What if the secret to feeling amazing was found in the most unexpected place: your poop?

It's a real question, and in this week's episode of Thrive After 45™, I sat down with gut health specialist Melissa Hall Klepacki to talk about something a lot of us are too embarrassed to mention....constipation.

Melissa has been helping people heal for nearly 30 years, and she gets to the root of the problem because, as she says, constipation isn’t the problem, it’s a symptom. 

Melissa has a master’s in acupuncture and is a true gut health expert, but her passion for this work was born from her own health journey, which included battling Lyme disease, parasites, and mold. 

We talk about how she went from feeling "devastated" by her gut issues to finding liberation, and how she now helps others do the same.

We get into the eight root causes behind gut issues, with some mind-blowing insights you’ve probably never heard before. Melissa shares actionable steps for better health, from the surprising reason you might be constipated to the simple tests you can do to uncover your own health hurdles. 

This is a must-listen if you're ready to stop feeling like your gut health is a mystery and start feeling like your best self.

Find out more about Melissa and her work:

• Website:  melissahallklepacki.com/everything
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki
• Book: The Constipation Code 

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Alright, friend! Grab your favorite mug and snuggle in, because this week’s episode of Thrive After 45™ is going to spark something incredible in you. 

I had the absolute honour of chatting with Tania Carriere, an "epiphany designer" who has dedicated over 30 years to helping others live their fullest lives. Seriously, she’s amazing.

Tania and I talked about everything from her childhood adventures creating plays for sheep on her family farm to how she completely defied a mentor who told her being a "professional best friend" wasn't a real career. 

Spoiler alert: She proved him wonderfully wrong!

We dive deep into how travel and theater became the unexpected catalysts for her unique approach to transformative retreats. It's all about stepping out of your current context to truly see yourself and the world in a new light.

And lemme tell ya, what she calls "Defiant Joy" is a concept we all need to embrace, especially as we navigate midlife and beyond. It’s about insisting on joy, vision, and abundance, even when the world tries to tell you otherwise.

Tania truly believes joy isn't something you earn after all the hard work; it's an action, a mindset, a choice, and even a political statement. We are all deserving of joy from the moment we are born.

She also shares exciting details about her upcoming retreats, including "Sanctuary of Self" in Quebec City this October, focused on finding solace within yourself, and "Reimagine Self" in Baja, Mexico this November, where you can shed old archetypes and explore who you dare to be now. And if travel isn't in the cards right now, she offers online experiences too.

This conversation is such a beautiful reminder that life is meant to be exciting, and it’s up to us to reach for that excitement. It's never too late to ask yourself, "Who do you dare to be now?".

You can connect with Tania and explore her incredible work through the links here:
Website: www.advivumjourneys.ca

Linked IN https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniacarriere/?originalSubdomain=ca

With love from The Heart Whisperer....

Denise

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Alright, friends, grab a cup of coffee and get ready to feel inspired. In this episode of Thrive After 45™, I get to sit down with the amazing Debra Morrison. 

Debra has spent over 47 years as a Certified Financial Planner and Asset Manager, and she's not just about numbers...she’s all about helping women live untethered, fulfilling lives. 

But her work goes way beyond that.

She’s a certified Grief Coach who even offered pro bono guidance to grieving families after 9/11.

She's also the author of My Husband Died Now What and Common Sense Money Guide for Women, and her TEDx talk, "Feel the Financial Fear and Do It Anyway," has inspired so many women to face their financial lives head-on. 

We talk about so many good things, like the power of community, what to do when society tells you that you're "done," and how to overcome the mindset of scarcity. 

Debra shares her belief that women can and should find their purpose again, whether that’s learning to paint, traveling, or volunteering. 

She also gives us a fresh take on wealth, breaking it down into five categories: physical, mental, relational, spiritual, and financial. 

This conversation is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to take control of your financial life and that your two most important assets are time and health. 

Debra's energy and wisdom will absolutely light a fire under you.

You'll also hear us dive into:

• Why the biggest myth about money is that you're "too old" 
• The difference between risk and return in the stock market 
• The importance of having a "why" for your saving and investing goals 
• How money buys options, not just happiness 

This episode is a must-listen if you want to shed financial shame, gain confidence, and learn how to build your own wealth, all while being a part of a powerful sisterhood. 

✨ You can find Debra online and connect with her here: 
Debra’s Baker’s Dozen of NOT-SO-OBVIOUS Financial Planning ESSENTIALS https://WCDIW.com/checklist

https://WeCanDoItWomen.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wcdiwgroup

Instagram: @debralmorrison

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/debralmorrison 

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@DebraLMorrison

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Tim Tamashiro is one of those rare souls who makes you want to slow down, take a breath, and actually feel your own heartbeat again.

This episode is a gentle exhale in the middle of all the noise. 

We talk about what it really takes to find peace in a world that feels like it’s always demanding more of you, how our brains are wired to keep us on edge (hello, tiny almond-shaped amygdala), and why letting go of suffering - even in the smallest moments - might just be the gateway to a happier life.

