Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

I’m joined by Irina Vlada for an honest conversation about healing, nervous system regulation, and what real integration actually looks like when working with psychedelics and other therapeutic tools. Irina helps people navigate transformation at the intersection of psychedelics, spirituality, psychology, and wellness. I met her earlier this year at Rythmia, and after spending time with her and diving deeper into her work, I knew I had to bring her on the show.

Irina has over a decade of experience as a coach and facilitator, and from 2020 to 2022, she worked as an Integration Coach with Mindbloom, guiding more than 200 clients through preparation and integration for ketamine-assisted therapy. In our conversation, she’s clear about one thing: psychedelic medicine isn’t the work itself. Real transformation happens afterward, through integration, embodiment, and taking actionable steps that rewire habits, thoughts, and the nervous system. Without that process, insight can fade just as quickly as it arrives.

We also talk about why ancient practices like breathwork and meditation are such powerful tools for healing trauma, regulating the nervous system, and expanding awareness, often without needing altered states at all. And for anyone curious but skeptical about psychedelics, Irina emphasizes the importance of safety, education, preparation, and the willingness to surrender to the process.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How Irina bridges psychedelics, spirituality, psychology, and wellness through lived experience and ethical practice (4:05)

Her personal path to self-awareness and healing, including trauma and the long road of recovery (5:47)

What ketamine-assisted therapy involves, why integration matters, and how insight without action quickly fades (17:21)

How meditation, breathwork, yoga, and nervous system regulation create real, lasting change without psychedelics (25:06)

What Irina emphasizes for people who feel skeptical or unsure about psychedelics from a therapeutic standpoint (44:39)

Resources from this episode: 

Write Your Way Through It

Come see me in Costa Rica at Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat in January!

Irina on Instagram

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/podcast/708

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The free workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn (As the World Burns) is happening tomorrow! Tomorrow, December 18th at 3 p.m. Eastern, I’ll walk you through how to keep your heart open, grounded, and intact during hard seasons of life, so you can live like you give a damn. I’ll add the link for you below so you can join us live. And in case you missed it, my new book Live Like You Give a Damn is officially out in the world — and I can’t wait for you to read it.

In this episode, we’re taking a look at what it means to shed before we step into a new year. Since 2025 is the Year of the Snake and 2026 is the Year of the Horse, this moment naturally invites both release and momentum. I’m walking you through the questions, stories, and real-life moments that help you recognize what’s ready to fall away — and how that clearing creates space for aligned action.

How the symbolism of the Snake (shedding) and the Horse (movement) can guide your personal reflection

What shedding actually looks like in everyday life — with examples you’ll definitely recognize

Why release is essential before you start planning or taking action for the new year

The most important questions to ask yourself as you move toward 2026

How to free up emotional and energetic space without forcing resolutions

A reminder that growth doesn’t require a full reinvention — just honesty and willingness

As you listen, I hope you let yourself soften, get curious, and notice what’s quietly asking to be released. Sometimes the smallest things we put down make the biggest difference in how we step forward.

PS: I’ll be guest speaking at Rhythmia Life Advancement Center in January, and if you’re interested in attending, click HERE. 

Resources from this episode: 

Free workshop and grab your copy of LLYGAD Download your free PDF that accompanies this workshop

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking about what it feels like to live in a world that just won’t let up and how to stay connected to yourself when everything around you feels chaotic. Returning guest Kate Swoboda is here to dig into fear, overwhelm, and the emotional fallout of constant crisis. Kate is the creator of YourCourageousLife.com, Director of the ICF-accredited Certified Life Coach Collective, and author of The Courage Habit. She’s spent years helping people break fear patterns and practice courage in real, everyday ways and she brings that wisdom straight into this conversation.

Together, we unpack the toll nonstop stress takes on your nervous system, why doomscrolling feels like quicksand, and how courage has nothing to do with muscling through. Instead, it’s about capacity, self-regulation, and the internal stories that shape how you move through the world. Kate and I also talk about overwhelm, somatic support, and why the smallest emotional shifts often end up being the most life-changing.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How to stay informed about a messy world without getting emotionally pulled under (3:44)

What it really takes to build resilience and courage in daily life (14:53)

Where to start when overwhelm takes over and you can’t see a way out of the spiral (21:01)

What to consider if you’re drawn to becoming a life coach during your own growth journey (31:57)

Resources from this episode: 

Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn (As the World Burns)

Certified Life Coach Collective (CLCC)

Insight Timer

Kate’s website

Kate on Instagram

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My new book, Live Like You Give a Damn, comes out December 9th, and I’m so excited for you to finally read it. And right after that, on December 18th, I’m teaching a free workshop to help you reset, reconnect with yourself, and head into the new year with clarity.

