Freckled Foodie & Friends

In this episode, I sit down with Zach Rausch, lead researcher on the bestselling book “The Anxious Generation,” to discuss the impact social media is having on children, how we’re seeing social media affect mental health today, and what parents can do to create intentional relationships with social media and technology in households. Zach talks about the “great rewiring of childhood” that has occurred within the last decade, current trends in adolescent mental health, and why these trends aren’t just an American issue. He also explains the perfect storm of social media usage during “periods of particular vulnerability,” how boys and girls are targeted differently on social media, and why the introduction of the forward-facing camera was so significant for our culture. Finally, we talk about why millennial parents are the last generation that can create change for our kids, how social media can be positive, what phone-free schools can look like, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:On the “great rewiring of childhoo

In this episode with financial therapist Aja Evans, we discuss what Aja does in her profession and how taking ownership of her own financial education led her to her career. She talks about what she most often sees in her financial therapy practice, the common misconceptions people have about managing finances, and explains why we feel shame around money. She also shares how we can start talking to kids about money, why learning to spend is as equally important as learning to save, and how money and self-esteem are linked. Finally, we talk about “the thrill of the chase” we feel as consumers, how we can slow ourselves down when we impulsively spend, how we can set boundaries around money and other people, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:What is a financial therapist?Why and how Aja became a financial therapistWhat Aja sees most often in her financial therapy practiceThe most common misconceptions people have about managing their financesWhy do we feel shame around money?How can we start talking to children abo

In this episode, I sit down with Elizabeth Endres to discuss her journey with physical and emotional wellness, being a highly sensitive person, and how she has navigated dating in her thirties versus her twenties. We talk about the different roles our friends play in our lives, how being highly sensitive has benefited her and created challenges in both her professional and personal lives, and why being misunderstood can be so triggering. She shares how recovering from a breakup in her thirties brought her closer to herself, how her journey with chronic pelvic pain manifested, and how practicing Journal Speak and releasing stored emotions helped her move through it. Finally, we discuss how health-related anxiety can be so all-consuming, Elizabeth’s journey with her mental health, and how she overcame the self-judgment that can come from being on medication.Key Takeaway / Points:On the different roles our friends play in our livesElizabeth on being a highly sensitive person, physically and emotionallyOn navigat

In this solo episode, I dive into all the back-end details of my business, from how I first developed a business plan in content creation to how various elements of my business work today. I share what the early days of Freckled Foodie looked like, what inspired me to quit my corporate job and pursue health and food content creation full-time, and how I took the plunge and built out my business model. I discuss how and why I started the podcast, how I grew my social channels and began monetizing my content, and why getting a management team was the turning point in my career. I also share how what I make now compares with the salary I would be making today in corporate, how my sponsored content works, and how my income is broken down in different buckets. Finally, I talk about the members of my team and what they do, the future of the “Quiet Your Mind, Busy Your Hands” platform, and I answer questions about mentorship, hiring out, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:On the chaos and joy of DecemberOn the misconcep

In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Grace Mae to discuss the rollercoaster of her twenties, moving out of survival mode, and starting to feel the pressure of having kids as she approaches thirty. We talk about having ADHD and struggling with executive functioning, feeling childlike, and Kelly’s experience with losing her partner at twenty years old. She shares how she moved through grief, how she met her husband after that turbulent period, and how they have kept her former partner’s memory alive. She also talks about her relationship with drugs and alcohol growing up and facing the pivotal moments along the way that got her to stop drinking.Key Takeaway / Points:On the rollercoaster of Kelly’s twenties and moving out of survival modeOn looking towards her thirties and feeling the pressure of having kidsOn ADHD and struggling with executive functioningOn the catharsis of purging and throwing things awayOn the paradox of feeling like a child and being a motherKelly’s experience losing a partner when she was

