Empowered + Well

Amanda and Lauren sit down with Angela Romero, founder and CEO of Aprōche, whose career looked unstoppable: Google, Wharton, and more than $10 million raised to acquire a company. Then, just as she was preparing to close the deal, a sudden autoimmune condition left her unable to walk.

Angela opens up about what it felt like when her body forced her to stop, how looking closely at her gut health became part of her recovery, and why that experience led her to build an evidence-based supplement brand for women. Then she gets practical. If the supplement aisle (or your social feed) leaves you overwhelmed, this episode will help you tell real research from really good marketing.

In this episode:

• The moment Angela realized something was seriously wrong, and what it meant to put her career on hold
• Why so many high-achieving women "push through" warning signs, and what she does differently now
• What she learned about gut health, and what gets oversimplified online
• What "evidence-based" actually means when it comes to supplements
• Red flags in supplement marketing, plus what to know about dosage, proprietary blends, and third-party testing
• How to decide whether you even need a supplement, and where food fits in
• How to advocate for yourself when you know something isn't right but don't feel heard

Connect with Angela: https://aprocheusa.com/ · Instagram @aproche_use

What if menopause wasn't the beginning of a decline—but the beginning of a whole new chapter?

This week, we're having a candid conversation about menopause, pelvic health, sexuality, desire, and what it means to feel connected to yourself in midlife.

Our guest is Lisa Fitzpatrick, a physiotherapist, pelvic and sexual health educator, and founder of Womankind Pelvic Care and the Sexy Menopause movement. With more than 30 years of experience in women's health, Lisa brings together science, movement, pelvic health, and personal experience to help women understand what's really happening in their bodies during menopause.

Lisa is also the author of Sexy Menopause: The New Science and Soul of Midlife Desire, which explores the physical, emotional, and relational changes that can come with menopause—and why midlife can be a time of awakening rather than something we simply need to "get through."

We're talking about:

• Why libido and sexual response can change during perimenopause and menopause
• What declining estrogen can mean for pelvic tissue, dryness, sensation, and comfort
• Why pelvic floor symptoms may be common—but aren't something women simply have to live with
• How self-pleasure can fit into sexual and pelvic health
• The myths about menopause Lisa wishes women would stop believing

Want to connect with Lisa? Website Purchase book HERE Instagram: @sexy.menopause Want to learn more about E+W?

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace individualized medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about your own health, symptoms, medications, and treatment options.

Today, we're having an honest, fun, and refreshing conversation about sex, intimacy, relationships, and what can happen to desire during perimenopause, menopause and beyond!

Our guest is Katy Orah, a sex and relationship coach, founder of Your Couples Intimacy, and creator of programs designed to help couples reconnect, communicate, and build deeper intimacy. After working with hundreds of couples, she brings a refreshing, practical, and playful perspective to relationships — without the pressure, perfectionism, or therapy-speak.

We talk about:

• Why couples can gradually go from lovers to roommates
• How the mental load, exhaustion, resentment, and stress can affect desire
• What perimenopause and menopause can mean for intimacy
• Why intimacy is about so much more than sex
• How to introduce toys into a relationship without making a partner feel replaced
• Why communication about sex doesn't have to feel awkward or confrontational

And, of course, we have some fun with Katy during our rapid-fire round — including scheduled sex, lube and vibrators, oh my!

Find Katy:

• Instagram: @yourcouplesintimacy

• Website

Be sure to subscribe, follow, and share Empowered + Well with a woman in your life who might need this conversation.

Because intimacy isn't something we're simply born knowing how to do. It's something we continue to learn, communicate about, and create throughout our relationships. And it's never too late to reconnect, have more fun, and make space for intimacy again.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

Disclaimer: The information shared on Empowered + Well is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your healthcare provider about questions related to your individual health, medications, hormones, or sexual health.

What if the exhaustion, brain fog, sleep struggles, mood changes, weight resistance, and feeling of being completely overwhelmed that so many women experience in midlife aren't simply something we have to accept as "normal"?

In this episode of Empowered + Well, we're joined by Dori Martin, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and health coach specializing in burnout, metabolic resilience, and midlife health for women.

Dori helps us look beyond the idea that everything can be explained by aging or hormones and explores how stress, hormonal changes, nervous-system load, nutrition, mineral status, lifestyle, and years of putting everyone else first can intersect during midlife.

We talk about what it means to feel like something isn't right even when your conventional labs come back "normal," why looking at patterns can be important, and how women can become better advocates for their health.

• Why so many women experience significant symptoms during midlife but continue to push through
• What it can mean when your labs are "normal" but you still don't feel well
• How perimenopause, menopause, stress, and burnout can intersect
• What Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is and how Dori uses it as part of a broader picture
• Simple foundational steps women can take to begin supporting their bodies

Website

Be sure to subscribe, follow, and share Empowered + Well with a woman in your life who might need this conversation.

Because midlife isn't something we need to simply survive. It's an opportunity to better understand ourselves, listen to our bodies, and discover what it really means to feel well.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always work with your qualified healthcare providers regarding your individual health, symptoms, medications, testing, and treatment decisions.

If you're experiencing persistent or concerning symptoms, don't dismiss them simply because you're told that they're "normal" or that your labs are within range. Advocating for yourself and asking questions is an important part of taking ownership of your health.

We made it to 100! 🎉

In this very special episode of Empowered + Well, we're celebrating 100 episodes AND two birthdays! Join us as we look back on some of our favorite conversations, share the biggest lessons we've learned over the past 2 years, and have a little fun with birthday-themed This or That.

From memorable guests and meaningful conversations to the evolution of the podcast from the Empowered Women's Wellness Project to Empowered + Well, we're reflecting on where we've been — and looking ahead to what's next.

Most importantly, we're celebrating you, our listeners, for being part of this journey.

Here's to 100 episodes, two more trips around the sun, and the next chapter of Empowered + Well! 🥂💛 Episodes We Mentioned:

• Tiffany Jones
• Microplastics
• Sheryl Green
• Dr. Megan Bernard
• The Gap & The Gain
• The Let Them Theory

What's your favorite episode? Send us a message and let us know!

If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow Empowered + Well and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

What happens when we finally give ourselves permission to pause?

In today's session, we sit down with Michele Gannon, Founder and Executive Director of Mary's Place by the Sea, a retreat center in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, providing women with cancer a place to step away from the demands of treatment and everyday life and focus on themselves — mind, body, and soul.

What began with a simple question in 2009 has grown into a powerful mission that has welcomed more than 17,000 women, providing retreats, wellness services, meals, connection, and a space to simply breathe — all at no cost to guests.

But this conversation is about so much more than cancer.

Michele shares the story behind Mary's Place, what she has learned from the thousands of women who have walked through its doors, and why sometimes the most powerful thing we can do for ourselves is stop, receive, and allow someone else to care for us.

We talk about:

• The power of a pause and why slowing down can be an essential part of healing
• The difference between being treated for an illness and creating space for true healing
• Why women often struggle with receiving care
• What Michele has learned about resilience and hope from thousands of women
• The challenges and lessons of building and leading a nonprofit
• And why we may all need a little more of a "Mary's Place moment" in our own lives

You don't have to wait for a crisis to give yourself permission to pause.

You don't have to be completely depleted before accepting help.

And you don't have to earn your right to rest.

Sometimes the pause is where we reconnect with ourselves, remember what matters, and find the space to move forward with renewed purpose.

Learn more about Michele's work and the mission of Mary's Place by the Sea, and discover ways you can support the women who visit this special place.

Website

Instagram

If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow Empowered + Well and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a woman who may need the reminder that she is allowed to pause, receive, and take care of herself, too.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

The Empowered + Well Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health and wellness needs.

What if therapy wasn't something you waited for until you hit a breaking point?

On this episode of Empowered + Well, we're talking about therapy, mental health, and the importance of normalizing the idea that you don't have to be in crisis — or have something "wrong" with you — to benefit from support.

We're joined by Ariana Sottile, LCSW, a psychotherapist who works with adults navigating anxiety, overthinking, stress, relationship challenges, and seasons of life that can leave us feeling stuck or overwhelmed.

Together, we're breaking down some of the stigma surrounding therapy and exploring why someone can look like they have it all together on the outside while struggling internally.

• Why therapy isn't only for people with a mental health diagnosis
• The difference between being capable and feeling like you have to handle everything alone
• Why you don't have to wait until you're "struggling enough" to ask for help
• How therapy can support self-awareness, personal growth, relationships, stress management, and life transitions
• Why we're so quick to say, "I'm fine," even when we may not actually feel fine

You don't have to be falling apart to deserve support.

Therapy can be a proactive way to better understand yourself, recognize patterns, navigate change, build coping tools, and take care of your mental and emotional health before you reach a crisis point.

And sometimes, "I'm fine" doesn't have to be the goal.

Being aware of how we're actually feeling, recognizing when we need support, and giving ourselves permission to ask for help can be an important part of our overall well-being.

To learn more about AJS Psychotherapy or to schedule an appointment visit her website and/or follow her on social media.

