🔺 Trigger Warning:
This episode contains discussions of severe depression and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with thoughts of self-harm, please know you are not alone—there is help, and there is hope. Resources can be found below❤️.

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In this powerful and deeply personal episode, we meet Sam—a bright, dependable woman whose life was turned upside down by a force few saw coming: menopause.

What started as a series of relentless UTIs spiraled into debilitating anxiety, insomnia, and eventually, a psychiatric hospitalization. Sam had no trauma history, no warning signs. Just an invisible unraveling that even doctors couldn’t explain—until someone finally asked the right question.

We dive into Sam’s story not just to share her pain, but to shed light on the hidden mental health impacts of menopause. This episode challenges the silence around women’s hormonal transitions and mental wellness, and offers hope to those who feel like they’re falling apart with no clear reason why.

In this episode, we explore:

• The overlooked connection between menopause and mental health
• How anxiety and depression can emerge without trauma
• The danger of misdiagnosis and the power of being believed
• Why menopause is still such a taboo in medicine and society
• What hope and healing can look like, even after a crisis

For every woman who's ever wondered, “What’s happening to me?” — this one’s for you.

THANK YOU TO SAM, for being so courageous, for being willing to share your story with the hope that it might help even just one person to navigate the season of menopause. We deserve MORE. We deserve BETTER. If your doctor won't listen, then find another. And if that one won't listen, find another! Continue until you receive the assistance you need.

XOXO,

Heather

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📞 Crisis Resources:

🇺🇸 United States
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988
Available 24/7, free and confidential.
Website: 988lifeline.org

🇨🇦 Canada
Talk Suicide Canada – Call 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (4 PM–12 AM ET)
Website: talksuicide.ca

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Samaritans – Call 116 123 (24/7, free)
Website: samaritans.org

🇦🇺 Australia
Lifeline Australia – Call 13 11 14 (24/7)
Website: lifeline.org.au

🌍 Other Countries
Find crisis support near you via Befrienders Worldwide, a global network of emotional support centers.

🎙️ Re-Release: A Must-Listen Conversation with Becky Parker

This episode is a re-release, but with a twist—it's a trimmed-down version that puts the spotlight right where it belongs: on Becky Parker. When I first recorded this, I was still finding my rhythm as a host (and probably talked a little too much 😅). Since then, I’ve learned a lot—and this conversation deserves to be heard with full focus on the absolute fire Becky brings.

Becky is a certified life success coach and practitioner, and her story honestly blew me away. You would never guess she once struggled with confidence or felt unworthy. It just goes to show—you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

In this episode, Becky shares how she helps people break free from limiting beliefs, negative emotions, and toxic patterns to build powerful relationships with themselves and others. Her business, Relationship Success 4 Life, offers coaching, individual therapy, and couples counseling—all tailored to help clients achieve their personal and relationship goals.

💫 Becky has such an incredible gift for helping people—and she truly deserves to be heard.

Learn more about her work:
🌐 www.relationshipsuccess4life.com
📱 Instagram: @beckyparkerrr

RE-RELEASE! A shortened version of my amazing conversation with Kiki❤️

Kiki Hurwitt is an absolute powerhouse I discovered on the 'gram. I reached out to her because I wanted to hear the story behind the face in her “before” photos from 2020. What pushed her to take control of her health—her life?

What I wasn’t prepared for was the raw honesty of her journey—how her unhealthy relationship with alcohol began, and what it took to break free. I wasn’t prepared for a lot of this conversation, actually… but this is why I started the podcast:
For women to share their stories of resilience.
For women to rise from the ashes—and help others rise, too.
Because when we tell our truth, we give someone else hope. 💫

My new motto? "If Kiki can do it, so can I."
She radiates joy, strength, and pure light. Her happiness is infectious. Kiki, thank you for trusting me—someone you didn’t know—with your story. It was an honor to hold space for it.

💬 You can follow Kiki on Instagram: @thelykkeviking

🎧 Please share this episode—and all our episodes—with the women in your life who need a reminder that it’s never too late to begin again.

xoxo,
Heather

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Sharing Out Loud — the podcast where we get real about life, change, and the stories we’re all living. Today, I’m sitting down with someone who embodies strength, drive, positivity, and a whole lot of real talk — the amazing Amy Johnston of Amy Johnston Fitness.

Amy is a certified trainer and nutrition coach based in Calgary, Alberta. But she doesn't just transform bodies, she helps women transform the way they think about their bodies, especially during the exciting chapter of perimenopause😘.

As someone navigating this life stage herself, Amy brings expertise and empathy to her work. She’s walking the walk right alongside her clients — supporting women through the hormonal shifts, mindset challenges, and lifestyle changes that come with this season.

But beyond the gym, Amy is also a proud mom to three adult children, a devoted wife, and a dog mom to two lovable Yorkies who keep things lively at home. She’s got deep roots in Calgary, a big heart for the community she serves, and a mission to help women feel strong, confident, and fully at home in their bodies — no matter their age or stage.

Today’s conversation is packed with honesty, passion, and real tools you can use — so get comfy, grab your headphones, and let’s jump in.

You can find Amy on Instagram: @amyjohnstonfitness

On her website: www.amyjohnstonfitness.com. Come join in on the fun in her women's fitness group or message her about private fitness and/or nutrition coaching!

