Magnificent Midlife

I was deeply moved by my guest Lisa Boehm. Lisa's life changed forever when her daughter, Katie, was killed in a car accident – an experience no parent should ever have to endure. In the years since, she's found remarkable strength and purpose, transforming her grief into a force for healing and connection. This is probably the most difficult interview I've ever done. I hope you find it as powerful as I did.

Lisa is a certified grief educator, author of Journey to Healing: A Mother's Guide to Navigating Child Loss, and founder of the Angel Moms Community, where she supports other parents walking this most difficult path.

We talk about:

-Navigating grief as a parent

-Understanding grief and its complexities

-Misconceptions about grief

-Communicating with grievers and what to say

-The healing process as an active journey

-Honoring loved ones

-The impact of grief on identity and relationships

-The transformative power of gratitude

-Grief and family dynamics

-Navigating grief in relationships

-The role of therapy and medication

-Honoring a loved one's legacy

-Coping with guilt and reminders of loss

And more.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening. Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers: UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast. Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times. FeedSpot #5 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts FeedSpot #7 in 100 Best Midlife Women Podcasts FeedSpot #2 in 10 Best UK Life Hacks Podcasts You'll find lots of strategies, support and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com. Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Caron Grossman is a registered nurse, breathwork facilitator, author and heart attack survivor. Her memoir, Listen to Your Heart Song: Navigating the Unexpected, weaves together her experiences of adolescent grief, addiction, recovery and a near-fatal heart attack, offering hope, honesty and practical insight for anyone navigating their own unexpected life events.

We talk about:

-How Caron's heart attack actually began

-Why the classic male symptoms of heart attack still dominate emergency call scripts and training

-How many women are told they're having an anxiety attack or indigestion when they're actually having a cardiac event

-The legacy of her mother's early death from a misdiagnosed heart attack, and how that shaped Caron's life and choices

-The emotional impact of "doing everything right" and still having a heart attack

-Practical tools for women worried about heart disease risk

-The importance of tuning into unusual symptoms in women

-How grief in adolescence led Caron into addiction, binge eating and numbing

-The role of 12-step recovery, spiritual connection and community in her healing

-Conscious connected breathwork as a powerful modality for regulating the nervous system

-How writing – including daily journaling and "two-way prayer" – helped Caron process grief, shame and fear

-Why women need to advocate for themselves in medical settings

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening. Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers: UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast. Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times. FeedSpot #5 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts FeedSpot #7 in 100 Best Midlife Women Podcasts FeedSpot #2 in 10 Best UK Life Hacks Podcasts You'll find lots of strategies, support and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com. Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Tami Stackelhouse is an award-winning author, founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute and executive producer of the documentary Invisible. She's dedicated to helping people with fibromyalgia reclaim control of their bodies and their lives, so they no longer feel trapped by pain, exhaustion or uncertainty.

Fibromyalgia is so often misunderstood, minimised or brushed aside – and yet it affects many women in midlife. I've been wanting to explore this topic for ages and I'm delighted to finally do so with someone who brings both deep expertise and lived experience.

If you're navigating unexplained pain, relentless fatigue, brain fog or simply want to understand this condition better, this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

We also talk about:

-The impact of age and gender on fibromyalgia

-Common misconceptions and stigmas

-Daily life and management strategies

-Tami's personal journey in overcoming fibromyalgia

-The need for more research and awareness

-The historical context of fibromyalgia research

-The gender bias in fibromyalgia treatment

-The complexity of fibromyalgia diagnosis

-Holistic approaches to treatment

-Recent advancements in fibromyalgia research

-Understanding flare-ups and management strategies

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

You can read a blog about this podcast episode here.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

I'm delighted to welcome back Keren Etkin to the podcast! Keren is a gerontologist, entrepreneur, and author of The AgeTech Revolution – a fascinating book about the intersection of technology and ageing.

I love that she describes herself as an AgeTech evangelist – it captures her passion perfectly. Keren is also the founder of The Gerontechnologist and The AgeTech Academy, both dedicated to helping us understand and shape the future of ageing through innovation.

We talk about how technology is reshaping the way we age, the opportunities and challenges ahead, and what it all means for those of us in midlife and beyond.

