How many times have we spoken up, set a boundary, or asked for what we need, and immediately thought, “Am I being a b**ch?” That’s the head-trash of good girl conditioning talking, not reality. In this episode, women’s empowerment coach and novelist Megan Walrod helps us separate distortion from truth, spot body cues that signal self-abandonment vs. self-advocacy, and practice being what she calls a generative b**ch: fierce, values-aligned, and unapologetic.

We unpack scripts for setting boundaries without apology, how to reframe the inner critic (“Doubting Diva,” anyone?), and why it’s normal to sometimes under- or overshoot the mark. Plus, Megan shares her favorite embodiment practice—the infamous “F-You Walk”—to release suppressed emotion and reclaim your voice. We also dig into her debut novel, It’s Always Been Me, where the heroine saves herself (as it should be).

Because at the end of the day, being direct, self-respecting, and powerful isn’t bitchy—it’s integrity.

Connect with Megan:

Website: https://www.meganwalrod.com/

Substack: https://meganwalrod.substack.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/megan.walrod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/meganwalrod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@megan_walrod

Take the hidden power quiz: https://www.meganwalrod.com/quiz

Book: https://www.meganwalrod.com/book

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What if the fastest way to define who you are is to first declare who you’re not? In this episode, we connect with branding legend Laura Ries, bestselling author of The Strategic Enemy and chairwoman of Ries Global Consulting, to talk about why naming your “enemy” may just be the most powerful move you can make in business, branding, and life.

We dig into how the world’s most successful brands (think Skims, Bumble, and Dunkin’) built their loyal followings not by trying to be everything to everyone, but by drawing a clear line in the sand. Whether you’re launching a business, refining your leadership style, or just trying to live more authentically, this episode will help you stop playing small, ditch the toxic “fit in and please everyone” narrative, and start owning your brand — unapologetically.

Because standing out doesn’t come from being “better.” It comes from being boldly different.

Connect with Laura:

Website:https://strategicenemy.com/

LI: linkedin.com/in/lauraries/

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What if the smartest, bravest thing you could say wasn’t “I know” — but “tell me more”?

In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, we sit down with Elizabeth Weingarten — journalist, applied behavioral scientist, and author of How to Fall in Love with Questions. Her career has spanned writing and research roles at The Atlantic, Slate, and The Think Tank New America, as well as leadership work in applied behavioral science. Elizabeth’s mission? To help us break free from the cult of certainty and rediscover the power of curiosity.

Her new book isn’t just philosophy — it’s a practical toolkit for navigating life’s biggest unknowns with courage and creativity. She shows us why asking better questions leads to better relationships, smarter decisions, and more meaningful leadership of self and others.

We dive into:

Why curiosity is a leadership superpower (and why it’s harder than it sounds)

The four elements of a powerful “questions practice”

How reframing your questions can transform relationships, careers, and confidence

The danger of outsourcing answers instead of trusting your inner wisdom

Back pocket questions you can use to connect more deeply — with yourself and others

Because sometimes the most world-changing thing you can say isn’t I know — it’s tell me more.

Connect with Elizabeth:

Website: www.elizabethweingarten.com

Book: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-fall-in-love-with-questions-elizabeth-weingarten?variant=42922801758242 

Substack: https://timetravelforbeginners.substack.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-weingarten/

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Trauma isn’t just about the big, obvious events. It’s not only about war vets, abusive relationships, or catastrophic loss. Trauma is the stuff our bodies never fully processed — the shock, fear, or helplessness that got stuck in our nervous systems. And here’s the kicker: it doesn’t live in the past. It lives in your biology, right now.

We’re joined by Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician, addiction and preventative medicine expert, and author of The Biology of Trauma. With her background in biochemistry, public health, somatic experiencing, and trauma therapy, Dr. Aimie is uniquely qualified to help us understand how trauma gets stored in the body — and why we can’t just think our way out of it.

This is the kind of conversation that flips the script on “pushing through” and gives you permission to see that maybe your body isn’t betraying you — maybe it’s protecting you. And maybe the exhaustion, migraines, or that sense of stuckness aren’t a mindset problem at all. They’re trauma patterns.

Understanding this is not just science, it’s liberation. 

Connect with Aimie:

Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/ 

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Biology-Trauma-Body-Holds-Overwhelm/dp/1637746237 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/

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Here’s the truth: Raising emotionally intelligent kids isn’t about making sure they say “please” and “thank you.” It’s about raising little humans who can actually handle big feelings, express themselves without melting down (well, most of the time), and build relationships that don’t implode at the first sign of conflict.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the underrated superpower that will serve your kids long after they’ve forgotten their multiplication tables. From playground drama to career success to healthy adult relationships, EQ is the thread that ties it all together. And while it doesn’t come with a manual (seriously, why don’t hospitals hand that out with the newborn onesie?), there are some universal truths every parent needs to know.

To help us break it down, we’re joined by Alyssa Blask Campbell. With years of experience teaching parents and kids how to build emotional awareness, resilience, and connection, Alyssa has made it her mission to help families thrive from the inside out. In this conversation, she shares practical strategies, science-backed insights, and the FACTS about what it really takes to raise kids who can navigate their emotions (instead of being ruled by them).

Because let’s be honest: you don’t just want your kids to be successful — you want them to be good humans. And that starts with emotional intelligence.

Website: https://www.seedandsew.org/

Book: https://www.seedandsew.org/book

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What happens when decades of experience get labeled as “overqualified”? When the wisdom, grit, and perspective you’ve earned suddenly turn into workplace liabilities? Loren Greiff knows this story all too well — and she’s rewriting it.

