In this episode of Inntrospection, host Amy Lindner-Lesser sits down with artist, actor, and coach Andrea Sadler for a deep dive into the "messy middle" of life. Andrea shares her personal journey through the sudden loss of her partner, the subsequent shift in her creative identity, and how she learned to embrace the "liminal space"—the gap between who we were and who we are becoming.

They discuss the vital role of creative expression in processing grief, the difference between "moving on" and "moving forward," and how to find beauty in the moments when life feels completely unsettled. Whether you are a creative professional or someone navigating a major life transition, this conversation offers a compassionate roadmap for honoring your pace and finding your light.

Key Topics Covered:

• How the sudden loss of a partner reshapes one's world and creative drive.

  
  

• Understanding "Liminal Space": Why the in-between is a place of potential, not just pain.

  
  

• The intersection of art and healing: Using performance and creation to metabolize grief.

  
  

January is often the loudest month of the year, filled with pressure to set big goals, fix what is "wrong," and completely reinvent ourselves. But for those navigating grief, loss, or major life transitions, this "clean slate" narrative often feels hollow and exhausting.

In this episode, Amy Lindner-Lesser explores the concept of liminal space—the threshold between who you were and who you are becoming. Instead of sprinting through this period to find answers, we are invited to inhabit it. Amy discusses why your body and soul may be demanding rest and how the most radical thing you can do this month is to refuse to rush yourself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between a doorway and a threshold.

  
  

• Why "willpower" isn't the reason you might feel unmotivated in January.

  
  

• How to ask "better" questions instead of "bigger" ones to find your steady ground.

  
  

• The power of "soft release"—letting go of roles and expectations that are simply completed.

As the year comes to a close, Amy Lindner‑Lesser invites you into a compassionate conversation about navigating the “messy middle” — the space between what was and what comes next. Whether you're carrying grief, rebuilding after a life quake, or simply stepping into a new year with uncertainty, this episode offers grounding, permission, and possibility.

Amy explores why the “after” doesn’t come with instructions, how grief and hope can coexist, and why you don’t need to be fully healed to begin again. She also shares her powerful annual practice of choosing a Word of the Year — a gentle alternative to resolutions that honors who you are and who you're becoming.

This episode is an invitation to meet yourself with grace, reconnect with old dreams, and imagine a 2026 shaped by authenticity, intention, and self‑trust.

00:00 – 00:01

Introduction: Who Amy is and why this conversation matters.

00:01 – 00:03

Standing at the edge of a new year — uncertainty, grief, and the “big question mark.”

00:03 – 00:05

Life quakes and the before/after divide.

00:05 – 00:07

The messy middle: being changed, still standing, and unsure of what comes next.

00:07 – 00:09

Possibility inside the unknown — rebuilding, reimagining, and choosing who you want to be next.

00:09 – 00:11

Permission to feel everything: contradictions, grief suitcases, and moving forward imperfectly.

00:11 – 00:13

Old dreams resurfacing and choosing to live for yourself again.

00:13 – 00:15

Sacred questions that arise after chaos and the whisper of “there’s more.”

00:15 – 00:17

Invitation #1: Let 2026 be the year you gift yourself you.

00:17 – 00:20

Invitation #2: Release resolutions — choose a Word of the Year instead.

00:20 – 00:22

How a guiding word supports growth, grounding, and self‑trust.

00:22 – 00:24

Amy’s 20‑year practice and the free reflection guide.

00:24 – 00:26

A reminder: your life is unfolding now — and you don’t have to walk it alone.

00:26 – 00:28

Closing encouragement, gratitude, and a look toward 2026.

In this heart-centered December episode, Amy explores how gratitude can become a gentle source of light — especially when life feels dark or uncertain. Drawing inspiration from seasonal celebrations of light across faith traditions, she reminds us that gratitude doesn’t erase our grief… it helps illuminate what still holds meaning.

Through personal reflection and practical guidance, Amy offers simple ways to “gift gratitude” — to ourselves, to those who’ve walked beside us, and even to the memories of those we’ve lost.

You’ll learn how gratitude and grief can coexist — and how both can guide us toward growth, peace, and renewed purpose.

In this episode:
 Why nearly every major faith tradition honors light during this season — and what that teaches us about hope.
 How gratitude becomes its own kind of light in times of loss or transition.
 Four ways to “gift gratitude” — to yourself, to others, and to what remains.
 Why investing in coaching, even when finances are tight, is an act of self-gratitude and courage.

Reflection Prompt:

“What light still glows within me — and how can I tend to it with gratitude this season?”

Mentioned in this episode:

• Imagining Your Next Chapter Call – Give yourself the gift of reflection and direction for the year ahead.

Quote to Remember:

“Gratitude doesn’t erase the darkness — it reminds us that darkness isn’t all there is.”

00:00 - Introduction: Finding Light in What Remains00:25 - The Challenge of the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" When Grieving00:52 - The Season of Lights: How major religions respond to the dark winter (Hanukkah, Advent, Diwali, Kwanzaa)02:02 - The Sacred Meaning Behind Light Rituals in Different Faiths03:26 - Navigating the Mixed Emotions of the Holidays After Loss04:22 - Reframing Gratitude: Why it's okay if it feels complicated05:05 - The Power of "I'm Grateful and Sad": Holding both emotions simultaneously05:44 - Gratitude as a Light that Does Not Erase the Darkness06:18 - Practice 1: Writing a Gratitude Note to the Person or Loss you Miss07:53 - Practice 2: Thanking Someone Who Has Stayed in Your Life (The Ripple Effect)08:37 - Practice 3: Offering Yourself Gratitude for Surviving and Adapting10:49 - Honoring Both the Darkness and the Light11:38 - Self-Care is Self-Preservation: Why coaching is an investment in your healing13:42 - The "Oxygen Mask" Metaphor: Putting Yourself First14:19 - Closing Message and Encouragement

Amy Lindner-Lesser explores the concept of “glimmers”—small, gentle moments that remind us we are safe, alive, and capable of joy even in the midst of grief. Through personal stories of widowhood, caregiving, and family transitions, Amy shows how hope and sorrow can coexist, offering listeners practical ways to notice and nurture glimmers in their own lives. This episode is a compassionate reminder that healing doesn’t erase pain, but it does invite beauty back into the mess.

📌 Show Notes with Select Timestamps

• [00:01:00] What glimmers are and why they matter in grief
• [00:03:00] Personal reflections: widowhood, single parenting, and caregiving through dementia
• [00:05:00] Stories of finding peace in small, everyday moments
• [00:07:00] Four gentle practices to notice glimmers: slowing down, using your senses, journaling, and letting go of guilt
• [00:10:00] When hope feels far away—why even surviving the day can be a glimmer
• [00:12:00] Closing encouragement: beauty exists even in the mess, and you are not alone

In this inspiring episode of Inntrospection: From Grief to Growth, host Amy Lindner-Lesser sits down with Manda Stack, a certified energy clearing practitioner and transformational coach who helps midlife women quiet self-doubt and claim a more fulfilling life.

Manda walks with people through the "fire of change" and shares her own extraordinary story of leaving a 23-year career as a pastor to follow the "quiet nudge of her soul" and embrace a new identity. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone standing at a major life crossroads, feeling "stuck between the safety of what they have always known and the ache for something more."

In this episode, you will explore:

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• The Moment of Reckoning: Manda’s personal story of burnout and the moment she realized she was "just going through the motions" and "didn't feel like me anymore".
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• The Ultimate Question: Why the most common question during a life transition—whether it’s widowhood, career change, or reevaluation—boils down to: "Who am I now?".

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• The Fear of the Leap: The profound challenge of facing major change, not just for yourself, but the fear of "hurting other people or their reactions".

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• The Gift of Clarity: The importance of giving yourself time, space, and a "container of support" to gain the clarity needed to build a life of freedom and fulfillment that feels true to who you really are.
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• Reinvention is Possible: Manda’s proof that taking that terrifying leap is "life-giving" on the other side.

About the Guest:

Manda Stack has coached and counseled hundreds of people facing crossroads that reshaped their lives. She now blends soulful guidance, practical strategy, and energy healing to help women navigate career shifts, emptiness, retirement, and seasons of deep reevaluation.

In this autumn-inspired episode of Inntrospection: Grief to Growth, host Amy Lindner-Lesser explores how the fall season mirrors the emotional rhythms of grief, remembrance, and renewal. Drawing on the traditions of Día de los Muertos and Halloween, Amy invites listeners to reframe death not as an ending, but as a transformation. Through personal reflection and cultural wisdom, this episode offers a gentle, soul-stirring reminder that love never dies—it simply changes form.

• [00:01:00] Autumn as a metaphor for grief and transformation
• [00:03:00] How Día de los Muertos celebrates joyful remembrance
• [00:05:00] The symbolism of marigolds, candles, and altars
• [00:07:00] Halloween’s roots in Samhain and making peace with darkness
• [00:09:00] Nature’s wisdom: life and death as dance partners
• [00:11:00] Rituals of remembrance—small acts that keep love alive
• [00:13:00] Invitation to a free “next chapter” call and ways to connect

Connect with Amy

What happens when you look back at your life through a new lens? Host Amy Lindner-Lesser sits down with Certified Neurodiversity Coach Catherine Avery to discuss the complex grief that accompanies a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis—and the relief that follows. Catherine, who works with "neuro-zesty" midlife women, explains the misdiagnosis history in women and how to build a life that truly fits your uniquely wired brain.

Later, Catherine shares a profoundly personal story from her own journey: a moment of uncontrollable sobbing over a lost pork chop that became a pivotal turning point in processing the emotional and neurological toll of her cancer treatment and "chemo brain." This raw conversation explores how trauma, diagnosis, and emotional overwhelm require deep introspection and the courage to advocate for the support you truly need.

Key Topics Covered:

• Reframing ADHD: Why Catherine uses the term "neuro-zesty" to help midlife women celebrate their uniquely wired brains and challenge the negative connotations of the word "disorder".

  
  

• The Late-Diagnosis Phenomenon: The common path for women who receive an ADHD diagnosis only after their own children are diagnosed.

  
  

• The Grief of Misunderstanding: The emotional weight of reviewing old report cards and realizing how past struggles (like being told you needed "concentrated effort") were symptoms of an undiagnosed condition.

  
  

• Twice Exceptional (2E): The experience of being highly intelligent and also having a learning difference, and how a focus on what you're fascinated by can lead to success.

  
  

• Finding the Right Supports: Practical strategies, like taking fewer classes or shorter terms, that can allow neurodivergent students to thrive when they can focus their attention.

  
  

• The "Pork Chop Moment": Catherine shares a raw story of a moment during her cancer recovery where a sudden, extreme emotional reaction in a brain training class alerted her that she needed to process the grief and trauma of her illness.

  
  

• Emotional Dumpsters: The critical need for an outside therapist or support group to process heavy emotions so as not to overwhelm your immediate family (husband and children).

In this deeply personal and culturally resonant episode of Inntrospection, host Amy Lindner-Lesser explores the silence surrounding grief—and the urgent need to break it. Drawing from her own journey through over 30 profound losses, Amy unpacks why our society avoids conversations about death, mourning, and emotional pain. From childhood memories to the myth of closure, this episode invites listeners to reflect, connect, and begin normalizing grief in everyday life. Whether you’re grieving or supporting someone who is, this episode offers insight, comfort, and a call to courageous compassion.

📌 Show Notes

• Amy’s personal story: 30+ losses, widowhood, and the path to becoming a grief coach
• Why grief is culturally silenced—and how that harms us
• The fear of mortality and how it shapes our reactions
• Toxic positivity and the pressure to “move on”
• The myth of closure: why grief doesn’t end, it evolves
• How silence can hurt more than imperfect words
• Practical ways to support someone grieving (hint: it’s not about fixing)
• A call to action: making space for grief conversations in your life
• Join Amy’s Facebook community or schedule a free consult

Grief and trauma often leave us feeling stuck, replaying painful experiences without knowing how to move forward. In this episode of Inntrospection: From Grief to Growth, host Amy Lindner-Lesser sits down with Dorlee Michaeli, a licensed clinical social worker and EMDR specialist, to explore how Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can help us process loss, release long-held pain, and begin to heal.

Together, Amy and Dorlee discuss why grief is a natural extension of love, the ways trauma can keep us trapped in old patterns, and how EMDR provides tools to gently rewire the brain’s response. Dorlee also shares stories from her work helping high-achieving adults overcome hidden anxiety and self-doubt, and explains how EMDR can be transformative not only for trauma survivors but also for anyone navigating grief, life transitions, or overwhelming change.

If you’ve ever felt “stuck” in your healing journey, this episode offers hope and practical insights for finding your way forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why grief and love are inseparable, and how acknowledging both is key to healing.

• The history of EMDR and how it was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro.

• How EMDR helps the brain process traumatic memories in a healthier way.

• Practical examples of how EMDR supports those experiencing grief, loss, and major life transitions.

• The unique challenges women often face in caregiving roles, and why self-care is not selfish but essential.

• The link between unresolved childhood trauma and struggles with PTSD in adulthood.

• How EMDR differs from traditional talk therapy and why it often accelerates healing.

  
  

Guest Bio:
Dorlee Michaelli, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and EMDR specialist who helps quiet, driven adults overcome hidden anxiety, self-doubt, and the effects of trauma. With a background in the corporate world and extensive clinical experience, she empowers professionals and individuals alike to process painful experiences, break free from limiting patterns, and step into confidence and joy.