Your Kick Ass Life Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Ellen Vora is on the show this week to share several holistic approaches to the treatment of anxiety. Ellen is a holistic psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root. In this episode, we talk about whether or not we are experiencing an anxiety epidemic, strategies for addressing anxiety, the difference between “false” and “true” anxiety, and so much more. I am beyond excited to introduce you to her. She is so smart and has a wealth of information. I had so many questions for her. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!  Some other topics we explore: The cause of the anxiety epidemic (10:15) Ellen talks about her approach to defining anxiety, “false anxiety” and some strategies for addressing it (13:43) The connection between hormones, birth control, and mood regulation (18:06) The role of psychedelics in treating anxiety and the mystical experience hypothesis (23:

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

Today’s short minisode is about the thoughts I’ve had over the last couple of weeks as my salt and pepper hair continues to grow out. I know, it might sound trite and boring, but I do spend a decent amount of time thinking about the journey of aging in a culture that is obsessed with youth and beauty.  In this minisode, I pose a question of curiosity for you. Not to tell you how you should age (dye your hair? Get botox?), but more importantly, getting clear on WHY you’re making the decisions you are.  Enjoy!  http://andreaowen.com/476   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So far this year we’ve explored podcast themes on mental health, spirituality and creativity, and recently self-care. This week’s guest, Carmen Spagnola can speak on all three topics. She joins me for an enlightening conversation about spirituality, witchcraft, and developing intuition as forms of self-care. Carmen Spagnola is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef turned trauma recovery practitioner, clinical hypnotherapist, and kitchen witch. She is the author of The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes & Rituals for the Wheel of the Year, host of The Numinous Podcast, and founder of The Numinous Network. We cover: The collective consciousness of witchcraft, being an animist, and what it means to be a feminist witch (7:55) Folk magic: how it is incorporated and ‘woven into everyday life’ (13:28) Nature-based spirituality, wilderness quests, and rites of passage (25:50) How to develop intuition from a trauma-informed attachment perspective (36:36) http://andreaowen.com/475   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc

Moving on to this week’s show! We are continuing with our self-care theme and welcome guest Christy Tending. Together we talk about sustainable self-care (including what it is and how to practice it) and the decision to live a life of sobriety. Christy shares openly about her decision to stop drinking alcohol, its effects on her life, and the lessons she has learned (even about self-care) from the experience.  Christy is an activist, educator, and writer. She teaches online courses about sustainable self-care to students all over the world, and hosts the podcast Tending Your Life. Her specialty is helping people dissolve overwhelm, heal burnout, and advocate for themselves. We cover: The art and practice of sustainable self-care, plus Christy shares her definition of personal self-care (5:27) Slowing down enough to actually hear your real needs (8:08) Christy shares about her activist journey and how it informs her work today (14:03) The difference between self-care and self-advocacy (23:25) How and why

This week we are for the very first time exploring the intersection between self-defense and personal development where Jennifer Cassetta joins me on the podcast! Right when I saw her on social media I was immediately drawn to her work, have since saved all of her videos on self-defense, and watch them periodically, on repeat.  Jenn is the author of The Art of Badassery: Unleash Your Mojo With Wisdom of the Dojo (love the title!), where she talks about the lessons learned in martial arts and applies them to level up your mind, body and spirit. In her book and during our conversation, she teaches how to turn your setbacks into secret weapons. She is also a nationally recognized speaker, empowerment coach, and self-defense expert. Equipped with her 3rd-degree black belt in HapKiDo, Master’s degree in Nutrition, and health coaching certification, she develops programming that helps people feel strong, safe, and powerful from the streets to the boardroom.  We cover: Whether or not the popularity of true crime ha

