you enjoy the episode!

Today’s guest is my hero. I met Zabie when I was working at UCLA where she serves as the director of Trauma Informed Yoga programs in Campus Assault Resource and Education (CARE). Zabie has devoted her life to help empower survivors of sexual assault to regain their strength and self-worth. She is the Founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga, an organization with the mission of empowering survivors to heal through the practice of yoga. Her organization offers group and private trauma-informed yoga classes for survivors, trauma-informed yoga trainings, consultation for colleges and agencies interested in implementing yoga therapy programs, survivor yoga retreats, and mentoring for yoga instructors. Today we talk about: Her sexual trauma in college, and how it manifested in her body and in her relationship to her body; How her sexual trauma lead her to yoga; How yoga helped her heal from sexual trauma; Creating a program specifically for survivors of sexual trauma focusing on themes such as healthy boundaries, assertiveness, inner-strength, and trust; The power of incorporating art and music into her program; Having a miscarriage with her first son at 6 months in her pregnancy; Coping with grief and re-traumatization after her miscarriage; Healing through getting pregnant again and giving birth to a healthy, happy baby; Adjusting to motherhood; Trying to balance motherhood and her career; Her thoughts on the #metoo movement and her advice for women being triggered by hearing women’s stories of sexual trauma. Zabie epitomizes what inspired me to make Embraced Podcast and I can't wait for you to hear this episode!

"Holy shit!" is all that was going through my mind over and over as I was sweating (and shaking) my way through Aubre's class. I wanted to hate her, but Aubre was impossible to hate: she was supportive AND challenging, positive and bubbly WITH a side of sarcastic humor, and inspirational WHILE down-to-earth. Aubre, a fitness instructor and lifestyle blogger with a keen eye for fashion, has had a rollercoaster of a few years. She came to LA to be a dancer, left the dance world to pursue being a fitness instructor, decided to dip her toes in the world of fashion, and then realized her heart and soul needed to be teaching fitness and blogging full-time. Over the course of that period time she left an abusive relationship, got rid of toxic friendships in her life, gained true confidence in herself, and decided to help other women do the same. Today we talked about: - Growing up in Kansas - The shock of going to college in a big city - The abusive relationship that completely depleted her sense of self-worth and lead to depression - Moving to LA and trying to make it in the dance world - The comparison game and how it increased insecurities - How she got involved in teaching fitness, and how leaving her job as a fitness instructor made her realize that it was her life passion - The strict corporate job and the brutally honest conversation with a friend that pushed her to take a leap of faith and do fitness and blogging full time - Meeting her boyfriend and learning what it was like to be truly loved, valued, and respected - What it is about teaching fitness that gives her a "high" and brings her pure joy Aubre's story is real and inspiring. Her struggles are something that I think most women can relate to, and the way she has navigated her struggles and life challenges is truly inspirational. I hope you enjoy the episode and if you're in the LA area, track Aubre down and get her to kick your ass like she did mine! xo

Today's guest is my beautiful friend, Jessica Keenan-Wynn. Jessica comes from a long line of actors, and a few years back she took a huge leap of faith and moved to NYC to pursue her dream of acting on Broadway. Leaving her life here was really scary, but it was the best decision she ever made. Jessica ended up landing the lead role of Heather Chandler in Heathers: The Musical, and is now playing Cynthia Weil in Beautiful on Broadway. Recently, she stepped away from Beautiful for a few months to shoot Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (the upcoming sequel to the blockbuster film Mamma Mia!). This girl is seriously on FIRE. Today we talk about: - The end of a relationship that pushed her to finally move to New York to fully pursue a career in acting - Facing the fear of your true potential - How she coped with loneliness and isolation during her first few months in the dead of winter in NYC - Going out for auditions, and finally landing the roles of her dreams - Battling self-judgment and self-criticism after sustaining a vocal injury, and what she learned from the experience - Her first experience working on a big movie - How facing her fear of traveling alone has helped her grow psychologically and spiritually Not only is Jessica a phenomenal actress and singer (I weeped uncontrollably the first time I saw her perform in a show called For The Record in Los Angeles), but she has the BIGGEST heart and is the funniest person I think I’ve ever met in my life. I can't wait for you to laugh, cry, and be inspired by this beautiful soul. xo