In this episode, I sit down with spinal energy practitioner and healer Tiffany Cohen, to discuss all things spinal energetics and nervous system healing. We get into how Tiffany and I started working together and what I was looking for when we began our sessions, the differences between network spinal vs. spinal energetics, and the concept of energetic knots within the body. She shares how she came to energy healing and found spinal energetics, what spinal energetics can address, and what she’s feeling when a client is on the table. We also talk about what I feel when I’m on the table, the power of our subconscious mind, some of the most intense experiences Tiffany has had with clients, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:How Tiffany and I started working together and what I was looking for when we began our sessionsWhat is spinal energetics?Network spinal vs. spinal energeticsOn energetic knots and tuning into your own limitationsOn Tiffany being called to energy healing and how she came to spinal energeticsWhat

In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Fairhurst, a postpartum therapist and maternal mental health expert, to discuss the various challenges new parents can encounter with each other during the postpartum phase and ways to work through this overwhelming time. Melissa shares how her own postpartum experiences have informed her work, what the “roommate phase” is and why it feels so permanent when you’re in it, and how these unexpected moments of disconnect can arise with your partner. We also discuss the unspoken expectations we have about our partners before the baby arrives and how that can set us up for resentment, how it’s imperative to accept that the non-birthing partner can’t fully understand the birthing partner’s experience, and why it’s essential to normalize couple’s therapy. Melissa shares tips for communicating your needs to your partner, why it’s important not to let resentments fester, and why “I” statements are more effective than “you” statements. Finally, we discuss the importance of settin

In this episode, I sit down with my sister, Lucy, for an update on all things wedding planning and how she’s feeling five months post engagement. We discuss what she’s thinking for a bachelorette party, what her vision is for bridesmaids dresses, and each of our dynamics with our mom, Cindy, during wedding planning mode. Finally, we talk about our partners’ relationship with each other and how they’ve integrated into the family, comfortably talking about sex as sisters, Lucy’s psychotic calendar behavior, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:On wedding updates, from bridesmaids to bachelorette partiesOn the wedding dress process and why Lucy isn’t loving itOn the dynamic with our mom, Cindy, during wedding planningHow to be a great Maid of HonorOn our age gap and how our relationship has evolved through the yearsOn talking about sex as sisters and being raised in a sex positive houseOn Lucy’s psychotic calendar behaviorThis episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individu

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Scott Lyons, a holistic psychologist, author, and body-based trauma expert, to discuss why we are so drawn to drama as a culture and how fully honoring our stress responses can help us better adapt to stress. Dr. Lyons explains what he defines as “drama,” how trauma often takes us away from ourselves and others, and how overstimulation has become the cultural norm. He also talks about how media is designed to keep our attention away from ourselves, why we are so drawn to reality TV, and why stress is a social glue that bonds us. Finally, he shares how most of us aren’t completing our stress cycles, how he checks in with his nervous system during a stressful event, and how he gets out of his cortisol stimulus and brings himself back to center.Key Takeaway / Points:How Dr. Lyons defines “drama”How trauma takes us away from ourselves and othersOn the cultural norm of overstimulationOn the connection between seeking stillness and feeling safeHow media is designed to keep our a

In this solo episode, I share the exciting news that I’ve developed a “Quiet Your Mind and Busy Your Hands” journal and adult coloring affirmation book! I discuss how this project came together and how it implements some of the top elements that have fundamentally shifted my mental health. I also reflect on the past year with two children and how we’ve been trying to embrace the chaos instead of resisting it. I discuss my son’s birth a year ago and the initial overwhelm that came with juggling two kids, the guilt I felt over not being able to attend to both at once, and the emotional shift that happened during the 7-9 month postpartum mark. I also share how my kids’ relationship with each other has evolved over the past year, why I just don’t love the newborn phase, why the mom I was for my firstborn’s year one is vastly different from the mom I am today, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:On developing the “Quiet Your Mind and Busy Your Hands” journal and adult coloring affirmationsHow I prioritize my mental hea

