In this Season 2 interview, we sit down with Elena Kalina, a PhD candidate and certified health education specialist researching heavy drinking, decision-making, and alcohol-related risk in college students — including how students set (and break) their drinking limits in real time.

Elena breaks down what it actually means to pursue a PhD (spoiler: you’re not just learning… you’re creating new knowledge), what “bar labs” are (yes — research spaces designed to look like bars), and how app-based interventions can help people make better choices while drinking. We also get into the messy reality of college drinking culture (pregaming, tailgates, frat tabs), the link between alcohol and harm, and why science + data matter more than opinions.

We talk mental health and self-care in high-pressure environments, “team science,” how research can lead to real-world impact, and why the military is a population that deserves more attention and support in substance use prevention work.

And of course… we end with our Season 2 staple: hottest hot takes (gym etiquette, political hats, Trader Joe’s parking lots, and Whole Foods pizza).

✨ Connect with Elena + her research:
She recommends looking her up on Google Scholar (and yes — she’ll send papers if you hit a paywall).

✨ Check her out HERE!

✨ If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and drop a comment: what’s your hottest hot take? And what topic do you want us to interview next?

2025: The Year of Shelaborate — and we’re breaking down exactly what we’re taking into 2026 and what we’re leaving behind.

First, we unpack Kathleen’s 2025 Dating Wrapped — how many dates actually happened, why getting stood up is the absolute worst (especially when the excuse is tragically lame), and the difference between a crush, an obsession, and just a date. We also talk about why military guys lying about what they do is painfully obvious… and volunteer to decipher any questions you ladies may have.

Then we get honest about what we’re leaving in 2025: feeling stuck, doubting ourselves, and not calling people out on their s%&! when we absolutely should.

2026 is about creating our own lives. We’re defining success by our own standards, choosing where our emotional energy goes (good vibes only), and not chasing the next big thing just because someone thinks we should. And for all our thrifty listeners out there, we touch on why antiques shouldn’t automatically mean pricey — and whether dating apps are officially being left behind (jury’s still very much out).

If this episode hits, support the pod — leave a rating, drop a comment, share it with a friend, and come hang out with us in the Book Club. It genuinely helps more than you think.

This week on Shelaborate, we’re getting honest about the holidays — the good, the awkward, and the emotionally unhinged.

From holiday situationships and gift etiquette, to exes reaching out, to awkward family questions, we break down the rules we actually live by. We talk about when to keep the gift, when to shut it down, and how to protect your peace during the most emotionally charged time of the year.

We also dive into:

• Navigating Christmas while deployed or away from home

• Creating your own holiday traditions when family isn’t an option

• Why “no label, no gift” is a boundary worth standing on

• Secret Santa chaos, regifting, and unspoken holiday rules

• Who deserves a Merry Christmas text — and why answering the phone matters

Whether you’re single, in a situationship, missing home, or just trying to survive the holidays without spiraling — this episode is for you.

🎄✨

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and leave a review — it’s the easiest way to support the show and helps more people find Shelaborate.
Share this episode with someone who needs it this holiday season 🤍

In this episode of Shelaborate, we sit down with artist and philanthropist Cassy Tully, whose work lives at the intersection of fine art, golf, community, and giving back.

Cassy shares how she built a career as a golf artist—creating textured, three-dimensional paintings using everything from acrylic gel to actual sand collected from golf courses around the world. We talk about the business of art, what it really takes to merchandise and sustain a creative career, and why inviting people into the process matters just as much as the finished piece.

We also dive deep into Cassy’s philanthropic work, including her long-standing partnerships with veteran organizations like the Veteran Golfers Association and PGA HOPE. She opens up about how live painting and auctions have helped raise thousands of dollars for veteran communities, how her perspective shifted after meeting veterans her own age, and why giving back has become a non-negotiable part of her career.

From painting live at major championships and charity tournaments, to flying cross-country with paint supplies, to hand-painting hundreds of Christmas ornaments each year—this episode is a powerful reminder that creativity, purpose, and community can (and should) coexist.

If you’ve ever wondered:

·       How artists actually make a living

·       How creativity can be used to raise money and save lives

·       What it means to build a career rooted in generosity

·       Or how to break the “only 5% of artists make it” myth

This conversation is for you.

🎨 Follow Cassy: @cassytullyart

And check out her art at ⁠https://www.cassytully.com⁠

If you are interested in getting involved with ⁠PGA Reach Foundation, check them out here⁠. 

And if you want to learn more about the ⁠Veterans Golf Association, check them out here. ⁠

🎙️ The best way to show support to our guests and the show is by liking, commenting and sharing this episode - women supporting women is the whole point!

Welcome to Shelaborate — the podcast for the girls, from the girls — hosted by Kyra and Kathleen.

This is the space where women speak honestly about ambition, anxiety, identity, burnout, resilience, and chasing dreams in rooms we were never “supposed” to belong in.

This episode, Alexia Huffman from @thesleepymoonranch joined us in our studio to talk about her story as a barrier-breaking woman in the male-dominated world of Bull Riding. Alexia gives us a deep dive into what it looks like to literally take life by the horns. 

