Jan also pulls back the curtain on her own birth story, one she rarely shares. Let's just say it involved more than one emergency, more than one surgery, and a phone call from her mother that was... a lot.

We laugh. We wince. We say "oh my God" a lot. Because sometimes that's the only appropriate response.

Here's what we covered:

• The warning signs during pregnancy that are easy to dismiss as normal
• The grief of losing the birth experience you planned for, and why that grief is valid
• Why guilt and shame sneak in even when none of it was your fault
• The isolation that can come after a complicated birth, and why community matters more than most people realize
• How to choose your birth team and actually feel safe with them
• Doulas, breastfeeding pressure, and asking for help without feeling like a burden
• The generational thread of moms who carried their own birth losses without ever having words for them

Birth is wild, unpredictable, and body-hijacking, and someone really should have warned us. That's why we're here.

About Stephanie: Stephanie Baker is a licensed trauma counselor and coach out of Mason, Ohio, who runs her own practice called Change Heals, where she helps clients untangle the kind of pain most of us were taught to just power through. She's a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, EMDR-trained, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, and she's a certified trainer and a member of the leadership group at the Healing Our Core Issues Institute.

If you've read Gifts from a Challenging Childhood, you've actually already met a piece of her work — one of her original techniques is in there, in the 2025 edition. So she's not just teaching the model. She's helping shape it.

Stephanie is the therapist a lot of us wish we'd had earlier. She's deeply relational — human first, clinician second — and she shows up in the room as a real person, not a role. What she does so beautifully is help clients understand themselves in ways they were never given permission to before. The patterns, the protective parts, the why underneath the behavior — she helps her clients see all of it with curiosity instead of shame. She works with people healing developmental trauma — the stuff our mothers definitely forgot to mention- and she does it with humor, heart, and zero pretense.

Stephanie’s Links:
Stephanie’s Website
Intensive Workshops
Stephanie’s Instagram

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

This episode is Jan and Patti getting brutally honest about their dental horror stories—the bad dentists, the botched procedures, the money spent, and the hard-won lessons that came out the other side. Spoiler: we both came out stronger (and way more committed to flossing).

What we get into this episode:

• Jan's childhood dentist, who did fillings with zero Novocaine (yes, really)
• Why the dentist's chair can trigger real anxiety and panic, especially if feeling trapped is your thing
• Patti's multi-year nightmare with a dentist who was charming, attractive, and genuinely bad at his job
• The very expensive lesson in people-pleasing and not trusting your gut
• When to see a specialist vs. letting your general dentist handle it
• Teeth grinding, Invisalign, and Jan's $12,000 smile glow-up
• Medications, dry mouth, and tooth loss — something no one talks about enough
• The real reason so many of us go years without seeing a dentist

Bottom line? Trust your gut, get referrals from someone who's had real work done, and for the love of everything — brush and floss twice a day. Your future self will thank you.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, Jan and Patti are joined by the brilliant Nicole Grose, a retired professor, Gen X middle child, leukemia survivor, and now the proud owner of two brand-new hips. Nicole brings her background in anatomy and physiology (and a whole lot of hard-won personal experience) to a conversation that is equal parts eye-opening and deeply real.

We talk about what it actually looks like to navigate joint replacement surgery, from the frustrating search for the right surgeon, to recovering mid-COVID, to the very specific math of being told your new hip will last 40 years when you have leukemia.

This one's for every woman who's ever been waved off by a medical professional, told to push through the pain, or simply never given the full picture of what her body might need someday.

About Nicole Grose Ph.D:

Nicole obtained a Ph.D. in Quantitative Biology, studying the relationship between the nervous and immune systems. She is a recently retired professor who spent nearly 2 decades teaching college-level anatomy, physiology and animal physiology from 2003 to 2021.Her academic expertise and personal experience brings a unique perspective to conversations regarding joint replacement and long-term health. Living with chronic leukemia, Nicole understands firsthand the challenges and realities of navigating complex medical decisions, procedures and subsequent recovery. A GenX middle child of five and longtime educator at heart, Nicole now enjoys splitting her time between Dallas and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Nicole is developing an academic success/tutoring business with the goal of assisting STEAM students in developing the skillset to succeed academically as well as in the workplace.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

As of recording, Jan is eight weeks out from her fourth joint replacement, a knee this time, and we got into all of it. The parts they don't put in the brochure. The stuff your surgeon forgets to mention. The real experience of living in a body that needs a little extra hardware to keep going.

