The Calm Collective - a wellness podcast for women

If you keep starting and stopping diet changes or a new workout plan because there’s just too much on your plate, grab a cup of coffee and listen in.

Colleen is calling out a pattern so many women get stuck in—putting their own health last to keep everything else running smoothly.

Over time, that shows up in the body as bloating, fatigue, crashes, and feeling like you’re constantly running on empty.

Here’s the shift: your health doesn’t need permission.

In this episode, Colleen breaks down how to actually create change without overwhelming your family or yourself—small, realistic steps that stick.

She also shares simple communication strategies, boundary-setting tools, and flexible food ideas that support your goals without adding stress at home.

If you’ve been stuck in the “I’ll start when life calms down” cycle, this is your reminder—it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. Just one change that finally includes you.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start getting answers:

Colleen is offering a 90-Minute Gut Strategy Session where you’ll walk away with a personalized plan, clear next steps, and real direction for your healing.

👉 Grab your session here: https://l.bttr.to/KApiu

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

We often label ourselves as "nice" or "helpful," but what if those behaviors are actually signs that your nervous system is stuck in a dysregulated state?

This week on The Calm Collective, Colleen and Ashlee are pulling back the curtain on the "Fawn" response, the survival mechanism that forces us to prioritize everyone else’s regulation over our own.

We explore how childhood environments often "program" us to monitor the moods of others just to feel safe, and how that chronic scanning leads to a life of exhaustion, resentment, and emotional burnout. 

If you find it impossible to stay regulated when someone else is upset, this episode will help you understand why and how to find your way back to center.

We’re digging into:

• The Fawn Response: Why people-pleasing is actually a high-alert survival state, not a personality trait.

• The Dysregulation Loop: How we "leak" our energy trying to regulate others so that we can finally feel calm.

• The Physical Toll: Why a lifetime of choosing others' peace over your own leads to physiological "alarms" like anxiety and sleep disruption.

• From Co-dependence to Co-regulation: How to hold your own regulated state even when the person across from you is spiraling.

You cannot find peace by becoming a human buffer for everyone else's stress. Join us as we discuss how to stop the cycle of fixing and start the work of inner regulation.

 Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

It’s easy to be "zen" when you are in your own quiet space, practicing what you preach. But what happens to that regulation when you’re stuck in traffic, navigating awkward family dynamics, or listening to your teenager clap beats while you’re trying to cook dinner?

In this solo episode, Ashlee is getting real about the gap between our "nook of the world" and the chaotic reality of day-to-day life. She's pulling back the curtain on her own struggles with dysregulation—where she loses her cool, how she tried to fake it (and why she's stopped), and the specific moments that trigger the fight-or-flight response.

We’re diving into:

• Connection: Why Ashlee's energy spikes (and eventually crashes) when she's in loud, surface-level environments.

• The Multitasking Myth: Why being "half-in" on everything is actually destroying your nervous system’s ability to stay present.

• The Mirror Effect: Why seeing your own frustrated reactions reflected in your child’s behavior is the ultimate and most humbling wake-up call.

• Practical Regulation: The tools I: use music, humming, and specific breathwork patterns to pull out of the "rage-spiral" before the lash out.

Regulation isn't about being perfectly calm 24/7; it’s about having a toolbox you can actually reach for when someone else’s chaos starts leaking into your space. If you’re tired of "spewing" your stress onto the people you love, this episode is your permission slip to stop reacting and start choosing your response.

Find your calm with my Take a breath audio - a 10 minute practice to help you get regulated.

Learn more about my 6-week program: REGULATE here

General close: Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

Ever feel like you’re doing all the "right" things: yoga, wine at 5:00 PM, and Netflix…. but you’re still snapping at your kids and waking up exhausted?

This week, Colleen and Ashlee are getting into the real science of dysregulation.

We’re moving past the "all-or-nothing" mindset and talking about why your nervous system isn't a light switch that needs to stay "off." Instead, we’re exploring how to build a system that can handle stress without spiraling.