Have you ever gone through something you never thought you would be able to come out of? Have you ever chosen a path in life and then realized you had been going in the wrong direction? If so, this episode is for you. I met Pernilla in our doctoral program at Pepperdine and loved her immediately. She is the kind of girl you know you want to be friends with right away: salt-of-the-earth, warm, open, and kind. Today Pernilla talks going through the motions of what she thought she was supposed to do with her life, and coming to the realization that she had gotten off course. Here are some highlights from the episode: - Taking the traditional path: graduate school and marriage to the "perfect" guy - Knowing she was on the wrong path but staying on it due to shame and guilt - The moment she knew she needed out of her marriage - Hitting rock bottom after her divorce and sustaining a spinal injury from horseback riding - How she worked on rebuilding herself - Tapping into spirituality through different modalities of healing - Reaching a higher vibration - Starting EquiPsy Performance by combining her love of horses and her background in psychology Pernilla's story is heartbreaking and beautiful. She is so open and honest about how life broke her open and about putting the pieces back together. She also shares the message that trauma can lead to thriving and positive emotion, something people rarely talk about. I can't wait for you to hear this episode! Enjoy!

Casie Goshow (aka B-Girl 'Tynee') is an anomaly. At first glimpse she is a pretty, tiny (or I guess I should say Tynee), sweet-as-pie, bubbly girl. But I dare you to look her up on Youtube. Casie will full on take your breath away with the power with which she dances. She hits every move so hard and is fully committed in every moment. Not only is Casey a sweetheart and kick-ass hip-hop/breakdancer and choreographer, but she is also a dedicated teacher both locally and nationwide, traveling frequently to teach at dance conventions. Oh, and I can't forget to add entrepreneur to her title. Casie owns her own clothing line, Goshow Yourself, which she created in response to the bullying occurring around the country. Casie wanted a clothing line that would inspire people of all different backgrounds to have the courage and confidence to be themselves. Today we talk about: -Her background in gymnastics -The injury that ended her career as a gymnast -How she found break dancing -Her experience as a Las Vegas Finalist on the FOX TV show “So You Think You Can Dance?" -Her path to making a career of dance -Meeting and falling in love with her, now, wife -Coming out to her family -How she is helping inspire young dancers with her clothing line, GoShow Yourself This was SUCH a fun interview to do. Casie is so incredibly down to earth and authentic and her story is so inspiring. After you listen to this interview, go check her out on youtube. This girl can DANCE!!! I hope you enjoy the episode! Leave me comments on the Embraced Podcast Facebook page or through Instagram and let me know how you liked it! xo

To me, finding a yoga teacher I like is similar to dating. I RARELY find a yoga teacher I am completely into, so when I found Patti Quintero I felt like I had hit the jackpot. Patti is a yoga/meditation teacher and founder of Uma Mother, which aims at connecting, inspiring, and empowering mothers through the rituals of yoga, meditation, and community. As a yoga teacher, she has the ability to simultaneously be deep and spiritual while also being super down to earth and not taking herself or the practice too seriously. I absolutely love this woman and know you will too, so tune in and enjoy hearing her story and her musings on life. Today we talk about: -Growing up in Bogota, Colombia -Her life before yoga -Meditation as the doorway into the world of yoga -The moment she realized she wanted to be a yoga teacher -How she became involved in working with pregnant women and teaching pre/postnatal yoga -Her experience as a 'renegade doula' before being officially trained -Stages of growing as a teacher -Mindfulness and yoga as a way to increase intimacy with yourself -How her kids have been her greatest teachers -Rejecting perfection and learning to forgive yourself -Music and nature as a healing force in her life -Rejecting the title of ‘healer’ You can read more about Patti and her work on her website http://umamother.com/ and if you live in Los Angeles you can take classes with her at Yoga Works. xoxo