If you have a joint replacement in your future, or your mom does, or you're just trying to figure out how to stay mobile as you age, this one is genuinely useful. We promise.

Here's what we covered:

• How to know when it's actually time for a joint replacement and what the road there typically looks like
• Why the surgeon you choose matters more than you think, and what Jan learned the hard way from her first hip
• How robotic surgery has changed everything, making procedures more precise and often fully outpatient
• Scar tissue, fascia, and why rehab is non-negotiable for some bodies more than others
• Why strength training before surgery is one of the best things you can do for your recovery
• What those first days home actually look like and why having someone there is not optional
• How to protect the joints you've already had replaced so they actually last

If you've been through a joint replacement yourself, or you're heading into one, you already know this conversation was a long time coming. And if you haven't, consider this your heads up that your future self will thank you for listening now.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Melinda is a patient advocacy consultant, a former CEO, a French restaurant owner (yes, really), and a person who has had bariatric surgery, survived three concurrent eating disorders, and came thisclose to not being here. She's also as honest as we love our guests to be!

We talked about:

• Why obesity is a disease, not a character flaw.
• The food noise.
• Bariatric surgery and what nobody prepares you for.
• How Melinda ended up with three eating disorders at once.
• The moment something shifted.
• GLP-1 medications, the real talk.
• Weight bias in healthcare.
• Her "village" approach to recovery.
• Why childhood obesity and eating disorders are rising together, and why the cruelest bullying still goes unchecked.

The line that stayed with us: "I thought my goal was to be the skinniest girl in the room. It took me a long time to realize I was actually the sickest girl in the room."

If you've ever felt shame around your body, your eating, or your weight, or if you love someone who has, this episode is for you. You are not weak. You are not broken. And you are not alone.

About Melinda:

Ms. Watman is the founder of Weighty Decision, a patient advocacy consultancy partnering with pharmaceutical companies in the anti-obesity medication space. She provides both internal and external stakeholders patient-centered frameworks that improve engagement and outcomes. Drawing on 15 years of clinical experience and an MBA-driven entrepreneurial career, she bridges healthcare delivery, policy, and innovation. Ms. Watman is a compelling and trusted voice on the lived experience of obesity, healthcare bias, eating disorders, and patient-centered innovation.

In addition to her clinical practice, her background includes founding two successful consulting firms, serving as CEO and co-founder of a medical device company, working with both startups and established organizations to bring novel healthcare technologies to market, and owning a French restaurant.

She is a strong believer in giving back and is a mentor with the MIT Venture Mentoring Service and Innovate@BU. She also is an Emeritus board member of the Obesity Action Coalition.

Melinda will be speaking this year on eating disorders with obesity at two upcoming professional conferences: the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the World Obesity and Weight Management Congress. She is also involved with an advocacy effort to maintain coverage for anti-obesity medications for MassHealth/Medicaid patients in Massachusetts.

Connect with Melinda on LinkedIn.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How eating disorders aren’t just anorexia and bulimia—there’s a whole range of disordered eating behaviors
• Patti’s experience with control, trauma, food hiding, bingeing, and the shame spiral
• Jan’s experience with thinness pressure, dance culture, and bingeing/purging without even knowing what it was called
• Why food often becomes a coping tool (just like alcohol, drugs, work, shopping… you get it)
• How body dysmorphia messes with what we think we see in the mirror
• The sneaky messages we absorb from family, culture, and “well-meaning” comments
• Why therapy matters (because food is rarely the real issue)
• The power of permission: eating carbs, adding snacks, and even having dessert on purpose

If you’re struggling, here’s what we encourage:

• Consider therapy with someone who understands trauma + body image
• Work with a registered dietitian/nutritionist who doesn’t shame bodies (HAES-aligned can be a great fit)
• Start small with body neutrality: “I’m not broken” is a powerful first step