We’re breaking down:

• Vitamins vs. Painkillers: Why your vacation is just a temporary fix (a "painkiller") and what daily habits act as the "vitamins" that actually build resilience.

• The Morning Spiral: How dysregulation often starts before your feet even hit the floor—and how to catch it early.

• Contagious Stress: Why your "vibe" might be triggering everyone else in the house and how to stay anchored when the world is chaotic.

• Small Shifts, Big Gains: Why we start with regulation before we ever touch your diet or your to-do list.

Life isn't about being perfectly calm; it’s about being flexible enough to bounce back. Let’s talk about how to stop numbing the stress and start building a system that can actually handle it.

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

What happens when your body finally says "no more"?

This week on The Calm Collective, Colleen and Ashlee are joined by Naomi, a fitness and business mentor who learned the hard way that you can’t out-hustle a nervous system in crisis.

Naomi shares the raw details of her journey—from the toxic pressures of the fitness industry and seeking external validation in a difficult relationship, to the terrifying emergency surgery that changed everything.

We’re talking about why we often wait for a "perforated ulcer" moment before we prioritize our well-being, and how to start climbing back from the low points before you hit rock bottom.

We’re getting real about:

• The Burnout Spectrum: The difference between corporate exhaustion and the unique "always-on" stress of being an entrepreneur.

• The Search for Approval: How external criticism can drive us into unhealthy habits and how to rebuild a sense of self-worth from the inside out.

• Hard Boundaries for Soft Living: Naomi’s "sacred time" rules, including why she stops work at 4:30 PM and stays off messages on weekends.

• Redefining Success: Shifting your focus from just "hitting the numbers" to living a life where you’re actually present for your family.

Life is too short to wait for a health crisis to give you permission to rest. Let’s talk about how to choose yourself now, rather than later.

Check out Naomi's FitBiz Study Hall Here and follow her here

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

“I’m just so busy.”

It sounds harmless… but what if your packed schedule is the very thing keeping you stuck in bloating, fatigue, and constant gut issues?

In this solo episode of The Calm Collective, Colleen is connecting the dots between your go-go-go lifestyle and what’s actually happening inside your body.

Because here’s the truth:You can’t heal your gut in a body that feels constantly rushed, stressed, and depleted.

She breaks down how chronic stress, rushing through meals, eating on the go, and even something as simple as not chewing your food can disrupt digestion at the root—leading to symptoms like:

• Bloating that makes you look (and feel) pregnant after meals

• Exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest

• Reflux, constipation, or unpredictable digestion

• Skin issues like eczema

• Joint pain and inflammation

If you’ve been trying all the “right” things but still feel off… this episode will help you understand why.

Colleen also shares how functional nutrition takes the guesswork out of gut healing through tools like GI-MAP testing—so you can stop spinning your wheels and start addressing the root cause.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start getting answers:

She’s offering a 90-Minute Gut Strategy Session where you’ll walk away with a personalized plan, clear next steps, and real direction for your healing.

👉 Grab your session here

Connect with Colleen: www.mindfully-nourished.com

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

This episode hits home because we’ve all been there—staring at a to-do list that feels more like a hostage situation than a plan. In this solo session, Ashlee gets into the nitty-gritty of "time leaks" and why most of us are actually just busy-working ourselves into a burnout.

If you’re a founder or a mom (or both) who feels like you’re constantly "behind" despite never sitting down, this one is for you. Ashlee breaks down why your traditional to-do list is actually sabotaging your peace and how perfectionism is just a fancy word for procrastination.

What we’re digging into:

• The To-Do List Lie: Why a never-ending list is overwhelm, not a strategy and how to switch to a "Brain Dump & Schedule" flow that actually works.

• Perfectionism is a Time Thief: Why you’re spending three hours on a 20-minute task and how to finally embrace "done is better than perfect."

• High-Value vs. Low-Value: Learning to tackle the "needle-movers" first so you stop ending your day wondering where the time went.

• Decision Fatigue: How a lack of self-regulation is making every tiny choice feel like a mountain.

