Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

This week’s episode is a little more raw, a little more unfiltered, and very much from the heart. After taking an unexpected week off, I sat down, turned on the microphone, and spoke honestly about what’s been weighing on me, personally, culturally, and collectively. This episode is part reflection, part reckoning, and part creative release. I talk openly about what it means to lead with courage instead of pretending to be fearless, especially during times that feel heavy, chaotic, or emotionally charged. We explore spiritual bypassing, tone policing, and the subtle ways women are often encouraged to stay quiet, stay pleasant, and stay in line. This episode also includes a poem I wrote late at night, born from grief, anger, and deep compassion for women whose stories are resurfacing yet again. It’s an offering, a witnessing, and a reminder of the power of art to hold what words alone sometimes cannot. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: Why I took a break last week and what brought me back to the mic What spiritual bypassing really looks like and why it’s harmful, especially to women and trauma survivors How tone policing and “positive vibes only” culture reinforce patriarchy and silence truth Why emotions like anger, fear, and grief are not negative, just human How emotions act as information and energy meant to move, not be buried Why speaking up now feels necessary, even when it’s uncomfortable A deeply personal poem about collective grief, survival, and the resilience of women This episode is an invitation to let yourself feel what you feel without fixing, forcing, or bypassing your own experience. If you’re carrying a lot right now, my hope is that this conversation helps you feel less alone and maybe encourages you to make something meaningful from what you’re holding. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for bearing witness. Resources: How to Stop Feeling Like Sht* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have a coaching episode for you today, and I’m joined by Lisa. When she filled out her coaching application, she shared an honest snapshot of where she was at the time: “I think I need coaching on the fear and anger I have for starting over at this point in time. The world is scary, men suck, work is slim, my friends feel different now that I am single.” In this poignant conversation, Lisa and I talk about what it really looks like to start over after a 26-year long marriage and how disorienting that in between season can feel. Especially when your identity, your relationships, and your sense of safety all feel up in the air, all at the same time. We explore grief in a way most people do not talk about it, not just the hard parts but the beautiful parts that are just as painful to let go of, and how creativity, boundaries, and honest conversations can become your way back to yourself when everything feels uncertain. In this episode, you’ll hear: What it really means to grieve the joy of what you once had (11:50) How internal pressure about “what’s next” can keep you stuck (19:37) Why creativity and art are not indulgent but essential tools for processing emotions (27:32) How feeling your feelings is not a weakness but a form of emotional hygiene (32:40) Writing prompts to help Lisa move closer to her grief and begin healing: “What is stopping you from looking underneath the grief?” (39:20) Having hard conversations with friends and how setting boundaries with compassion can strengthen your relationships instead of breaking them (44:44) Resources from this episode: Write Your Way Through It Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ http://andreaowen.com/podcast/712 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m joined by Michelle Weger, the first guest I’ve ever had on the show who lives with narcolepsy, for a powerful conversation about invisible illness, fear, productivity, rest, and what it really takes to keep moving forward when your energy is limited and misunderstood. Michelle is a productivity expert, bestselling author, and international keynote speaker. Throughout our conversation you’ll hear her share what daily life with narcolepsy actually looks like, how receiving her diagnosis upended the identity she thought she had, and how she rebuilt confidence and purpose one practical step at a time. We talk honestly about fear, perfectionism, procrastination, vulnerability, and why rest is not optional, especially for women in leadership. This is a conversation about doing what you can with the energy you have, letting go of shame, and redefining success on your own terms. In this episode, you’ll hear: What living with narcolepsy is really like, including chronic exhaustion, disrupted sleep cycles, and why “sleepy” is very different from “tired” (3:36) How Michelle’s diagnosis changed her life overnight, including losing her driver’s license and the identity she thought she was building (10:08) Why fear doesn’t disappear as you grow, and how learning to move through it is more important than trying to eliminate it Practical ways to work through procrastination and perfectionism (15:09) What Michelle has learned from working alongside her Great Dane service dog, Quinn, including lessons about asking for and receiving help (33:54) How to balance ambition, productivity, and energy limits, especially for women in leadership (37:32) Common misconceptions about invisible conditions like narcolepsy and why there is no one-size-fits-all experience or solution (39:35) Resources from this episode: Write Your Way Through It starts on January 21st! Come join us at Rythmia in January! Michelle’s websiteMichelle’s book, Don’t Snooze Your Dreams Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ http://andreaowen.com/podcast/710 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m joined