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Rick walked us through his grief timeline, beginning with losing his grandmother at 7, his father at 10, and later his mother at 35. What unfolded was something we hadn’t quite thought about before: grief isn’t just an event… it’s a thread that runs through your entire life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why many of us get “stuck” in one stage of grief (hello, denial)
• How childhood loss quietly shapes adult coping patterns
• Why unprocessed grief lives in the body
• The idea that all counseling is grief work
• What it means to complete a “threat response”
• How to create your own grief timeline
• Why retirement, divorce, moving, and unmet expectations are real losses
• How mindfulness helps us embody grief instead of outrun it
• The power of meaning-making in healing

Rick vulnerably shares his own journey—from shutting down as a 10-year-old boy to fully grieving decades later through experiential therapy.

And we ask the big question:

Where are you in your grief timeline?

If this episode stirred something in you, you’re not alone. Grief is not weakness. It’s human. And you don’t have to move through it by yourself.

About Dr. Rick Butts:

Rick has been a therapist for the past 37 years. During this time, he has been a professor at two different Universities. At the University of Cincinnati, he taught in the Human Social Services department. And at the Cincinnati Christian University, he taught in their Master of Arts in counseling program. Throughout these 37 years, he has maintained a private practice focused for several years on children, adolescents, and families. Then he transitioned to adults with an interest in developmental and relational trauma and couples counseling. In 2013, he co-founded the Healing Our Core Issues Institute with Jan Bergstrom, which is a training program for therapists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and coaches.

Website: https://www.drrickbutts.com

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We get into:

• The sneaky, shapeshifting nature of grief
• What “ambiguous grief” actually means
• How grief is deeply connected to attachment
• Why we need rituals—and how they help us move through pain
• Grief triggers and how to cope
• Creating meaning from loss (even when it feels impossible)

Whether you’re in it, past it, or dreading it—this conversation will meet you where you are.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

This one’s about what happens when your magical thinking meets a medical emergency—and what it really means to make peace with death.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• How denial and “wishful wellness” can sometimes teach something else
• The shame and shock of getting seriously ill
• What it’s like to have a stroke and discover a tumor in one hospital visit
• Her powerful new show, Life and Death: A Love Story
• And why life tastes sweeter when you finally stop trying so damn hard

If you’ve ever feared getting older, been shocked by your own medical chart, or just wondered how to actually live while you’re still here—this one’s for you.

About Ma Sherry:

Sherry Glaser is originally from New York City and has been doing comedy for over 40 years. She is the star and author of 4 One woman shows, TAKING THE HIGH ROAD, (Comic confessions from behind the Cannabis Curtain), The ADVENTURES OF SUPER ACTIVIST MOTHER, OH MY GODDESS! and the Longest running one woman show in off-Broadway Herstory – FAMILY SECRETS. Sherry is a published author of THE FIRST PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR CRAZY PEOPLE, of her memoir FAMILY SECRETS, and MAMA’S 1ST POCKET CHICKTIONARY. She is the founder of the Peace Advocacy group; Breasts not Bombs Her new play is LIFE AND DEATH: A Love Story

Links for Ma Sherry:

Website

Instagram

Sherry also offer Tarot readings. You can contact her directly for more information here.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We're getting honest about:

• Sudden loss and the trauma of unexpected death
• The weird things our brains do when we first hear someone’s gone
• The difference between grief and the act of dying
• End-of-life planning, medical aid in dying, and making peace with our mortality
• And yes… the “Oh No” book, because someone’s gotta know where the passwords are

We laugh, we share personal stories, and we hope this episode helps you feel a little more seen and a little less alone.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

This conversation is raw, honest, and full of the kind of wisdom that only comes from deep healing. If you've experienced abuse—or love someone who has—this episode is for you.

Here’s what we talk about:

• What it’s like to tell your story after years of silence
• How sexual abuse impacts identity, relationships, and trust
• The complicated feelings survivors often have about their abusers
• What healing actually looks like (hint: it's not linear)
• How safe touch, therapy, and community helped Kristy reclaim her body
• The power of saying it out loud—yes, even if it’s messy or imperfect

Trigger warning: We talk about childhood sexual abuse. Please take care of yourself as you listen. You can pause, come back, or skip this one if it’s not the right time.

👉🏼 If this resonates with you, you're not alone. Healing is possible. We're proof.

About Kristy:

Kristy Dillon is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Dayton, Ohio with over 30 years of experience in the counseling field. She has been trained in Somatic Experiencing, Developmental and Relational Trauma, and Polyvagal Theory. Over the years, she has worked in Community Mental Health Centers, private psychiatric practice, school-based counseling, and private practice.

Kristy was motivated to earn a degree in Counseling after engaging in her own personal counseling to address sexual trauma she experienced as a child. The profound healing she experienced inspired her to learn how to support others through their own healing journeys.

View Kristy’s profile here.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We’re not getting into graphic details—but we are talking honestly about the emotional toll and long-term impact of being hurt by someone who was supposed to protect you.

Here’s what we dive into:

• How trauma shows up in your adult body, even when your mind doesn’t “remember”
• The difference between being a victim and choosing healing
• The complications of caretaking for the very people who failed to protect you
• How to recognize signs of abuse in children—and why it’s never too late to speak out
• What experiential therapies, boundaries, and nervous system work can do for your healing

This one is vulnerable, raw, and real—but it’s also filled with hope.

If this topic is hard for you, please take care of yourself first. Hit pause if you need to. And know you're not alone.

Resources mentioned:

• Gifts from a Challenging Childhood by Jan Bergstrom
• Running on Empty by Jonice Webb
• The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
• Experiential therapy modalities: ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), Gestalt, Inner Child Work

We see you. We’ve got you.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We’re joined by Jan’s dear friend and fellow therapist Laura Williams, who bravely shares her journey through an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. Stage zero—no symptoms, no lump, no family history. Just one routine mammogram that saved her life.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How a mammogram caught Laura’s cancer before it spread
• What “stage zero” breast cancer really means
• The wild (and frustrating) realities of navigating treatment
• Radiation, Tamoxifen, and the side effects no one warns you about
• The emotional toll of playing it “fine” while quietly falling apart
• How women are often told to suck it up—even during cancer
• The support systems that carried her, and the ones that surprised her

This is a must-listen for any woman who’s ever put off her appointment or felt dismissed in a medical setting. Let this be your nudge, your hug, and your reminder: you matter, and your health does too.

Go get that mammogram. We mean it.

About Laura:

Laura Williams has known since her early twenties that she was called to this work — but the path to Be Found Counseling has been anything but linear. Three children, three moves, loss and birth, other careers, and her own healing journey have all shaped how she shows up as a counselor today. She looks back and can see that none of it was wasted. Every detour has deepened her belief in the power of mercy, grace, and community.

Being a counselor isn’t just what Laura does — it’s who she is. Every day, she gets to witness hope, healing, and redemption unfold in real time. It’s an honor for her to walk with people as they discover their own worth and learn to live from a place of belonging rather than shame.

While Laura’s faith deeply informs the way she sees the world, she doesn’t practice biblical counseling or label herself a Christian counselor. What guides her is how Jesus lived — bringing people out of shame into dignity, meeting them with compassion and understanding. Whether or not faith is part of someone’s story, her hope is that when they sit together, they experience unconditional love, mercy, and grace.

Laura’s work is shaped by her training with the Healing Our Core Issues Institute (HOCI), where she now serves as a member of the core faculty. The HOCI model focuses on human worth, healthy boundaries, creating meaning out of imperfection, taking responsibility for needs and desires, and cultivating joy and secure connection — both with ourselves and others.

She often says this work offers hope in the wilderness. When life feels overwhelming, lonely, or uncertain, it gives us a place to land — and a foundation we can return to again and again. After experiencing this transformation herself, Laura no longer fears the wilderness. She’s ready to step into it with you.