The truth is, you can’t manage your time if you aren’t managing your nervous system. When we’re dysregulated, we leak time through indecision and "polishing" things that don't matter.

Shift Your Relationship with Time - Want to help you move out of that frantic "survival mode" and back into the driver's seat? Join Ashlee for a Free Breathwork Session on April 28th at 12:00 PM EST. We’re going to use the breath to clear the mental clutter, regulate your system, and help you reclaim your focus.

[Email Ashlee HERE to get your link to join]

Missed the session? Email Ashlee directly to get your replay: [email protected] OR send me a DM "TIME" on Instagram.

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

"I’m just so busy." We’ve all said it, but what if our "busyness" is actually just a collection of unexamined habits? This week on The Calm Collective, Ashlee and Colleen are pulling back the curtain on the great time-management myth. 

We’re exploring why modern conveniences haven't actually made us less stressed and how to stop "filling the gaps" with distractions that drain our nervous systems.

We’re getting tactical about how to audit your life and align your daily actions with how you actually want to feel. 

Join us as we discuss:

• The Screen-Time Audit: Why identifying where your minutes are leaking is the first step to reclaiming your time.

• Why "wanting to feel better" isn't enough and how to set measurable health goals that actually stick.

• Meal Prep & Energy Management: How the "stories" we tell ourselves about grocery shopping and cooking are actually draining our battery before we even start.

• Structure is Freedom: Inspired by Brené Brown, we discuss why a disciplined calendar is actually the key to personal freedom and mental clarity.

If your calendar feels like a list of obligations rather than a reflection of your priorities, it’s time for a reset. We’re sharing how to block out the "Noise" and start scheduling the version of yourself you’ve been putting off.

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

It’s the middle of the night, your teen is spiraling, and suddenly, your heart is racing right along with theirs. Sound familiar?

This week on The Calm Collective, we’re joined by Certified Master Life Coach and teen expert Becky Funk to talk about the "anxiety loop"—that exhausting cycle where our kids' stress becomes our own.

Becky pulls back the curtain on the "Big Six" lifestyle audit and shares how small shifts in sleep, hydration, and even energy drink consumption can radically change a teenager's mental health.

We dive deep into:

• The Perfectionism Trap: Whyteens are struggling more than ever and how to shift from "performing" to "growing."

• Social Media & Survival: Navigating the "left out" feeling when you're the parent setting the phone boundaries.

• The Vagus Nerve Secret: Becky’s personal journey through her son’s health crisis and the tools she used to model calm in the chaos.

• Raising a "Stand Strong" Teen: How to help your child find their voice in the face of bullying and social pressure.

As moms, we often try to fix the destination, but Becky reminds us to focus on the journey.

Whether you’re dealing with bedtime superstitions or high school social hurdles, this episode is your permission slip to stop being the "fixer" and start being the regulated anchor your teen needs.

Grab Becky’s Free Guide: 10 calming responses ⁠

For more info reach out to Becky: Website , Instagram

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠ And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.

Are your kids picky eaters? Struggling with mood swings, anxiety, or focus issues? You might be surprised how much their diet—and your approach to feeding them—plays a role.

In this episode, I break down the biggest nutrition myths for kids and share what really matters: real, balanced food. From sugar and juice to “kid-only” foods and picky eating, we’ll explore how diet affects behavior, gut health, and even development. I’ll also share practical tips for making family meals fun, approachable, and stress-free—without cooking separate dinners for everyone.

Plus, if you’re ready to take it a step further, I’ll explain how functional lab testing can help uncover the root causes of health concerns and support lasting changes for you and your kids.

🎁 Bonus: Book a complimentary consultation call with me and receive a quick & easy breakfast guide, pulled straight from our family favorites.

Whether you’re struggling with picky eaters, behavioral challenges, or just want your family to feel energized and nourished, this episode is packed with insights and actionable steps you can start today.

Connect with us on Instagram - we love to hear your feedback: ⁠Ashlee⁠ & ⁠Colleen⁠

And we encourage you to share this with one person you know who could benefit from this conversation.