Lily Meyers is a writer and poet whose poem, “Shrinking Women” won Best Love Poem at the 2013 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational. Her performance of Shrinking Women went viral on youtube gaining over 5 million views. A few months ago I came across this video and was floored. First I cried because there was so much powerful truth in the poem, and her performance of it was breathtaking. Soon my tears gave way to curiosity, empowerment, and inspiration. Lily’s poem made me think about the ways in which I was raised and socialized as a girl and (now) woman and how my fulfillment of the “woman” role affects the amount of space I take up in my relationships and in the world in general. Lily combines her love of writing with her passions for feminism, self-love, and body confidence and she gives talks and readings at high schools, colleges, and organizations around the country. I could have talked to Lily forever about what it means to be a woman in our society, but even in the span of 30 minutes I learned so much about what it means to be woman in our society and about female empowerment. Today we talked about: - How she got into writing poetry. - Where she got the idea for her poem Shrinking Women - The experience of Shrinking Women going viral and the effect it had on her family, particularly her relationship with her mother - What it was like to write her first book, This Impossible Light - Why she feels drawn to Tarot, and how Tarot is connected to feminist spirituality - How she is working on empowering herself as a woman in her day-to-day life - Her next book, a young adult novel This enlightening conversation will make you think about the ways in which you fulfill the prescribed “woman” role in your everyday interactions, and the ways in which you can empower yourself to step outside that role. I hope you enjoy listening to this enlightening conversation! xo

Today is a super special episode to me because I am interviewing one of my best friends, Annie Vovan. Annie was my first mama friend when I had my daughter and since that time we have been through so much together. Annie is one of the most inspiring women I know. She is a full-time mom raising two beautiful children, works as a photographer empowering women by showcasing mamas and girl bosses, she created @avenuemama: an Instagram platform to create a community for mothers, and she manages to be very active in giving back through charities. I seriously don’t know how she does it, and I worship the ground she walks on. Today we talk about: -Growing up the youngest of 7 children in an immigrant family -Working as a pharmacist before fully throwing herself into photography -Getting married in her late 30’s and being a mom of “advanced maternal age” -Redefining her life and career in her late 30’s -Her decision to leave pharmacy to pursue photography -Why she focuses on mamas and girl bosses in her photos -Where she got the idea for Avenue Mama -Experiencing multiple traumatic losses in her life and how she has been able to push through -The importance of self-care, and her personal self-care practices You will be so inspired by this rockstar mama. Her perseverance in the face of adversity is so empowering. If you are a mama and are looking for a supportive, funny, loving community check out @avenuemama. And if you want to see what Annie is up to in her everyday life you can follow her at @annievovan . You can also check out her beautiful photography on her website: http://www.annievovan.com/.

I was seriously so excited when today’s guest agreed to be on the podcast. Kristen Kish is the second female chef to win the prestigious Top Chef competition (season 10), and has worked as the chef de cuisine in two of Barbara Lynch’s restaurants. Kristen recently wrote her first book, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, which combines recipes, cooking techniques, and kristen’s story woven throughout. Kristen was so down to earth, thoughtful, honest, and inspiring. We talked about: -Being adopted by a white family and growing up in Michigan -How she spent many years from adolescence to early adulthood trying to be someone she wasn’t -The role perfectionism played in her trying to be someone she wasn’t -Trying to numb herself from the pain of hiding who she really was -Her coming out experience with her family -Learning to be her authentic self -Using perfectionism to grow as a chef -How she got into cooking and how she found herself on Top Chef -Her unintentional coming out experience while on Top Chef -How she managed the anxiety and stress of Top Chef -Her experience of being in the public eye after Top Chef aired -Coming up with the concept for her new book -The power of kindness Kristen is such a genuine light in this world. She has such a good perspective on life and I absolutely loved her message about authenticity and kindness. Tune in to hear Kristen’s story and make sure to check out her book, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques! xo

The time has finally come! The women that inspired me to start my podcast are actually guests on Embraced. Back in October, I was driving to work listening to my favorite podcast, Almost 30 (a health and wellness podcast about the transition between your 20's and 30's…and any age really), when I got the crazy idea that I wanted to reach a larger audience with my ideas about female empowerment through the platform of a podcast. I had learned so much from hearing the guests on Almost 30, and Krista and Lindsey made me feel like I was just hanging with my girls, having a glass of wine, discussing anything and everything. These beautiful, hilarious, down-to-earth women have created something truly special, which is evident in the fact that they have 20,000 followers on Instagram, they've created a large community of dedicated followers (mostly women) in their secret Facebook group, who support one another by being vulnerable and sharing their life struggles and successes, and they were on track to have a million downloads by the end of the year (I wouldn't be at all surprised if they surpassed this by now). They are so supportive of their community and they reject the idea that women have to be catty or in competition with one another. I had SOOOO much fun doing this episode and could have talked to these ladies forever (slash I was fangirling pretty hard and want to be their best friend). On today's episode we talked about... - What Krista and Lindsey were doing before starting Almost 30 - Our thoughts on Los Angeles (where they currently live) vs. New York (they both lived in NYC before the podcast) - Where they got the idea to start Almost 30, and how the podcast has evolved over time - How they knew they had hit it big, and what it has been like to be in the public eye - How they were able to create such a warm and supportive community - How planning events and meet-ups strengthens the Almost 30 community - Why it is so important to them to be authentic and real - Their future plans for Almost 30 (hint: it will be MUCH more than a podcast) I am SO SO pumped about this episode and can't wait for you to hear it!! If you haven't listened to Almost 30 Podcast yet, DO IT! Trust me, you won't regret it. xo Links: Almost 30 on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/almost-30-real-talks-on-health-wellness-spirituality/id1148183612?mt=2 Almost 30 website - https://www.almost30podcast.com/ Almost 30 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/almost30podcast/ Krista's blog - http://www.hundredblog.com/ Krista's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hundredblog/ Lindsey's website - http://www.lindseysimcik.com/ Lindsey's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindseysimcik/

I met today’s guest when I attended her workshop at La Maida Institute. She exudes positive, peaceful energy and she taught about Ayurveda in a way that was totally fascinating and relatable! Anjali Deva is a NAMA-certified Ayurvedic practitioner and yoga teacher in Los Angeles. She is also the director of culture at La Maida Institute, where she helps plan workshops and events centered on holistic wellness and resilience. I had so much fun talking to Anjali about how she got into Ayurveda and how she helps herself and others find balance through this ancient practice. Today we talk about: -Her family lineage of ayurvedic practice -The health problems she experienced that lead her to ayurveda -Dropping out of college and enrolling in Ayurveda school -How she got involved with La Maida Institute -How La Maida Institute was born, and what it has been like working with this holistic group -How Ayurveda has affected her health, her relationships, and her life in general -Ayurveda as a way to bringing mindful awareness to your entire life -How Ayurveda came to be -The three different doshas (energies/compositions): Vata, Pitta, and Kapha -Going in and out of different doshas and using Ayurvedic practices to regain balance -How she personally maintains balance in a profession that requires a lot of emotional energy -The importance of nature and sleep to mental health -Her upcoming courses in mindful eating If you are interested in learning more about Ayurveda, you can check Anjali’s website for upcoming events and courses at https://www.rootedrasa.com/. I hope you enjoy today’s episode! And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! xo

  You know that feeling when you meet someone and within 5 seconds you are in love with them and want them to be your best friend? Yeah, that happened for me with today’s guest, Rachelle Tratt. Rachelle is a yoga teacher, entrepreneur, creator of the Nashama Project (a conscious jewelry company), world traveler, spiritual guide, and life coach. Rachelle lost her mother tragically when she was 9 years old, which she believes completely changed the course of her life and set her on a path of healing, learning, and living her life to the fullest. Our talk today was 100% real, deep, and soulful, just like Rachelle.   We talked about: – The role growing up in nature played in – How the trauma from her mother’s tragic death formed who she is today. – The second trauma that shook her family to the core. – Numbing out to avoid the pain of her mother’s death. – Why she HATED yoga when she first tried it. – What it was like to finally make the decision to follow a path as a yoga teacher. – Falling in love with Los Angeles and making the impulsive decision to move there. – Why she thinks yoga and travel go hand in hand. – Connecting to her mother by travelling to Israel. – How her business, The Nashama Project, was born. – Coaching/mentoring other women who want to launch their passion projects. – Using intuition to find your people. – Honing in on her ‘chosen family’ – How her period of darkness allowed her to truly understand her mother’s death. – How being surrounded by amazing women gave her faith that there was someone out there for her. – Meeting her boyfriend and how she knew immediately he was her person. Tune in to be inspired by this incredible woman and her story. Trust me, you won’t regret it! xo

This may be one of my favorite episodes to date. Today’s guest is the beautiful fashion stylist, Melissa Chataigne. After successfully transitioning from a corporate career in healthcare marketing, Melissa was finally doing what she loved: working as celebrity stylist. Then, her younger sister tragically committed suicide and her life was forever changed. With this loss and her disillusionment with Hollywood’s constant pressure to remain unnaturally thin, Melissa committed her life and career to helping people of all sizes dress with confidence and live full, authentic lives. Her blog, Chataigne Style, aims to inspire the everyday career-minded woman with her advice in fashion, beauty, travel, wedding tips, and body confidence. Today we talk about: - How she got into fashion and styling. - How she had to break barriers, as the daughter of Haitian immigrants, to take a non-traditional path of entrepreneurship. - How her “side hustle” became her paycheck job. - How feeling disconnected to herself and to her calling made her realize she needed to shift course. - The experience that made her “wake up,” listen to her gut, and shift the course of her work. - Going back to a corporate job after her sister’s tragic death, and how it lead her to create Chataigne Style. - How her sister inspires her every day to love and serve others. - Her decision to go against cultural norms to speak openly about her sister’s death and the beautiful human she was. - Coming to a fork in the road of her life where she had to choose between darkness and light. - Her desire to celebrate her sister’s life versus feeling lost in her grief. - How Instagram puts immense pressure (on girls and women in particular) to be perfect by inundating them with perfected images. - Her mother’s recent diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, and how she’s coping. - Her meditation practice. - Staying “small” in times of tragedy. - How she feels strong and how she helps other women tap into their strength. - Re-programing limiting beliefs. Check Melissa out at https://www.melissachataigne.com/ to read her blog and see how she empowers women through fashion and styling! xo

Today’s guest, Krista O’Reilly-Davi-Digui, is a mama of three, a writer, a Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant™ & a Joyful Living Educator. She is also the creator of A Life in Progress, where she shares stories from her own life to remind people that they are not alone in their struggles and that there is hope. Krista reminds us that we are ever-evolving beings and that learning to have patience, love, and compassion for ourselves as we stumble through life is profoundly valuable. I know you will absolutely LOVE today’s episode as much as I did. Today we discuss: - The struggles in her life that put her on the path of helping herself and others find purpose and joy - How important she feels it is to feel heard and to feel you have people to sit with you in your discomfort and pain. - How loved ones often aren’t able to bear the weight of our pain. - How blogging, writing articles, and coaching has helped her break free of a lifetime of fear. - How her mission to lift as many other women up as she can as she journeys to freedom, wasn’t a choice, but rather something that flowed through her. - Parenting as an ongoing learning experience. - The importance of maintaining open communication with our children. - How our children have a right to feel how they feel without triggering us and our ‘stuff.’ - How owning our flaws and repairing when we mess up can deepen our relationships. - The power of loving our kids when they are hard to love. - How she helps women find their calling. - Her health-coaching work. - Learning to co-exist with feelings of discomfort and still doing the work you feel called to anyway. xo

Do you struggle with being present? Do you beat yourself up for perceived mistakes or imperfections? Do you subscribe to the myth that if you're hard on yourself you'll be more motivated? Today I talk with Laurie Cousins, mindfulness and self-compassion educator, about how she got into the field of mindfulness and self-compassion and how this path helped her heal from a history of addiction, disordered eating, and co-dependency. Now Laurie helps countless adults, children, and families use mindfulness and self-compassion to alleviate stress, cultivate well-being, and to connect in more meaningful ways to the people in their lives. In today's episode we talk about:   -How she internalized painful childhood experiences and sought soothing in unhelpful ways: addiction and disordered eating.  -How a 12 step program and being paralyzed from a rare virus that attacked her nervous system set her on a path of healing through mindfulness and self-compassion. -How her mindfulness practice changed after having kids. -How mindfulness can help you feel less bored and more engaged in your day to day life. -The ABC's of mindfulness. -Sharing mindfulness with your children. -How mindfulness can help regulate your emotions. -The importance of self-care and why we need to treat self-care like a learned skill set.  You will love learning about Laurie's story, her work, and what she has to say about mindfulness and self-compassion. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Today on Embraced Podcast, we speak with Chloe Jo Davis, creator of GirlieGirl Army: “The Glamazon Guide to Conscious Living; a one-stop online resource for a ferociously progressive, urban-minded approach to cruelty-free living.” Chloe was working as a party promoter, influencer, and celebrity liaison to Farm Sanctuary when she had the idea to create a space for people who loved animals as much as she did. Chloe wanted this space to match her ”hippy morals and drag queen aesthetic,” and let me tell you, she 100% succeeded. In today’s episode, we talk about: -How starting Girliegirl Army felt like the moment before you kiss someone (i.e. it wasn’t a choice) -How being an influencer was a dream since childhood -How her difficult relationship with her parents fueled her creativity and empowered her to follow her dreams. -How motherhood has helped her learn to fully love and accept herself -The mental visualization she uses to help her get rid of toxic self-criticism -Her decision to use attachment parenting to raise her children -What attachment parenting looks like in her daily life with her family -How attachment parenting her children helped Chloe heal from her own childhood wounds -Her upcoming events and projects -What a day in her life is like (spoiler alert: it involves a lot of tushy wiping and meetings with powerful women) Chloe is such a force and I felt so inspired talking to her. Check out her website: girliegirlarmy.com and enjoy today's episode!! xo