Laura’s Links:

Website: www.befoundcounseling.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/befoundcounseling 

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode we talk:

• How baby oil and iodine once were Jan’s “sunscreen” (yes, really) and how that misguided vibe still haunts her skin today
• Jan’s personal skin‑cancer story: from a spot that wouldn’t heal on her forehead to multiple cuts, stitches and scalp scares
• What MOHS surgery is and how it changed how Jan sees—and wears—her skin
• The emotional landscape of having cancer (even non‑melanoma) and living with the “what‑if it comes back” anxiety
• Practical, no‑fluff tips on what to look for, how often to get checked, and how to build skin‑care awareness as you age
• If you’ve ever thought: “Wait, nobody told me this would happen,” then this is for you. We wish someone had said it earlier to us.
• 🎧 Tune in, share with a friend, and let us know your story if skin health or cancer has touched you. We’re in this together.
• Note: We are not doctors. If you have any concerns about your skin or health, please seek professional advice.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Susan opens up about her own lifelong journey with anxiety—from childhood panic attacks to the hard-won wisdom that comes from facing fear head-on. Together, we explore:

• Why anxiety often begins early and hides behind shame
• The connection between fear, the nervous system, and avoidance
• How to stop letting anxiety drive your decisions
• The power of small, brave steps and saying “bring it on”
• When medication, therapy, and community can all play a role
• The deep relief that comes from being seen, heard, and loved

It’s an honest, compassionate conversation that reminds us we’re never alone in our struggles—and that healing often begins the moment we start talking about it.

About Susan:

Susan Kay is a pediatric and adult psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist with many years of experience treating both inpatients, residential and outpatient populations. She provides psychotherapy both short term and intermittent as well as psychiatric evaluation and medication management. Her designation as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist has now changed to Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner by the American Nursing Credentialing Center.

Susan is seeing pediatric and adult populations in an outpatient setting. She offers primarily psychiatric evaluation and medication management is her specialty. She has extensive experience treating affective disorders, ADHD through the life cycle, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD and psychotic disorders.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

From panic attacks to lump-in-the-throat discomfort and the reality of being “on edge” for decades—we’re talking about how trauma shapes the nervous system, and why healing isn’t just about mindset.

Here’s what we cover:

• Patti’s real-life story of anxiety from childhood trauma to adult healing
• Why “calming down” doesn’t cut it when your nervous system is on overdrive
• Panic, agoraphobia, and food-related anxiety
• Therapy approaches that helped (CBT, EMDR, ART, somatic work & more)
• Medication without shame
• The power of naming what’s happening in your body and brain
• Why anxiety looks different for everyone

This conversation is honest, emotional, and grounded in real experience. If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety didn’t “make sense,” this one’s for you.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Here’s what we covered:

• How menopause is technically just one day—and what comes before and after
• What our mothers never told us about hormones, hot flashes, and pelvic pain
• Kathleen’s no-holds-barred experience with perimenopause, UTIs, and HRT
• The link between shame and silence—and how to start talking back
• What happens when you stand in your driveway holding a flaming pan (seriously)

Takeaway: You’re not alone. And you’re not losing it. You might just be on the journey that is menopause - peri and post.

About Kathleen Sachs:

Kathleen Sachs is the second oldest, second daughter in a family of 9 children, and that explains EVERYTHING about her. Her life has been about being of service to others—whether it’s her career as a Financial Planner, her time in Town Government, or her years as a Hospice Volunteer doing Pet Therapy visits.

She has experienced (as she thinks most women have) limits being placed on her simply because she is female—from overprotected activities as a young child, to being underestimated by men to whom she was doing a professional presentation. Her passion now is focused on encouraging women of all ages to use their voice and advocate for themselves, whether that is demanding effective medical care or taking time for self care.

Kathleen is starting conversations with women, whenever possible, about the impact of hormonal changes in their bodies and how it can be addressed. She focuses on perimenopause and post-menopause. She recommends to everyone who will listen to her to read her latest "bible" The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver, MD. She heard Dr. Haver on a podcast with Brené Brown and what Dr. Haver said made her mad. She then bought and read this book and it made her madder and changed her life. The 'Pause Life' on Facebook, The ‘Pause Life’ on Substack, Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Instagram

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Here’s what we’re talking about:

• What GSM actually is and why it matters
• Jan’s battle with painful bladder symptoms and pelvic floor dysfunction
• Why some vaginas get too tight and others... not tight enough 👀
• Pelvic floor therapy, mesh, lasers, and all the things no one warns you about
• Estrogen: The goddess hormone and what happens when she bails
• Bioidentical hormones, DHEA, yams (yes, yams), and natural support options
• Why it took until 2015 for medicine to take our vaginas seriously 😒

We’re calling this one “a menopause saga” because that’s exactly what it is. If you’re navigating your own hormonal rollercoaster or just want to be prepared for what’s ahead, we’ve got you.

