SheSez with Linda Grasso

Pivoting from full-time motherhood to employment can be daunting In this episode Kelley Biskupiak & Susan Rietano Davey, co-founders of the on-line professional coaching platform, Prepare to Launch U, share with Linda tips & strategies for moms interested in returning to the work force. Topics touched on: how to reclaim your professional confidence; how to shift from focusing entirely on the family to yourself; the importance of getting ahead of the curve, i.e. taking small but critical steps to plan for your future before the kids are actually out of the house. Also, how to spin your time at home into something prospective employers will view as an asset.

Prepare to Launch U provides instruction, inspiration and community to women navigating work-life transitions along the continuum of life. Its signature online career re-entry course has students in 26 states. It also offers a course to help women plan and execute a maternity leave.

Like Linda, both Kelley and Susan have first-hand experiences with the challenges of pivoting from full-time motherhood to the working world. Both women opted out to take career breaks, opted back in as working moms, and made mid-career pivots to start their own business.

Stage 4 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer survivor Jenn Greenhut had just had her yearly mammogram when she discovered the lump under her arm. In this episode, Jenn speaks out about the importance of ultrasounds—particularly for women with dense breasts—and she shares the story of how doing essentially a 360-degree change in mindset got her through the grim diagnosis. During her treatment for one of the most aggressive forms of the disease, she learned to embrace (instead of dread) chemo and to see and be grateful for all the positives that have resulted from her situation. She credits that attitude reboot with helping her go from little hope to cancer-free in four months. Plus, how Jenn is giving back by raising money for cancer research with her new line of bags, Zero Negative. The line includes reversible bags that go from cross body to fanny packs designed for women going through treatment.

For SheSez's 100th episode, the tables turn as host Linda Grasso gets interviewed by Emmy Award winning TV broadcaster Diane Dwyer about what she has learned from some of the most accomplished women in the world about finding happiness, fulfillment and purpose. Linda also shares some of the surprises she's experienced over the past two years i.e. most popular and favorite episodes; some of the mistakes she's made and what she looks for in a SheSez guest. Plus, some advice for anyone thinking of kicking off their own podcast.

A yearly mammogram and monthly self-examinations aren't enough anymore when it comes to preventing breast cancer. According to surgeon Kristi Funk (who treated Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crowe) there is a lot more we women can and should do—including getting ultrasounds. To commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're re-broadcasting Linda's interview with Kristi, who after years of research, has written Breasts: An Owner's Manual, which flies in the face of convention when it comes to prevention. The surgeon says her findings indicate that by merely subscribing to a healthy lifestyle (i.e. vegan and no alcohol) women can lower their risk by 80-percent. Kristi also provides an analysis on the variety of treatment options and she has some words of caution for women who are lackadaisical about getting yearly mammograms and ultrasounds, feeling complacent because breast cancer does not run in their family.

When TV contributor/host Kym Douglas got diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, her management team in Los Angeles advised her to get a good wig and keep it quiet. They felt it didn't "fit her brand" which was doing fun, comedic beauty segments on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and on the Hallmark Channel's Home & Family show. In this episode, Kym shares with Linda why she ignored their advice and instead went full throttle on social media. In painstaking detail, Kym shared with her fans and followers the most intimate, painful moments of her aggressive treatment, which included mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. The beauty expert also discusses with Linda her decision to do an elective mastectomy on one breast, a move that ultimately saved her life.

Connecting with a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease, as well as other dementias, can be a challenge—and a heartbreak. In this episode, comedian and author Dani Klein Modisett shares the story of how she learned to reach her mother while visiting her at an assisted living facility. After a spell of silent, sad visits, Dani stumbled across an idea, eventually founding Laughter On Call, which provides training workshops and an on-line curriculum for caregivers of Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Dani also shares tips and strategies for moving a loved one into assisted living, navigating the finances and levels of care, warding off isolation, and the challenges encountered when family members have differing opinions about what should be done.

Protecting our girls from self-deflating social and mainstream media messages is a challenge—and one that Michelle Cove is facing head- on. She is the founder and executive director of MEDIAGIRLS—a nonprofit organization aimed at teaching middle-school girls to take a critical look at the images they're being barraged with and how to self-protect.

Michelle, also an award-winning filmmaker, author and journalist, shares with Linda how MEDIAGIRLS is going about empowering girls—showing them that they don't have to accept the negative messages—which often make them feel bad – whether it be about their body, the way they look or their social status. Instead, through its workshops, the non-profit shows girls that they can and should challenge those messages, and in some cases get mad about them. Plus, teaching your child the importance of creating responsible media messages (particularly the popular girls)—teaching them to be part of the solution, instead of the problem.

Ellen K's story is one of patience, perseverance and pay off, set amidst the male host-dominated radio industry. After being a sidekick for 24 years on two popular radio shows —the first with Rick Dees and the second with Ryan Seacrest — Ellen K finally got her due. In 2015 she became host of her own gig: the Ellen K Morning Show on KOST 103.5. It airs weekdays and is I Heart Radio's number one show in Los Angeles. A syndicated version airs nationwide on weekends. Ellen shares why she stayed as a sidekick for nearly a quarter a century (not even raising her hand at hosting opportunities) and how she finally got the guts to fight for and win her own show. Ellen takes us inside the boardroom with all the decision makers, and shares her rather unique strategy for arguing her case.

Functional medicine is providing relief for some people with chronic illnesses. With this alternative approach, physicians look at the patient as a whole, taking in factors like diet and stress, in an attempt to find the root causes of disease.

In this episode, Linda talks with Dr. Karima Hirani who switched from practicing conventional to functional medicine 20 years ago due to frustration about not being able to provide patients with enough answers and solutions. Dr. Hirani shares how she treats patients suffering from several on-going illnesses, including depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and a host of digestive ailments as well as the strides functional medicine is making with autistic children.

We also hear from a woman who says functional medicine changed her life. Maryam Henein says it helped her to finally heal after a life threatening accident, ultimately inspiring her to found her alternative medicine/health & wellness website Honey Colony.