Welcome back to Sharing Out Loud, where real stories meet transformation, healing, and the power of the human spirit. Today, I have the absolute honor of introducing you to someone whose light and wisdom are as powerful as her story—Jillian Laudano.

Jillian is a certified Life Coach, Spiritual Practitioner, Energy Healer, Meditation and EFT Tapping expert, Speaker, and Sobriety Coach with She Walks Canada. She’s also a student of the incredible Jay Shetty. But more than her titles, Jillian is a true embodiment of hope, healing, and higher purpose.

She’s walked through some of life’s deepest challenges—growing up in childhood poverty, and experiencing the devastating loss of her beautiful mother to cancer. And yet, she has manifested extraordinary things: unconditional love, massive success, happiness, abundance... Jillian is living proof of the power we all have within us to create the life of our dreams and achieve any goal we set.

She considers herself an old soul, having often incarnated here with the sacred mission of helping others heal. She is deeply committed to shining her light, sharing her gifts, and always serving from a place of love, gratitude, safety, support, and non-judgment. Jillian sees the good in all people and dedicates her life to helping others realize their highest potential.

You are in for a truly heart-opening, soul-expanding conversation. So, get ready to feel inspired and empowered—please welcome the incredible Jillian Laudano!

- Please follow Jillian on Instagram: @jillianlaudanollc

- Visit her website for more information on coaching: https://jillianlaudano.com/

- Check her out on YouTube for FREE tapping exercises: https://www.youtube.com/c/JillianLaudano (subjects like fear, anxiety, fertility, pain management, stress, and so much more!)

Thanks for listening! Please share with friends. It means so much!

xoxo,

Heather

Welcome to Sharing Out Loud! Whether you’re here for the 70th time or tuning in for the very first, I’m so glad you’re here. I hope you find this listening experience to be a breath of fresh air—a space where stories are shared with honesty, vulnerability, and heart.

Each episode features real conversations that remind us we’re not alone in our struggles or growth. Today’s episode is no exception.

"YOU WERE MEANT FOR MORE. YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO STAY SMALL"

Chelsea Powell (a returning guest!) is a breathwork specialist who knows firsthand what it means to rebuild after the realization that alcohol was no longer serving her.

Now, over five years sober, she’s living a life of freedom, clarity, and purpose, helping others reconnect to themselves through the power of breath.

In this conversation, Chelsea shares her journey -- how breathwork became her lifeline, and the tools she now teaches to guide others toward inner peace and lasting change.

So take a deep breath with us—and let’s begin.

• Please follow Chelsea on Instagram @thedeliberateone
• Looking for personal coaching, whether it be for alcohol abuse or any other type of healing, visit Chelsea's website https://thedeliberateone.com/
• Interested in community and support for living a life alcohol-free? Come meet with us! Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8:00PM EST. Women-only and totally FREE! www.shewalkscanada.com/coaching

Welcome to SHARING OUT LOUD—the space where stories unfold, healing begins, and art meets the soul. Today, we’re diving into a conversation with someone whose journey is anything but ordinary.

Danya is an artist, photo journalist, filmmaker, spice creator, and recovery advocate (in recovery herself from alcohol abuse and domestic violence) whose work speaks to the raw, unfiltered beauty of being human. She's a seeker of truth, a lover of the universe, and a storyteller who weaves her experiences into visual and emotional landscapes that move hearts and minds alike.

Whether she's behind the lens, sitting in her car at the beach, creating delicious food with her mom's Everyday spice recipe, or holding space for healing, Danya shows up fully—vulnerable, honest, and endlessly curious.

So settle in, breathe deep, and join us for a conversation that’s equal parts soul medicine and creative fire. This is one you won't want to miss.

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I quietly exit

Wherever I am and

Take time to breathe

Sometimes my head

is filled with

Nonsense

No Urgent sense to fill the space

I take A deep look at the

Information my body speaks

A call to just remember

Let’s sit together

In the

silence

And just Be

Together

Danya Katrina (November 11/11/2025)

Be sure to follow Dani on Instagram to learn more about her upcoming Art Exhibition, "The Yellow in Her," as well as her new documentary "Just Breathe".

@danyakatrinayusep

In this empowering episode, I sit down (again) with Alexandra Bos, a true female badass. An author, a yoga teacher, and a chaser of knowledge, Alexandra is the epitome of not taking no for an answer.

In this episode, Alexandra shares her transformative journey from overcoming personal challenges to embracing sobriety, and how it has empowered her to push past glass ceilings. With her passion for wellness, she recently studied with Wim Hof, diving deep into breathwork and cold exposure, and using these practices to elevate her mind and body. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, empowerment, and the relentless pursuit of breaking through life's limitations.

Crazy fact! Alex took her first drink (so many years ago) on the same day that marks my first day of sobriety, March 21 :), AND her first drink was in the Netherlands, where she called in for our conversation. How kismet is that? And now of course, we are both living in sobriety.

If you have yet to read Alexandra's book, THE GAME (the THE GAME, Level two), run now and grab your copy(s) HERE.

Also be on the lookout for her new book, SHEWOLF, set to launch in August. I CANNOT WAIT!

And of course, follow Alexandra on Instagram: @alex.bos.author