May 20, 2026

Episode 727: Identity, Decisions, and Doing the Inner Work with Heather Chauvin

50 minutes

Heather Chauvin is back on the show, and honestly, every conversation with her feels like a masterclass in telling the truth. Heather is a leadership coach who helps successful women live, work, and parent on their own terms, and she practices every single thing she preaches, whether that's kayaking Alaska or snowboarding with her kids. In 2013, a stage 4 cancer diagnosis cracked her life wide open and pushed her to take a deeper stand for change, and she has been helping women do the same ever since.

In this conversation, we go deep on identity, decision-making, self-trust, psychedelic therapy, and what it actually means to fight for your own aliveness in a world that is constantly pulling your attention outward. This one is meaty and I can’t wait for you to hear it!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

Resentment is almost always a sign that you've crossed your own boundary, and it points you right back to what matters.

Heather likes to say, you're not stuck, you're avoiding a decision– and her one question cuts right through it.

Self-trust is a practice, and you build it with small decisions, not big leaps.

Aliveness requires a fight right now, and Heather makes the case that we can't afford to go numb.

Psychedelic therapy is a declutter, not a fix, and she breaks down who she sees benefit most.

Your human skills (emotional regulation, discernment, critical thinking), are never going out of style.

Real self-care is free, and it probably starts with a conversation you've been avoiding.

Heather is one of those people who tells the truth so cleanly that you have no choice but to look at your own life differently, and this conversation is no exception. If you've been white-knuckling your way through life wondering why nothing feels like enough, this episode is for you.

Resources from this episode:
Follow Andrea on Substack!
Check out Andrea’s coaching HERE and HERE
Heather’s episode on boundaries in her marriageHeather’s candid conversation with her son podcast episode

Heather Chauvin is a leadership coach who helps ‘successful’ women courageously and authentically live, work, and parent on their own terms.

Heather started her career as a social worker helping adults understand children’s behavior. But it wasn’t until 2013 when a stage 4 cancer diagnosis pushed her to take a deeper stand for change, uncovering how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. She has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Real Simple Magazine, Mind Body Green, Google, and more.

When Heather isn’t working, you will find her living out what she teaches which may include kayaking Alaska, snowboarding, hiking, or anything else that challenges what she believes is possible for herself (and inviting her children along the journey). Life is full of opportunities. It’s time to feel alive.

Book recommendations:
I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!

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By Andrea Owen

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