In this episode, I sit down with Kitty Brandtner, founder and co-president of March Fourth, to discuss the organization’s push for gun reform in the U.S. and why federally banning assault weapons is their singular goal. Kitty shares the string of events that led her to founding March Fourth, why radical gun reform viewpoints aren’t moving the needle forward, and why a federal assault weapons ban is the simplest and most effective path. She explains the history of assault weapons bans in the U.S., how we arrived at our current mass shooting epidemic, and how the mental health impact from gun violence has a ripple effect throughout a community. We also talk about bringing children up in the era of lockdown drills, holding onto hope and the recent progress that March Fourth has made, actionable items we can all take to help March Fourth’s initiative, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:What led to Kitty founding March FourthOn March Fourth’s mission and tempered radicalism On the history of assault weapons bans

In this episode, I sit down with Cat and Nat – podcast hosts, co-authors, and best friends – to talk about blending families and what it’s like raising seven kids between the two of them and their spouses. We discuss how they came to such an integrated way of living and why non-judgment made it all possible, how our culture isn’t set up for communal support, and why it truly takes a village to raise children. They share the most exciting part about parenting teenagers versus the hardest part, how they navigate social media with teens, and why they’re developing a course on parenting and social media. Finally, they talk about the advice they’d give their younger selves with young children, why we often forget to embrace who we are as mothers and put so much pressure on ourselves to change, and how they do (or don’t) maintain sex lives with kids in the house.Key Takeaway / Points:How they’ve blended their families and why non-judgment made it possibleHow our culture isn’t set up for communal supportWhy it takes

In this solo episode, I share what I wish I knew before having a baby, from never being able to have the “perfect” timeline for having kids; to how friendships and relationships might evolve once you become a parent. I talk about the intensity of having your priorities completely shift to another person and away from yourself, why it’s so important to find what makes you feel like “you,” and why giving yourself a window of transition time during your days, especially during postpartum, can be a lifesaver. I also discuss the unpredictability of what works one day with your child versus what might not work the next day, the confidence that comes from being a parent, how important choosing your village is — from your partner, to your friendships — aand more.Key Takeaway / Points:On never having the perfect timelineOn your priorities shifting away from yourselfOn finding what makes you feel like yourselfGiving yourself a window of time to transition into different parts of your dayOn the energy it takes to feed a

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Sarah Oreck, co-founder and CEO of Mavida Health, to discuss the importance of maternal mental health care and, specifically, all things ADHD. Dr. Sarah shares what Mavida Health does and why they are filling a gap in the mental health space, why ADHD is a big part of their support platform, and how ADHD is often misunderstood, starting in childhood. She shares lifestyle techniques to help work with ADHD symptoms, why it seems like so many mothers are struggling with ADHD right now, and why it’s so important to know how your hormones affect both your physical and mental health. We talk about executive functioning and why it’s so important, how to communicate your mental health needs to your partner, and why task paralysis happens. Finally, she discusses the relationship between ADHD and overstimulation, and the struggle of being jealous of people we perceive as “making it work” better than we are.Key Takeaway / Points:What is Mavida Health and what do they do for maternal

In this episode, I sit down with Hilary Hoffman, founder of The Soto Method, to discuss the journey behind developing her business, why intention is behind everything she does, and how she forged her path towards entrepreneurship. Hilary talks about the relentlessness of self-promotion and not knowing when your message is going to resonate with people, how she designed The Soto Method structure, and where the method transcends into a deeper meaning. She also shares how her former career in finance instilled strengths that serve her to this day, and how building intentional awareness and encouraging her coworkers to exercise inspired her to pursue The Soto Method. We discuss the value of creating a product in your own time and gathering constructive criticism, the inevitable sacrifices that come with building something, and why validation isn’t what we should be searching for. Finally, Hilary shares her current experience being pregnant with twins, her intention behind giving her children what they need versus

In this episode, I sit down with Wendy Lopez, Registered Dietician/Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator, to discuss all things blood glucose health and diabetes. She talks about starting Food Heaven, an inclusive nutrition platform, with her best friend and fellow R.D. Jess and why they decided to pivot once it started to feel like too much. She also explains why diabetes is so prevalent in black and brown communities, why she and Jess founded their nutrition tech platform Diabetes Digital, and how you can influence blood sugar and insulin with lifestyle and nutrition choices. Finally, Wendy answers listener questions on reducing your risk of diabetes if you have a family history, how you can manage gestational diabetes during pregnancy, how LADA (diabetes 1.5) works, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:On starting Food Heaven with her best friend and fellow RD, JessOn transparency around burnout and how it felt to pivot away from the Food Heaven platformHow and why Wendy and Jess founded Diabetes Digital,

In this episode, I sit down with Camila Alves McConaughey to discuss everything from her journey as a model early in her career; to her relationship with motherhood and family; to her ventures in community-building and entrepreneurship. Camila shares her story of moving from Brazil to the U.S. at age 15 without speaking English, how she didn’t let herself get lost in the modeling world, and how being a young model helped her understand her own patterns and how to begin honoring herself. We also discuss the challenges that come from moving around so much as a family, what it takes for a new location to feel like a home, and how relationships can achieve a sustainable, long-term balance. Finally, Camila shares why boundaries are essential for her, what it was like working with her husband Matthew on their tequila brand, which achievement she is most proud of in her life, and more.Key Takeaway / Points:Camila’s story of moving from Brazil to the U.S. at the age of 15 without speaking EnglishOn her journey to mod

In this episode with excerpts from ESPN Media Day 2024, I interview former and beloved Philadelphia Eagles player and current NFL analyst Jason Kelce, Sports Center host Elle Duncan, and NFL Live host Laura Rutledge. I recap my incredible experience at Media Day, explain how I got the invite to live out my dreams, and share how I’ve always wanted to be a sports broadcaster since I was young. In my conversation with Jason, we discuss how he was raised to be an emotionally available man, how he’s feeling entering his first season of retirement, and what he’ll miss most and won’t miss about playing. He also shares his favorite characteristics about his wife, Kylie, and what he predicts for the Eagles in this upcoming season. In my conversation with Elle, we discuss how she came to sports broadcasting, how she brings her best self to work and perseveres in a male-dominated industry, and how she covers so many sports while making her voice stand out among the numbers. In my conversation with Laura, she shares how

In this episode with my mom, Cindy, we talk about all things parenting vs. grandparenting, the best parts about being a grandparent versus the hardest parts, and how my mom and dad prioritized having a close-knit family when we were growing up. We discuss how my parents approached transparency around alcohol in our house, why my decision to stop drinking scared her at first, and how she passed down the “that’s my sister” dynamic to my sisters and me. She also shares what the transition was like from being very career-driven to being a stay-at-home mom, where her style and fashion sensibility comes from, and how her fashion brain works when she’s putting together an outfit. Finally, we talk about my own evolving fashion journey, my wanting to dress a certain way to appease her, and why she feels so grateful for where she is in her life right now.Key Takeaway / Points:On our recent experience wedding dress shopping for my sister, LucyOn my mom being receptive to feedback and changeOn the differences between fee

In this solo episode, I dive into my recent work in manifesting and how it has helped shift a lot of stagnation, frustration, and confusion in my life. I share how I came to the To Be Magnetic course and what I was looking for going into the course, how it helped me prioritize being present, and how I have felt aligned and reaped the benefits of manifesting throughout the course. I also talk about what I discovered during my unblocking session, how societal and inherited blinders can make us feel less-than, and how freeing it is to tap into who you are and find your authentic joy again. Finally, I answer two listener voicemails on dealing with friends’ judgment over career paths and bachelorette party location ideas.Key Takeaway / Points:On feeling stuck and wanting to tap back into spiritualityOn regressing back into my need for controlOn manifesting from within the subconsciousMy experience in the To Be Magnetic courseOn prioritizing being presentOn feeling aligned and reaping the benefits of manifestingWha