💡 P.S. Don’t forget to check the show notes for the resource sheet Jan put together!

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We talk about the gaps in sex education, the myths still floating around, and how we can all do better—whether we’re raising kids or trying to understand our own bodies.

Here’s what we cover:

• What many young adults still don’t understand about sex and anatomy
• The surprising impact of using correct language for body parts early on
• How to start age-appropriate conversations about puberty and sex
• Why shame-free education leads to healthier kids (and adults)
• Resources we wish we had growing up

Dr. Meyer brings practical, thoughtful insight—with a good bit of humor—into how we can raise more informed, confident kids…even if we’re still learning ourselves.

About Dr. Tracy Meyer:

Dr. Meyer has been a psychology professor for over 20 years. She is married and has two children, a 17 year old daughter a12 year old son. Her research interests are in sexual harassment and gender microaggressions against women.

Resources and Links:

• It’s Not the Stork (book for children)
• Our Bodies Our Selves
• Planned Parenthood

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Here’s what we explore:

• Our first memories of starting our periods
• What we were (and weren’t) told about our changing bodies
• How shame, silence, or support shaped those experiences
• Bras, pads, and navigating early body image
• Why creating open, shame-free conversations matters now
• How to show up for young people going through these transitions today

This conversation is about more than just puberty. It’s about how we understand and relate to our bodies, how that connection forms early on, and how we can make sure the next generation doesn’t feel alone in it.

If you’re a parent, a grandparent, an auntie, or someone who simply remembers feeling uncertain during those early changes, this episode is for you.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

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*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

On this episode, we’re joined by our guest, Kandy Christensen, who shares her powerful personal journey—from being raised to comply, to reclaiming her voice and agency after years of silence, confusion, and trauma.

This conversation covers deeply personal and sometimes difficult ground, but we believe in naming it, talking about it, and healing out loud.

• What consent really means—and why it goes beyond “no means no”
• How silence, fear, and shame shaped our early sexual experiences
• The impact of growing up in a culture that rewards compliance over agency
• What it’s like to navigate sex and dating in a larger body
• The long-term effects of not feeling safe enough to say no
• Why personal power and sexual pleasure go hand-in-hand
• And how it’s never too late to reclaim your right to choose

We hope this episode makes you feel seen, supported, and never alone.

As always, resources are available at thingsmymotherforgottomention.com.

About Kandy:

Kandy Christensen is a crafter who loves textiles, every personality test she has taken says she is a knowledge seeker, she is an empath, she sometimes can be seen carrying a vintage camera and she lives with a free range bunny named Sweetie. She works in non-profit administration by day and by night she is a Life Coach.

Links:

Kandy’s Website

Instagram

Facebook

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Today we're going there! We're talking sex, in all its confusing, complicated, hilarious, and healing glory.

You’ll hear:

• How sexual trauma shaped Patti’s early experiences — and her journey toward healing
• Why Jan’s first marriage was a sexual blur
• The myth of orgasming through vaginal sex — only 18% of us do
• Clitoral geography, tantra workshops, and pelvic floor PT
• How shame and silence shaped our stories — and how open conversations are changing that

Whether you're just starting to explore your sexuality or have decades of experience — we’re here for the real talk our mothers missed.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In this episode, we get real about:

• Growing up with dysfunctional templates and learning to spot red flags
• Why jealousy is not love—and neither is ordering for you at dinner
• The danger of falling for potential instead of reality
• How self-worth gets tangled up in whether someone chooses you
• Tips for spotting healthy dynamics (and yes, they do exist!)
• What makes a good therapist or coach—and what to walk away from

We laughed, we cringed, we healed a little. Join us for a conversation every woman deserves to hear, no matter what stage of life or love you’re in.