Tim doesn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff. He’s been through burnout, reinvention, and the “what now?” questions that keep you up at night. 

But the wisdom he shares feels like sitting on the couch with an old friend who sees you, gets you, and reminds you that you’re not broken...you’re just human.

This conversation is about giving yourself permission to pause. To soften. To find those little sparks of joy and clarity, even when life feels heavy. 

And most of all, to remember you’re not alone in the messiness of being human.

If your soul’s craving a deep breath today, this one’s for you. ❤️

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Junie Moon talks about what happens when you finally get honest about the ways you’ve been abandoning yourself in the name of love....

Saying yes when your gut screams no...
....walking on eggshells to keep the peace
....trying to earn your worth through being chosen.

Junie doesn’t hold back anything.

She shares what it was like to leave a 20-year marriage, only to fall into the same painful patterns in a different relationship…

...until one sleepless night changed everything.

That was her line in the sand moment - the one where she chose herself. 

Since then, she’s built a life and career anchored in radical self-love, deep healing, and helping other women do the same.

This isn’t just about relationships, though. It’s about learning to trust yourself again. To notice when you’ve started dimming your light. To stop performing for love and start choosing it - with honesty, with boundaries, with softness and strength.

You’ll hear us talk about:
 – Why “healthy selfish” is the most loving thing you can practice
 – How shadow work helps you uncover what’s really going on underneath the surface
– What changes when you stop abandoning yourself and start getting honest
– The difference between settling and choosing peace
– And how midlife isn’t a decline - it’s a doorway

You’re not too old.
You’re not too late.
You’re not broken.

You’re just ready for more.

✨ You can connect with Junie and follow along as she gets ready to launch her new live talk show Your Best Life with Junie Moon (which is gonna be SO good ... think Oprah meets the dating game):

Instagram → @midlifeloveoutloud 
Website → midlifeloveoutloud.com
New show IG → @your_bestlifeshow

And as always, thank you for being here with me inside the Thrive After 45™ Podcast. I’m so glad we get to do life - and these conversations - together. ❤️

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Barbara Bowman - author, speaker, and real-life grief whisperer - is turning some of the most awkward, heart-wrenching moments around death into opportunities for connection, compassion, and deep humanity.

She has lived through unimaginable loss, and instead of hardening...she softened. 

She stayed open. 
She paid attention. 

And she turned all of it into wisdom you can actually use - especially in those moments when you're fumbling for the right words, trying to show up for someone, or wondering if it’s better to just stay away.

This conversation is equal parts hilarious (yes, we talk about the woman who wore a trampy dress to a funeral) and deeply healing.

We get into the real stuff - like what not to say when someone’s grieving, how to avoid those well-meaning-but-damaging platitudes, and why “I know how you feel” is probably the worst thing you can say.

Barbara shares so many lightbulb moments around how we show up for each other during life’s hardest times. 

This episode should honestly be required listening for all humans. 

Her heart, humor, and honesty are such a gift.

You’ll hear us riff on:

• Why comparison is the quickest way to make someone feel unseen in their grief
• The silent damage of “doing nothing”
• How to repair relationships when you feel like you messed it up
• Why your awkwardness isn’t the problem - disappearing is
• And how you can be the person who shows up with compassion, presence, and love… even when you don’t have the perfect words

Barbara’s guide What Not to Do at Funerals is a must-have. It’s short, punchy, and packed with grace (and a few spicy anecdotes). If you’ve ever wondered what to say, how to help, or how to not be remembered for the wrong reasons - get this book, like....yesterday.

Listen in, take notes, and share this one with someone you care about. We all need this kind of wisdom in our back pocket.

🎧 Barbara's book What Not to Do at Funerals is available on Amazon.
✨ To learn more or connect with Barbara, visit www.bowheart.com
 

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Pull up a seat, grab your favorite mug, and get cozy ... this one’s a soul-nourishing heart-to-heart.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the beautiful force that is Karen Rudolf...a woman whose journey through trauma, burnout, divorce, and deep self-discovery led her to become a transformational empowerment coach and creator of the Tranquil Solutions Clarity Tool.

But Karen’s story isn’t some neatly packaged success tale. 

She takes us back to moments that cracked her open, including the day she found herself surrounded by sticky notes in her bathroom, clinging to affirmations she didn’t yet believe - because it was all she had to keep going.

What started as survival became something sacred.

Through years of unraveling old stories, owning her voice, and learning to truly know herself, Karen built an entire method rooted in neuroscience, quantum physics, heart-centered healing, and soul-deep alignment. 

