Today, Sarah Churchill, joins me on the podcast to discuss some important topics surrounding individuals with special needs. Her son was born with Down Syndrome and was medically fragile the first two years of his life. She recalls the grief that surrounded her as she processed her expectations versus reality with her son's future. Sarah encourages women that it is ok to cry and process those emotions, but remember, that whatever you are facing in this moment isn't always going to be your life. She encourages moms to reach out to people who are experiencing similar journeys and ask for help when you need the extra support.

Sarah and I were also able to tackle the topic of "people first language" and understanding that an individual is not their diagnosis, but in fact simply a person. She is passionate about stopping people from assuming what her son can and can't accomplish. Sarah talks about making her son prove to her that he can't do something before she just accepts that he can't. She wants us to stop the mindset of limiting individuals with special needs and understand that maybe they aren't ready yet or possibly they just need to do it a different way.

This is an incredible conversation about not only understanding individuals with special needs, but how to support and encourage their mothers as well. Sarah notes, when you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and reach out and do the work it takes to connect it only communicates care and that's so important. Please listen and share with your friends. This is truly a conversation that all moms need to hear.

Sarah Bio:
Sarah is mom who homeschools her 3 kids with one on the way. She is passionate about educating about inclusion and awareness of how to support and encourage those with special needs.

Ways To Contact Sarah:
Reach out to me and I will connect you.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
Blog: www.embracelivethrive.com 
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive 

Today, Marti Kelly, joins me on the podcast and share her story of overcoming grief and loss after she and her husband got married young. She talks about how difficult of a time it was, but that she and her husband were able to stay together and overcome by making sure they were communicating their needs and aways being there for each other no matter what the circumstance.

Marti also shares her top 10 organizational tips including making sure when you are tiding to put things exactly back where they belong, never buying new hangers, and never fill drawers or cabinets more than 80% full. She finishes with giving us young mothers advice about our mothers-in-law and the importance of finding balance.

Please like, share, and comment on this episode to help us continue to grow and reach woman who need to hear that it is ok to not be ok, but let's not stay there.

Marti Kelly Bio:
Kelly and her husband of 37 years live in O'Fallon, Mo with their golden doodle, Murphy. Kelly has a son who is 33, daughter who is 29, and two beautiful grandchildren who are 4 and 2. She loves being in the kitchen and keeping things organized.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.: 
Instagram: @embracelivethrive 
FB: @embracelivethrive
Website: www.embracelivethrive.com

Today, Dr. Amanda Krueger, Owner of Whole Health Chiropractic, joins me on the podcast and we have an incredible conversation about understanding how the trauma in your history impacts who you are today and how healing helps you find awareness and ultimately gratitude for what that experience has made you to be today. Dr. Krueger believes in choosing God and choosing possibility. She goes on to talk about her systems-based approach for treatment for her patients and how biofeedback and neuro feedback have been valuable tools in her kit to help support individuals on their healing journey.

Dr. Krueger does an incredible job of explaining how the body systems all operate at a certain frequency and with traumas and illnesses occur it can create "cobwebs" and disrupt how those frequencies resonant in our bodies.  Those cobwebs contribute to easier triggers for body responses such as anger, high blood pressure, or anxiety. These treatments are a great alternative to help bridge the gap and calm our systems and help heal our bodies.

This was a fantastic conversation with so much information and value. Please listen and share with all of your friends to help spread awareness of all the resources there are for starting or continuing your healing journey. Also, like, comment, and share Embrace. Live. Thrive. podcast to help women everywhere know they are seen and are not alone.

Ways to Find Dr. Krueger:
Website: Whole Health Chiropractic- Functional Health Care (whcwellness.com)
Phone Number: 618-622-1200
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Krueger Bio:
Dr. Amanda is board certified and specializes in internal disorders. She has 14 years of experience and over a decade of extra education in how the body works inside and out. She is DABCI (Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists) certified. She is also neurofeedback certified through Braincore and she is a level 2 epigenetics coach through Apeiron. She has dedicated her life to learning and helping patients from head to toe as well as systems-based health approach. She is AK, CPK, and basic technique certified which allows her a wide range of options to work with patients for their individual needs. 

