34. The Empress Has Entered the Chat with Kate Higgins

34. The Empress Has Entered the Chat with Kate Higgins

In this episode, I talk with Kate Higgins, a therapist-turned-spiritual life coach for unconventional women 40+, who brings 26 years of clinical experience, a decade of burlesque performing, and a hard-won midlife reinvention of her own. It's a rich, expansive conversation that will make you feel seen ~ and maybe a little more ready to claim what's yours. Kate speaks candidly about the four archetypal phases every woman moves through ~ Maiden, Mother, Empress, and Crone ~ and why understanding where you are right now has a way of shifting everything. She shares her powerful ritual, Craft Your Crown, a hands-on rite of passage designed to help women step fully into who they're becoming. We also get real about the Empress era ~ what it actually looks and feels like to set a boundary without apologizing or justifying. And we talk about what retirement can look like when you're long on creativity and community, even if you're short on savings. Kate's reminder that healing doesn't have to be so serious stayed with me. Joy is not a reward for doing the hard work ~ it is the work. Give this episode a listen ~ you'll walk away feeling more grounded, more crowned, and maybe a little more ready to cross the threshold. 👑 In This Episode We Cover: * The four archetypal phases of a woman's life * What the Empress era really looks and feels like * The Craft Your Crown ritual and why it works * Setting boundaries without apologizing or justifying * Alternative retirement models built on creativity and community * Why healing gets to be joyful, silly, and fun Resources & Links Mentioned: * Kate's Website: yourmagicalmidlife.com [https://www.yourmagicalmidlife.com/] * Instagram: @yourmagicalmidlife [https://www.instagram.com/yourmagicalmidlife] * Podcast: Your Magical Midlife [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-magical-midlife/id1709696388] * LinkedIn: yourmagicalmidlife.com [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katehigginslcsw/]

33. Your Intuition Is a Diagnostic Tool ~ with Dr. Kaye Brundidge

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kaye Brundidge, an anesthesiologist and medical intuitive who spent decades in operating rooms before dedicating her work to helping women truly understand their bodies. It's a warm, eye-opening conversation that will make you feel seen and more equipped than ever to take charge of your health. Dr. Kaye speaks candidly about what she witnessed in her years of practice: women who were brilliant advocates for everyone around them, but had never learned to advocate for themselves. She's here to change that. From the science behind how unprocessed emotions show up in the body, to the very real power of complementary practices like tapping, acupuncture, and mindfulness ~ she makes a compelling, accessible case for treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. We also dig into the state of women's healthcare in America ~ why only 1-2% of medical research dollars go toward women's health, what the system gets wrong about menopause and perimenopause, and why your intuition is not something to be dismissed. Dr. Kaye leaves us with simple, practical encouragement ~ bring an advocate to your appointments, ask the questions, and carve out quiet time to reconnect with your inner signal. Give this episode a listen ~ you'll walk away feeling more informed and empowered to advocate for the care you truly deserve In This Episode We Cover: * The intersection of medicine and intuition * Why women are so often dismissed by the healthcare system * How trauma lives in the body before it becomes disease * The science behind our energetic field and emotional health * Complementary practices that support whole-body healing * The state of women's healthcare research in America * Perimenopause, menopause, and why they deserve more attention * How to advocate for yourself in medical settings * Why reclaiming your inner signal is one of the most powerful things you can do Resources & Links Mentioned: * Oshun Energy Medicine [http://www.oshunenergymedicine.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/oshun_energy_medicine_oem/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaye-brundidge-md-45a70910/] * Pivotal Ventures [https://www.pivotalventures.org/] — Melinda French Gates' foundation focused on women's health and equity * Design Your Joyful Retirement Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-your-joyful-retirement/id1711665820] — subscribe and leave a review!

