Thrive After 45™
By: Denise Drinkwalter, a Midlife Renewal Coach supporting women in reclaiming sovereignty, purpose, and self-trust after 45.
Language: en-ca
Categories: Education, Self Improvement, Health, Fitness, Mental, Society, Culture
Thrive After 45™ is a leadership, identity, and personal transformation podcast for women navigating midlife.Hosted by Denise Drinkwalter — Heart Whisperer, Midlife Mirror & Mentor — the show features intimate conversations that explore identity shifts, self-trust, emotional healing, and personal sovereignty after 45.Each episode offers grounded wisdom and lived experience to support women in reclaiming their voice, purpose, and inner authority during midlife transitions in life, relationships, and work.
Episodes
The Secret Why You're Failing... And It's NOT Your Fault - with Dr. Alain Salas
Jan 08, 2026Have you ever felt burned out while chasing a dream?
Dr. Alain Salas, the "Mind Clearing Doctor," was living the ultimate success - a thriving practice, sailing in the South of France - but inside, he was overwhelmed and exhausted.
This led to a personal collapse that hit his health (getting sick with an early stage of colon cancer!), his marriage (divorce), and his business.
Talk about everything crashing down at once!
Instead of staying defeated, he went inward, and what he discovered became his powerful three-step system for clearing limiting bel...
Duration: 00:26:31Your "Second Brain" Can't Lie To You - with Anna Quigley
Jan 01, 2026Anna Quigley is basically the "Intuitive Yoda" for women in midlife looking to figure out their next chapter.
Anna has spent over 40 years steeped in metaphysics, quantum physics, psychology, and spiritual studies....not just reading about it, but truly living it.
Just two years ago, she did the brave thing: she walked away from a job she loved that had turned toxic and fully committed to the work she knows she's meant to do. She’s here to help women clarify their purpose and bring it into fruition.
Anna and I dive deep int...
Duration: 00:43:46Heal Your Wounded Inner Teenager (and Stop Generational Trauma) - with Tatjana Simakova
Dec 25, 2025How much of your teenage self is still showing up when you parent, love, or even react to things today? That voice that just wanted to be seen and heard?
My incredible guest, Tatjana Simakova, believes that version of us is still shaping our family dynamics, and she has built her life's work on helping us heal that unseen gap.
Tatjana's own journey is one of deep courage.
Growing up with an alcoholic mother and navigating family separation gave her a profound, lived understanding of what it means to heal from the inside ou...
Why 99% of Women Over 40 Can't Find Their Purpose (And The Simple Fix) - with Jim Marshall
Dec 18, 2025Jim Marshall has spent years diving deep into the science and spirit of transformation. He's talking about something he calls "The Natural Law of Becoming," and trust me...it’s a total game-changer for how we think about aging and growth.
Jim’s whole philosophy is this: You don’t have to push, hustle, or force your way into your next great chapter. It’s actually about slowing down, getting intentional, and letting your purpose unfold naturally, just like a seed turning into a tree.
We talked about the pressure we feel after 45 to constantly do more...
Duration: 01:07:35STOP Eating Like This Immediately - The ONE Mistake That Is Killing Your Digestion and Energy - with Dr. Len Lopez
Dec 11, 2025Dr. Len Lopez has been a licensed chiropractor and natural medicine specialist for over 30 years. He's the guy who coined the phrase “eating right and training smart,” and he’s sharing how that’s expanded into a whole philosophy for success in every area of life.
We start by diving into what "healthy" really means, especially for those of us navigating our 40s, 50s, and beyond.
Dr. Len dropped some serious wisdom about digestion that was a total lightbulb moment for me. He explained that, just because you ate something doesn't mean your body absorbed the nutr...
It's NOT Too Late! The MIND GYM Secret to Manifesting Anything After 45 - with SuZan Peltekian
Dec 04, 2025SuZan Peltekian is a global speaker, a peak performance coach, and a total game-changer who has spent years helping people remember they are powerful beyond measure. The heart of our chat is getting out of "default living" and actually designing the life we were born to live.
She gets super real, sharing that she struggled with self-belief for years, going from job to job until she finally realized her own divinity. Her whole mission is waking people up to the fact that they are a spark of divinity, the universe's highest form of creation.
SuZan...
Duration: 00:34:33The #1 Mistake Midlife Women Make When Designing Their Home (It's Killing Your Peace) with Kim Depole
Nov 27, 2025This Thrive After 45™ episode is all about creating a home that’s actually a sanctuary for your soul, and it has me looking at my living room completely differently.
I sat down with Kim Depole, a mindful living design consultant. Seriously, this woman is a master at weaving together art, meditation, and interior design to help people create spaces that aren't just pretty, but are deeply restorative and soul-aligned.
We’re talking about more than just picking out paint colors. Kim's whole approach is that your home should be the truest reflection of who yo...
Duration: 00:31:40The LIE Midlife Women Believe About Being Broken - with Elizabeth Kelly
Nov 20, 2025Hey friend, you need to grab a cup of coffee and sit down for this one. This episode of Thrive After 45™ with the incredible Elizabeth Kelly is truly honest and so, so needed.
Elizabeth is a transformative self-love and mindset coach who came on the show to share her whole, messy, beautiful journey of navigating divorce, finding sobriety, and having to completely rebuild her life from the inside out.
Her story is standing proof that the pain that once cracked you open was never meant to destroy you, but to actually awaken you to th...
STOP Letting Your Mind Run Your Life: The 3-Step System to Reclaim Your Power with Nami
Nov 13, 2025Hey friend, grab a cozy seat and that mug of coffee - I have an incredible conversation to share with you! This week on Thrive After 45™, I'm so honored to introduce you to Nami, a leadership and mindset coach who is challenging us to think differently about how we lead our lives.
Nami spent over 20 years in the corporate world, building high-performing teams, but her own journey through healing and self-discovery led her to an incredible realization. It was sparked by a heartbreaking tragedy that made her ask, "What is it that truly helps us pull ourselves ou...
Duration: 00:32:56How to Find Answers Within Yourself - with Kathy Walden
Nov 06, 2025Get ready for an incredibly open-hearted chat with Kathy Walden that feels like a big, warm hug!
Kathy is a spiritual life coach who's been through the deep work herself, and she’s here to remind us that the guidance we've been searching for is already whispering inside us.
In this episode of Thrive after 45™️, we’re talking about what it truly means to stop searching for the answers and start listening to the wisdom within.
Kathy's own journey, which included facing a rock bottom moment and a 55-year-old memory of childhood molestation, taught her...
From Molotov Cocktails to Millionaire Maker - with Nicky Billou
Oct 30, 2025Get ready for an incredibly powerful conversation with Nicky Billou, a man whose life story is a testament to the transformative power of freedom and courage.
This episode of Thrive After 45™ is a deep dive into how he went from literally having a Molotov cocktail thrown into his living room in Iran as a child to becoming a two-time New York Times bestselling author and what he calls a "millionaire maker."
Nicky's journey as an immigrant, combined with personal trials like divorce, fueled his drive to help entrepreneurs break free from limitation and chase their vi...
Duration: 00:43:05She Left Law to Follow Her Intuition... and Now Flies Planes and Channels Spirit - with Kristen Swinehart
Oct 23, 2025Kristen Swinehart is seriously redefining what it means to follow a truly unique path.
You know that feeling when you realize you're completely out of alignment? Kristen did too.
She walked away from practicing law, became a flight attendant, and stepped fully into her calling as a gifted channeler known as The Flying Medium.
Imagine serving up soft drinks one minute and channeling spirit the next....it’s incredible!
The part that blew me away is how fast she’s expanding! In just a couple of months, she started train...
Duration: 00:30:43Stop Self-Doubt NOW: The #1 Belief Holding Midlife Women Back - with Sabrina Trobak
Oct 16, 2025Get ready, because this conversation is going to make you rethink the voice inside your head!
I had the absolute honour of chatting with Sabrina Trobak, a registered clinical counsellor, clinical supervisor, speaker, and author of the book, The Voice That Lied.
With over 15 years in practice and 20 years as a teacher, Sabrina has guided thousands of people to untangle their self-doubt and finally see their own worth.
In this episode of Thrive After 45™, we go deep into the quiet voice that says, "you are not enough" and how it's...
Duration: 00:26:25From Panic Attacks to Purpose - with Linda Mallard
Oct 09, 2025This episode is for anyone who has ever felt lost, like a part of you disappeared to keep the peace.
I sat down with my dear friend, Linda Mallard, a transformational coach for midlife women. Linda's story is a beautiful, raw journey of a midlife reinvention - from building a successful Pilates business for 25 years to completely reinventing her life after a series of profound personal losses and transitions.
Linda is known as "the woman who helps you come home to yourself", and you’ll hear exactly why.
She shares how her body bega...
"Menopause Hit Me Like a Truck" - Why Midlife Women Need to Be "Selfish" to Heal - with Jacqueline Perez
Oct 02, 2025This episode is a true gem. I'm so honoured to welcome back Jacqueline Perez, the heart-centered force behind Cool Life and a powerful champion for women in midlife.
Jacqueline is the embodiment of everything we talk about here on Thrive After 45™: that our second act is where we truly rise into our power.
Jacqueline gets real about her own menopause journey, which she says hit her "like a tractor trailer" and shook her physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Instead of letting it defeat her, she chose to face it head-on and transformed it into a gl...
Duration: 00:26:46The #1 Block to Your Midlife Reinvention - With Barbara Wood Watson
Sep 25, 2025You know that feeling when you're in midlife and it feels like there's something more for you, but you just can't figure out how to get there?
That feeling is exactly what my amazing guest, Barbara Wood Watson, helps people with.
She's a "Logical Mystic" who has spent decades helping tens of thousands of students worldwide silence stress and unlock their intuition.
In this episode of Thrive After 45™, we're diving deep into the hidden barriers that often stop us from living a joyful and full life as w...
Duration: 00:24:53From Public Speaking Anxiety to Speaking Mentor - with Dr. Doreen Downing
Sep 18, 2025Some of us are here to teach the very thing we once feared the most. That's the powerful truth at the heart of this week's Thrive After 45™ episode.
I sat down with Dr. Doreen Downing, a clinical psychologist who spent decades helping people, all while secretly struggling with intense public speaking anxiety.
It wasn't just nerves...it was a crippling fear that she couldn't "knuckle her way through" or overcome by memorizing scripts.
Instead of letting her fear win, Doreen chose to do the deep inner work. What she discovered became her life's sig...
Duration: 00:25:09From Rowing the Atlantic to Beating Cancer: A Midlife Woman's Story of Resilience with Felicity Ashley
Sep 11, 2025Oh my gosh, friends, you are in for such an incredible conversation this week on the Thrive After 45™ podcast. I am sitting down with the phenomenal Felicity Ashley, and her story is just proof that our midlife years can be the most powerful and adventurous chapters yet.
At 46, after leading marketing teams for 20 years, Felicity did something absolutely extraordinary: she rowed over 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean with an all-female crew of working moms!
This epic journey proved that women in midlife can do incredible things. But the adventure didn’t stop there.
Soon a...
The Unfiltered Truth About Divorce for Parents of Children with Special Needs - with Mary Ann Hughes
Sep 04, 2025In this episode of Thrive After 45™, I'm so honored to welcome back Mary Ann Hughes, a certified special needs divorce coach, family mediator, and parenting coordinator.
Mary Ann's journey into this work is deeply personal. After 21 years of marriage, she navigated her own divorce while raising two children on the autism spectrum.
Her experience with the financial and emotional toll of the process inspired her to dedicate her career to helping other families avoid those struggles and focus on what's most important....their children.
Mary Ann brings a unique blend of personal insight and...
Duration: 00:22:46Constipation is the Symptom, Not the Problem - with Melissa Hall Klepacki
Aug 28, 2025What 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...
How to Embrace Defiant Joy and Play By New Rules with Tania Carriere
Aug 21, 2025Alright, 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 prov...
The Biggest Money Myths Holding Women Back - with Debra Morrison
Aug 14, 2025Alright, 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 Comm...
It's Not Your Fault...It's Your DEFAULT - with Tim Tamashiro
Aug 07, 2025Tim 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 hap...
Stop Abandoning YOURSELF for Love with Junie Moon
Jul 31, 2025Junie 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 m...
What NOT to Say At A Funeral - with Barbara Bowman
Jul 24, 2025Barbara 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...
