Empowered & Embodied Show

Send us a Message

What happens when you’ve got nothing left to give? In Episode 184 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, hosts Kim Romain and Louise Neil explore the complex relationship between caring, capacity, and emotional depletion. From world events to personal overwhelm, they unpack what it really means to reach your limits and why pulling your care back toward yourself can be the most loving act of all.

Kim shares her experience navigating global grief and burnout through the lens of embodiment and awareness, while Louise reflects on midlife disconnection, guilt, and the cultural conditioning that tells us we should always care more. Together, they remind us that self-care isn’t selfish... it’s sacred stewardship of your energy.

If you’ve ever felt drained, disconnected, or guilty for needing a break, this episode will offer you permission to pause, recalibrate, and reconnect with what truly matters.

Key Takeaways:

• Why emotional depletion isn’t failure—it’s feedback.
• How to discern between intentional and unintentional energy leaks.
• The power of awareness in rebuilding capacity.
• Why self-devotion is the foundation of sustainable leadership.

Key Moments:

00:00 – Opening reflection: When there’s nothing left to give
01:51 – Welcomes and setting the tone
02:14 – “Any Eff’s to give today?”
06:38 – Midlife disconnection and protecting energy
09:06 – Guilt, shame, and reclaiming capacity
10:22 – Acceptance and devotion
14:59 – Reparenting ourselves
19:23 – Intention, awareness, and energy
20:02 – The awareness–capacity–care circuit
21:17 – Where our energy is going today
23:46 – Invitation to reflect on your own capacity
25:18 – Closing reflections and farewell 

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

What if the path to true health isn’t about control, restriction, or willpower... but about trust?

In this grounded and liberating conversation, hosts Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Leah Hortin, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Anti-Diet Health Coach, to explore how diet culture disconnects us from our bodies, and how to find peace, nourishment, and self-trust again.

Together, they unpack the history and harm of diet culture, the mental load it creates, and what it means to rebuild a caring, respectful relationship with your body. You’ll hear laughter, science, and soul as they talk about intuitive eating, oppression, emotional eating, and the freedom of finally feeling at home in your skin.

Listen if you’re ready to:

• Reconnect with your body’s wisdom
• Release food guilt and control
• Heal from the mental load of diet culture
• Redefine health on your own terms

Key Moments

00:00 – Opening reflection & introductions

03:03 – Leah’s story and breaking free from the guilt of “health” culture

04:27 – The money behind diet culture and the myth of sustainability

08:45 – Diet culture as a system of oppression and control

13:14 – The mental and physical toll of dieting and disconnection

15:38 – Relearning hunger, fullness, and body trust

24:45 – Healing the “forbidden food” cycle and finding freedom

35:51 – The myth of BMI and shifting definitions of wellness

43:54 – Integration: living fully and trusting your body again

46:31 – Final reflections and practical ways to start rebuilding trust

Connect With Leah

Diet Brain Quiz: http://bit.ly/3Le9HLt

Website: http://www.antidiethealthcoach.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/antidiethealthcoach

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@antidiethealthcoach

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

In this live episode, Kim and Louise explore what it really means to get out of our own way. We dive into the relationship between curiosity, conditioning, and capacity—how staying curious helps us reconnect to ourselves and replenish what the world keeps draining. We unpack the myth of “selfishness,” the truth about giving from overflow instead of depletion, and why personal alignment is a collective responsibility. It’s real talk on burnout, boundaries, and nourishment for anyone tired of operating from scarcity and ready to build from authenticity.

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, hosts Kim Romain and Louise Neal sit down with Camille Dundas -- Editor-in-Chief of ByBlacks.com and Founder of The IDEA Practice -- to explore what it truly means to belong.

Together, we unpack how home extends far beyond geography into the heart of community, inclusion, and connection. Camille shares how belonging has guided her life and work, from newsrooms to boardrooms, and how authentic leadership and respect can transform our workplaces and ourselves.

This conversation invites you to rethink what it means to create spaces of trust and humanity amid a rapidly changing world.

Key Takeaways

• Home is not a place, it’s a feeling of belonging and connection.
• Belonging is a consistent thread in both personal growth and professional impact.
• True inclusion requires vulnerability, honesty, and intentional action.
• Respect is the foundation of belonging in communities and workplaces.
• Every person deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued.

Key Moments

00:00 – Opening Reflection

01:41 – Welcome and Introductions

02:36 – Defining “Home” and What It Means to Belong

07:00 – The Thread of Belonging in Work and Life

09:06 – Why Inclusion Is Under Attack

11:42 – Technology, AI, and the Loss of Human Connection

14:19 – Rebuilding Community and Collective Care

19:25 – Respect as the Foundation of Belonging

26:20 – Supporting Leaders in Building Inclusive Cultures

32:01 – Vulnerability and the Power of Empathy

38:02 – Listening Practices That Build Belonging

41:18 – Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes

Connect With Camille

Camille's Website: http://camilledundas.com

ByBlacks.com — Canada’s leading Black online magazine

The IDEA Practice — Camille’s DEI education and consulting firm

Connect with Camille Dundas on LinkedIn

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

Ever feel like you’ve done all the work -- read the books, journaled the insights, sat through the breakthroughs -- and yet somehow you’re still looping through the same lessons? In this episode, Kim Romain and Louise Neil unpack the illusion of progress and explore why awareness alone doesn’t create change.

