Menopause Rise and Thrive | Helping Women Navigate Midlife and Menopause

The changes and transitions of midlife can really do a number on your sense of self. 


I’ve called in reinforcements to help me unpack what happens to your sense of self in midlife and how to rebuild it. 


Lisa Maholchic and Marna Brickman are therapists practicing in Annapolis, Maryland, at Guiding Therapy and they’re here to share their tips and tools for creating a firm foundation from which to navigate the many twists and turns of midlife. We’re talking about why it’s so important for women to have a strong sense of self during the transitions of midlife and what to do if you feel like you’re lacking that sense of self. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• What it means to have a strong sense of self 
• How to identify your wants and needs 
• The importance of finding and using your support system 
• Tips for finding the right therapist for you

Maybe you’ve never felt like you had a strong sense of self and you’re ready for that to change, or maybe the recent changes in your life have shaken up your sense of identity and you’re reevaluating what’s important to you. Whatever your journey looks like, we want to help!


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Check Out Guiding Therapy: www.guidingtherapy.com 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Do you want to have the best sex of your life?


Like many other women in midlife, you might think that your opportunity for an amazing sex life has passed, but I’m here to tell you that that is far from the truth. To prove it to you, I’ve brought on Tantric Sex Coach Angela Dawn to teach you how to have your best sex in midlife. 


Angela (she/her) coaches her clients to find their own unique way through life, love, and relationships. After deeply delving into intimacy and relationships later in life, she feels called to help folks dig into these ideas without putting them off. Bringing openness, joy, and laughter to relationship exploration, Angela takes the taboo out of these conversations (unless taboo is what you’re into!). 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Sexual exploration in midlife 
• How to improve your sex life 
• Tantric sex practices 
• How to take responsibility for your own pleasure 

Better sex starts here. Tune in to start building the sex life of your dreams!


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:


Visit Angela’s Website: www.authenticheartcoach.com

Follow @authenticheartcoaching on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticheartcoaching/

Follow @authenticheartcoaching on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authenticheartcoaching

Follow Authentic Heart Coaching on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticHeartCoaching 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

It’s time to talk about ADHD. 


This topic is near and dear to me because I was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, and it took me many years to learn how to acknowledge the benefits of having ADHD as well as ways to manage the parts of ADHD that make my life a little bit more challenging.


I’m joined in this episode by Dr. Cristine Ehly to discuss what options are available to you to manage your ADHD, no matter how old you were when you got your diagnosis. You might need help with your focus, mood, energy levels, or something else entirely. Wherever it is, you’re in good hands with Dr. Cristine. 


Dr. Cristine Ehly is a naturopathic doctor who works with women with ADHD and ADHD-like symptoms. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Common symptoms of ADHD
• Foods you can add to your diet to help with gut and brain health 
• How to reduce the environmental toxins you’re exposed to 
• Protecting your emotional health as much as your physical health

If you’re wondering where to start with your ADHD management, we’ve got you covered.


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Dr. Cristine Ehly’s Website: www.keyhealthnd.com 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Where on earth do you start with exercise and nutrition?


There’s so much information out there now that it can be extremely overwhelming to get started when you want to try something new. First of all, you should be proud of yourself for making it this far. Too often we put ourselves last and don’t find the time to do something for our own wellbeing, but you’re here and showing up for yourself. 


I invited Pam Adams to join this discussion to share her expertise in the exercise and nutrition world with us. Pam understands that fitness is extremely personal and there’s no one-size-fits-all plan. She will help you get in tune with your body and find exercises and nutritious foods that truly work for you.


Pam is a board-certified licensed nutritionist and certified personal trainer specializing in perimenopause. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Where to start with exercise and nutrition 
• How to challenge yourself without overdoing it
• Important nutritional information for midlife 

I hope this episode provides you with the information you’re looking for and helps you get started on your exercise and nutrition journey!


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Pam’s Website: www.synergywithpam.com 

Follow @synergywithpam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synergywithpam/

Follow Pam on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synergywithpam/

Get Pam’s Free Guide to Navigating Perimenopause: https://www.synergynutriwellness.com/free-guide-podcast 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Gut health. What is it, why is it important, and how do you look after it?


Carrie Chojnowski is joining me in this episode to break it all down. She’s walking us through why gut health affects so many other areas of our well-being and what you can do to improve your gut health and feel your best.


Hormonal imbalances, mood swings, headaches, fatigue, and other more mysterious ailments can all be tied back to your gut. I’m not saying that healing your gut will solve all your problems, but I can promise that it will help. 


Carrie is the owner of Thrive4Life Holistic Health in Severna Park and is a certified holistic gut health practitioner and health coach. Her goal is to empower women in midlife to make holistic, lasting changes to fully transform their lives. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Why your gut is the foundation for everything else
• How to balance your good and bad bacteria 
• Ways to calm your digestive system

If you’re on a mission to get answers about your health and feel your best, this is an important episode for you.


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Carrie’s Website: https://thrivewithcarrie.com 

Follow Carrie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carrie.o.chojnowski

Follow Thrive4Life Holistic Health on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090905922948

Follow @carriechojnowski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriechojnowski/ 

Get Carrie’s Free Tips for a Healthy Gut: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFPn3j3ohc/tGqRRhkJPAMJTQNZbjARNg/view?utm_content=DAFPn3j3ohc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

How do you age gracefully?


Every woman going through midlife wants to look their best, and that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. We all go through a natural aging process, and understanding it can truly help us feel our best, no matter our age.


In this episode of Midlife Rise + Thrive, I am so thrilled to sit down and chat with Monique Willingham to talk about all things skin and aging gracefully as we journey through midlife.