We are switching gears on the podcast and entering our next theme all around self-care. This particular group of interviews is a mix of the many different ways to take care of someone very important in your life: YOU! Paula Jenkins returns to the show to kick off the series with a conversation about how to bring more joy into our lives.  Fittingly, Paula is on a mission to spread more joy in the world. She is a podcast producer and certified life coach, and the author of Jump Start Your Joy: Heart-Centered Ways to Find Joy in the Messy Middle.  We cover: What Paula means when she talks about, "finding joy in the messy middle." (7:15) How following joy changed Paula’s life completely, after getting a diagnosis of post partum PTSD (12:28) What it looks like when someone chooses joy (20:29) Paula describes what it’s like being a trained labyrinth facilitator (what?!) (35:23) The different types of joy, including "Bed in a Bag" versions of joy and what they have to teach us (25:30) http://andreaowen.com/471

Hello friend!  As we round out the theme of spirituality and creativity, I’ve recorded a quick minisode on what it means to think critically about our spiritual beliefs.  When you were young, were you given the opportunity to think critically about your beliefs? If you were handed beliefs (i.e., “this is just how things are around here, there are no other options”), do you feel grounded, safe, and solid in them?  I round out the short episode with a website where you can take a quiz on what you believe in terms of “the spirit world”, and it will give you what religion you most closely align with. It’s fun :)  Lastly, today, August 19th is the LAST DAY to join us for The Daring Way Retreat! Hop on over to the info page and/or message us to book a call with me to see if this is the right retreat and curriculum for you.  http://andreaowen.com/470   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roxan McDonald joins me to share how spirituality can help with creative writing and how to live what she calls, “Spiritual AF” life. Roxan is another amazing human I found on TikTok and I am happy to share her work with you today!  For those new to Roxan, she is a writer, workshop facilitator, podcaster, and coach who has dedicated herself to helping people find their voice both on the page and in their lives. She currently leads writing groups and personal development retreats, and co-teaches with Ellen Bass at Esalen Institute and 1440 Multiversity. We cover: Roxan’s meaning of spirituality is aligning self with thoughts, actions, beliefs, and values (7:25) Writing as a spiritual practice and how it can help your creativity as a writer (14:25) The transformative and therapeutic nature of writing (25:13) What is at the core of the spiritual creative overlap (33:40) Roxann has a playlist of videos on TikTok about not being nice. She shares her thoughts about women being nice and what she means when she

*Before we jump into today’s episode, I want to remind you that we have a few spots left for The Daring Way retreat and that registration closes August 19th!* Sarajane Case is on the show this week to talk about the enneagram and self-care. If you’ve heard people talk about enneagram or reference their enneagram type and were curious what it all means - this episode breaks it all down. We also explore how the enneagram encourages growth, discuss productivity, as well as, define some ways to honor your strengths.  Sarajane is an author, podcaster, and speaker who uses the enneagram to help people find a creative balance between self-care and productivity.  We cover: Enneagram: what it is, the nine types, and why it is important to know your type (4:43) How the enneagram encourages growth through curiosity and compassion vs. discipline and restriction (11:20) Rest: The true purpose of productivity is the path to rest not the opportunity to produce more (23:20) Why it’s important to have a loving, tender, an

As we continue the podcast themed around spirituality and creativity, and I found myself moving furniture around in my living room, it made me think about my own creativity. Was I taking the time to be creative just for fun; outside of work? The answer was…not really!  So, I recorded this minisode to chat about it with you, read a little bit of The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown, and challenge you to prioritize creativity this week.  http://andreaowen.com/467   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

*Before we jump into today’s episode, I want to remind you that we have a few spots left for The Daring Way retreat and that registration closes August 19th!* This week we are exploring deconstruction, creative expression, and spirituality with guest David Hayward. This is the first time we are covering topics like deconstruction and dogma on the show and I hope you find this episode informative and perhaps even a bit healing.  After 30 years as a pastor, David left his ministry to focus on his work as the Naked Pastor (he’s not literally naked, well, you’ll see). He believes that questions are the answer to authentic growth. It’s why he uses words and images to challenge the status quo, deconstruct dogma, and offer hope for those who suffer under it. We cover: Deconstruction: what it means, how it feels, and how you can have deconstruction in many areas of your life (5:54) What spiritual abuse looks like (11:38) The importance of accepting the fact that we are free and autonomous (18:46) Advice for those