If you need a Podcast episode that feels like overhearing a conversation between older sisters in a coffee shop or under the stars on a ranch, this one is for you! In this episode Alexia shares 

✨ Creating opportunity instead of waiting for permission
✨ Building community instead of competing for scraps
✨ Turning failure into fuel
✨ Building a space for women 

Whether you’re climbing a career ladder, commanding a unit, riding a bull, starting a business, finishing school, healing from something that tried to break you, or just trying to figure out who you want to be — we are so glad you are here! 

Shelaborate: where women collaborate, celebrate, elevate, and share the stories that make them who they are. Thanks again to Alexia for joining us on the show! 

Our guests are real people, and it can be hard to share their stories publicly. It means a lot when you show them support. You can do this by liking and commenting on this show. Sharing encouragement by commenting on our episode is a free way to show your support to our guests, plus it boosts our algorithm and gets our show in front of more people! 

Youtube: @SleepyMoonRanch

Instagram: @thesleepymoonranch

Facebook: The Sleepy Moon Ranch

If you’ve ever wondered what kind of woman signs up to run 50, 62, or even 100 miles on purpose… this episode is for you.

In this episode of Shelaborate, we sit down with Emily Hanson – an ultramarathon runner, mom of two, marketing pro, and fierce woman committed to her sobriety who found herself on the trails. What started as “just training for a half marathon” during Covid turned into a life built around community, nature, and doing really hard things on purpose. Shout out to Charm City Run who helped Emily find her way. 

Emily walks us through how trail running became:

•  a lifeline during depression, anxiety, and early sobriety
• a moving meditation that checks every box: emotional, physical, mental, spiritual
•  a way to model grit, boundaries, and self-respect for her kids
• proof that “no” doesn’t have to mean never — sometimes it just means not right now

We talk about race days that go beautifully, like her first ultra with a first-in-age-group finish; and the ones that don’t, like breaking her foot at mile 0.5 of a 70.5-mile qualifier, DNF-ing, and choosing long-term health over ego. She shares the wild magic of overnight races: aid stations lit up like the North Pole, chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the woods, and her incredible  family pacing her under the stars.

Emily also gets real about:

• shifting from running as punishment to running as selfcare 
• why ultrarunning and drinking “cannot coexist” 
• how her trail friends became her people
• women’s safety on the run (pepper spray bracelets, scary-looking dogs, bone-conduction headphones, live tracking, all of it)
• why you don’t need fancy gear or a perfect plan to start — just one mile and some curiosity

If you’ve been ultra-curious, stuck in a rut, or just need a reminder that you can do hard things, grab your headphones, a bag of gummy nerds, and listen in! 

For the girls. From the girls. See you on the trail. 

Welcome to Season 2.

In our first episode of the season, we dive deeper into burnout vs. rust out — from juggling work and home life to feeling stuck or under-challenged.

We've brought Alex Abraham, a Mental Performance Coach at Fort Bragg, who explains how stress, team dynamics, and leadership impact our mental health and productivity. She shares actionable insights on recognizing burnout, combating rust out, and finding balance, even in high-pressure environments.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, overwhelmed, or stuck in a rut, this episode is for you.

Like comment or share this post to help boost our algorithm and show support to our guests, any interaction helps! 

The Nagasaki Sisters' Ted Talk and book Burnout:The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

This is the final episode of Shelaborate season one! Kath and Kyra sit down with Malia — affectionately known as “Poppy” — to talk about her life shaped by service, travel, and sisterhood. Growing up all over the world as a military child, Malia went on to serve as a Cultural Support Team member, where she worked alongside special operations in Afghanistan. She shares stories and laughs about her role training Afghan women. Malia hype girls about the powerful impact of female mentorship and her non-profit Sisters of Service. As the co-founder of Sisters of Service, Malia is helping Afghan women rebuild their lives in the U.S., one connection at a time. It’s an inspiring close to season one, full of heart, resilience, and a reminder to be the woman that fixes other women’s crowns without telling the world it’s crooked. 

If you’re interested in the She Serves workbook or learning more about Sisters of Service and the Afghan women, check them out at sistersofservice.org. 

Do exes always pop up at the worst times or do we just live in a small town? In this episode of Shelaborate, we’re opening up our Ex-Files and sharing our dating stories. I mean what would you do if someone dropped a cooler off at your house??

We share personal experiences and our big sister advice on:

💔 Setting healthy boundaries (even when it’s hard)

📵 Cutting off contact without the guilt

✨ 🚩Red flags in relationships

Whether you’re newly single, happily coupled, or somewhere in between, this episode will leave you feeling empowered to take your boundaries seriously—because your peace of mind isn’t up for negotiation. This one is definitelyfor the girls… and the guys who are looking for the inside scoop on what we are really thinking. 

In this episode of Shelaborate, we break down our biggest red and green flags — from the lighthearted icks to the absolute non-negotiables. Whether it’s in dating, friendships, or just everyday interactions, we’re calling out the things that make us run and the signs that someone might actually be worth our time. Laughs, lessons, and a little self-reflection guaranteed. Do you agree? Are are we way off base? Let us know in the comments!

Send us your biggest red and green flags at [email protected]