They dive into the “Groundhog Day” feeling of personal growth, the sticky shadows that follow every transformation, and the nervous-system wisdom behind learning to pause before pushing forward. Together, they explore how to regulate, reflect, and move through growth edges with more humanity, compassion, and ease.

Tune in if you’re navigating burnout, transition, or the pressure to keep evolving. This conversation will remind you that slowing down is often the most powerful move you can make.

Key Takeaways:

• Awareness is both a gift and a challenge; once we see, we can’t unsee.
• Ignorance might feel easier, but real change requires consciousness and courage.
• Our shadows travel with us, but their power fades each time we face them.
• Reflection is what turns awareness into evolution.
• The pause isn’t a luxury; it’s where integration and regulation happen.
• Self-awareness and nervous system regulation help us step off the hamster wheel of burnout.
• Humanity itself is repeating old patterns and we each hold a piece of what can change that.
• Reclaiming self, community, and connection is how we move forward with integrity.
• We already have the tools to evolve; the work is choosing to use them intentionally.

Key Moments:

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions

02:01 – Groundhog Day & the Feeling of Repetition

04:13 – The Gifts and Consequences of Awareness

11:25 – What Comes After Awareness

13:27 – Shadows That Follow Us

16:40 – Reflection as Evolution

21:52 – Returning to What’s Core

27:08 – The Bigger Lesson for Humanity

32:14 – Regulating the Nervous System

36:07 – Bringing Awareness into Action

36:58 – Closing Reflections

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

What does it really take to build unshakable confidence and a true sense of belonging? In this powerful conversation, business strategist, TEDx speaker, and award-winning author Julie DeLucca-Collins joins hosts Kim Romain and Louise to explore confidence as a habit, the courage to claim your agency, and what it means to belong authentically in a world that often pressures us to fit in.

Julie shares her journey from personal transformation to becoming the founder of Go Confidently Services and host of the Casa De Confidence Podcast, offering proven strategies, mindset shifts, and simple habits that help leaders and entrepreneurs show up 1% braver every day. Together, we unpack how systemic conditioning shapes our sense of agency, why belonging starts from within, and how acceptance and authenticity open the door to lasting success.

If you’ve ever felt “stuck” or struggled to own your voice, this episode will give you tools, stories, and inspiration to step into your own rhythm.

You'll Learn:

• Why confidence is built through practice, not personality
• How to reclaim your agency when life feels stuck
• The difference between fitting in and belonging
• Simple habits to show up 1% braver each day
• How systemic conditioning shapes (and limits) our choices
• Why acceptance fuels growth rather than settling
• The role of community as “believing mirrors” for our potential
• How saying “yes—and” creates space for both authenticity and expansion
• Why courage is contagious and inspires others to act
• How daily consumption impacts confidence, mindset, and self-belief

Key Moments: 

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions

 03:03 – Julie’s Journey into Mindset Work

 07:20 – Agency, Stuckness & Systemic Conditioning

 09:50 – Fitting In vs. True Belonging

 13:30 – Dancing Your Own Way

 19:34 – Confidence as a Daily Practice

 29:15 – Acceptance & the “Yes-And” Approach

 33:35 – Community, Mirrors & Growth

 40:12 – Final Takeaways & Closing

Connect with Julie:

• Find out more at GoConfidentlyCoaching.com
• Connect with Julie on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok
• Tune in to the Casa DeConfidence podcast
• Watch Julie's TEDx Talk: How Habits Give Us the Confidence to Dance in Life

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

Change is easy. Transition is where it gets messy. In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, we dive into the real difference between change, transition, and transformation... and why even the most beautiful shifts can feel exhausting.

From long distances moves to navigating menopause, we unpack what it means to live in the “messy middle,” how to stay present instead of rushing to the other side, and why mindset alone isn’t enough. Together we explore identity shifts, growth edges, and what it takes to unhook from cultural expectations that tell us to “just push through.”

If you’ve ever wondered why transitions feel so damn hard, or how to move through them with more grace, compassion, and presence... this conversation is for you.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• The difference between change, transition, and transformation
• Why transitions tax us physically, emotionally, and spiritually
• How menopause and midlife become identity transitions
• What it looks like to stay present in the messy middle
• Why unhooking from old stories and expectations creates real growth

Key moments in this episode:

00:00 – Welcomes and Introductions

02:39 – Change vs. Transition

06:03 – Why Transitions Feel So Hard

08:35 – Menopause as an Identity Transition

13:40 – Losing Presence in the Middle

19:29 – Growth Edges and Awareness

23:46 – Change Is F*cking Hard

26:24 – Transformation Within Transitions

31:10 – The Discomfort of Growth

36:39 – Integrity, Alignment, and Leadership

38:43 – Hooked vs. Unhooked

40:26 – Closing Reflections

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

What does real culture change look like in workplaces, communities, and beyond? In this inspiring episode, leadership strategist, neurodiversity expert, and founder of The Oni Project Dr. Zakiya Mabery joins Kim Romain and Louise Neil to explore how courageous conversations, accessibility, and inclusion reshape the way we work and live.

You’ll hear powerful insights on:

• Why accommodations are not special treatment, but human needs
• The hidden cost of masking and the toll it takes on well-being
• How leaders and peers can foster psychological safety
• Practical ways to advocate for yourself and support others
• Simple grounding practices to stay present in tough conversations

If you’ve ever felt the weight of proving you belong or wondered how to create more inclusive spaces, this conversation will remind you that your voice matters and culture shifts when we choose humanity first.

Key moments in this episode:

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions

07:57 – Conversations Leaders Need to Have

09:46 – Accommodations & Hybrid Work

13:11 – Educating Peers on Disability & Inclusion

14:55 – Advocacy Beyond the Workplace

19:19 – Humanity & Responsibility

22:35 – The Burden of Masking

25:15 – Grounding & Coping Practices

30:01 – Handling Bullies & Celebrating Wins

33:40 – Breath & Courageous Conversations

34:59 – Final Highlights & Takeaways

Connect with Dr. Zakiya Mabery

Website: https://www.theoniproject.net/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakiyamabery/

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thezakiyamabery9925

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

What happens when the details slip through your fingers and you decide not to beat yourself up about it? Like when you show up to an event on the wrong day or forget if you put an appointment on your calendar. In this episode of The Empowered and Embodied Show, we explore how self-awareness and acceptance open the door to something bigger: self-liberation.

We share stories of letting go of judgment, refusing to waste energy on frustration, and finding freedom in the messy moments of life. Along the way, we talk about limiting beliefs, the ripples our choices create, and how embracing mind, body, soul, and strategy wholeness gives us back our energy and ease.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “shoulds,” this conversation is a reminder that it’s not about the details... it’s about the freedom that comes when you let them go.

Key takeaways in this episode:

• Acceptance gives you freedom and energy.
• Self-awareness is just the first step toward self-liberation.
• Wholeness means aligning mind, body, soul, and strategy.
• Letting go of judgment creates more joy and ease.
• Your choices create ripples that impact others.
• Inner change fuels collective change.

Key moments in this episode:

00:00 Welcome & Introductions

02:09 Attention to Detail – when calendars, events, and memory go sideways

05:21 Shifts in Self-Awareness – noticing yourself in a new way

08:31 The Journey to Self-Liberation – why awareness is just the beginning

09:52 Understanding Self-Liberation – what freedom really means for us

14:15 Acceptance and Wholeness – embracing all parts of yourself, even the messy ones

20:58 Self-Liberation and Acceptance – how letting go gives you back energy and ease

24:50 Freedom from Social Conventions – breaking free from the “shoulds”

29:39 Integrating Self-Liberation into Daily Life – practical ways to live this out

36:35 The Ripple Effect of Personal Work – how your shifts change more than just you

39:25 Embracing the Process of Self-Discovery – honoring the journey, not just the destination

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com 

Send us a Message

Stress can feel so normal that we forget there’s another way to live. In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Lydia Knight -- author, executive coach, and founder of The She Center. We explore why our brains and bodies can get stuck in cycles of stress, burnout, and perfectionism and unpack how shame thrives in secrecy, why “stress feels like home,” and what it really takes to create safety, belonging, and authenticity within ourselves.

This conversation offers gentle, practical insights on letting go of old patterns, shifting your “emotional home,” and building a more centered way of leading and living. If you’ve ever wondered why stress keeps pulling you back, or how to move toward peace without pushing harder, this episode is for you.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Stress and burnout can feel familiar, but they don’t have to be home.
• Curiosity is the antidote to self-judgment.
• Psychological safety starts within.
• All emotions matter; they’re the full music of being human.
• Healing is about letting go, not efforting.
• Self-trust grows through practice, not perfection.

Key moments in this episode:

00:00 – Welcome & Introductions

01:35 – The Journey of Authenticity and Leadership

04:39 – Understanding Shame and Its Impact

07:16 – The Process of Healing and Centering

12:42 – Creating Psychological Safety Within

13:28 – The Role of Emotions in Authenticity

16:13 – Curiosity vs. Judgment in Self-Discovery

19:24 – The Complexity of Human Experience

25:30 – The Pendulum of Healing and Letting Go

27:20 – Building Trust and Safety in Ourselves

31:48 – Celebrating Progress and Emotional Homes

39:16 – The Power of Community and Support

43:25 – The She Center and Its Mission

46:18 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Lydia Knight:

Website: https://theshecenter.org/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lydia-knight-tsc/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theshecenter

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@theshecenter

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com