In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy Leonis dives deep with Liz Hansen — founder of Chicago Boudoir Photography and TEDx speaker — to expose the silent confidence crisis women face at every age.

In this powerful conversation, Betsy and Liz talk about:

• The lies society has told us about beauty, aging, and “worthiness.”
• Why so many women feel like they’re too much — and how to flip that script.
• The shocking transformation that happens when women see themselves through the lens of boudoir photography.
• How confidence (not weight, size, or age) is the most attractive thing you can wear.
• Why empowered women don’t just change their own lives — they change the world.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought you weren’t thin enough, young enough, or simply “enough” — this episode will challenge everything you believe about confidence and beauty.

Prepare to laugh, nod along, maybe tear up — and walk away ready to reclaim visibility, celebrate your body, and finally own your power.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

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This week, Betsy sits down with Sarah Edmondson — actress, author, podcast host, and survivor of the NXIVM/DOS sex cult — for Part 2 of this powerful conversation.
After unpacking the red flags in Part 1, Sarah dives into the moment everything snapped, how she planned her escape, and what it took to blow the whistle — from covert calls to the New York Times cover story that ignited a federal investigation.

In Part 2, we cover:

• 🔥 The exact breaking point that shattered the illusion
• 🧷 DOS, branding, and the truth about collateral (coercion & control)
• 🕵️‍♀️ Sarah’s escape plan: secrecy, safety, and smart sequencing
• 🗞️ Becoming a whistleblower & the NYT expose — what happened next
• ⚖️ Why coercion ≠ consent, and how the case became sex trafficking
• 🧠 Reclaiming your voice: therapy, survivor community, and real healing tools
• 🚩 Actionable red flags & a quick safety checklist for relationships, communities, and “self-improvement” groups

If you’ve ever wondered how someone gets out — and rebuilds — this is the roadmap.

🎧 Listen to Part 1 first if you missed it, then dive in here for the escape, expose, and recovery.

Connect with Sarah Edmondson:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahedmondson/?hl=en

Her book Scarred: https://www.amazon.com/Scarred-Story-Escaped-NXIVM-Memoir/dp/1452184267

Podcast A Little Bit Culty: https://alittlebitculty.com/

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

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In this week’s episode of the Write Your Own Story podcast, Betsy sits down with Sarah Edmondson — actress, author, podcast host, and survivor of the NXIVM cult — to uncover how she was recruited and why intelligent, ambitious women can be especially vulnerable to manipulation.

In Part 1, Sarah opens up about:

 🔹 Her early life as a “seeker” and what made her open to self-improvement groups
 🔹 The subtle tactics NXIVM used to draw people in and build dependency
 🔹 The MLM-style structure hidden beneath a “personal growth” program
 🔹 Red flags she missed — and how they apply not just to cults, but also to relationships, communities, and families
 🔹 Why anyone can fall prey to manipulation, and the psychology that keeps people stuck

👉 Part 2 (coming next week, 9/24) will reveal Sarah’s breaking point, the shocking branding ritual, and how she finally escaped to become a whistleblower.

If you’ve ever wondered how someone ends up in a cult — or how to recognize the red flags before it’s too late — this conversation is a must-listen.

✨ Connect with Sarah Edmondson:

Follow Sarah: sarahedmondson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sarahjedmondson
Instagram: @sarahedmondson
X: @sarahjedmondson
YouTube: youtube.com/@SarahEdmondsonActor
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahjedmondson

Watch Sarah’s TEDx talk on TED.com: https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_edmondson_how_to_spot_a_cult?subtitle=en 

Listen to A Little Bit Culty wherever you listen to podcasts: alittlebitculty.com

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

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DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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In this powerful episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with author, speaker, and emotional eating expert Tricia Nelson to uncover the truth about food, feelings, and freedom.

Tricia’s journey started with fries she could never leave on the plate and ended with a life-changing realization: it was never about the food. From binge-eating in secret to reclaiming her worth, Tricia shares how healing begins when we stop treating food as the problem and start addressing the emotions underneath.