We also talk about:

-Tech adoption by older adults

-Motivation and digital literacy

-Challenges in healthcare technology

-Making technology accessible

-Addressing scams and digital literacy

-Robotics and caregiving

-Age-inclusive societies and technologies

-The future of technology and personal reflections

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

You can read a blog about this podcast episode here.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Alison Larkin is a bestselling author, comedian, producer, and narrator of over 250 audiobooks. Her acclaimed autobiographical novel The English American tells the story of an adopted English woman who finds her birth parents in America. She's also the creator of the hit one-woman show Grief… a Comedy and author of the book of the same name.

Rachel first saw Alison perform at London's Soho Theatre and knew she'd be a perfect podcast guest. This conversation is funny, heartfelt, and full of insight about identity, creativity, and finding humour in life's toughest moments.

We talk about:

-The journey of love and loss

-Finding joy after grief

-Exploring love beyond death

-Embracing clarity in midlife

-The power of storytelling

-The life of a comedian

-Alison's journey of comedy and fundraising

-Multiple voices and identities

-Fiction vs. memoir

-The craft of writing

-Grief and connection

-Intuition and spirituality in life's journey

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

You can read a blog about this podcast episode here.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Want to rethink everything you thought you knew about menopause? I'm thrilled to welcome back Tania Elfersy, someone I really admire and a woman with a truly refreshing take on this stage of life. This is a conversation between two women who care deeply about the state of the menoverse today!

I first came across Tania while writing my book and was immediately struck by her wisdom and insight. The last time she joined me on the podcast, our conversation about menopause was very feisty – and this one is just as spirited.

Tania brings such clarity, compassion and common sense to the menopause conversation. I can't wait for you to hear this episode – it's sure to challenge, inspire and maybe even transform how you think about current menopause narratives.

We talk about:

-How fear-based menopause marketing took root in the UK and spread globally

-Why so much hormone therapy research is being misunderstood, misrepresented, and selectively used

-The real impact of celebrity endorsements and influencer-led "menopause awareness" campaigns

-How the pharmaceutical and wellness industries are profiting from women's insecurities

-What's missing from the current menopause conversation – and why context matters

-How women are being encouraged to medicalize a natural transition

-The dangers of cherry-picked data and the confusion between relative and absolute risk

-The quiet manipulation happening behind so-called "menopause revolutions"

-Why women deserve full, unbiased information before making health decisions

-How to separate fact from marketing spin in an age of social media misinformation

-Why questioning, staying curious, and trusting your intuition are radical acts of self-care

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

You can read a blog about this podcast episode here.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

We're bringing back another powerful episode for our special Menopause Matters Season - this time with the fabulous Karen Newby.

Karen is a nutritionist who's been practising nutritional therapy for over a decade, specialising in women's hormonal health - particularly menopause. She's the author of The Natural Menopause Method, a brilliant nutritional guide to perimenopause and beyond, and her brand-new book The Natural Menopause Method Cookbook is out now.

In her new book, Karen has compiled 60 simple, flavour-packed recipes designed to help combat and minimise the most common menopause symptoms. These are meals made for time-poor menopausal women who still want to eat well — full of nutrition and bursting with taste. From Salmon Traybake with Tarragon Pesto to 'Stop Feeling 100' Joint Rejuvenation Smoothie, these recipes tackle issues like fatigue, hot flushes, brain fog, irritability, and sleeplessness — showing how food can truly be medicine for this stage of life.

In our conversation, Karen brings a wealth of knowledge about how nutrition can support our hormones and overall wellbeing through this transition.

Here's what we cover:

-How we can best prepare ourselves for perimenopause

-The first signs of perimenopause and what can be done about them

-Good and bad estrogens

-What we can learn from other cultures in terms of food and hormones

-The importance of phytoestrogens

-Food as medicine

-How to stop sugar cravings and why they happen

-Why modern life can make menopause worse

-Why women may get heavier periods as they move into perimenopause

-The importance of maintaining blood sugar levels

-The role of the adrenal glands

-Why we need to get better at managing stress

-Why there's no quick fix when it comes to menopause

-Six simple nutritional shifts to support perimenopause

-Why we need to start putting ourselves first

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

We're bringing back another great episode for our special Menopause Matters Season — this time with the fabulous Tania Dalton.

Tania is a healthy aging coach and fitness trainer, known for her inspiring approach to redefining what's possible as we age. She's passionate about showing that menopause isn't an ending, but the beginning of a whole new chapter.

Since we first recorded this episode, Tania has continued her mission, working as an online health coach helping women over 50 regain their energy so they can thrive in their careers and their lives. She's also launched an exciting new venture — the Midlife Women's Clinic, an online service for Australian women navigating perimenopause. The clinic provides education and connects women with GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Naturopaths, Psychologists, Nutritionists, and other experts who specialise in perimenopause.

Tania brings such inspiration and practical wisdom to this conversation, sharing how lifestyle choices can transform how we age and how midlife can be the most empowering time of all.

Here's what we cover:

-Why Tania became so interested in how lifestyle impacts aging

-Why she's determined to show women menopause isn't the end so much as a whole new beginning

-Simple and effective ways to transform life

-Staying active despite osteoarthritis

-Training for an ironman challenge (she since completed this!)

-Being willing to try things while accepting you may not be able to complete them

-Why Tania feels menopause has been the best thing to happen to her

-The importance of prioritizing sleep

-How Tania manages stress

-The importance of getting outside a lot, especially first thing in the morning

-How living more simply can help with health

-How Tania has accepted her aging self

-Optimal nutrition in midlife and beyond

-Increasing variety in your diet to assist your microbiome

-The importance of strength training and getting clear on what we need to do

-Incorporating HIIT sessions where possible

-Incidental exercise – staying mobile throughout the day

-The impact of stress on increasing belly fat in midlife

-How to simply incorporate meditation

-Not letting perfectionism stop her from going for things

-What Tania most wants women to know

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

We're bringing back another ground-breaking episode for our special Menopause Matters Season — this time with the inspiring Karen Arthur.

Karen is an educator, fashion designer, dancer, podcaster, broadcaster, author and artist. She's the host of the Menopause Whilst Black podcast, which she created to amplify the voices of Black women going through menopause. Karen brings such honesty, creativity, and joy to this conversation. She reminds us that menopause isn't one size fits all and that midlife can be a time to set boundaries, honour ourselves, and open up to what's possible. And that representation matters.

Here's what we cover:

-How the Black Lives Matter movement inspired Karen to create her podcast

-Why menopause isn't one size fits all

-The importance of workplace support through menopause

-The different menopause experience of Black women

-How to actually make a difference around racial injustice

-Karen's personal journey with depression

-Her realization she was going through menopause and how it changed her life

-Experiences with therapy and the importance of doing it when you're ready

-Knowing when to seek help and when to say no

-Establishing boundaries with yourself and your body

-Honouring the ageing process and embracing midlife

-What menopause can truly give us

And so much more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

We're bringing back another great episode for our special Menopause Matters Season – this time with the brilliant Angela Counsel.

Angela is a naturopath, kinesiologist, and mindset coach working with women in midlife. Like me, she's on a mission to spread the word that menopause doesn't have to be a struggle. It can be a time of stepping into your wisdom and falling in love with yourself and your life.

This conversation was recorded at a time when Covid-19 was very much part of our everyday lives, so we talk a lot about how to support both our hormonal balance and our immune systems in that context. Angela shares deep knowledge and practical tips, all grounded in her belief that midlife is a time of empowerment, not decline. This conversation is very much grounded in Lifestyle Medicine.

Here's what we cover:

-How our jobs can impact our health

-How a miscarriage led Angela to study naturopathy

-The impact of stress on women's bodies and how it can cause early menopause

-The importance of hormonal balance at all stages of our lives

-How it's not normal to experience lots of symptoms around the time of menopause, if we do that means there are issues that need to be dealt with

-The many unnatural products in our lives that can impact our health

-The impact of stress on our immune systems and immune -related health issues

-If you struggle to get over a minor illness such as a cold then your immune system isn't working properly

-Never getting sick is not necessarily a good thing either

-The body's natural response to viral illness and how we can get in the way of that

-Our over reliance on taking a pill to get better

-Eating better, cleaner food to avoid pesticides

-Vinegar can help to remove waxy coatings on fruit and pesticides

-Eating organic if you can, especially if soft like broccoli and berries

-Stress, fear and toilet paper

-Alcohol, stress and the impact on menopause

-The impact of vitamin D levels on people's Covid response

-Why Australia has coped comparatively well with the pandemic

And lots more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.

Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #9 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts and #7 in 60 Best Women Over 50 Podcasts

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.