32. All Downhill From Here? Hard Pass ~ with Diane Amelia Read and Teresa Lisum

What does wellness actually mean in midlife ~ and why do so many of us wait for permission to prioritize it? In this episode, I talked with Diane Amelia Read and Teresa Lisum for an honest, energizing conversation about movement, identity, and what it really looks like to age well. We talk about busting the stories we've been handed about getting older, why five intentional minutes beats zero perfect ones, and how showing up imperfectly is still showing up. In this episode: * Why movement is the non-negotiable ~ and how to make it sustainable * The myth of the "right time" to start taking care of yourself * Why "selfless" is not the compliment we think it is * How to define wellness on your own terms * The power of community and accountability * What to do when life blows up and self-care feels impossible Connect with Diane Amelia and Teresa: Linkedin: Diane Amelia Read [https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-amelia-read/] LinkedIn: Teresa Lisum [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresalisum/] Email: The Vitality Continuum at hello@thevitalitycontinuum.com [hello@thevitalitycontinuum.com] EventBrite: The Vitality Continuum at https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/34531589843?ref=eofblike [https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/34531589843?ref=eofblike] YouTube: Podcast Evolving Women [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdIljnri80CvfCy5NpHi3XAYY4VWIZWVv] with Teresa Lisum

31. What's The Story You've Been Holding? with Dr. Xanthe Golenko

By the time you hit 50, you've lived enough life to fill a few books. But most of us don't think our stories are worth telling. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Xanthe Golenko about why that couldn't be further from the truth. Xanthe was a dancer in France, then a researcher studying older adults. When she introduced life story books into care homes, something magical happened ~ families reconnected, staff saw the whole person, and the storytellers themselves transformed. That's when she realized: storytelling isn't just about preserving the past. It's about connection, healing, and claiming your voice in the present. We talk about: * Why your "everyday" moments are exactly what other women need to hear * The power of telling your story in a safe space * How to move from "I don't have a story" to sharing something deeply personal * What would you do if you weren't afraid? * Practical ways to start telling your story Your story doesn't need to be extraordinary to be powerful. It just needs to be yours. Connect with Xanthe: Website: https://gettingartsyafter50.com/ [https://gettingartsyafter50.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getting_artsy_after_50/ [https://www.instagram.com/getting_artsy_after_50/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565782329665 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565782329665] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanthe-golenko-b0993752/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanthe-golenko-b0993752/]

30. Your Future Self Called. She's Fine. (Better Than Fine, Actually.)

In this episode, I'm talking with Pauline Zielonka, founder of Retirement Life Plan, about what people actually experience when they step away from full-time work. Pauline has spent years researching the non-financial side of retirement, and what she's found is both surprising and deeply reassuring. We talk about why the fear of boredom is so much more common than actual boredom, how retirement can expand (not erase) your sense of self, and why generic retirement advice often misses the mark. Pauline also shares insights from her research on what helps people adjust ~ and what makes the transition harder than it needs to be. This conversation isn't just for people approaching retirement. It's for anyone who's ever wondered: What do I want the next chapter of my life to feel like? Whether retirement is two years away or twenty, this episode will help you start thinking about it differently. In this episode, we cover: * Why roughly 1 in 3 people struggle with retirement (and what the other two-thirds are doing differently) * The gap between fear and reality when it comes to boredom and loss of identity * How retirement can reveal parts of yourself that were buried under decades of career focus * The importance of self-reflection over cookie-cutter advice * Why flexibility matters more than having everything planned out * How values shift as we move through life transitions * What retirement coaches do (and how they work alongside financial planners) Connect with Pauline Website: https://www.retirementlifeplan.com/ [https://www.retirementlifeplan.com/] Book: Retirement Life Plan [https://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Life-Plan-Navigating-transition/dp/1981150293/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KJODNNUO7PNR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Mte0dfL69iXGd_iBbB7Xr846X9bcRig29ZlZ62vHmtFA0qWGNIgnKuHH8q5JqijU6DTDDCTlT4PB_-0guRJnrXpr20R5SvjR-9uztXVmmhlQ93rci_BrGv3R1DCLt9r6lFG73ngCh6A4a_E7Lw9lt-SnQkSDQI2_vcVMI8n9rU7tYP1Bw0O-YbbwEK0yg7XVN0H9w_88ZAUFsAdemUbGkutgb7Jv5-40AazepSkXje4.KeGxVDEMUZ7aliPOqFkztw65qG3ze_7C8wlz0D1ugls&dib_tag=se&keywords=retirement+life+plan&qid=1774404970&sprefix=retirement+life+plan%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-3] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retirement-life-plan/posts/?feedView=all [https://www.linkedin.com/company/retirement-life-plan/posts/?feedView=all]