In today’s episode, we’re digging into communication; specifically the two paths you have when things get tricky: the courageous, connection-building path of hard conversations, and the protective, peace-preserving path of grey rocking. Knowing which one to choose is the skill.

In This Episode You'll Hear:

Why hard conversations matter and how they’re the backbone of healthy relationships

How to recognize when connection is possible versus when self-protection needs to come first

What grey rocking actually is and why it’s not “cold,” it’s strategic

How to choose the right communication lane instead of defaulting to old patterns

An example of grey rocking with a difficult family member during gatherings

Communication isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s about discernment. Some relationships deserve your clarity, vulnerability, and effort. Others require neutrality, distance, and zero emotional investment. The magic is learning the difference and choosing the approach that keeps you grounded, sane, and true to yourself.

Resources from this episode: 

Pre-order my new book, Live Like You Give a Damn and sign up for my free workshop! 

Amy Smith’s podcast

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking about stress and the body, the kind that simmers under the surface until something forces you to finally pay attention. This week’s guest, Stacey Garcia, knows that story intimately. After a lifetime of movement through dance, wellness, and “doing everything right,” she was hit with a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the way she thought about stress, healing, intuition, and what it really means to care for yourself.

What unfolds in this conversation is an honest look at how stress wakes things up in the body (and not necessarily in a good way), why so many women minimize their symptoms, and how energy healing, daily practices, and self-advocacy become lifelines when your world tilts. Stacey, a dancer, trainer, Reiki practitioner, and host of Never Miss a Monday, brings a grounded wisdom to this episode that I know will stay with you long after it ends.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Stacey shares how dance, wellness, and a breast cancer diagnosis shaped the work she does today (4:14)

Why chronic stress often shows up right before a major diagnosis and how Stacey began to recognize her own patterns (10:38)

What Reiki actually is, how it works, and the emotional releases people experience during sessions (16:09)

The one belief about food and bodies Stacey wishes we would retire for good (21:49)

Simple ways to tiptoe into spiritual or nervous system practices without overwhelm (24:15)

Why becoming the CEO of your own health matters, especially when doctors dismiss you (34:01)

Her evolving relationship with control and how energy work helped her surrender during treatment (40:46)

Resources from this episode: 

Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn As the World Burns

Never Miss a Monday podcast

Stacey on Instagram

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/704

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emotional intelligence is often reduced to “keeping your cool” or not reacting, which is only a very small part of the equation. The real work begins when you can understand why someone is behaving in a way that challenges you, stay grounded in your own truth, and respond with both compassion and clarity.

In this solo podcast episode, I unpack the deeper evolution of emotional intelligence; the point where empathy meets boundaries, and self-trust becomes your emotional compass.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Why emotional intelligence is more than just self-control or politeness

The five core components of emotional intelligence and how they actually show up in real life

The stages of emotional growth—from reactivity to true compassion

How to hold empathy and boundaries without falling into self-abandonment

What it looks like when your nervous system becomes emotionally mature

As you listen, you’ll be invited to notice where you might be confusing compassion with tolerance, and how your relationships can transform when understanding doesn’t require self-sacrifice.

Resources from this episode: Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn As the World Burns

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s talk about pleasure. Yep, the thing women are taught to avoid, minimize, hide, or feel guilty about. And yet, as this week’s guest Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton says, “Pleasure has never been more radical, especially for women.” In a world that feels like it’s collapsing in real time (and let’s be honest, it mostly is), pleasure isn’t frivolous. It’s the way back into your body, your intuition, and your aliveness.

Together, we get into how pleasure reconnects you to yourself when the world has trained you to disconnect, why so many women feel shame around wanting anything, and how small “what would feel good right now?” choices can quietly lead you home. Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, intimacy scholar, trauma-informed coach, and founder of UNCOVER, brings her blend of research, real life, and hard-won wisdom to this conversation.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Kimberly shares the unexpected path that led her into intimacy work and how it shapes everything she teaches (5:30)

Why knowing what you want starts with the tiniest daily choices (11:34)

We talk about how vulnerability has challenged and transformed her relationships and career (20:21)

Kimberly breaks down why pleasure feels so off-limits for women and how it can become a healing force (25:20)

How grief shows up in intimacy work and why it matters (37:23)

Simple ways to rediscover what actually brings you pleasure (42:22)

Resources from this episode: 

Sign up for my free workshop happening on December 18th!

Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat

Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton’s website

Kimberly’s book

Kimberly on Instagram

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Episode link:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of the time, I come into these solo episodes with a well-thought-out topic, complete with an outline and bullet points. But today, I wanted to riff organically with no structure. Just me talking about something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately: integration.

Integration is one of those buzzwords that gets thrown around in personal growth, but it’s often misunderstood. It’s the moment where insight turns into embodiment, the thing I like to call the point of no return where you stop trying to “fix” yourself and start actually living what you’ve learned. Many people stay stalled or stuck here (me!), so I’m here to talk about it!

In this episode, I talk about what integration really looks like, why emotions are at the center of it, and how to move through this phase with compassion and curiosity.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Why integration is the bridge between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.

The “point of no return” moment when personal growth stops being conceptual and starts being embodied.

How emotions play a central role in integration—and why learning to name, feel, and move through them changes everything.

What it means to witness yourself first before expecting anyone else to.

How tapping into your childlike nature helps you see all the dimensions of yourself and stay connected to your wholeness.

Integration isn’t glamorous or a mountaintop moment. It's the in-between space where you practice what you know and learn to trust yourself in the process. My hope is that this episode helps you soften into that space and recognize that this, right here, is where real transformation happens.

Resources from this episode: 

Sign up for my free workshop! 

We Are the Stars by The Nunnery (on Spotify)

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

https://andreaowen.com/podcast/701

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m so excited to welcome Sabrina Bendory, author of Detached: How to Let Go, Heal, and Become Irresistible, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to stay grounded in yourself while building healthy, connected relationships.

Sabrina shares what inspired her to write Detached and how learning to let go transformed her approach to love, self-worth, and emotional intimacy. We explore how fear and old conditioning keep so many of us stuck and what it looks like to show up as the fullest, most self-assured version of yourself in love and life.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

What it means to be detached in relationships and how it actually creates deeper connection (4:44)

The fear of ending up alone and how to get free from it (6:44)

What emotional availability looks like in practice when you’ve been with someone for years and how to grow together (16:36)

How to attract love and opportunities when you’re embodying your worth (you get to decide) (24:48)

Shutting down or numbing out in relationships and how to come back home to yourself (41:44)

Resources from this episode: Hop on my email list for updates on my books, programs, and more: andreaowen.com/free

Sabrina’s Book

Sabrina on Instagram

Sabrina’s Podcast

Sabrina’s Substack

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to my 2-part podcast episode, where I’m talking about how to “de-center” men (or really anything or anyone we’ve made the “sun” in our lives). We named the pattern: what it looks like to center men and the emotional, relational, and cultural costs when we orbit someone else’s needs at the expense of our own. Today we move from insight to action (Yay!). This episode is about how to stop self-abandoning without burning your life down, and what decentering looks like in real, everyday practice.

I’ll walk you through a clear framework you can try this week—tiny choices, boundary language, nervous-system support, and specific drills for dating, work, and long-term partnership. You’ll also hear a couple of personal moments that show how these tools play out when things get clear, messy, and very human.

This is what you’ll hear in this episode:

A short recap of Part 1: a plain-language definition of “centering men” and why the costs keep adding up over time.

How to spot the pattern in real time using quick questions (“Am I doing this for their comfort? For avoiding conflict? To not inconvenience someone else?”) and a pause before reacting.

Relational autonomy in action: the “Two-Yes Rule”, and speaking your “why” without over-explaining.

Exiting self-silence with nervous-system help: a scheduled anger/venting that doesn’t bleed into your relationships.

Reframing “being disliked for having needs” as data—not disaster.

Decentering drills for real life: speaking first and reclaiming your voice at work, and self-regulation + clear timing in partnerships.

Shifting the ecosystem: auditing your media, re-centering women in your inputs, etc.

Decentering isn’t about rejecting or hating men; it’s about reclaiming yourself in a culture that has taught us that centering men will keep us safe and it’s the only option. My hope is that this episode gives you a practical path: notice the old bargain as it’s happening, choose one small values-aligned action, and let your nervous system catch up as you practice new boundaries. And please try the homework! Pick one domain where you tend to self-abandon, run a tiny experiment this week, and reflect on what your body and inner voice tell you. If this landed, share the episode and let me know what shifted for you! 

Resources from this episode:

Episode 697: De-Centering Men Part 1: What it means and what it costs us

Download a Free Digital Version of my upcoming book, Live Like You Give a Damn

Hop on my email list for updates on my books, programs, and more: andreaowen.com/free

My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series

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!  

MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices