Not Ashamed Podcast

I’m joined by Lauren Fortney, a licensed counselor and trauma specialist. We discuss how many women struggle with anxiety and negative self-talk, and Lauren shares ways to shift these patterns, emphasizing the importance of self-kindness. We also explore the complexities of abusive relationships, the impact of growing up in trauma, and how these experiences shape future relationships. Lauren explains how childhood sexual trauma often leads to ongoing struggles and the therapy methods she uses to help survivors heal. We also talk about how parents can unintentionally repeat harmful patterns, and how breaking those cycles is key for future generations. Shifting gears, Lauren shares insights on compartmentalizing emotions and how small problems can feel overwhelming for some. We then dive into the rise of the term "narcissist" on social media, exploring the difference between narcissistic behavior and personality disorder, as well as recognizing manipulation tactics and unhealthy ways people seek attention.

I'm back with my friend Kathy! She shares her experience as a woman entrepreneur navigating a male-dominated world. Kathy talks about being surrounded by men at business conferences, including an uncomfortable situation where the main speaker made unwanted advances toward her during dinner and how she didn’t know how to respond. It was a constant battle figuring out how to handle the situation especially since he was also offering her business opportunities. Kathy also describes her struggle to gain a seat at the table with men, often finding it difficult because the environment was either a "boys' club" or they were only interested in flirting with her. Despite these challenges, she kept pushing forward, knowing that meeting the right people could help her succeed especially since there were no women mentors to guide her. She shares how men would often try to set up meetings with her in their hotel rooms, and recalls a "Pretty Woman"-style story with no strings attached. Kathy then talks about rebuilding her business with a partner, and how all the connections she made over the years eventually began to pay off, helping her business grow.

In this episode, I sit down with Kathy, a professional real estate expert based in St. Louis and co-founder of New Age Health and Wellness. Kathy opens up about her personal struggles with hormone imbalances that inspired her to create her health and wellness company. We discuss the transformative impact of weight loss medications, the excitement they bring to those looking to lose weight and eat healthier! We explore how stress affects your body and weight loss. Kathy also shares how she became a successful businesswoman by starting out selling cars when she was 19, knowing nothing about them. She shares the challenges she faced as the only female sales representative and the sexism she endured along the way, as well as how she navigated life after leaving a toxic marriage and having to start completely over.

I'm with a very special guest Christina Whitlock, making history as the first female uniformed coach in the Cardinals organization. Christina shares her incredible journey, starting with the profound love story of her husband, Brian and recounts what her last day was like with him while she was nine months pregnant. How he told her he was sick and that he would have to take care of herself. Just a day later, Brian was rushed to the hospital, and nine days after his passing, Christina welcomed their baby boy into the world. Christina reflects on her deep relationship with God and how there's always a purpose even if you can't fully understand it yet. How even since she was a young girl she's alway felt the presence of God. Christina shares how it was like to navigate life with a newborn while just having lost her husband. She walks us through her career path in baseball . We end the episode with Christina sharing a piece of advice on how to keep going even when things get hard.

Today I’m with Hayley Tharp! I was on her podcast ‘Inside Voice’ last October so be sure to check it out! She's all about self-improvement, health, and fitness, which is right up our alley. If you remember my storytime about the married man messaging me on Facebook, that happened on the same day I recorded Hayley’s podcast. After I shared my story, three women reached out to me, saying they knew exactly who the man was because he was doing the same thing to them! So today, we're resetting the vibes with Hayley! We’re both big on energy, and Hayley practices Human Design, which blends spirituality and science to uncover the energies that make up who you are. We discuss how our superpower is reading everyone’s energies and matching the energy of whoever we’re with. Hayley shares how Human Design has helped her understand her kids and their needs. We talk about how some people, like Generators, can completely change the energy and vibes of a room just by walking in. I tend to connect with new people right away, while for Hayley, it takes a bit longer to build trust. Ultimately, we both want to be a lighthouse for people, guiding them to their best selves.