Mean Mom Culture: Dr. Noelle Santorelli on Relational Aggression & the Performance of Belonging

The Everyday Magic of Devotion: Shannon Speir on Soul Codes, Sacred Simplicity & the Altar Within

🌙 Welcome to the fall season of Say More [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/say-more-with-brooke-lyons/id1811678765]. It’s here. The witching season. There’s a chill in the air, the days grow shorter, and the shadows lengthen earlier each evening. We’ve entered Samhain, the ancient Celtic twilight of the year. In the old world, Samhain (“SAH-wen”) marked summer’s end and the witch’s New Year – a liminal time when the veil between our world and the spirit world thins. It’s no coincidence that we feel drawn inward now: as autumn deepens into winter, we each undertake a kind of inner descent. In the zodiac, it’s Scorpio season: a time of transformation, mystery, and the unseen; which makes it the perfect time of year to talk about witches. The witch archetype has always lived in the borderlands – at the edge of light and dark, village and forest, known and unknown. She’s a symbol of power and possibility, a keeper of old wisdom, a woman in tune with nature and herself. To me, ‘witch’ is a word of freedom. It crackles with untamed creativity and self-sovereignty. The witch is the part of me that trusts my intuition even when it defies logic. This season is my love letter to that remembrance. Over the next five weeks, I invite you to join me in conversation with women who each embody a different facet of the witch. Some of them call themselves witches; others might not use the word, yet their work is undeniably woven with the witch’s spirit. We’ll meet a healer who draws power from her ancestors’ survival tools, a pattern-seer who charts the stars and our very designs, a storyteller reviving folk magic from far corners of the world, and more. Think of it as gathering around a modern-day Samhain fire: sharing stories, reclaiming old ways, and sparking new insight. Each episode will light another candle in our circle, illuminating what “witch” means in our time – and perhaps what it has always meant. My hope is that as you listen, you’ll find pieces of yourself in these stories. Maybe you’ll remember moments when you, too, felt something uncanny or powerful stirring in you, a time when you trusted your own weird, wild voice. So brew some tea, get cozy, and meet the witches… In this season opener, I speak with Shannon Speir [https://themysticsociety.itsshannonspeir.com/links?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadojEJs57CWYNMdHldOPvTG2NPcnkGcBralcdoxuicCztCa6JWlEH5SqLHz-g_aem_Gx7j-K7sKY7aJgb4rO6PDw], a ritualist, writer, and space-holder whose work invites us into the sacredness of slowness, rhythm, and everyday devotion. We talk about ritual as reclamation, remembering our worth beyond productivity, and how magic lives in the ordinary: brushing your teeth, folding laundry, lighting a candle. Shannon reminds us that we don’t have to perform our power; we can simply embody it. This conversation is a soft revolution. A sacred return. And the perfect beginning to a season about witches, worth, and the wisdom we’re already carrying. — 🔮 About Shannon Speir Shannon Speir [https://shannonspeir.substack.com/about] a ritualist and manifestation expert guiding women to heal, manifest, and rise through the power of ritual and energetic alchemy. She blends magick & neuroscience through her signature process, The Ritual Method™ to help women create wealth, peace, and expansion in every corner of their lives. Whether the work is personal or professional, Shannon leads through soft power, deep devotion, and sacred simplicity. — 🎙️ Connect with Shannon Follow on IG: @itsshannonspeir [https://www.instagram.com/itsshannonspeir/#] Subscribe to Living Ritualed [https://shannonspeir.substack.com/] Website & Offerings: The Mystic Society [https://themysticsociety.itsshannonspeir.com/links?