Do you ever fantasize about putting all of your belongings in storage and escaping to a tropical island? Today's guest, Lucia Podlipny, did exactly that! After Lucia graduated from college she struggled with the question of what she wanted to do with her life. She explored various career paths (i.e. bar/restaurant management and ultrasound technician work), but was left feeling stuck and uninspired. Lucia decided she wanted to LIVE her life rather than simply exist. Are you feeling bored and passionless in your life or career? Tune in to hear how a much needed vacation led to a complete shift in Lucia's mindset and life path. Trust me, you will NOT want to miss this episode! Today we talk about: -How our friendship blossomed over Ben and Jerry's -Lucia's work experience post college -The vacation that inspired her to leave her life in New York City -Getting certified as a scuba instructor -The anxiety and panic she suffered from leading up to moving to Utila -Her day-to-day life in Bonnaire -Lucia's message to anyone feeling bored and passionless in their life

Episode 2: Let’s Talk About Sex: Learning to Fully Love and Enjoy Your Sexuality with Author and Sexual Wellness Coach, Lauren Brim Welcome to episode two of Embraced Podcast! Today we are talking to Lauren Brim, a mother, author, and sexual wellness coach. Lauren is passionate about helping women move through physical and psychological barriers to help them more fully enjoy and love their sexuality. She has two books out: The New Rules of Sex and The New American Family. She also blogs about sexual health, happiness, and motherhood, and has several courses aimed at sexual education, all of which you can find on her website, laurenbrim.com. Lauren first became interested in the business of wellness after suffering from a spinal injury dancing with the Radio City Rockettes in 2004. Lauren was forced to confront the emotions underlying her physical health which completely shifted her outlook on her life. She began to specialize in women’s reproductive health and through her training to be a midwife she realized that no one in the healthcare industry was taking the time to speak with women about their sexuality, and that women were being given one-size-fits-all treatments that ignored the emotional aspects of their sexual health. From that point on, Lauren devoted herself to “[freeing] women from the old paradigm of sexuality and relationships and helping them discover who they truly were, what they needed, and the pleasure that was possible in their lives and bodies.” I had so much fun talking to Lauren about the life experiences that lead her to becoming a sexual wellness coach and how she chose a nontraditional path to create her own family. In today's episode we discuss: -Her experience as a dancer with the rockettes -Her unexpected departure from a career as a midwife -How she got into sexual coaching and how it affected her own sexuality. -Her decision to have a baby with a friend -The pros and cons of co-parenting with a friend -Sex after giving birth -Why women struggle with sexual desire and expressing their sexual needs Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did! xo

Welcome to Embraced Podcast's first episode! I have been so excited for the release of Embraced and I can't believe the day is finally here. I was planning on doing the first episode flying solo, but then I thought it would be way more fun to have a good friend interview me since I'm usually more myself around friends (isn't that how all good friendships should be?). Today I chat with my girl, Annie Vovan, about: -My background as a psychologist -How my perspective shifted after having two kids -My failed attempt at owning my own private practice -What lead to my decision to create Embraced Podcast -How I maintain my sanity as a working mama -How I'd spend $100, $1000, and $10,000 (my answer might surprise you...) -My feelings about Obama and Beyoncé I can't wait for #embracedtribe to hear this first episode! Enjoy! embracedpodcast.com