Maria Leonard Olsen is a commercial litigation attorney in Washington, DC. She is the creator and host of the Becoming Your Best Version Podcast and author of the popular book, "50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life." Her TEDx Talk presented at CUNY is "Turning Life's Challenges into a Force for Good." Learn more about Maria at www.MariaLeonardOlsen.com and follow her on social media @FiftyAfter50.
Recent Content
Stacy Blemaster defied odds when she was told that she would never live a normal life outside of a Mental Health facility. After a number of incorrect diagnoses, Stacy finally found a doctor who list…
Stacy Blemaster def…
Stacy Blemaster defied odds when she was told that she would never live a normal life outside of a mental health facility. After a number of incorrect diagnoses, Stacy finally found a doctor who listened to her and allowed her to open up and feel validated. Detailing her childhood, college life and mental health challenges in To Be Or Not To Be: Shedding An As-If Personality, Stacy details what it's like to have manic episodes, be in and out of treatment, deal with toxic family members who fear the stigma of mental illness and to the other side of finally healing and living a life of fulfill…
Laura Venecia Rodriguez is dedicated to helping individuals over 50 regain their mojo and “shine” with renewed purpose and passion after reaching an impasse or experiencing a major upheaval in the…
Laura Venecia Rodrig…
Laura Venecia Rodriguez is dedicated to helping individuals over 50 regain their mojo and “shine” with renewed purpose and passion after reaching an impasse or experiencing a major upheaval in their lives—empty nest, death of a loved one, divorce/breakup, job change, Retirement, or health crisis. Her YouTube channel, Shine After 50: In Your Body, Mind, Spirit and corresponding blog and newsletter offer weekly advice and inspiration for women over 50 who want to make conscious, wise Lifestyle choices so they can enjoy their entire life to the fullest. As a presenter and public speaker for…
Kamini Wood, who grew up in a small Connecticut town as a first-generation American with immigrant parents. Early in her life, she navigated the complexities of identity and belonging. Feeling the pre…
Kamini Wood, who gre…
Kamini Wood, who grew up in a small Connecticut town as a first-generation American with immigrant parents. Early in her life, she navigated the complexities of identity and belonging. Feeling the pressure to blend in and seek external validation, she excelled academically and in helping others, driven by the belief that hard work equaled acceptance. Becoming a mother of five while pursuing a career as a certified project manager, she realized her identity was externally defined. Raising high-performing young adults, she recognized people-pleasing behaviors in her children and felt a deep call…
In a world where Aging is often feared, award-nominated author, poet and psychotherapist Jane Seskin, who is 80 years of age, takes readers on an emotional road trip where they can celebrate the joys …
In a world where agi…
In a world where aging is often feared, award-nominated author, poet and psychotherapist Jane Seskin, who is 80 years of age, takes readers on an emotional road trip where they can celebrate the joys and challenges of aging. In Older, Wiser, Shorter: The Truth and Humor of Life After 65 (Tallfellow Press, 2024), Jane reflects on how resilience and self-discovery helped her combat life’s trials and tribulations, especially as she grew older. Through a collection of 89 poems, Jane redefines the narrative of aging and offers readers a positive take on what is often perceived as a negative. Olde…
Terry Repak shares the lessons she learned in her expat life in a beautiful way. When Terry and her husband moved to West Africa with two small children at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s…
Terry Repak shares t…
Terry Repak shares the lessons she learned in her expat life in a beautiful way. When Terry and her husband moved to West Africa with two small children at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, she seized the opportunity to connect with people of other cultures and bear witness to the ravages of the horrible disease, the finding of a cure and Education about prevention methods. Circling Home: What I Learned from Living Elsewhere (She Writes Press, 2023) chronicles the adventures and challenges of raising children to be global citizens and trying to find home in countries as diverse as …
Sarah Dale's love of nature and experiences in the wilds of Montana are what started her wish to get other corporate women to build their own badassery and confidence by learning outdoor skills. She…
Sarah Dale's love of…