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadojEJs57CWYNMdHldOPvTG2NPcnkGcBralcdoxuicCztCa6JWlEH5SqLHz-g_aem_Gx7j-K7sKY7aJgb4rO6PDw] 💫 Connect with Brooke Follow on IG: @brookielyons [https://www.instagram.com/brookielyons/?hl=en] Subscribe to We Need to Talk About… with Brooke Lyons [https://brookelyons.substack.com/] — 🔑 Key Themes Why ritual is a form of remembering Letting go of performance in favor of presence “Messy, honest, and real” magic Soul codes and raising your frequency Motherhood, grief, and the sacred mundane Why “you don’t have to earn being in your body” Creating rhythm and devotion inside a full life Living sacredly without needing to escape your life — 🧭 Chapters 00:00 — Brooke’s Season Intro 11:50 — Welcoming Shannon Speir 13:47 — Defining Witchcraft 16:12 — Navigating Public Perception 20:17 — Stereotypes and Misconceptions 24:31 — The Comfort in Not Knowing 26:31 — Understanding Magic 27:21 — Learning the Craft 29:28 — The Role of Social Media in Witchcraft 32:04 — The Ethics of Witchcraft 40:08 — The Ritual Method 44:01 — Unblocking Financial Manifestation 48:31 — Discovering Your Soul Codes 51:41 — The Rise of Witchcraft in Modern Culture 58:19 — Witches and Feminism: A Cultural Reflection 1:04:17 — Living a Ritual Life in the Modern World — 📚 Resources * Shannon’s Substack: Living Ritualed [https://shannonspeir.substack.com/] * Her rituals, community, and bespoke 1:1 mentorship offerings [https://themysticsociety.itsshannonspeir.com/links?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafz4pZPnOEmqoPTEoQywjN4aB2zSSUbAGc_03y7XR1gr9dwZ3hsSnmJg7suJg_aem_b4xazFhVR21GiQhCsuZe4g]. * Shannon mentioned the Physical Phone [https://physicalphones.com/] as a tonic for information fatigue. * Shannon’s book recommendations include: Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn; Moon Magic by Diane Ahlquist; Witchery by Juliet Diaz; and The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. — 🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons Actress [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885129/], writer [https://brookelyons.substack.com/], mother, mystic, and voice behind https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-moreSay More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more]—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth. Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The CEO Era: Anastasia Ganias-Gellin on Sensuality, Scaling & Saying Yes to Herself

✨ Welcome to the Season Finale of the Say More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more] https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-moreSummer Series! This summer, I wanted to talk to women who weren’t just evolving—but rebirthing. Quietly, ferociously, beautifully. Behind the scenes and in real time. In this season finale, I sit down with my dear friend Anastasia Ganias-Gellin [https://fancypeasant.com/pages/about-us], the founder and CEO of Fancy Peasant [https://fancypeasant.com/]. If you’ve seen the sexy olive oil videos or tasted her wildly medicinal elixirs, you already know. But what you might not know is how this business was born out of deep grief—and how it became a vehicle for midlife power, motherhood integration, and unapologetic reinvention. This conversation is a love letter to every woman rewriting her story. It’s sharp, soulful, hilarious, and—like Anastasia herself—impossible to look away from. — 👑 About Anastasia Ganias-Gellin Anastasia Ganias-Gellin [https://fancypeasant.com/pages/about-us] is the founder and CEO of Fancy Peasant [http://fancypeasant.com], the Greek pantry brand that’s redefining sensual food, cultural legacy, and feminine power. An accomplished actress, mother of three, and Scorpio rising, Anastasia built Fancy Peasant from her kitchen and her grief, scaling it into a cult-favorite lifestyle brand featured in Town & Country, Real Simple, New York Family, and more. She lives between spreadsheets and stovetops, pitches and poetry, motherhood and mogulhood—and she’s just getting started. — 🎙️ Connect with Anastasia Shop Fancy Peasant: fancypeasant.com [https://fancypeasant.com/collections/oils] Follow on IG: @fancy_peasant [https://www.instagram.com/fancy_peasant/channel/] Read more press + features: Fancy Peasant Press Highlights [https://fancypeasant.com/blogs/the-peasant-post-press] Join Club Fancy: Monthly elixirs & pantry essentials, delivered to your door — Subscribe here [https://fancypeasant.com/pages/rewards] 💫 Connect with Brooke Follow on IG: @brookielyons [https://www.instagram.com/brookielyons/?hl=en] Subscribe to We Need to Talk About… with Brooke Lyons [https://brookelyons.substack.com/] — 🔑 Key Themes * Why calming your nervous system is a leadership skill * Identity whiplash after having babies * Building Fancy Peasant from scratch (and grief) * Visibility wounds and choosing to be seen * Midlife as the ultimate glow-up * Raising capital as a woman in CPG * Letting go of the martyr