What Led Her Here

Disability Consultant & Counsellor, Tara Geraghty-Ellis, had a difficult start after being born with Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus. She was initially given only a 10% chance of survival, but beat the odds and defied doctors’ expectations. Later, as the only child with a disability in her school, she endured bullying and harassment from students and teachers. Over time, Tara worked through her trauma, acknowledging and accepting her emotions, and made the conscious choice to be a happy, successful person. Tara embraces all of the experiences that have shaped her life and is now on a mission to bring people together and advocate for those with disabilities, so they can live to their fullest potential. Tara’s hope is that people with disabilities will be seen, not just as their diagnosis, but as whole human beings with hopes and dreams. Connect with Tara: Website www.visableandempoweredbook.com Schedule a chat https://calendly.com/taraelliscoaching/meeting Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Tara Geraghty-Ellis

Debra Lee May is a Resiliency & Re-invention Mentor whose defining experience started with her transition from corporate America to being a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters. This significant life change challenged her sense of control, brought up trauma from her chaotic childhood and plunged Debra into depths that negatively impacted her relationships. She lost who she was and was trying to live according to other people’s expectations. Eventually, after gaining awareness and beginning her own personal development journey, Debra had an awakening that not only changed her, but those around her. She began to heal, trust herself and connect with others. Debra came to realize she shared this experience with many other women, which has led her to inspire and serve women in her work today. Debra reminds us that being real and vulnerable is what draws people to us and that there’s always better things on the other side of our difficult life experiences. Connect with Debra: www.debraleemay.com Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Debra Lee May

Sacred sexual healer, Daniella Hines, had the picture-perfect life. All the boxes of what one “should” have were ticked…yet she was miserable. She didn’t know who she was and was living a life that wasn’t meant for her. After ending her marriage, Daniella decided to live in a less fearful way and began her journey to discover herself and her sexuality. She embraced the power of choice, curiousity and self-love, which brought her to an empowered place of shame-free pleasure and freedom. Along the way, she learned about the wisdom held in her body and began to trust her intuition. Daniella acknowledges that it has not always been an easy path, but both misery and joy require effort, and we all have the power to choose which one we allow to stay. Connect with Daniella: http://daniellahines.com/ Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Daniella Hines

From behind her camera, boudoir photographer, Daysy Teixeira, has been witness to many women’s transformations…from nervous and, at times, insecure to confident and empowered. Women who step into her studio are also committing to step outside their comfort zone in a big way. Daysy is passionate about creating a safe space of trust and acceptance for all women. In this space, they share a uniquely intimate experience that goes beyond beautiful pictures. The self-love that her subjects take away from the photo shoots follows these women well after the session is over. In this candid conversation, Daysy discusses her own journey to self-love and her struggle with body image, which was fraught by a lack of representation in media. She reminds us to be gentle with ourselves as we move toward accepting ourselves exactly as we are. Connect with Daysy: Website https://boudoirbydaysy.com/ Instagram http://www.instagram.com/boudoirbydaysy Facebook http://www.facebook.com/boudoirbydaysy Podcast: Bombshell Tells All https://boudoirbydaysy.podbean.com/ Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Daysy Teixeira

Travel writer, Catherine Smith, found her passion for solo travel by accident more than a decade ago. Since then, her adventures have brought her to New York City, Italy, New Zealand and beyond. Mostly importantly, these trips have allowed her to get to know herself more deeply and trust her intuition. People often assume travelling solo makes Catherine fearless, but she reminds us that she, like all of us, has fears. On each trip, she purposefully stretches and strengthens her “courage muscle”, allowing her to bring back more confidence, freedom and self-acceptance to her everyday life and relationships. That, she says, is where the magic is! Connect with Catherine: Website Herbagswerepacked.com Facebook Facebook.com/herbagswerepacked Instagram Instagram.com/herbagswerepacked Twitter Twitter.com/bagswerepacked Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Catherine Smith

As a Menstruality Mentor, Nikki Zavitz is on a mission to help women and womb-havers tune into their menstrual cycles. For most of her life, Nikki felt disconnected from her own body. Her first bleed brought fear and shame. The stigma and negativity around periods in our culture often creates negative stories that many of us carry around for a lifetime. Building a “red tent” on her property has created an opportunity to change that. Through her teachings, Nikki provides a safe place for womb-havers of all ages to gather, listen, share, learn and feel compassion for themselves and their cycles. She’s especially passionate about bringing this awareness to young people, so they can learn from and celebrate the natural rhythms of their bodies. Connect with Nikki: http://www.prettyriverredtent.com/ Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Nikki Zavitz

When singer-songwriter, Raina Krangle, suffered a traumatic brain injury, her once full life came to a sudden halt. She was forced to come to terms with the realization that she wasn’t physically able to do many of the things she could before, which was frustrating and hard to accept. The healing process forced her to reflect, recognize her own limits and be okay with who and where she was. Raina slowly immersed herself back into her music, which she discovered was her way through to healing, both physically and emotionally. Raina candidly speaks about the importance of being uncomfortable with the unknown and reminds us that positive things can come out of difficult times. Connect with Raina: https://linktr.ee/rainakranglemusic Creator, Host, Editing & Production: Kim Short Guest: Raina Krangle

Hollis Citron is on a mission to expand the narrow, societal definition of creativity. Many people think of creativity as a very exclusive thing that only certain people who hang their works in great museums get to claim, but Hollis wants to empower people to find and use their own unique expression and voice. Whether in a classroom, business meeting or art studio, her passion is helping people explore what brings them joy and recognize that as beautiful, creative and powerful. As a former art teacher, Hollis learned many lessons, the most important of which is that people of all ages need a safe space to express themselves. Hollis reminds us to give ourselves permission to put ourselves first, let go of control and make mistakes, in order to let our creativity flow. Connect with Hollis: Website: https://www.iamcreativephilly.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamcreativephilly/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/iamcreativephilly Podcast: https://creativeconversations.podbean.com. Publishing House: https://www.iamcreativephilly.net/express-yourself-publishing-house Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Hollis Citron Editing and Production: Kim Short

Denisse Espalter was once stuck in a place where fear of shame and judgement kept her in an unhappy and unfulfilling marriage. She was faced with making a choice between remaining in the seemingly “comfortable” space she’d created for herself or journeying through the uncertainty of making some big life changes. Denisse felt the weight of societal and family pressure around going against what was expected of her, but ultimately knew she deserved so much more in her life. With a strong sense of self, as well as a good support system around her, Denisse became committed to putting her own happiness first…for herself and for her daughters. Denisse reminds us to make decisions based on what’s true to our heart and that, when we better ourselves, we better those around us. Connect with Denisse: www.unboxedlifeandstyle.com Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Denisse Espalter Editing and Production: Kim Short

Dr. Sarah Allen knows first-hand that life can throw some hard things at you. As a pediatric neuropsychologist, she also knows that having the skills to process grief in a healthy way has allowed her to thrive after trauma. After losing three babies at birth and then her sister to cancer at a young age, she was faced with a difficult path toward healing. Through these experiences, Dr. Sarah has found her passion for teaching other parents, teachers and children the resilience and coping skills that all people should have in order to grow through grief. As a mom, she models a healthy expression of emotions and provides a safe space for open communication for her kids, in order to teach them what to do when they encounter challenging times in their lives. Dr. Sarah reminds us that the grief process is a hard path, but one that we must face, accept and move through in order to heal. Connect with Dr. Sarah: Website - http://www.brainbehaviorbridge.com/ 5 Day Parenting Strategy Jumpstart starting March 7, 2022 - https://brainbehaviorbridge.com/store/5-day-parenting-strategy-jumpstart Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Dr. Sarah Allen Editing and Production: Kim Short

As a young adult, Jill Valentine spent a rewarding and life-changing year abroad volunteering in Uganda. Upon returning home, however, she realized that the deep sense of purpose, community and adventure she got from volunteering and traveling was lacking in her everyday life. After searching unsuccessfully for that same level of fulfillment and joy in various jobs over the course of a decade, Jill came to the realization that a big shift was necessary. She needed to find a way to foster her core values at home, which led to her becoming a life coach and creating her travel + volunteer-based coaching programs. Being of service to others has been central to Jill's life and she is on a mission to bring the transformative power of connection, gratitude and confidence to others, while making a positive impact in communities in need all over the world. Connect with Jill: FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/UGOImpact FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ugothemorecommunity Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ugoimpact/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ugoimpact Courage Community Kilimanjaro Program/UGO website: https://ugoimpact.com/tanzania2022/ Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Jill Valentine Editing and Production: Kim Short

*Trigger warning: child sexual abuse* Rosalia Rivera is a consent educator who, as a survivor of child sexual abuse, is committed to sharing her story to help release shame, de-stigmatize this issue and allow other survivors to know they’re not alone. In this candid conversation, Rosalia talks about how becoming a mom forced her to face the repressed memories from her childhood that came to the surface when educating her own kids about consent. She discusses her healing journey and shares how she has learned to manage triggers and break the cycle of abuse. Rosalia is now on a mission to educate parents on how to teach their children about body rights, boundaries and consent. She reminds us how vital it is to educate all genders to not only keep their own bodies safe, but to also treat others respectfully, in order to prevent abuse. Connect with Rosalia: Empower your family at CONSENTparenting.com Keep learning at Instagram.com/consentparenting Follow me on Facebook.com/consentparenting Listen to the podcast at aboutCONSENT.com Create #consentculture with CONSENTwear.com Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Rosalia Rivera Editing and Production: Kim Short

Dr. Shyamala Kiru works with high-powered women who experience great success in their professional lives, yet can struggle to bring the same confidence, competency and calm into their personal relationships. Prior to her shift into the coaching space, Dr. Shyamala spent 20 years as a practicing psychotherapist, where she discovered a distinct correlation between women experiencing mental health distress and relationship distress. She has since found in her own life, as well as with her patients, that making mindset shifts, learning how to communicate assertively and establishing healthy boundaries, not only contributes to improved relationships, but also decreased mental health symptoms. Dr. Shyamala invites us to embrace courage + integrity and get in touch with any stirrings we feel in our relationships, so that we may challenge the status quo in order to find more peace and joy in our lives. Connect with Dr. Shyamala: https://pages.shyamalakiru.com/the-emotionally-intelligent-woman/www.theeqcode.comwww.theeqcode.com/audit Creator and Host: Kim Short Guest: Dr. Shyamala Kiru Editing and Production: Kim Short

My guest, Amanda Gobatto, realized her life-long dream of becoming a parent, only to lose herself in her new identity as a mom. After being confronted with issues around “mom guilt” and negative self-worth, she learned that, in order to show up as her best self for her family, she had to give herself the permission to put her own needs and desires first. Taking time to reflect on and recall what truly lit her up provided the opportunity to reconnect with her joy and become a completely fulfilled woman, personally and professionally. Amanda highlights the importance of tossing out judgement and staying in our own lane, in order to step into who we’re meant to be. Connect with Amanda: Website – Heartledpreneurs www.heartledpreneurs.com Website – Digital Girl Consulting www.DigitalGirlConsulting.com Instagram www.Instagram.com/digitalgirlca Facebook www.Facebook.com/groups/digitalgirl Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Amanda Gobatto Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Karen Flynn, believes wholeheartedly that women can re-define success and enjoy lives of deep fulfillment. She reminds us that the key to making our greatest impact is being at our best, in true joy. Achieving that means putting ourselves first, establishing healthy boundaries and releasing ourselves from undo pressure in order to protect our well-being. Karen is on a mission to bring these lessons to women, so they can recognize their talents, share their gifts with the world and live more meaningful, well-balanced lives. Join us as Karen draws upon the inspiration she receives from her daughter and friends to openly share her personal & professional experiences and wisdom. Connect with Karen: Website www.coachkmentorship.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachk2020/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coachkmentorship/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachKMentorship/ Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Karen Flynn Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Mary-Kate Medicine, candidly discusses the power of challenging cultural norms and historically taboo subjects that, by design, keep trauma hidden in shame and secrecy. When we look at our own upbringing and recognize patterns from our childhood that don’t serve us, we then have the opportunity to change behaviours in order to release ourselves and parent better. Mary-Kate reminds us how this level of awareness allows us to open up deep conversation with our own children, educate them with the language they need to express emotion and allow them freedom of full self-expression. Connect with Mary-Kate: Facebook Group – Free Community Facebook.com/groups/shamanic.sisterhood Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marykate.medicine Website Marykatemedicine.com Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Mary-Kate Medicine Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Rachel Weinstock, was the target of severe bullying as a child, which has significantly influenced the work she does now with pre-teens and teens. Rachel’s mission involves creating safe spaces for kids to be fully seen, accepted and supported. As she continues to recover from her own childhood trauma, Rachel is keenly aware of the value of building connections and trust with young people by modeling vulnerability, compassion and kindness. Rachel reminds us to recognize and foster the wisdom, courage and authenticity that kids naturally possess and embrace the great responsibility we have, as adults, as guides in their lives. Connect with Rachel: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RachelWeinstock Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/222936935471538/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rachelweinstock_/ Pre-Teen Club https://virtualcampforkids.com/fallclub Website http://www.rachelweinstock.com TikTok @rachelweinstock_ Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Rachel Weinstock Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Roz Levbarg, sees mid-life as an opportunity for re-evaluation, new beginnings and growth. She candidly shares how a sudden and traumatic divorce from her second husband left her emotionally devastated. After coming to the realization that it was up to her to make changes in order to move forward, Roz looked inward in order to rebuild and, eventually, open her heart to love again. Roz encourages us to embrace the lessons that come from our challenging life experiences and reminds us that we are stronger than we think. Connect with Roz: Website Rozlevbarg.com. Click to claim your free gift: “How To Become Ageless In Midlife: The #1 Mindset Shift You Need To Make Right Now.” LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/lifecoachingbyroz Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Roz Levbarg Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Sara Jamil, shares her journey to compassion, which she defines as “love in action”. After going through a dark period in her life, Sara looked inward and came to terms with who she was and who she wanted to be, coming to the realization that she had the power to choose. This shift led to her recognizing and developing her own compassion, a skill she has used to positively impact and influence meaningful change within herself, her family, her community and beyond. She reminds us that we all innately possess compassion and can use it to lead by example, which can have a powerful ripple effect on those around us. *Trigger Warning: In this episode, we discuss men’s violence against women Connect with Sara: Websites http://www.compassionfirst.ca/ & http://www.charterforcompassion.org/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_compassionfirst Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CompassionF/ Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Sara Jamil Editing & Production: Kim Short

My guest, Anja Simmons, is a British trained nanny who assumed her years of experience raising other people’s children had fully prepared her for motherhood. However, soon after giving birth to her first baby, Anja realized she would have to do things differently. Becoming a mom was an opportunity for self-reflection, awareness and healing, where she would learn to parent her children based on what they needed as individuals. Anja openly talks about her own challenges with getting vulnerable and acknowledges how scary it can be to let those walls down, while reminding us how vital it is to do so in order to create healthy connections with our kids. Connect with Anja: Website www.parentingsuccesscoach.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/parenting_success_coach YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLISLjP97piN-ajPGK4siUt3x6iK3vSgxa SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/parentingdifferently Creator & Host: Kim Short Guest: Anja Simmons Editing & Production: Kim Short