Duration: 00:33:30How A Sticky Note Save My Life - with Karen Rudolf
Jul 17, 2025Pull 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...
Being Neurodivergent Isn't Something To Fix: It’s a Gift to Understand and Reclaim - with Rachel Radway
Jul 10, 2025Rachel’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 yo...
Duration: 00:24:38From Shame To Self Worth: Healing After A Decade of Silence - with Tonya Peck
Jul 03, 2025There’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 cre...
Duration: 00:30:25From Burnout to Psychic Channeler: A Midlife Awakening with Caren Carnegie
Jun 26, 2025Some 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. W...
Duration: 00:35:59Crack YOUR Code to Wellness & Heal Your Nervous System with Dr. David Yates
Jun 19, 2025Ready for a soulful mix of science, story, and straight-up perspective shifts?
In this episode of the Thrive After 45™, I sit down with Dr. David Yates, a chiropractor who’s part of the rare 2% practicing upper cervical chiropractic care - a powerful, nerve-focused approach that can completely change how your body functions and heals.
But that’s just part of the story.
Dr. Yates didn’t start his career in medicine.
He was a high school Spanish teacher, burnt out by a broken system, when a snowboarding accident cracked open a completel...
From “Perfect Life” to Soul Freedom with Kelle Sparta
Jun 12, 2025Kelle Sparta is a transformational shaman, spiritual coach, and someone who has completely burned her life to the ground more than once...in the most liberating way.
She was living the American Dream on paper…
... successful business...
... big house
... the husband
... the dog
... but she was totally miserable.
So she walked away from all of it and started over from scratch.
Like… moved in with a house full of witches and shamans kind of starting over.
We got into everything.
The messy middle.
The fear o...
Choose Your Hard with Lizzie Siegel
Jun 05, 2025What if the version of you you've been holding back is actually the key to everything you want?
In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Lizzie Siegel, and wow....Just get ready!
Lizzie’s been through it all... trauma, chronic illness, financial rock bottom... and somehow turned it into deep healing, global impact, and a kind of spiritual groundedness that’s truly inspiring.
We talk about what it means to “choose your hard” and how the life you’re living right now might be harder than the one your soul actually w...
Duration: 00:47:49Signs Your Body is Screaming for Help: Midlife Red Flags with Jaclyn Downs
May 29, 2025What if your chronic symptoms weren’t “just aging” - but your body waving a red flag?
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Functional Genomic Nutrition Consultant, researcher, and author Jaclyn Downs ... and lemme tell ya, she does not hold back when it comes to exposing what’s really behind so many of our modern-day health struggles.
We’re talking mystery symptoms, stubborn fatigue, hormonal chaos, autoimmune flares, even infertility - and how they’re often rooted in one sneaky culprit you have have heard of...
...toxic overload.
Ja...
Duration: 00:22:42How to Stop Over-Giving & Prioritize YOU - With Dr. Tia Warwick
May 22, 2025What if fueling your giving meant finally pouring back into yourself first?
Dr. Tia Warwick is a scientist, professor, public health leader, author, and unapologetic boundary-setter. But what truly blew me away was her realness.
We talk about what it looks like to be driven, heart-led, and purpose-fueled...without losing yourself in the process.
She opens up about what it means to give so much to others while quietly running on empty, and how that shifted the moment she turned around and reached back into the “vault” to s...
Duration: 00:19:51Find Your True Purpose In Midlife with Dr. Shafer
May 15, 2025What if the life you’re meant to live doesn’t show up until after you’ve already lived a few others?
Dr. Shafer, a former physician turned transformational coach, author, and speaker - is living proof that it’s never too late to come home to yourself.
After decades of walking the high-achiever path (you know the one...degrees, credentials, perfectionism on overdrive), Dr, Shafer hit a turning point. And instead of pushing through, she got curious.
What unfolded next was a journey of shedding, surrendering, and stepping into her truest wo...
From Broke Single Mom to Midlife Millionaire with Jeanne Omlor
May 08, 2025What if starting over at 54 didn’t mean settling - but soaring?
I sit down with the fierce and fabulous Jeanne Omlor - a woman who went from drowning in debt as a single mom to building a million-dollar business in just 17 months!!!