archetype in motherhood * Why your kids don’t need your sacrifice—they need your example * Friendship, freedom, and what it takes to actually scale — 🧭 Chapters 00:00 — Embracing Problem Solving 03:28 — Calming the Nervous System 05:59 — Empowerment in Midlife 08:51 — The Journey of Fancy Peasant 12:07 — Scaling a Business 15:10 — Navigating Capital & Gender Dynamics 18:00 — Trusting Your Gut 21:08 — The Importance of Female Friendships 39:02 — Choosing Yourself: The Impact on Parenting 42:26 — Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sacrifice 46:33 — Reclaiming Identity After Motherhood 50:30 — Setting Boundaries & Embracing Change 54:09 — Goals and Aspirations: Personal and Professional Growth 1:02:55 — Closing Reflections — 🧰 Resources * We mentioned Anastasia’s Girls Rule Playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7k9Y3pDE6i4jIJLhR0GRvn?si=ad1cf20ab8f849d1] * Check out the Fancy Peasant Pantry [https://fancypeasant.com/collections/shop-all] * Anastasia also has a Fancy Peasant Amazon Shop [https://www.amazon.com/stores/FancyPeasant/page/0EF7AB8B-D9E1-454F-990B-C02A85748115?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_sf_stores_NNCP35HBDREYDBQ2J05N] * We referenced that in Human Design [https://www.myhumandesign.com/], Anastasia is a Manifestor & Brooke is a Manifesting Generator. This informs our decision-making. Read more here [https://www.myhumandesign.com/]. * We talked about our dear friend Courtney Henggeler [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1136435/], who’s a superstar in her own right. Subscribe to her Substack, Notes from the Guest Cottage [https://courtneyhenggeler.substack.com/]. — 🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons Actress [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885129/], writer [https://brookelyons.substack.com/], mother, mystic, and voice behind https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-moreSay More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more]—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth. Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Where You Go, You Meet Yourself: Paulina Davie on Astrocartography & the Places That Shape Us

Welcome to Say More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more], the podcast where we go beyond the performance. In this series, I sit down with creators, healers, and thought leaders to explore how they navigate life’s crossroads—especially when the old scripts no longer serve.  Today’s guest is Paulina Davie [https://bio.site/paulinadavie?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadn2bYQJMcdjRfq9WGYnsiMw58ST81moOtkMtSb0PlcHrXxOEVPCM1zGPYMtQ_aem_GY_VFzNbjlL7N0nPbzS4Pw]—certified astrocartographer, locational astrologer, and the rare kind of practitioner who makes you feel more at home in yourself just by listening. We talk about identity, intuition, AI, and place—what it means to belong, what gets unearthed when we travel, and how to work with your chart rather than around it. Paulina shares how a solo trip to Cambodia cracked open her own Chiron line and identity lineage, and how her career was quietly born on a Pluto MC—through breakdown, discernment, and a refusal to outsource the truth. This conversation is grounded, expansive, and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt the call to move, shift, or start again, this one’s for you. Listen on Substack [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more] or wherever you get your podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/say-more-with-brooke-lyons/id1811678765]. — 🎙️ Connect with Paulina Explore Paulina’s free astrology email course here [https://paulinadavie.com/] Follow her travel updates & tips on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PaulinaDavie], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paulinadavie/?hl=en] & TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@paulinadavie] Subscribe to her Substacks: Open Self-Love [https://openselflove.substack.com/] & Serpentine Circular [https://serpentinecircular.substack.com/] 💫 Connect with Brooke Instagram: @brookielyons [https://www.instagram.com/brookielyons/?hl=en] Substack: We Need to Talk About [https://brookelyons.substack.com/] — 🔑 Key Themes What astrocartography actually is—and how to use it wisely The identity crisis that opened Paulina’s healing path Pluto lines, Chiron lines, and how place reveals what needs to be seen Remote activation