Website: www.embracelivethrive.com
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive

Today, Theresa Lear Levine, coach, blogger, and host of the Becoming More Me podcast, joins me to share about how EFT opened a whole world of freedom for her on her own mental health journey. EFT stands for emotional freedom technique but is also known as tapping. She discusses briefly her journey from stressed out mother looking for ways to cope and heal to becoming obsessed with all things EFT. Thereasa has perfected a series of combined techniques to help women regain joy, develop confidence, and find self-love.

Theresa shares with us a brief example of how EFT during the interview but has also been so gracious to share with us a free eBook that includes all things EFT. Check out 5-Minute Practices for Emotional Freedom (theresasfreegift.com) for your copy.

Today's conversation continues the conversation of acknowledging how powerful our bodies are with healing when it is properly equipped. Our health journey's must encompass work on our minds, our bodies, and our soul. I hope this conversation helps open up your eyes to one of the many opportunities we have to support ourselves. Please like and share this podcast episode with all of your friends and help spread the mission of Embrace. Live. Thrive.

Ways to Find Theresa:
Google - Theresa Lear Levine 
Theresa Lear Levine - Master EFT Practitioner & Energy Coach

Theresa Bio:
I specialize in helping women heal from the inside out and find fulfillment, peace, empowerment, happiness, success, abundance & meaning in this complex and ever-changing world.

I enjoy assisting women in reclaiming their power, ditching perfectionism, letting go of controlling tendencies, ending self-sabotage and procrastination, recognizing their true value and worth, and realizing their visualizations and dreams in real life by taking action.

As a busy mom of 4, a wife to a busy man, a dog mom and an ADHD and Anxiety advocate – I completely understand the daily struggle and fight you may be going through in dealing with the stresses of trauma and the difficulties of today’s strange world.

It is my goal to help you discover and collapse the things that you feel are holding you back from being your best self and awaken to new possibilities for living your best life!

I also have a background in Psychology as well as Nutrition & Dietetics, am a Master 3 EFT Practitioner and Energy Coach.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
www.embracelivethrive.com
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive

Today, Samara Mitchell, businesswoman, entrepreneur, and animal lover, joins me on the podcast and shares her incredible story of overcoming childhood trauma and discovering her worth. She talks about knowing she struggled with spelling and reading since she started school, but in the fifth grade, after a spelling test, she had a teacher toss a big dictionary on her desk and tell her that she needed to get used to carrying one of these around with her because she was never going to be successful in this world unless you learn how to spell. Samara was crushed and spent many years feeling unintelligent, unworthy, and strived for perfectionism to try to earn a place to belong.

Samara didn't give up and found her niche in sales and as she moved up into management, she began a mentorship program. That was a game changer for her, and it gave her a starting place for discovering her value and worth. She now looks at life's task not if she can do something, but does she want to do it. Samara knows that she is capable of doing anything she sets her mind to do and so much more. This conversation is going to leave you feeling supported encouraged, and with the inspiration to go out there and do whatever it is in your heart.

Please check out her cat rescue organization, Smelly Cat Rescue, and see all of the awesome ways she is supporting the cat community. Share this episode to continue to spread awareness and help women not feel so alone. We are all walking through something, some of us are just a few steps ahead, and it's our job to reach back and help others along with us.

Ways to Find Samara:
FB: @smellycatrescue
Instagram: @smellycatrescue
Website: Smelly Cat Rescue | St. Louis and St. Charles, MO Cat Rescue and Adoption
email: [email protected]

Samara Bio:
Samara grew up in the St. Louis metro area with a love for all animals and has always dreamed of being able to help animals who are unable to help themselves. Samara has over 25 years of experience in business, leadership, sales, and project management working for some of the biggest corporations in the country, most recently Build-A-Bear Workshop. Samara also teams up with her husband and professional REALTOR®, Scott, to lead Mitchell Group powered by Move Realty. 

Samara deeply supports and loves to give back to community organizations, especially those that service animals. Samara and her husband live with their four kids and an array of rescued pets, including a pot-bellied pig named Iggy Piggy.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive
Blog: www.embracelivethrive.com

Today, Ryan Mustone, manager and co-owner of Nutrition stop joins me and helps us understand the topic of CBD. This is a difficult topic that is hotly debated, and I wanted to take a few minutes to address it from the ground level of understanding. Ryan does an excellent job describing what CBD is and how it can provide a natural alternative to many of today's common alignments.   

Ryan walks us through all the scientific steps of why CBD works with our systems and the importance of hemp in our soils. This is one to have the notebook handy as there is so much fantastic information. Please listen, like, and share this episode to help educate on this highly argued topic.

Ways to Find Ryan:
FB: @TeamNutritionStop
Website: www.nutritionstop.com
Store Front: 4101 Mexico Road, St. Peter's, 63376
Phone #: 636-928-7550

Ryan Bio:
Ryan Mustone was Manager of Nutrition Stop for a period of three years between 2009-2012 after which he left for volunteer work on Hawaiian farms that ranged from avocado orchards and noni production grows to kava-kava and coffee operations which broadened his understanding of the other side of the industry. For close to a decade, he served as a wholesale broker and educator in the natural products industry servicing over 150 health food stores across the Midwest for top manufacturers in the natural products space, learning directly from researchers at the forefront of health. He is a dedicated Wim Hof practitioner, avid hiker, canoeist, world traveler, father, and husband. His mother battled cancer on and off over his childhood that sparked his interest in alternative healing that led him down the natural path enriching his mind with holistic solutions to heal. His Life Lesson: Love Your Family and Surrender to the Flow

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive 
www.embracelivethrive.com 

Today, Jocelyn Williams, M.A.Ed. and Developmental Movement Consultant, comes on the podcast and shares with us about a technique that offers hope by helping retrain the brain through a specific neurodevelopmental movement system. She teaches us about how the brain develops from the bottom up. Jocelyn encourages us to remember "tummy all the time" and get our babies on their tummies as much as possible. There are many things that can disrupt a normal neural development, but the system that she teaches is able to address a variety of struggles including Autism, ADHD, social anxiety, and difficulty reading, and help those individuals thrive.

Jocelyn reminds us to put down those phones and look at our children, be intentional and engage with them, even if it is only for a small-time frame. It is about the quality of time, not the quantity. She also reminds us that "love has legs" and although this system has a bigger initial time investment it is priceless compared to the long-term health and wellness your child achieves with completing this program.

Please check out Jocelyn, but also like and share this episode. Help continue to spread the message that it is ok to not be ok,  but lets not stay there and let's find what help you need.

Ways to Find Jocelyn:
Neurolly Solutions – Equipping the brain for life.
FB: @NeurollySolutions
Instagram: neurollysolutions
Phone #: 317-936-6797

Jocelyn Bio:
Jocelyn’s passion is to give every person equal access and opportunity to equip the brain for life by providing support, education, training, instruction about the Developmental Sequence and NeuroDevelopmental Movement. This work is based on neuroplasticity. When given the right triggers the brain is able to change!

As a professional educator and mother of five, Jocelyn’s journey as a Developmental Movement Consultant began when some of her children were struggling academically, behaviorally, and developmentally. NeuroDevelopmental Movement provided the successful outcomes Jocelyn desired for her children!

 Combining her personal experience with 25 years as a professional educator, Jocelyn now offers the same hope to struggling families. Jocelyn is the founder and executive director of Neurolly Solutions Inc., LLC (Neurolly). Neurolly provides education, training, and support in the Development Sequence and NeuroDevelopmental Movement through a variety of services such as NeurollyBaby, NeurollyAcademy, and NeurollyAdults.

Jocelyn shares her message of hope through speaking events and partnering with clients one-
to-one.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
www.embracelivethrive.com
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive

Today, Lisa Maddock, a juice plus educator joins me on the podcast and shares her journey of trauma from a broken home and substance abuse at an early age as a coping mechanism to a successful wife, mother, and businesswoman.  Lisa was able to stay clean while she was pregnant and nursing her children but admits that the pull as always there. Over the years she found herself yo-yoing back and forth between being clean and then binge drinking. But it was after a weekend in Florida celebrating her mother's birthday that she realized she was unable to go an entire weekend without drinking and that something had to change.

Lisa talks about how she had to start with being honest with herself how much she was actually drinking and it was her faith that gave her the strength and helped her discover tools to overcome her addiction and clean her lifestyle up once and for all. She now helps teach others who are recovering addicts to channel that all in personality and energy into good things and not things that harm you. Lisa has found alterative drinks, she maintains a running program, and surround herself with people that encourage her and lift her up. Please share with all of your friends and lets end the shame and stigma around substance abuse in motherhood and support everyone to get the help they may need.

Lisa Bio:
Lisa has been married to her husband Bob for 25 years and has four Children. Madalyn 22, Savannah 19, Justus 16 and Canton 12. She was born in WI where she spent her early years and lived in FL from middle school until adulthood. Bob, Lisa & Madalyn moved to MO from FL. in 2000. 

Lisa holds an Associates in Early Childhood Education and an American Montessori Society Credential. She has been certified through several state and local certifications for Child Care. Where she used her knowledge to teach outside the home and then homeschooled her children’s own early education. She has been a stay-at-home mom for 20+ years, during this time she had a significant health crisis being diagnosed with several chronic diseases. This is where she found the Juice Plus+ product that later became the company she aligned with to grow a successful business. Lisa has been with the Juice Plus company for 16 years and holds a leadership level. She is passionate about helping others avoid disease & live with optimal health. She is a Certified Health Coach through The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute able to coach families, pregnancies, adults and seniors. Being an educator at heart she is certified as a paraprofessional working directly with special needs kids. Lisa holds a Rhema Correspondence Bible School diploma that she believes is the foundation of everything she does. She grows the Juice Plus+ Tower Garden and teaches nutrition class weekly with two local, faith based addiction recovery homes where she feels pulls all her education together to serve well in this area.

Ways to Find Lisa:
FB: @Lisa D. Merollo-Maddock
FB Group: lifestyle truth with lisa
Instagram: lifestyle_truth_w_lisa

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
Website: www.embracelivethrive.com 
FB: @embracelivethrive 
Instagram: @embracelivethrive

Today, Terri Drury, owner of Above & Beyond Organizing, joins me on the podcast. She discusses briefly her journey into motherhood but goes on to explain all things home organization. Terri talks about removing the emotion from organization and "just do what you have do." She explains to us that the easiest areas to accumulate clutter are those hidden areas that have no specific vision. It all starts with putting all the things that have no home and then we just conveniently close the door to forget about what is going on in that space.

Terri clearly outlines 5-6 great steps to begin your organization journey. Including a planning session to define your unclear spaces and working to build organizational rhymes into your normal daily routine. This episode is jammed packed with great tips, strategies, and encouragement to get you going on one of the most stress inducing areas of all, home organization during motherhood. Please go check out her website. Also, share this incredible episode with all of your friends.

Ways to Contact Terri:
Facebook Messenger: Above & Beyond Organizing
[email protected]
Direct - (636)-299-6053
www.aboveandbeyondorganizing.com
Above and Beyond Organizing-Professional Organizer serving St. Charles, Wentzville, and Surrounding Areas


Terri Bio:
Professional Home Organizer, Terri Hardy
Drury, takes unhappy, chaotic, stress inducing areas then transforms them into tidy, composed, and functional spaces with her business, Above & Beyond Organizing.

She fully believes having an organized home is one of the first steps to living a more worry free life. Terri truly tailors her services to fit the needs of the person and their home.

Her degree in Psychology and Sociology and background in social services has added to her skill set of understanding and responding to the needs of those she works for.
Terri raised two wonderful daughters as a full time working mom in this field. What she enjoys most about owning her own business now is it allows her more free time to be spent with her precious girls and husband of almost 29 years.

Terri knows and understands the importance of talking about mental health as she has witnessed loved ones struggle firsthand. She is dedicated to providing a safe and judgement free environment as she works to restore order in spaces that need attention.

Terri is a firm believer in "everything has its place" and teaches this so her clients can spend less time worried about the material things in their home and can focus more on what really matters: relationships, hobbies, & dreams.

Feel free to reach out to Terri Drury with Above &
Beyond Organizing to receive your
complimentary consult call.

Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
www.embracelivethrive.com
FB: @embracelivethrive 
Instagram: @embracelivethrive 

Today, Sharon Blue, owner of Blue Empress Tarot joins me on the podcast and talks all things safe space. We discuss the definition of a safe space, why it may feel hard as an adult to figure out how to develop one in your household, and she gives us practical tips of how she creates that environment in her own house. 

Sharon overcame an extremely hard childhood and has realized her passion is to not only help people understand developing their own safe space, but also assist individuals on their self-care journey. She uses a strengths-based approach to healing and tarot as a tool to help women identify self-limiting beliefs they may have had since childhood. 

This conversation is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding and implementing an environment of freedom and unconditional love. This is an extremely difficult topic and one that some days you will crush it and other days you will almost feel crushed. Please hear this conversation and feel supported, encouraged, that everyday it's about one small step forward. Please take the time to share and help grow awareness of what it means to have a "safe space."

Embrace. Live. Thrive. Health Conference 2022
http://www.embracelivethrive.com/register/health-conference-2022

Ways to Find Sharon:
website: blueemperesstarot.com 
- Free weekly newsletter that includes a self-care tip & motivation tip in it every week
- Find PDF with printable affirmations when you sign up!  
FB: @blueemperesstarot
Instagram: @blueemperesstarot 

Sharon Bio: 
I am married and have two little ones- 5 & 2. I LOVE coffee , tea, chocolate , wine , crocheting  & binge-watching amazing TV shows on Netflix with my hubby once the kids are in bed.

I have been reading tarot cards for others for 4 years but dabbled with tarot as far back as high school, many moons ago. I LOVE helping others through hard times, when they are feeling lost, or needing guidance.

 My goal is to help you become the best version of yourself possible! You have it in you! Sometimes we just need help figuring out HOW. I combine my counseling skills, intuition, and tarot to help you navigate your way through this journey called life.

I have a passion for helping people on their journey. Over my 7 years as a School Counselor I helped over 2,200 students work on making good choices to set them up for bright futures. That drive to help, to guide, and to see the potential hiding just underneath is always there. A bright light waiting to be uncovered to shine for all to see. The spark that lies beneath the surface.

We are all different. We all have our struggles and our triumphs. Our dark times and our times in the sun. I’ve been there. I have overcome many struggles in my life, during my childhood, getting through college & graduate school, becoming a mother & transitioning from a working mom to a stay at home mom to a mompreneur. I am here to walk with you for a short while as you look at the many tangled paths that are before you and try to decide which one to take. Which one will lead you towards YOUR purpose and calling. It will not always be easy and the cards tell the truth, whether it is what you want to hear or not. But truth is the light showing you what obstacles you must overcome and what work you must do to reach your highest potential.

You have a purpose. You have choices. Sometimes you just need a little clarity to highlight what those choices are and to help you find your purpose again or for the first time. Let’s take this journey together and learn what the Universe has in store for you! What choice will you make? Let me help you find the GREATNESS within and together we will light the path forward so you can define and achieve your goals.