Despite what we might have heard in mainstream media, we can age gracefully in ways that make us happy with our aging rather than feel like we're on this downward spiral into nothingness, and Monique is here to explore it with us today. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Skin issues that women encounter as they age
• How our nutrition can impact our skin
• Some healthy habits to adopt to protect your skin

Whether you're curious about nourishing your skin, adopting healthy habits, or simply embracing the natural aging process, this episode has got you covered! Make sure to tune in.


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Have you considered practicing yoga in midlife?


The thought of showing up at a yoga studio with no experience might be intimidating, but there are lots of accessible ways to get started with yoga, and there are lots of really great reasons to give it a try. 


In this episode, Julie Blamphin will teach you how yoga can benefit you in midlife and what it means to use yoga in real life. 


She’s sharing positivity practices to boost your mind, body, and spirit; yoga poses to try around the house; and techniques for becoming aware of your own thoughts, feelings, and sensations. 


Obsessed with cartwheels and alone time, Julie Blamphin is a yoga pro, a motivational speaker, a retreat leader, and the founder of Stretch Your Spirit. She has been teaching yoga since she was 12 years old and is currently inspiring midlife women to feel joyful, stable, and sexy through movement and stillness.


Topics covered in this episode include:

• How to use yoga in real life 
• The benefits of yoga for midlife 
• Getting in touch with your sensuality 

Whether you’re a seasoned yoga pro or a total newbie, this episode has something for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with your body, your femininity, and your sensuality.


All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Julie’s Website: www.stretchyourspirit.com

Follow Julie on Facebook: www.facebook.com/stretchyourspirit

Follow @stretchyourspirit on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stretchyourspirit

Connect with Julie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieblamphin/

Get Julie’s Free Top 3 Tips for Yoga in Real Life: http://www.stretchyourspirit.com/top3tips 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

There is a lot of advice out there for new parents on how to parent babies, toddlers, and young children, but what about when those children grow up?

Parenting teenagers and young adults brings a whole new set of rewards and challenges and requires different skills, but it’s not something that’s talked about quite so openly. We’re changing that in this episode. 

Samantha Straub is here to help you master your role as a parent to teens and young adults while also adjusting to midlife. She’s sharing everything you need to know about teen brain development, emotional regulation, and attachment styles and teaching you communication skills and other tools for your parenting toolkit. 

At Teen Savvy Coaching, Samantha Straub helps parents of teens and tweens step into their parenting role with calm and confidence. A licensed clinical counselor, veteran educator, and school counselor, Sam coaches parents to tame household chaos and strengthen the parent-child connection while also maintaining healthy boundaries. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• The difference between the teen brain and the adult brain
• Why you might find it harder to control your emotions around your kids
• How to get grounded as a midlife parent 

If you’ve been struggling with feeling like it’s a constant battle between you and your teen, we’ve got you! Tune in for some much-needed support.

All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Samantha’s Website: www.teensavvycoaching.com

Follow @teensavvycoaching on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching/

Follow Samantha on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub/

Get Samantha’s Freebie: 15 Conversation Starters to Replace "How Was Your Day?":  https://mailchi.mp/57a88ff06269/howwasyourday 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

What does leadership look like in the past, present, and future of your life? 

In this episode, Paula Castillo and I are breaking down what it means to be a leader in midlife. If you relate to the feeling of standing in the doorway of the past and the future as you decide what you want next, you’ll enjoy this episode. 

Paula is explaining liminal spaces, the Gallup strengths assessment, and how to better understand your leadership skills. If you're looking to make a change in your career, up-level yourself in your leadership role, or step into a new leadership position, you’re in the right place.

Paula Castillo is a career coach based in Washington DC serving clients both locally and globally. After achieving her goals as an economist, she found herself disconnected and burned out. Through her own journey of self-discovery, she realized that finding your calling requires connecting the dots in your life and creating your own definition of what is meaningful. As an ICF and Gallup-certified coach, Paula helps clients find balance, well-being, and fulfillment by aligning with their authentic selves. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• Finding your true north 
• Why midlife is a liminal space 
• How to use the Gallup strengths test

If you’re ready to embrace your role as a leader in midlife, this is for you.

All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Visit Paula’s Website: www.paulacastillo.co

Connect with Paula on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-castillo/

Read Paula’s Blog: https://www.paulacastillo.co/blog/should-i-quit-my-job 

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!

Do you feel like you can’t exercise because you don’t have enough time?

One of the biggest hurdles that women in midlife face when they’re trying to exercise is finding time, so I invited Tara De Leon to join me on the podcast to talk about how to fit exercise into your busy schedule. 

In this episode, Tara is talking about how to make time for exercise, be efficient with the time you do have, and make your workouts count. A workout doesn’t have to be an hour long. You can get a lot of benefits from a 10-minute workout if you know how, and after this episode, you will. 

Tara De Leon is an award-winning personal trainer who helps people feel badass and confident by teaching them to lift heavy weights. She has a master’s in Human Movement: Sports Conditioning and over 15 different fitness certifications. 


Topics covered in this episode include:

• What to prioritize if you only have a small amount of time for exercise 
• How to make exercise more fun and less of a chore
• Why exercise is so important in midlife 

If you want to find out how to get the best workout possible when you don’t have a lot of time, tune in.

All show notes are available at risingwomanproject.com!


Resources Mentioned:

Follow @tara_de_leon_fitness on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tara_de_leon_fitness

Follow Tara on Facebook: www.facebook.com/taradeleonfitness

Get Tara’s 12-week midlife exercise plan

Have a question I can answer? Send me a message! I love to hear from my listeners!