and ancestral memory The myth of the “expert” and the ethics of AI in spiritual work How to monetize empathy—and why it's the future Reframing astrology as a tool for clarity, not fear Astrological insights for navigating 2025 The truth about moving, staying, and building a sense of home — 🧭 Chapters 04:14 Understanding Astrocartography and Its Significance 07:04 Personal Journey into Astrocartography 09:50 The Role of Pluto in Astrocartography 13:05 Astrology as a Tool for Self-Actualization 15:57 Cultural Identity and Travel Experiences 18:48 Navigating Current Global Climate and Personal Choices 21:46 The Evolution of News and Information 27:40 The Role of Intuition in Decision Making 28:47 Defining Expertise in the Age of Information 29:56 AI's Impact on Creativity and Authenticity 34:03 Monetizing Empathy in a Capitalist Society 38:14 Astrological Insights for 2025 41:44 Transformations for Scorpio Risings 45:36 The Limitations of AI in Astrology 46:47 Future Endeavors and Offerings — 🧰 Resources Paulina recommends AstroClick Travel [https://www.astro.com/cgi/aclch.cgi?btyp=acm#det=0&cen.x=8.583&cen.y=47.333&zoom=2&btyp=] for beginning your journey We mentioned the Medical Astrologer Judith Hill [https://www.judithhillastrology.com/] We discussed the Ken Klippenstein Substack [https://www.kenklippenstein.com/] as a news source Paulina referenced Susan Sontag’s iconic book of essays, On Photography [https://susansontag.com/SusanSontag/books/onPhotography.shtml] — 🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons Actress [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885129/], writer [https://brookelyons.substack.com/], mother, mystic, and voice behind https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-moreSay More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more]—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth. Share [%%share_url%%] Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Mean Mom Culture: Dr. Noelle Santorelli on Relational Aggression & the Performance of Belonging

Welcome to Say More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more], the podcast where we go beyond the performance. In this series, I sit down with creators, healers, and thought leaders to explore how they navigate life’s crossroads—especially when the old scripts no longer serve.  Today’s guest is Dr. Noelle Santorelli [https://www.instagram.com/drnoellesantorelli/]—psychologist, trauma specialist, and the voice behind one of the most honest conversations happening online around Mean Girl Mom culture [https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6PjHe1spHI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] and relational aggression. If you’ve ever felt the chill of the silent treatment at school drop-off or the covert cruelty inside a so-called sisterhood, this one’s for you. We talk about what relational aggression really looks like among adults, why this behavior spikes in high-performing communities, and how to break the cycle before it reaches our kids. Noelle shares her framework [https://stan.store/drnoellesantorelli?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacHPUNaOAFeRlun6pPM0WcQsNFr4m1jmkytoOpqQw862rtIG8pK-pdR3mdQwQ_aem_8qaNV80eySV_xyRKuOVlnA] for setting low-lift boundaries, naming toxicity without shame, and raising emotionally intelligent children by modeling authentic relationships ourselves. — 🎙️ Connect with Noelle Instagram: @drnoellesantorelli [https://www.instagram.com/drnoellesantorelli/] 💫 Connect with Brooke Instagram: @brookielyons [https://www.instagram.com/brookielyons/?hl=en] Substack: We Need to Talk About [https://brookelyons.substack.com/] — 🔑 Key Themes * Understanding relational aggression in adult communities * Why Mean Mom behavior isn’t just petty—it’s psychological * The covert ways parents shape their kids’ social dynamics * Scarcity mentality in high-achieving environments * The myth of “being nice” and the power of authentic boundaries * How to break cycles of emotional harm—without losing your center — 🧭 Chapters 00:00 Mean Mom Culture: The Personal Wake-Up Call 06:03 From Trauma Work to Toxic Systems 09:05 What Is Relational Aggression, Really? 12:20 Why This Behavior Spikes in Motherhood 17:01 Scarcity, Control, and Social Hierarchies 21:11 How It Impacts Our Children—Overtly and Covertly 29:19 What to Do When You Can’t Walk Away 31:34 Recognizing When You’re Playing Along 34:50 The Art of Disrupting the Cycle Gently 36:24 Where Do We Draw the Line? 40:17 Authenticity ≠ Rudeness 43:20 Acceptance as a Nervous System Reset 47:01 Why Pain Is Inevitable—but Suffering Isn’t 51:35 Affluence, Anxiety, and the Pressure to Perform 53:23 Three Tools to Break the Cycle — 🧰 Resources * Follow [https://www.instagram.com/drnoellesantorelli/]Noelle [https://www.instagram.com/drnoellesantorelli/] on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnoellesantorelli/] for tools, insights, and upcoming guides * We discussed Jennifer Wallace’s book [https://www.jenniferbwallace.com/about-never-enough]Never Enough [https://www.jenniferbwallace.com/about-never-enough] (on pressure, performance, and parenting) * Noelle recommended the book Danielle Bayard Jackson’s book [https://www.betterfemalefriendships.com/fighting-for-our-friendships] Fighting for Our Friendships [https://www.betterfemalefriendships.com/fighting-for-our-friendships] — 🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons Actress [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885129/], writer [https://brookelyons.substack.com/], mother, mystic, and voice behind https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-moreSay More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more]—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth. Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Mother, Actress, Disruptor: Alyshia Ochse on Playing by Her Own Rules

Welcome to Say More, the podcast where we go beyond the performance. In this series, I sit down with creators, healers, and thought leaders to explore how they navigate life’s crossroads—especially when the old scripts no longer serve. Today’s guest is Alyshia Ochse—actress, bestselling author, podcast host, entrepreneur, and mother. You might know her from her role as “Lucy,” opposite Matthew McConaughey, in HBO’s True Detective. We talk about what it really means to balance ambition and motherhood, how people-pleasing dilutes your presence, and what midlife demands from women who refuse to settle. Alyshia shares deeply earned wisdom on the unraveling of Hollywood’s old systems, the creative power of rest, and what it takes to rewrite your own definition of success. — 🎙️ Connect with Alyshia Website: alyshiaochse.com [https://alyshiaochse.com] Instagram: @alyshiaochse [https://www.instagram.com/alyshiaochse/] Work with Alyshia: Consultations Available Here [https://alyshiaochse.com/consulting/] 💫 Connect with Brooke Instagram: @brookielyons [https://www.instagram.com/brookielyons] Substack: We Need to Talk About [https://brookelyons.substack.com/] — 🔑 Key Themes * Redefining success in a shifting creative landscape * The myth of balance (and what replaces it) * Boundaries as a form of self-respect * Why midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s a recalibration * How to sustain a creative career without burning out * Collaboration over competition in an industry in flux — 🧭 Chapters 00:00 Navigating Career & Motherhood 03:31 Boundaries & People Pleasing 06:19 Authenticity in Professionalism 09:14 Shifting Perspectives in Midlife 11:46 Breaking Out of Old Stories 17:29 The Changing Landscape of the Industry 19:48 Surviving as a Middle-Class Actor 23:00 Embracing Multi-Hyphenate Careers 34:22 Industry-Wide Changes in Actors’ Paychecks 35:23 Understanding the Business of Acting 37:43 The Role of Networking in Acting 38:38 Embracing the Unknown in Career Paths 39:34 Aligning Personal Cycles with Professional Opportunities 42:14 The Necessity of Rest and Recovery 44:20 Exploring Creativity Beyond Acting 47:55 The Power of Self-Care in the Creative Process 51:22 Navigating Auditions in a Virtual World 56:49 Curiosity Over Competition in the Industry 59:49 Staying Positive in a Heavy World — 🧰 Resources * We reference the Skye P. Marshall episode [https://alyshiaochse.com/skye-p-marshall/] of That One Audition Podcast [https://alyshiaochse.com/podcast/] * Read Alyshia’s bestselling book, Life Letters [https://alyshiaochse.com/book/] * Coach or Consult [https://alyshiaochse.com/coaching/] with Alyshia — 🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons Actress [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885129/], writer [https://brookelyons.substack.com/], mother, mystic, and voice behind Say More [https://brookelyons.substack.com/s/say-more]—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth. Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]