Today's episode w/ Jenn Krusinski could not be more timely. As we slowly return to a new "normal" post-pandemic, and find ourselves in mental health awareness month, my conversation w/ Jenn feels especially poignant. She is a life coach who has personally survived and healed from chronic illness, divorce, and regained her voice while discovering her true self. She has since made it her mission to help other women do the same. If you find yourself on an unexpected journey, not only are you not alone, but you can learn to see your reinvention as the greatest journey of your life... and Jenn is here to show you how!

Meet Mecca! Mecca is MY inspiration in this journey to motherhood, and exemplifies resiliency and empowerment at its finest. Mecca has continued to inspire me as she navigates this journey full of the unexpected. She's a total boss, and totally lovely, and I cannot wait for you to get to know her. Listen in as Mecca recounts her journey from the shocking discovery she was at risk of not being able to have children, to undergoing IVF during the pandemic, and finally the surprise text message that changed her journey in a way she never saw coming!

Holly Hayes is an author and founder of The Sanctuary Project, a survivor-run non-profit that employs survivors of trafficking (and makes the most beautiful jewelry that I'm completely obsessed with). Holly is a survivor of sex trafficking herself, and she bravely shares her journey of hitting rock bottom and how she found sanctuary. Today Holly is married and the mother of a little girl she conceived with a donor embryo. She explains what drew her to this choice, and the issues (and opportunities) she'd like to bring awareness to surrounding modern fertility. Listen in and be prepared to be inspired as Holly opens her heart and shares the highs and lows of this journey with total transparency and true grace.

Meet Laura Louis, mother of two boys, who bravely shares her harrowing story to motherhood. Laura experienced the unimaginable when after multiple miscarriages, she had a stillbirth with her first son, Brooks Carter. One of the most powerful lessons from Laura's story, is how her lowest moment gave her the courage to continue to pursue motherhood as he cracked her heart wide open to a mother's love. Laura's story is full of ups and downs and a few plot twists that ultimately gave her a new happily ever after, and that I hope inspires you to keep going on your own journey.

Chelsea Robinson is a LCSW and Post-Partum Doula specializing in "matrescence," the physical, psychological and emotional changes a woman experiences as she becomes a mother. It was Chelsea's own transition into motherhood (and its challenges) that uncovered her life's passion to help other women in their own journeys, and help create a Motherhood Renaissance (listen in to learn more). Advocating for children to be raised by "the village," mothers receiving the same care as their newborns after birth, and the importance of maintaining self, Chelsea opens our eyes to the unrealistic expectations burdening mothers today, and the ways we can challenge society to create a better way forward.

*This conversation is not a substitute for any medical or clinical advice. Postpartum Mood Disorders are real and if anyone is questioning their experience, they should consult their physician immediately.

Stephanie Wicker is a SMC in her 3rd trimester using a known donor. Like many of us, Stephanie grew up envisioning a traditional family life, assuming she would marry after college and have children. Instead, Stephanie's path led her towards an empowering career, shocking heartbreak, and a health scare that scared her straight into being ready for motherhood. Follow along as Stephanie bravely shares the most vulnerable parts of her journey in hopes of helping other women feel less alone, and more empowered in their own journeys.

Join me as I reflect on my (longer than expected) journey to solo motherhood. What have I learned, what has surprised me, and what do I wish I had known before I started? I've gathered up my "Top 10 Recommendations" to share in hopes that some of my own foibles can save you time, resources, and even a little heartache. The journey of a SMC in not for the faint of heart, but it truly is one of the most profound and empowering experiences you'll ever have. Buckle up, because you're in for an undeniably wild and yet incredible ride!

Erin Hill is the host of "Get'n Cozy with Erin Hill," a podcast focused on bringing the "real" back to Reality TV, the Bachelor, and of course, LOVE. She also happens to have a background in matchmaking, and currently runs her own dating and sleep coaching practices. She is a TOTAL sweetheart (the real deal) and genuinely wants people to find true love and true happiness with themselves and in life. Today she's dishing about the Bach (she has the inside Bachelor Nation scoop), and offering up some GREAT dating tips for "Dating over 40." I hope this "special edition" Valentine's Day episode has you believing in love AND gives you the tools to go out there and create the love you want. Cheers to love!

Sarah Kowalski is the author of, "Motherhood Reimagined," and currently a SMC to her 6 year old son. I relate to Sarah's journey SO much, from the intensity of her career that led to a total health collapse, to her journey of healing through holistic modalities, and ultimately to her choice to pursue motherhood as a single mother by choice. Come along as we explore the stages of healing, the necessity of grief, rediscovering yourself, and writing (and rewriting) a new story with a better ending than the one you had imagined for yourself, plot twists and all!

Beth Heller is the co-founder of "Pulling Down the Moon," one of the first (if not THE first) holistic centers dedicated entirely to fertility and women's health, offering yoga, acupuncture, massage and nutrition to support healthy conception and pregnancy. Beth's own journey into the arena is a personal one, having experienced difficulties getting pregnant, miscarriage, and the tragic loss of her daughter, Georgia, at 38 weeks. Personal experience combined with formal graduate studies and science, fuel her passion for the mind-body connection and helping other women through the transformative power of yoga and connection.