To Your Health

Susan Shapiro Barash, author of Estranged: How Strained Female Friendships are Ended or Mended, joins me to explore the emotional landscape of female friendships—why they matter so much, and what happens when they start to fall apart.

We talk about the subtle signs of strain, the unspoken expectations women often carry in friendships, and how life transitions—from motherhood to midlife reinventions—can reshape who we connect with and how.

Susan shares insights from her research and interviews with women across the country, including what it takes to repair a broken friendship—and how to know when it’s healthier to let go.

Whether you’re grieving a friendship, hoping to mend one, or learning how to create new ones in this season of life, this conversation will help you reflect with more compassion and clarity.

Susan Shapiro Barash has written over a dozen non-fiction books including Tripping the Prom Queen, Toxic Friends and You’re Grounded Forever, but First Let’s Go Shopping. For more than twenty years she taught gender studies and Marymount Manhattan College and has guest taught creative nonfiction at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Her fiction is published under her pen name, Susannah Marren.  

She has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Elle, Marie Claire, and has appeared on national television including the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC. Barash has been a guest on national radio including NPR and Sirius Radio. Speaking appearances include Credit Suisse, Bayer Diagnostics, UBS, United Way, Kravis Center and the Society of the Four Arts. Several of her titles have been optioned by Lifetime and HBO.www.susanshapirobarash.com

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

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Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

Laura Helgeson, founder of Let’s Talk UTI, joins me to shed light on a topic that affects millions of women yet remains widely misunderstood. We’re talking all things urinary tract infections—what they are, why they’re often misdiagnosed, and how to get the care you deserve.

Laura shares her personal journey with chronic UTIs and how it led her to create the first U.S.-based patient advocacy group focused on this issue.

We dive into the gaps in traditional care, the emotional toll of feeling dismissed, and how women can better advocate for themselves at the doctor’s office.

If you’ve ever struggled with recurrent UTIs—or want to better understand and support someone who has—this conversation is packed with practical insights, validation, and hope.

Laura is the founder of Let’s Talk UTI, the only US-based, patient advocacy organization shining a light on the issues associated with UTI, while providing valuable insights, supporting research, and furthering education to drive meaningful change. Her life-long experience of having UTIs led to the creation of Let’s Talk UTI in 2023. Let’s Talk UTI and three of the world’s patient-centered organizations (Live UTI Free, Chronic UTI Australia and Chronic UTI Campaign) have formed the Alliance for Patient-centered UTI Research (APUR). Together, we are advancing the understanding and management of UTI through patient-centered research and advocacy.

Since the founding of Let’s Talk UTI, Laura has presented at a CAIRIBU Connections meeting presenting “UTI Through the Lifespan - a Patient Perspective.” She also spoke at the NIDDK sponsored KUH Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She spoke at UW Madison in June 2024 for the Summer Program for Undergraduate Urology Research and, on behalf of APUR, at the UTI Global Alliance meeting in Columbus, OH in July 2024. Her story was recently featured in the Minnesota Women’s Press.

Laura was formerly a professional classical musician and is an ordained, interfaith minister.Website: letstalkuti.org Instagram @letstalkutiFacebook: Let’s Talk UTI

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

What does it really mean to be healthy? If your definition starts and ends with weight, you're not alone—but it's time to expand that view.

In this episode, I’m walking you through a more complete and empowering definition of health, based on the biopsychosocial model. We’ll talk about how true health includes your physical body, mental and emotional well-being, relationships, environment, and more.

I’ll share real-life examples—from scheduling medical checkups to setting boundaries—that highlight how healthy people live, think, and take care of themselves.

This conversation will help you reflect on what your version of healthy looks like and how to start showing up as that version, even in small ways.

Because health isn’t one-size-fits-all—and when you define it for yourself, it becomes a lot more doable (and meaningful).

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright, authors of Unapologetically ADHD and hosts of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, join me to talk about what it means to be neurodivergent—and how that can affect your ability to plan, prioritize, and follow through.

We dive into the unique challenges and strengths of neurodivergent brains, especially when it comes to health goals like meal planning, habit-building, and staying consistent with routines.

Nikki and Pete share practical strategies that honor how your brain works, helping you create systems that feel supportive instead of overwhelming.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or just like learning new strategies to help yourself, this episode offers a compassionate, actionable framework to help you move forward.