After 30 years in corporate leadership, Loren was told she was “too real” and put on a performance improvement plan. Instead of shrinking, she built a movement: helping women over 40 reclaim their careers, disrupt ageist hiring practices, and lead with relevance, purpose, and unapologetic value.

We dig into:

What “overqualified” really means (spoiler: it’s fear-based nonsense)

How to frame your experience as future-focused instead of a professional obituary

Why women are launching businesses, shifting careers, and embracing bolder purpose in their 40s, 50s, and 60s

How to overcome the “too expensive” or “not tech savvy” labels

Tactical strategies to thrive in today’s hidden job market

If you’ve ever been told you’re too much or felt sidelined by ageism, this episode will remind you: your value doesn’t expire, your merit doesn’t have a shelf life, and your best work may still be ahead of you.

Connect with Loren:

Website: www.portfoliorocket.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliorocket/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-blast-in-a-half/id1670977528

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Confidence. Courage. Boldness. We love to talk about them, post about them, hashtag them, and slap them on coffee mugs. But let’s be real—most of us aren’t sure how to actually build them in our own lives.

Which is why we brought in Michelle “MACE” Curran, former fighter pilot and only the second woman in history to fly lead solo for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, to the show. Yep, she’s the real deal—flying combat missions, performing death-defying maneuvers in front of millions, and now, author of The Flip Side: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower.

Mace knows better than anyone that courage and confidence don’t just magically appear. They’re built, brick by brick, in moments that test your nerve—whether that’s hitting nine G’s at supersonic speed or simply raising your hand in a room full of skeptics. In this episode, she drops a masterclass on how to flip fear on its head, use it as fuel, and create unshakable boldness in your everyday life.

Website: www.macecurran.com

Book: www.macecurran.com/flipside

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mace_curran/?hl=en

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macecurran

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Sometimes being “nice” isn’t so nice—it’s self-abandonment in disguise. In this episode, we learn about the fourth trauma response from Dr. Ingrid Clayton, a licensed clinical psychologist, trauma recovery expert, and author of Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves and How to Find Our Way Back.

Ingrid brings over 20 years of clinical experience helping people break free from trauma responses that no longer serve them. Her Psychology Today blog, Emotional Sobriety, has reached over a million readers, and her work has become a lifeline for anyone ready to stop twisting themselves into knots just to feel safe, seen, or accepted.

Together, we dig into the lesser-known trauma response of fawning—what it really looks like, how it shows up in women’s lives, and how it’s different from (but connected to) codependency and people-pleasing. More importantly, Ingrid shares how to start unfawning so you can reclaim your voice, your needs, and your full self.

We cover:

The difference between compassion and compulsion

How fawning hides in plain sight as “being nice” or “helpful”

Why women are especially conditioned to default to fawning

How to notice when you’re fawning in real time

Practical ways to build internal safety and stop outsourcing your worth

Because survival mode kept you safe, but it will never help you thrive.

Website: https://www.ingridclayton.com/ 

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fawning-Need-Please-Makes-Ourselves/dp/B0DPZ3D78B

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ingridclaytonphd/ 

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Most of us think codependency looks like someone clinging to a toxic partner, losing themselves to someone else’s addictions, or being a doormat. But Terri Cole, licensed psychotherapist, global relationship and empowerment expert, and author of Boundary Boss and her brand-new book Too Much, is here to blow that outdated definition out of the water.

Terri has spent over two decades working with everyone from stay-at-home moms to Fortune 500 CEOs, helping them break free from self-sacrificing patterns and build healthier, more authentic relationships. She inspires more than a million people weekly through her blog, social media, signature courses, and The Terri Cole Show podcast.

In this episode, Nicole and Terri unpack high-functioning codependency—the kind that hides behind promotions, praise, and the “she can handle it all” reputation. Spoiler: it still feels like shit. Together, they dive into how to spot the signs, why resentment is the red flag you can’t ignore, and how boundaries, self-consideration, and surrendering (without self-abandoning) might be the antidote you’ve been missing.

Because friend, if you’re exhausted, resentful, and constantly over-giving, this episode is your permission slip to drop the cape, stop fixing everyone else’s mess, and finally start considering yourself.

Website: https://www.terricole.com/ 

Book: hfcbook.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/terricole/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/TerriColeLCSW/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/terricoleny

Podcast: https://terricole.com/itunes

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We’ve been told stress will kill us. That we need to yoga-breathe it away, book a retreat, or stuff it down with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s (using your car key as a spoon… iykyk). But what if stress isn’t the villain? What if it’s actually the fuel for our best work?

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Rebecca Heiss — a stress physiologist, researcher, keynote speaker, and author of Springboard: Transform Stress to Work for You. She’s also the creator of the Fearless Stress Formula and has been recognized by the National Science Foundation for her groundbreaking research. Her mission? To help us stop fearing fear, stop fighting stress, and instead transform both into fuel for growth, performance, and purpose.

Rebecca brings her science background together with real talk and humor, making the hard stuff (like stress) not only make sense but feel doable. She’s passionate about helping women shift out of survival mode and into a place of clarity, confidence, and community.

Together, we dive into why stress isn’t something to eliminate but energy we can reframe, channel, and actually use to show up stronger.

We explore:

Why your “effortless, overwhelmed” game isn’t working

The three steps to stop fighting stress and start using it

How to “invite the tiger to tea” (yes, really)

Why service and community are the real antidote to overwhelm

The competitive advantage women have when it comes to stress

Because friend, stress isn’t proof you’re broken. It’s proof you care. And when you learn to use it, it becomes your edge.

Website: www.rebeccaheiss.com

Book: https://a.co/d/6ReB5Nr 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drrebeccaheiss/ 

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