Together, Betsy and Tricia dive into:

• The PEP Formula—the three emotional drivers behind emotional eating
• Why diets fail 98% of the time and what actually works instead
• How to break free from the cycle of stress, shame, and self-punishment
• The role of discipline, presence, and self-care as acts of radical self-love
• Practical tools to quiet the “monkey mind” and build a healthier relationship with yourself

This conversation isn’t just for emotional eaters—it’s for anyone who’s ever numbed out with food, social media, or endless to-do lists. It’s a reminder that you are worthy as you are, and that freedom comes not from willpower, but from rewriting the story you tell yourself.

If you’ve ever stood in front of the fridge looking for something more than food, this episode is for you.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40&b=1197&utm_source=write-your-own-story&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=in-house

DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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FLODESK

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What if sending your child to college didn’t have to feel overwhelming—but instead became a season of clarity, confidence, and purpose?

In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with Shellee Howard, bestselling author, certified college counselor, and founder of College Ready, to unpack the truth about preparing teens for higher education. A mom of four who successfully sent each of her kids to college debt-free, Shellee knows the system inside and out—and she’s here to help parents replace panic with a plan.

From skyrocketing tuition to admission essays, from figuring out what your teen truly loves to negotiating financial aid, this conversation is both eye-opening and empowering. It’s not just about college—it’s about raising confident, self-aware young adults who know how to step into their own story.

Tune in for:

• How to help your teen discover who they are (and what lights them up)
• Why community service and purpose-driven projects open doors to scholarships
• The myths around SAT/ACT scores, and what really matters
• How to negotiate tuition like it’s a business deal (because it is)
• The mindset shift that helps parents let go—and trust their teen’s path

Whether you’re parenting a freshman or staring down senior year, this episode is a roadmap for supporting your child without losing your mind (or your savings). Most of all, it’s a reminder that you can raise children who are ready to soar—and you don’t have to do it alone.

Get Your Free Personal Assessment (as recommended by Shellee)

https://personalvalu.es/

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

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DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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FLODESK

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What if love isn’t just luck—but something you can actually measure? In this episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with author and researcher Zoey Charif to unpack her groundbreaking book Love Can In Fact Be Calculated, a bold and refreshing look at the science of love, self-worth, and modern dating.

From heartbreak and healing to data and destiny, Zoey shares how her personal journey led her to develop a formula that predicts compatibility, highlights the importance of values and traits, and—most importantly—places self-confidence at the very heart of love.

Together, Betsy and Zoey talk about the complexity of modern dating, the comparison traps of social media, why marriage is still treated as a “status symbol,” and how women can stop settling and start honoring their standards. This is not just a conversation about relationships—it’s a roadmap for every woman ready to choose herself first.

Tune in for:

• Why self-worth is the foundation for attracting healthy love
• The surprising role admiration plays in lasting relationships
• How to spot (and break) destructive dating patterns
• Why settling leads to resentment—and why holding out leads to joy
• A framework for checking in with yourself and your partner over time

Whether you’re single, dating, divorced, or in a long-term relationship, this conversation is both empowering and practical. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to shrink, you don’t need to rush, and you are worthy of love that feels as extraordinary as you are.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

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HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40&b=1197&utm_source=write-your-own-story&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=in-house

DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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FLODESK

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Loneliness can arrive quietly — in the middle of a bustling day, in a home filled with people, or even in a relationship where love is present but connection feels out of reach. In this solo episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy opens her heart about the tender truth of loneliness: why it shows up, how it hides beneath busyness or overwhelm, and why no one else can truly fix it for us.

Through personal reflection and gentle guidance, Betsy shares the small, intentional shifts that can transform the way you feel — from taking stock of the little moments of connection, to reaching out, to nurturing the friendships that feed your soul. This is not about forcing more into your calendar, but about noticing, receiving, and creating the love and belonging your heart has been quietly asking for.

If you’ve been feeling unseen or disconnected, this episode is your reminder that you are not alone — and that you already hold the power to gently find your way back to yourself and to the people who matter most.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

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What does it mean to mother with joy—not martyrdom? In this heart-opening episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with litigation strategist, writer, and mother Bernadette Catalana, whose book Daughter Lessons began as a private gift to her daughters and turned into a healing manifesto for mothers everywhere.

From navigating the heartbreak of divorce in her childhood to raising her own daughters with fierce love and lightness, Bernadette shares how choosing joy, rewriting generational narratives, and embracing imperfection became the cornerstones of her motherhood journey.