And now, she’s on a mission to help other women remember who they are and rise.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder it’s okay to fall apart, that healing is not linear, and that the most powerful tools are often born in the darkest seasons.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Karen turned a moment of complete despair into a turning point
• Why journaling and self-talk became life-saving tools
• The real story behind her clarity tool (and how it came to her as a download)
• What it actually looks like to come home to yourself after years of people-pleasing, fear, and forgetting your worth

Karen’s energy is grounding, wise, and full of grace - and if you’ve been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or just tired of carrying the weight of “doing it all,” this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

You can connect with Karen and explore her Tranquil Solutions Clarity Tool, coaching work, and offerings right here:

🔗 www.TranquilSOULutions.com
📱 Follow her on Instagram: @karenrudolf_
🌐 Learn more at: www.TranquilSOULutions.com

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Rachel’s story isn’t your typical reinvention tale. After decades of leading, achieving, and people-pleasing her way through corporate life (while slowly burning herself out), she finally hit a wall. And instead of pushing through it like she always had… she walked away. 

From her job. 
Her home. 
Her whole identity.

She sold everything and moved to Peru with four suitcases and zero certainty - only the deep knowing that something had to change.

In this episode, we talk about what it really looks like to unravel. To surrender the script you were handed and write a new one. 

Rachel shares how she navigated burnout (again), why she stopped trying to fix herself, and how learning to honor her wiring - especially as a perceptive, driven, neurodivergent woman - changed everything.

She’s now helping other women do the same through her coaching work and her gorgeous new book, Perceptive, which is all about reclaiming your sensitivity, your strength, and the truth of who you are.

This conversation is full of gold if you've ever felt like you were "too much" or "not enough," if you’re curious about what it actually means to trust yourself in the middle of the unknown, or if you’ve been secretly wondering… “what if I just let it all go?”

You don’t need to burn it all down to begin again. But you do get to stop pretending, start listening, and live in a way that actually feels good.

✨ Find Rachel and her work at https://rachelradway.com
📖 Grab her book Perceptive here: https://rachelradway.com/book
📱Follow along on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/reradway/

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

There’s something so magnetic about a woman who’s done the deep inner work - and still shows up with an open heart.

That’s exactly who Tonya Peck is.

In this episode of Thrive After 45™, Tonya shares her powerful story of healing, purpose, and transformation.

From navigating the shame of an unplanned pregnancy at 17 to building a life rooted in faith, authenticity, and emotional empowerment.

We talk about what it really takes to step into the fullness of who you are (especially when you’ve spent years feeling fragmented), how to create safe and nourishing community, and how discovering your primal emotional need can be the key to unlocking self-trust and healthier relationships.

Tonya doesn’t sugarcoat the process...she’s honest about the 10-year journey it took to untangle shame and finally let herself be fully loved. But that’s exactly why her story hits so deeply. 

She’s lived it. She gets it. And now, she helps other women rewrite their inner scripts and reconnect with their worth.

You’ll walk away from this one with a fresh lens on healing, deeper compassion for yourself, and a reminder that you are allowed to take up space as your whole, unfiltered self.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to hide parts of yourself to belong… this conversation is the breath of fresh air you didn’t know you needed.

✨ Want to explore your own emotional blueprint and primal question? Visit Tonya’s website: motionandmindset.com to get more info, take the free assessment into your Primal Question and/or sign up to receive a weekly newsletter geared toward transformation.  

Follow Tonya on Instagram at @motionandmindset to stay inspired by her work and message.

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!

Some nudges are gentle. Others feel like a whisper you can’t ignore. For Caren Carnegie, it started with a whisper in her body - symptoms, discomfort, stuckness. 

But instead of pushing it down or muscling through (like we’re taught to do), she got curious. That quiet pull led her to movement… then to healing… then to a complete soul-led transformation.

In this episode of Thrive After 45™, Caren opens up about her journey from daily drinking and disconnection to becoming a deeply intuitive momentum coach, psychic channeler, and founder of Transform Fitness Coaching. What began as a personal training journey turned into something much more sacred ... an embodied path back home to herself.

This conversation is so much more than fitness talk ... it’s about the language of the body, the power of listening before you're forced to, and how transformation doesn’t have to be fast or flashy to be real and lasting. 

We talk about letting go of pressure, shifting comparison culture, tuning into the energy that’s always been guiding you, and what it really means to come alive from the inside out.

You’ll hear us unpack:

✨ How movement unlocks memory, intuition, and purpose
✨ The connection between physical symptoms and spiritual messages
✨ Why healing doesn’t have to look dramatic or sudden
✨ What it means to build momentum in a soul-aligned way
✨ The radical power of trusting your timing and honoring your own pace

If you’ve been feeling a quiet nudge ... or even a loud one ... this episode is your reminder: your body already knows. Your spirit already knows. You are not behind. You’re right on time.

Caren is one of those women whose energy just shifts the room. I’m so honored to have had this conversation and can’t wait for you to experience her magic.

🌟 Follow and connect with Caren:
Website: https://transformfitnesscoaching.com
Instagram: @carencarnegiefitness

Facebook: (2) FacebookLinkedIn: 

2) Caren Carnegie | LinkedIn

What did this conversation stir up for you? Drop into the comments and let us know. I’d love to hear what you’re being nudged toward.

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

And if you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow @thethriveafter45podcast for daily insp, tips, and support.

Remember, midlife isn’t the end - it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter! Keep thriving, keep shining, and I’ll see you next time!