Website

Instagram

If this conversation resonated with you, share this episode with someone who may need the reminder that they don't have to navigate everything alone.

Follow Empowered + Well for more honest conversations about women's health, wellness, mindset, and navigating every season of life.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program:

https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

The information shared on Empowered + Well is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional regarding your individual needs and circumstances.

What if yoga could be about more than flexibility, strength, or movement?

We're joined by Cheryl Lovelace, founder of Twisted Sister Yoga, a Christian yoga ministry based in Spring Lake, New Jersey. Since 2014, Cheryl has been creating spaces where women can move, breathe, slow down, and deepen their connection with God — both on and off the mat.

Cheryl shares the story behind Twisted Sister Yoga and how her understanding of "yoga as ministry" has evolved over the years. We talk about what it means to move beyond the physical aspects of yoga and use the practice as an opportunity for stillness, gratitude, prayer, reflection, and connection.

• Cheryl's journey and the story behind Twisted Sister Yoga
• What it means to view yoga as a ministry
• How Scripture, prayer, breathwork, and movement can come together
• Creating stillness in a world that constantly demands our attention
• Cheryl's offerings & upcoming retreats

Yoga doesn't have to be about achieving the perfect pose.

Sometimes, the most meaningful part of the practice happens when we stop striving, become still, breathe deeply, and make space for connection — with ourselves, with others, and, for Cheryl and her community, with God.

The invitation is to move beyond the physical and discover what can happen when movement becomes a pathway to stillness, gratitude, grace, and connection.

To learn more about Twisted Sister Yoga, Cheryl's classes, Sole to Soul retreats, and upcoming destinations, visit her website and follow her on social media.

Website

Instagram

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with a woman who might need the reminder to slow down, reconnect, and create a little more space for stillness in her life.

And if you're enjoying Empowered + Well, be sure to subscribe, leave us a review, and share the podcast with a friend. Your support helps us continue reaching more women with conversations that educate, inspire, and empower.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

Amanda and Lauren sit down with Amanda's best friend Alyssa Christofalo for a conversation that started as a fun catch-up and turned into a masterclass in taking chances. Alyssa opens up about losing her dad at 16, walking away from a stable hygienist career to go back to school, and how she talked herself into (and almost out of) the biggest leap of her life — all while pregnant with her first baby.

This one's for anyone sitting on a decision, waiting to feel "ready" before they take the next step. Alyssa makes the case that you don't need certainty — you need to trust yourself enough to figure it out along the way.

In this episode:

• How losing her father young reshaped Alyssa's entire outlook on risk
• Why she almost didn't quit her career — and what changed her mind
• The reframe that got her through the scariest decision of her life
• Why therapy isn't about "how does that make you feel" (and how to find the right fit)
• Breaking overwhelm into bite-sized, doable pieces
• Her advice to anyone waiting for the "perfect" moment to say yes

Connect with Alyssa: Instagram @a_doc

💛 Loved This Episode? If this one made you laugh, nod along, or text a friend — please share it, subscribe, and leave us a review. It helps us reach more women who are ready to feel empowered in their health.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | WebsiteAmanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | WebsiteFollow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

Most people chasing "fat loss" are asking the wrong question. In this episode of Empowered & Well, Lauren and Amanda flip the script: instead of focusing on losing body fat, they make the case for focusing on building muscle — and why that mindset shift changes everything about how you train, eat, and age.

They cover why muscle mass (not the number on the scale) should be the real goal, what's actually happening with cellulite and damaged fat cells, how strength training protects bone density and lowers cancer risk, and why "laying the foundation" now matters if health challenges ever come your way. They also break down nutrient timing in plain terms — when to eat carbs, when to prioritize protein, and how to fuel workouts without overthinking it — plus simple action steps you can start this week, whether you're brand new to strength training or ready to add more weight to the bar.

In this episode:

• Why "how do I lose fat" is the wrong starting question
• The truth about cellulite and what strength training actually does for it
• Strength training's role in bone health, injury prevention, and cancer risk reduction
• A simple, practical way to think about nutrient timing
• This week's action steps for beginners and lifters alike

See the difference: Normal vs. Osteoporotic Bone — a side-by-side comparison from the U.S. Surgeon General's report on bone health, showing how bone structure changes with osteoporosis.

💛 Loved This Episode? If this one made you laugh, nod along, or text a friend — please share it, subscribe, and leave us a review. It helps us reach more women who are ready to feel empowered in their health.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program: https://invite.everfit.io/MUCMY00LSD

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes: https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support? Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us: Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | Website Amanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | Website

Follow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project