This conversation is a warm hug for every woman wondering: Will my kids be okay? Will they still need me? Will I still matter when they leave the nest?

Tune in for:

• Reframing the grief of empty-nesting
• Rewriting painful family legacies with grace
• The power of believing in your own story—and teaching your kids to do the same
• Why failure isn’t fatal, and rejection is redirection
• Daily rituals that ground, heal, and remind us what really matters

Whether you’re a new mom, an almost-empty-nester, or someone healing from a mother wound, this one will stay with you.

Grab your coffee. Take a deep breath. This one’s soul food.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40&b=1197&utm_source=write-your-own-story&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=in-house

DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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FLODESK

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What if recovery isn’t a clean line from sick to healed—but a lifelong dance in the middle?

In this honest and beautifully layered episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with author, professor, and mom Mallary Tenore Tarpley, whose debut book Slip sheds light on the overlooked space between full recovery and active struggle with an eating disorder.

Mallary shares her deeply personal story—losing her mother at age 11, developing an eating disorder as a way to stay “small and safe,” and spending years stuck in a shame-filled cycle of relapse and perfectionism. But this conversation isn’t just about struggle—it’s about resilience, self-compassion, and redefining what progress looks like.

They talk about:
– The "messy middle" of recovery and what it really feels like
– How grief, trauma, and control intertwine with disordered eating
– Why body neutrality (not body positivity) might be the key to healing
– How to support your child if you notice disordered patterns
– The power of storytelling, self-reflection, and rewriting the narrative
– And why perfection is not the goal—presence is

This episode is a gentle yet powerful reminder that healing isn’t binary—and you don’t have to wait until you’re “all better” to live a full, meaningful life.

CONNECT WITH MALLARY AND PRE-ORDER HER BOOK:

Pre-order:  https://www.amazon.com/Slip-Middle-Eating-Disorder-Recovery/dp/1668035014/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2UCHT6P1W9XED&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nRhn0CUYUiyfnkVFhvf0JA.3NXKK1Q3CjK1D3y3NjF9F7CWRb2GaFR8rEcwCXRYFoo&dib_tag=se&keywords=slip+mallary&qid=1752851594&sprefix=slip+mallary%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1 

Personal website: https://www.mallarytenoretarpley.com/

Book Tour Info:  https://mallary.substack.com/p/announcing-the-slip-book-tour

Weekly newsletter: https://mallary.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallarytenoretarpley/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallary-tenore-tarpley-6719484/

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40&b=1197&utm_source=write-your-own-story&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=in-house

DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
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FLODESK

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You’ve checked all the boxes—career, family, beautiful life—and yet, there’s that quiet voice asking, is this really it?

In this soul-stirring (and joyfully real) conversation, Betsy sits down with Cherylanne Skolnicki—founder of Brilliant Balance and beloved mentor to thousands of driven women—to unpack the hidden weight of success. Together, they explore the tension between ambition and presence, and how to finally stop doing it all so you can start living fully.

Cherylanne’s no stranger to high performance—she’s a former Procter & Gamble exec with a Cornell degree, an MBA from Emory, and decades of experience coaching powerhouse women across industries. But what makes her magical is how she helps you remember: you’re allowed to be wildly successful and wildly at peace.

They talk about:
– Why so many high-achieving women quietly feel unfulfilled
– The myth of “having it all” vs. the power of choosing what matters
– How to make space in your life without burning it all down
– Learning to trust future-you (she’s a badass, by the way)
– The difference between lowercase-t time and capital-T Time
– And why freedom—not perfection—is the new goal

This episode is your permission slip to let go of the “shoulds,” rewrite your own rules, and make space for the life you actually want.

Support the show

Connect with Betsy:

Website: writeyourownstory.co

Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co

Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo

Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

More:

SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co

FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses

GET 10% OFF YOUR OURA RING:

https://ouraring.com/raf/216ee90575?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_july

HUNGRYROOT:
code: WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40

https://www.hungryroot.com/?promo=WRITEYOUROWNSTORY40&b=1197&utm_source=write-your-own-story&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=in-house

DONATE TO CINCY's CHILDREN HOSPITAL:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2270822/support

FLODESK

• Give your friends 50% off their first year of Flodesk and get $19 when they join!
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