Now in her 60s, Jeanne isn’t just running a multi-million dollar business - she’s redefining what it means to thrive.
We cover all the things:
👉 Growing a business without burning out
👉 Parenting while building an empire
👉 The BS around “work-life...
Spiritual Clarity with Rev. Christine Davies
May 01, 2025What if you could rebuild your spiritual life in a way that actually feels safe, soulful, and completely your own?
In this powerful and deeply nourishing conversation, I sit down with Rev. Christine Davies - a hospital chaplain, seminary professor, and spiritual director with nearly two decades of experience walking beside people in their most sacred (and often toughest) life moments.
We talk about the real stuff - grief, spiritual clarity, religious trauma, and what it actually looks like to find your way back to a loving connection with the divine after being...
Duration: 00:27:20Unretire Your Life with Sharon Rolph
Apr 24, 2025At a time when most people think about slowing down, Sharon Rolph is just getting started - and trust me, her energy is e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
Sharon is a retirement coach, spark specialist (yes, that’s a real thing and it’s amazing), and an absolute light when it comes to helping people uncover their soul’s purpose ... especially in their later years.
After spending her career in behavioural science and diving deep into what makes people feel truly alive, Sharon made it her mission to help others “unretire” their lives and bring their invisible gifts forward.
We get...
Duration: 00:29:29Reconfigure Your Biology with Jenny Powers
Apr 17, 2025This episode is a must if you’ve ever felt like your body was totally working against you, or like no matter how “healthy” you try to be, something still feels off.
I sat down with the amazing Jenny Powers, a total powerhouse (and also a scientist, educator, and author) who breaks down biology in a way that actually makes sense for real life - especially for women 45 and up. We’re talking evolution, hormones, burnout, energy, and how to finally feel like yourself again.
Jenny gets into this idea of “evolutionary mismatch” ... aka, how our modern l...
Duration: 00:28:59Own Your Comeback with Carolyn Boras
Apr 10, 2025Alright, friends. Get ready to meet one of the most heart-centered, unstoppable women I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with. Carolyn Boras is nearly 70, and instead of retiring quietly after 45 years in education, she decided to totally reinvent herself. How iconic is that?
Note: This episode includes a brief, sensitive moment that may be triggering for some listeners. Please take care while listening.
After a serious health scare, Carolyn didn’t just heal; she asked bigger questions. Questions like..."What am I really here to do?"
And she answ...
Career Reinvention with Wendy Alexander
Apr 03, 2025Midlife isn’t the end of your story — it’s the beginning of an extraordinary new chapter! In this powerful episode of Thrive After 45, we welcome the remarkable Wendy Alexander, a Career Coach who is redefining what it means to pivot with purpose.
Wendy’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and fearless reinvention. From navigating the corporate world as a hiring manager for multimillion-dollar projects to surviving domestic violence and financial hardship, she knows firsthand what it takes to rise, rebuild, and reclaim your life.
But it wasn’t until menopause struck, shaking up everything...
Duration: 00:34:34Rewrite Your Success
Mar 27, 2025Thrive After 45 - Episode 2 | Rewrite Your Success
Welcome back to Thrive After 45! This is the space where we redefine YOU time—for you, by you, because of you. I’m Denise Drinkwalter, a Midlife Renewal Coach, here to help women embrace their power, purpose, and potential.
In this episode, I sit down with Sherrika Sanders, a powerhouse in accounting and leadership with over 15 years of experience navigating high-stakes corporate transitions. From mergers to IPOs, she’s been at the forefront of major financial shifts. But despite climbing the corporate ladder, Sherrika knows...
Duration: 00:20:14Divine Right and Calling
Mar 20, 2025In this episode of Thrive After 45™, we welcome Dr. Lisa Petty, a Spiritual Life Coach, Feminine Leadership Mentor, and holistic wellness expert with over two decades of experience. Lisa’s journey has taken her from holistic nutrition to earning a PhD in Social and Cultural Health, where she explored the barriers that prevent women from prioritizing their well-being. Her personal spiritual awakening led her to study neo-shamanic energy medicine, and today, she blends science and spirituality to help women reconnect with their true essence and align with their deeper purpose through her transformative Wisdom Protocol.
Lisa...