Sarah Dale's love of nature and experiences in the wilds of Montana are what started her wish to get other corporate women to build their own badassery and confidence by learning outdoor skills. She moved from New York City to Montana after a solo vacation to Big Sky. Sarah started Project 1490 to provide the opportunity not only for women to have a unique, outdoor experience that helps them go beyond who they think they are, but they can also build their corporate networks and confidence and have a ton of fun in the process. Project 1490 is "an experience-based women's leadership community …
Glenda "GG" Goodrich, 72, has been questing in the Lakota tradition for 25 years. Questing, a form of going out on the land for self-discovery, has been used for eons. It involves separating from one'…
Glenda "GG" Goodrich…
Glenda "GG" Goodrich, 72, has been questing in the Lakota tradition for 25 years. Questing, a form of going out on the land for self-discovery, has been used for eons. It involves separating from one's regular life, spending time alone and incorporating what the lessons learned can mean in your life. "Nature becomes a mirror that reflects what is going on inside you," Glenda says. "Over a number of years, I undertook a series of wilderness quests in Oregon, Washington and California in a search to discover what I can learn about life, death, happiness, spirituality and forgiveness through the …
Christine Fruehwirth almost died twice from Stress-related health crises. She shares her hard-fought experience in her new book, Surviving Life's Storms and Thriving in the Aftermath, as well as in he…
Christine Fruehwirth…
Christine Fruehwirth almost died twice from stress-related health crises. She shares her hard-fought experience in her new book, Surviving Life's Storms and Thriving in the Aftermath, as well as in her life Coaching and career counseling business to help people reach their full potential. Surviving Life's Storms and Thriving in the Aftermath discusses the four stages of living that she developed and identifies as Surviving, Stabilizing, Emerging and Thriving. She explores the distinct stages of the "survive to thrive" journey and how to apply this framework to careers, marriage, Relationships…
Deb Johnstone helps people discover who they are now to determine what they want to do next. She is a professional speaker, transformational life, business and career coach, personal stylist, midlife …
Deb Johnstone helps …
Deb Johnstone helps people discover who they are now to determine what they want to do next. She is a professional speaker, transformational life, business and career coach, personal stylist, midlife transition mentor, neurolinguistic practitioner, EDISC profiler (profiles energetic types) and Yoga teacher. She is the founder of Transformational Pathways Australia and Women Reinventing MidLife. She also is the creator of her signature program, HER Rediscovery (another group is forming this month) and her signature product, Your Success Planner. Deb is the creator and host of the Women Reinvent…
La’Vista Jones was raised with messaging that her voice did not matter. She grew to realize that simply was not true. She became an award-winning podcaster and systems strategist who has helped some…
La’Vista Jones was…
La’Vista Jones was raised with messaging that her voice did not matter. She grew to realize that simply was not true. She became an award-winning podcaster and systems strategist who has helped some of the world's top thought leaders amplify their impact through podcasting. She is a certified coach, six-time author, host of the BOSS Talk podcast and professional speaker with a message that challenges others to shift the way they engage with their work and care for themselves in the process. Her latest book, The BOSS Shift: Doing What You Love Without Sacrificing Yourself To Do It, is a liter…
Fran Bailey had a near death experience at age 12 that served as the impetus for her spiritual awareness. She became a renowned energy healer and founded the transformative SHEVA Method. Her energy wo…
Fran Bailey had a ne…
Fran Bailey had a near death experience at age 12 that served as the impetus for her spiritual awareness. She became a renowned energy healer and founded the transformative SHEVA Method. Her energy work also helped her beat stage four cervical Cancer that she believes was connected to the death of her father. "We all have cancer cells," Fran says. "I learned how to run energy into the cells and clear it." Fran's journey began with a passion for dance, which seamlessly melded with her innate understanding of energy healing. Her dance training helped her understand anatomy and move into healing…
Divorce lawyer Pat Barbarito, the co-managing partner of Einhorn Barbarito in New Jersey, thought she knew all about complex relationships and the laws that govern them – until her own marriage of 1…
Divorce lawyer Pat B…
Divorce lawyer Pat Barbarito, the co-managing partner of Einhorn Barbarito in New Jersey, thought she knew all about complex relationships and the laws that govern them – until her own marriage of 17 years ended and she determined to get to the heart of love, marriage, and human connection. Her journey spanned the entire scope of relationships – from the science of attraction to the financial impact of separation, to old myths that society still touts as true to new laws that outline how to navigate both uniting and uncoupling. Pat believes that you cannot help others unless you go through…
Marina DelVecchio, PhD, launched her memoir, Unsexed: Memoirs of a Prostitute’s Daughter after ten years of being unsexed in her marriage and getting divorced, because of Trauma and mixed messages s…
Marina DelVecchio, P…
Marina DelVecchio, PhD, launched her memoir, Unsexed: Memoirs of a Prostitute’s Daughter after ten years of being unsexed in her marriage and getting divorced, because of trauma and mixed messages she received about sex for women. In this episode, Marina talks about writing her book to understand why she was so touch-averse, patriarchal effects on sexuality, and how trauma trickles into how we parent our children. "I clear tables when I talk about women's issues," Marina says, of her frankness on such subjects. Unsexed examines the role that sex plays in the life of one woman with two moth…
Christine Fallert Kessides became a first-time novelist at age 70, when her young adult book, Magda, Standing, was published and received significant acclaim. Christine was born and raised in Pittsbur…
Christine Fallert Ke…
Christine Fallert Kessides became a first-time novelist at age 70, when her young adult book, Magda, Standing, was published and received significant acclaim. Christine was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was interested in the fact that all her ancestors (those she could identify) were from Germany. After reviewing her family genealogy and reflecting on some of her relatives’ experiences, she was inspired to write Magda’s story. About the novel Magda, Standing: When her father pulls her out of high school to care for her invalid mother and little brother, sixteen-year-o…
At age 60, Amy Goober wanted to bring something new into her life. She started her own Boston area-based business and became a successful Action Coach for women. Amy is the founder of Drive Your Life…
At age 60, Amy Goobe…
At age 60, Amy Goober wanted to bring something new into her life. She started her own Boston area-based business and became a successful Action Coach for women. Amy is the founder of Drive Your Life®, a dynamic group coaching program that supports women to get into the driver’s seat of their own lives using a unique five-step process to achieve their most sought-after goals. Amy’s signature program Drive Your Life ™ helps women put themselves back on their own To Do List and get into action. Drive Your Life ™ is an engaging talk, small group coaching program, vibrant Facebook group a…
Linda C. Butler is midlife reinvention coach. She is a former executive in the telecom industry, who turned her considerable talents to empowering midlife professional women to become the CEOs of thei…
Linda C. Butler is m…
Linda C. Butler is midlife reinvention coach. She is a former executive in the telecom industry, who turned her considerable talents to empowering midlife professional women to become the CEOs of their own lives. Following her own midlife transformation after being laid off at age 50, Linda leverages her MBA, corporate leadership background and neuroscience-based coaching expertise to guide women to redefine personal success, dispel limiting beliefs, and embrace their authentic leadership, to create a fulfilling second chapter. Her layoff served as a wakeup call to her to re-evaluate what sh…
Should you forgive? How and under what circumstances? A deeply moving memoir by Susan Shapiro, a gifted, award-winning writer and professor, explores the nuanced topic of forgiveness in her book, The …
Should you forgive? …
Should you forgive? How and under what circumstances? A deeply moving memoir by Susan Shapiro, a gifted, award-winning writer and professor, explores the nuanced topic of forgiveness in her book, The Forgiveness Tour: How to Find the Perfect Apology, which comes out in paperback on July 23."[W]hat if the person who hurt you most refuses to apologize or express any regret? That's the question haunting Manhattan journalist Susan Shapiro when her trusted advisor of fifteen years repeatedly lies to her. Stunned by the betrayal, she can barely eat or Sleep. She's always seen herself as big-hearte…
Sue Camaione is the author of a new sexually charged memoir, The Practical Seductress: How I Learned to Take My Hat and Run. Sue’s memoir exposes the dangerous path to sexual equality. Filled with …
Sue Camaione is the …
Sue Camaione is the author of a new sexually charged memoir, The Practical Seductress: How I Learned to Take My Hat and Run. Sue’s memoir exposes the dangerous path to sexual equality. Filled with humor and learned Wisdom as a woman in midlife, Sue exposes the double standard of desire and turns it into a “practical” how-to approach while navigating treacherous and unpredictable paths. It’s an inspiring tale of resilience that defies social norms in a world where men seek adventure, and women find shame—all in the pursuit of pleasure. In this book, Sue sets off on a rebellious cours…