The SavvyCast

Intrusive thoughts and OCD are often misunderstood—and OCD is sometimes reduced to a joke about being organized or particular. In reality, obsessive-compulsive disorder can be debilitating, and getting the right diagnosis and treatment matters. In this episode, I'm joined by mental health counselor Tyler Palmquist to talk about intrusive thoughts and OCD, what compulsions can look like, and why so...

For as long as I can remember, overactive bladder controlled my schedule. I was making 20 to 30 trips to the bathroom a day, planning travel around restroom stops, and constantly interrupting everyday life. I had no idea there was a treatment that might give me meaningful relief. In this episode, I'm joined by my urogynecologist, Dr. Brent Parnell, and registered nurse Renee Renier to talk about A...

What if the difficult parts of marriage aren't merely problems to solve, but opportunities to grow? In this episode, I'm joined by my husband, Zane, for an honest conversation about how marriage builds character, strengthens faith, and reveals things about us that we may not see on our own. This topic came from a lesson Zane prepared for the young married couples in our small group, and I'll be ho...

Your spouse may have received your best while you were dating, but is your marriage now getting whatever is left after work, children, commitments, technology, and everyone else? In this episode, I'm joined by my husband, Zane, to talk about how to protect your marriage before disconnection turns into a crisis. After 38 years of marriage and eight years of leading a small group for young married c...

After receiving so many questions about my skincare routine and beauty procedures in midlife, I decided it was time to share everything! In this solo episode, I'm walking you through the beauty treatments I've invested in over the years from veneers and a mommy makeover to a conservative facelift and CO2 laser treatment. I'm also sharing the professional treatments and at-home products I use now t...

Before you say "I do," there are some important financial questions to ask before marriage and avoiding them now can lead to painful surprises later. In this episode, I'm joined by my husband, Zane, to talk through the money conversation every engaged or newly married couple needs to have. After nearly 39 years of marriage and years of counseling couples together, we've seen how deeply money can a...

You've found the house you love, but have you thought about what it will cost to furnish it? From sofas and beds to drapery and delivery fees, there's a lot more to plan for than most of us realize! In this episode, I'm joined by Ellie Stein of Stein Studio , the talented interior designer who helped bring our lake home to life. We're talking honestly about the cost to furnish a home with quality...

I turned sixty last November, and it forced me to get honest about what's actually working for my body, and what isn't. This is a solo episode where I'm walking you through the five intentional wellness habits I've been building and the four things I quit completely because they stopped serving me. I'm determined to be the best version of myself I can be in my 60s, and these are the intentional st...

My friend Meredith Mann, better known as The Peachie Spoon, is back on The SavvyCast for the fourth time, and we talk about it all! Since her last visit, her supplement business has taken off, and this time she gets real about her journey with HRT in perimenopause, from her first symptoms at 43 to the testosterone treatment she eventually stopped. It's also a personal life update as her teens get...

In early marriage, intimacy is effortless. You don't have to plan it, think about it, or work at it. Midlife is a different story, and in this episode, Zane and I get honest about sex and intimacy after 50. Zane and I talk honestly about the real challenges of intimacy in midlife, from menopause and hormones to feeling attractive and getting out of a rut. From there, we get into what men really fi...

Romance in midlife is one of the topics I get asked about most, which is exactly why I invited Zane to sit down and have this honest conversation with me. Keeping romance alive in marriage in your 50s and 60s looks completely different than it did at twenty-five, and Zane and I are not here to pretend we have always had it figured out. We have been together forty years, and that means we have had...

When my dear friend Debra Hewitt texted me and said, "Jamie, you have got to get Sarah Faulkner on The SavvyCast," I listened. And I am so glad I did!  Sarah is a brain aneurysm survivor, but this conversation is not just a story about surviving. It is a story about what comes after.  After a ruptured aneurysm, Sarah went through emergency surgery and 21 days in the ICU. What she came home to was...

If you have grandchildren or are getting close to that sweet season of life, these are the things you need to know about investing in your grandchildren. I sat down with my husband Zane for a real chat about the steps we are taking to intentionally invest in our grandchildren both financially and in life. We talk about the kind of legacy we want to leave our two grandbabies (and two more on the wa...

If the thought of getting older fills you with more dread than anything else, this conversation is for you. I brought back one of my all-time favorite guests, Ally Phillips, for a second visit on The SavvyCast, and if you caught her first episode, you already know why. Ally will be 77 this October, her husband Pop just turned 84, and she will tell you herself that she found her stride in her sixti...

If you have ever sat in the salon chair wondering what if you're making a mistake with your hair, this is for you.  My friend Chris Presley, owner of Fringe Soho Salon, joins me to answer every question I have ever had about hair, and he did not hold back. From the color mistakes that instantly age you, to the products that are not worth your money, to why you should put the Dyson down, this is th...

I put out a question box asking you to share your most pressing skincare concerns, and the response was everything I needed to see: so many of us are sitting with the same questions and not getting straight answers! Sagging. Crepey skin. Jawline changes. Melasma. Collagen confusion. Lines that seem to appear overnight.  So, I sat down with my dear friend and dermatologist Dr. Jo Herzog to get into...

What if the same framework that helps CEOs find their competitive advantage could help you see exactly where your marriage stands? In this episode of The SavvyCast, I sit down with my husband Zane for another marriage SWOT analysis. The last time we recorded a SWOT analysis on the podcast was six years ago, so we wanted to do an updated marriage self-assessment of our strengths, weaknesses, opport...

With Father's Day this weekend, we are revisiting one of the most meaningful conversations we have ever recorded on The SavvyCast. My husband Zane sat down with our three daughters, Ellie, Jud, and Emma, for an honest, candid conversation about what it was really like to grow up with him as their dad. What did he get right? What would he change? And what do our girls treasure most? Whether you are...

If you've ever wondered why Catholics pray to Mary, what purgatory is, or whether Protestants are considered Christians, this episode is for you.  I'm joined again by my son-in-law, Sean Hiller, as we tackle listener-submitted questions and dive into Catholic faith questions answered through Scripture and official Church teaching. From salvation and sin to the personal cost of Sean's conversion to...

I'm getting honest about one of the biggest mistakes I made in midlife fashion: letting the size on a clothing tag dictate how I felt about myself and what I was willing to wear. Confidence has far less to do with a number and far more to do with finding clothes that fit and flatter the body you have today. I'm sharing 10 midlife sizing lessons I learned the hard way so you don't have to—from lett...

This week, I'm sharing all the details behind the bedrooms at our lake house. I'm diving into the practical finds that have made a big difference: our favorite mattresses, affordable sheets, mattress pads, box springs, and more. I'm also sharing the beautiful design details that have elevated the look and feel of the rooms, including our bedding, bed frames, custom pillows, rugs, and other cozy to...

A year ago, I shared publicly that my husband had converted to Catholicism and opened up about what it looked like for us to navigate faith differences within our marriage and family. Since then, so many of you have asked where I stand today. In this episode, I'm sharing an honest update on my faith journey, including what aspects of Catholicism have resonated with me, what questions I still wrest...

In this week's episode, I sit down with my son-in-law, Sean Hiller, to hear the powerful story of how he went from being an atheist for nearly a decade to eventually becoming a Christian and later converting to Catholicism. Sean also runs a YouTube channel where he shares content and discussions centered around Catholic beliefs applied to real-world topics. Sean opens up about the questions and ex...

In this episode, I'm sharing the story behind a big transition for our family and what led us to sell the farm and purchase our new lake home. I talk about why we wanted another place where our family could slow down, gather together, and create special memories with our grandchildren. Plus, I dive into what we were looking for in our next little getaway home.  I share how we ended up choosing a S...

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by all the advice around Botox, fillers, skincare treatments, and hair growth, you are not alone. I've had so many of these questions myself, which is why I'm so excited to sit down with my good friend and trusted dermatologist, Dr. Jo Lynne Herzog, for this conversation. We're cutting through the noise and talking honestly about what actually works (and what's not...