About Lisa:

Lisa isn’t your typical relationship coach. With over 20 years of experience as a relationship coach and trained therapist, she cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of the matter. Lisa tackles complex issues head-on with clarity, humor, and a no-nonsense approach that drives real, lasting change.

Her mission is to help individuals, couples, teams, and organizations create radically new relationships and cultures that don’t just survive—they thrive.

The old relationship rules are broken, and Lisa is here to rewrite them. Through her Radically New Relationships™ Paradigm, she challenges outdated norms and replaces them with a bold, transformative framework. Her approach ensures relationships are deeply supportive, powerfully connected, and built to last.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/LisaMerloBoothStraightTalk

https://www.instagram.com/lisamerlobooth

www.lisamerlobooth.com

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Here’s what we cover:

• The relationship advice that was missed
• How family dysfunction models our love templates
• Codependency, love addiction, and breaking toxic patterns
• Why being alone can be just as powerful as being partnered
• What accountability and emotional health really look like in love

We get candid, we get deep—and we keep it real. Whether you’re single, married, divorced, or somewhere in between, we’re here for the “WTF is this?” moments of love.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

We chat about:

• What it’s like when no one tells you about periods, sex, or menopause
• The emotional side of menopause—and yes, grief is a thing
• Vaginal atrophy (it’s real, it’s painful, and it’s not just "in your head")
• The Mona Lisa Touch, radiofrequency treatments, and other (sometimes painful!) interventions
• Finding the right doctor who takes menopause seriously
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)—bioidentical, pellets, creams, and more

Whether your vagina is whispering “WTF” or your libido has RSVP’d “no” to the party, this one’s for you. Grab a tea (or a tequila) and let’s talk about the stuff nobody ever warned us about.

About Laura Blundo:

Laura is a NH girl, woman, from head to toe, going back to the 1700s. She’s now in her early 60s, and coming into her children's weddings, becoming a new grandparent, all while embarking on a move to a new area this past December. In her personal world, she loves her family and friendships, she loves gardening, hiking, boating, skiing—pretty much all that nature has to offer. As a professional, she is a Relationship Coach, working with couples as well as individuals in helping them become more loving, respectful, nurturing humans. She specializes in Betrayal Trauma recovery as well as the traumas experienced in childhood, which directly affect how people show up in their relationships today.

Links:

Laura’s website: https://www.relationshipawakenings.com/

We are now the stewards of an 1840s farm house with a GIANT red barn! It's exciting, and daunting at the same time.  It's called "Joy Farm", which will be incorporated into my coaching practice with workshops and intensives. 

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

Here’s what we get into:

• Patti’s just entering the night sweats chat (literally)
• Jan’s been-there-done-that tale of hormonal hell and healing
• What your doctor probably won’t tell you about hormone therapy (and what a functional medicine doc will)
• Why bioidentical hormone replacement therapy changed Jan’s life
• The good, the bad, and the itchy: vaginal dryness, mood swings, libido nosedives, and more
• Natural, medical, and lifestyle options to support you in perimenopause
• PSA: Pelvic floor therapy is a thing. And yes, it involves in there.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Wait—why didn’t anyone tell me this could happen?”—this episode is your new best friend. You are NOT crazy. You are NOT alone. And we’re so glad you’re here.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.

In our debut episode, we’re letting you peek behind the curtain as we:

• Introduce ourselves (spoiler: one of us is a tech nerd, the other a trauma therapist)
• Share the origin story of this podcast dream-turned-reality
• Talk about why we had to create a space for raw, unfiltered convos about womanhood, aging, and all the weirdness in between
• Laugh about encyclopedias, rogue chin hairs, and awkward library searches from the 'before times'

We’re here to create a place where every woman feels seen, heard, and maybe even a little less alone.

Get ready to talk taboo. Because if our mothers forgot to mention it, we’re bringing it up.

Find resources mentioned in this episode here.

Learn more about this podcast here.

Submit your 90-second lesson/experience here.

Apply to be a guest here.

Stay updated on new episodes here.

*Information shared on this podcast is not medical advice. If you have a concern about your physical or mental health, please seek support from a proessional.