Bio: Since 2010, certified ADHD coach, Nikki Kinzer, and professional podcaster, Pete Wright, have been the co-hosts of the award-winning podcast, “Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast”, speaking to adults with ADHD all over the globe.Over 30 seasons—and more than 600 episodes—Nikki and Pete continue to offer support and strategies for adults living with ADHD. And recently, they decided to write their first book, Unapologetically ADHD.

Buy the book: https://a.co/d/9vILtc9Listen to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taking-control-the-adhd-podcast/id368426151

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

If you’ve ever felt stuck on your health, career, or relationship goals but struggle to ask for help, this episode is for you. / Inspired by Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, we’re exploring the concept of “scaffolding” — a temporary support system that helps you reach heights you couldn’t on your own. / I’ll show you how to reframe needing help as a sign of strength and self-awareness, not weakness or failure. / You’ll learn how to identify where you’re stuck, what kind of support you need, and how to build scaffolding that boosts not just your skills, but your belief in what’s possible. / If you’ve been spinning your wheels, this mindset shift might be just what you need to finally make progress.

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

Rob Tracz, Personal Performance Coach for high-achievers, joins me to talk about how self-reflection can fuel growth without turning into a self-criticism spiral.

We dive into what active reflection actually looks like, how to use it to improve your habits, and why being kind to yourself is key to sustainable success.

Rob shares simple questions and techniques to help you reflect with clarity, not judgment—and explains how to build resilience, energy, and focus along the way.

If you’re your own toughest critic, this episode will help you shift from beating yourself up to building yourself up.

Rob Tracz is a Personal Performance Coach dedicated to helping high-achievers break free from burnout, build resilience, and optimize their mindset for sustainable success. Rob empowers entrepreneurs and professionals to take control of their energy, focus, and work-life balance. His unique approach blends strategic habit-building, mindset shifts, and holistic well-being to help clients not only perform at their best but also feel their best. Whether on stage, in workshops, or through one-on-one coaching, Rob’s mission is to help others look good, feel good, and do great things.

Instagram.com/robtraczLinkedIn.com/in/robtraczPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surviving-the-side-hustle/id1711453767

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

We ALL have cravings and despite their intensity, at times, you really can learn to control them, at least a lot of the time.

Today I'm sharing with you the exact strategies I use to buy myself some time and let the craving subside.

Steal them, as-is, or use this episode to help yourself come up with your own "operating system" for next time they strike you.

Better to be prepared, right?

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services 

In this episode, we’re exploring a fresh take on resilience—what Jenn Fredericks calls prosilience. Jenn is a resilience coach and therapist who has lived through more than her share of adversity, from chronic illness to caregiving for her daughter with a life-threatening diagnosis.

We talk about the difference between bouncing back and building yourself up beforehand, and how to develop the four building blocks of prosilience: calming your nervous system, choosing a strategy, activating your resilience muscles, and managing your energy.

Jenn shares practical tips and powerful personal stories that will help you feel more prepared for life’s curveballs—and more capable of facing them when they come.

Jenn has overcome immense adversity and emerged as a beacon of resilience and hope for others. Her experience as a chronic kidney disease patient spanning three decades including two kidney transplants and as a caregiver for her daughter with a life-threatening diagnosis speaks volumes about her strength, determination, and compassion.As a Personal Resilience Practitioner and Prosilience Coach, she guides her clients towards a new perspective on life. Her approach of cultivating self-awareness while honoring the struggles and triumphs in life builds a foundation to create renewed vitality, inner calm, and joy in life.The specific focus on patients with life-threatening, chronic illness and their caregivers highlights her deep understanding of the demanding, unique challenges faced by these individuals.By empowering them to build proactive resilience, she enables them to move from uncertainty, fear and depletion to experiencing more ease and joy in life, fostering a greater sense of well-being.

prosiliencecoach.comFree guide: https://bit.ly/cantselfcareLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jennfredericks

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services 

Asking for help can be hard, but what if you thought of it as scaffolding—a temporary boost from the right person at the right time? / In this episode, I’m talking about how scaffolding can help you overcome obstacles, reach the next level, and move forward with confidence. / If you’ve ever resisted seeking support because you felt like you should figure it out alone, this episode will give you a new perspective.

Tune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you’re ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you’ll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. 

Buy Esther’s Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qU

Follow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravant

Follow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avant

Learn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.com

Learn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services