by Irina Vlada for an honest conversation about healing, nervous system regulation, and what real integration actually looks like when working with psychedelics and other therapeutic tools. Irina helps people navigate transformation at the intersection of psychedelics, spirituality, psychology, and wellness. I met her earlier this year at Rythmia, and after spending time with her and diving deeper into her work, I knew I had to bring her on the show. Irina has over a decade of experience as a coach and facilitator, and from 2020 to 2022, she worked as an Integration Coach with Mindbloom, guiding more than 200 clients through preparation and integration for ketamine-assisted therapy. In our conversation, she’s clear about one thing: psychedelic medicine isn’t the work itself. Real transformation happens afterward, through integration, embodiment, and taking actionable steps that rewire habits, thoughts, and the nervous system. Without that process, insight can fade just as quickly as it arrives. We also talk about why ancient practices like breathwork and meditation are such powerful tools for healing trauma, regulating the nervous system, and expanding awareness, often without needing altered states at all. And for anyone curious but skeptical about psychedelics, Irina emphasizes the importance of safety, education, preparation, and the willingness to surrender to the process. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Irina bridges psychedelics, spirituality, psychology, and wellness through lived experience and ethical practice (4:05) Her personal path to self-awareness and healing, including trauma and the long road of recovery (5:47) What ketamine-assisted therapy involves, why integration matters, and how insight without action quickly fades (17:21) How meditation, breathwork, yoga, and nervous system regulation create real, lasting change without psychedelics (25:06) What Irina emphasizes for people who feel skeptical or unsure about psychedelics from a therapeutic standpoint (44:39) Resources from this episode: Write Your Way Through It Come see me in Costa Rica at Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat in January! Irina on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/podcast/708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking about what it feels like to live in a world that just won’t let up and how to stay connected to yourself when everything around you feels chaotic. Returning guest Kate Swoboda is here to dig into fear, overwhelm, and the emotional fallout of constant crisis. Kate is the creator of YourCourageousLife.com, Director of the ICF-accredited Certified Life Coach Collective, and author of The Courage Habit. She’s spent years helping people break fear patterns and practice courage in real, everyday ways and she brings that wisdom straight into this conversation. Together, we unpack the toll nonstop stress takes on your nervous system, why doomscrolling feels like quicksand, and how courage has nothing to do with muscling through. Instead, it’s about capacity, self-regulation, and the internal stories that shape how you move through the world. Kate and I also talk about overwhelm, somatic support, and why the smallest emotional shifts often end up being the most life-changing. In this episode, you’ll hear: How to stay informed about a messy world without getting emotionally pulled under (3:44) What it really takes to build resilience and courage in daily life (14:53) Where to start when overwhelm takes over and you can’t see a way out of the spiral (21:01) What to consider if you’re drawn to becoming a life coach during your own growth journey (31:57) Resources from this episode: Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn (As the World Burns) Certified Life Coach Collective (CLCC) Insight Timer Kate’s website Kate on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/podcast/706 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking about stress and the body, the kind that simmers under the surface until something forces you to finally pay attention. This week’s guest, Stacey Garcia, knows that story intimately. After a lifetime of movement through dance, wellness, and “doing everything right,” she was hit with a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the way she thought about stress, healing, intuition, and what it really means to care for yourself. What unfolds in this conversation is an honest look at how stress wakes things up in the body (and not necessarily in a good way), why so many women minimize their symptoms, and how energy healing, daily practices, and self-advocacy become lifelines when your world tilts. Stacey, a dancer, trainer, Reiki practitioner, and host of Never Miss a Monday, brings a grounded wisdom to this episode that I know will stay with you long after it ends. In this episode, you’ll hear: Stacey shares how dance, wellness, and a breast cancer diagnosis shaped the work she does today (4:14) Why chronic stress often shows up right before a major diagnosis and how Stacey began to recognize her own patterns (10:38) What Reiki actually is, how it works, and the emotional releases people experience during sessions (16:09) The one belief about food and bodies Stacey wishes we would retire for good (21:49) Simple ways to tiptoe into spiritual or nervous system practices without overwhelm (24:15) Why becoming the CEO of your own health matters, especially when doctors dismiss you (34:01) Her evolving relationship with control and how energy work helped her surrender during treatment (40:46) Resources from this episode: Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn As the World Burns Never Miss a Monday podcast Stacey on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading! MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/704 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices