JOY Unfiltered: Joy is the strategy

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Joy Unfiltered is a little different and a lot of fun. Rachel welcomes speaker, writer, and personal brand guide Bethany Shipley to the podcast, but then the two flip the script and Bethany interviews Rachel. The result is a heartfelt, honest, and deeply practical conversation about joy, grief, recovery, nervous system regulation, and what it really means to make j...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , Rachel sits down with Brenda Rigney , business coach and founder of Aligned AF Community , to talk about what happens when the midlife “rule book” stops working. Brenda shares why the question “How am I supposed to be?” can feel so triggering, how to rebuild trust with your body when life gets loud, and why community (not hustle) is the fastest...

Send us Fan Mail In this grounding episode of Joy Unfiltered , Rachel sits down with Leah Piera Murphy , a somatic practitioner, nervous system educator, and habits health coach supporting midlife women who feel tired, wired, or disconnected to rebuild a steady, trusting relationship with their bodies. Leah’s work lives at the intersection of nervous system science, body awareness, and daily rhyth...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , Rachel explores the neuroscience behind morning mindset and identity change. Key Topics Covered: Why the brain is in a theta-dominant state upon waking Neuroplasticity and identity formation The Reticular Activating System (RAS) and attentional bias The Broaden-and-Build Theory (Barbara Fredrickson) How positive emotion increases resilience and...

Send us Fan Mail What if the book inside you isn’t about becoming an author… but about becoming clearer, braver, and more impactful? In this episode, I sit down with certified book coach Dinah LaPrairie , who helps everyday experts transform their lived and professional experience into big-hearted nonfiction and memoir. Dinah works with writers who feel called to share their wisdom, spark change,...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with Jennifer J. Grove , Nervous System Whisperer and Venting Coach, to talk about what it really means to stop performing “fine” and start feeling safe again. Jennifer works with high-functioning, emotionally exhausted women who look like they have it all together… but feel anything but. Through breathwork, EFT tapping, somatic...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: We unpack how joy isn’t something you wait for - it’s something you build through small, biological inputs that influence your nervous system, mood chemistry, and overall wellbeing. You’ll get practical science-backed tips around: ✨ Pauses — how interrupting stress helps your brain and body rest 💪 Pushups — how consistent movement rewires your chemistry and buil...

Send us Fan Mail Guest: Chase Thayer — Long-Term Recovery Coach & Family Systems Specialist Website: https://www.austinintegrationcoaching.com/ About Chase: Chase Thayer brings nearly 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families impacted by addiction, mental health challenges, and complex relational dynamics. As both a professional coach and someone with lived experience in recovery,...

Send us Fan Mail Joy isn’t about ignoring stress, grief, or reality.  It’s about how we stay human inside of it. In this episode, Rachel explores why joy isn’t fluff, a personality trait, or a reward for surviving hard things. It’s a practical, science-backed strategy that helps us regulate our nervous systems, make better decisions, lead more effectively, and avoid burnout. You’ll learn: Why pres...

Send us Fan Mail What if joy isn’t something you earn after everything is fixed, but the strategy that helps you live, lead, and feel better now ? In this first solo episode of Joy Unfiltered , I’m setting the foundation for everything this podcast stands for. Not forced positivity. Not bypassing hard things. And definitely not joy as a personality trait reserved for a lucky few. This episode is a...

Send us Fan Mail Most of us have been taught that stress = success. But what if the real secret to growth, clarity, and cash is… JOY? In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , I’m showing you why feeling good isn’t a luxury - it’s your most powerful business strategy. You’ll learn: The science behind joy and productivity How to rewire your habits to feel better and earn more A powerful 3-part ENJOY Meth...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, “What is wrong with me?” - this episode is for you. This week on Joy Unfiltered, we’re busting one of the biggest lies in wellness: That your lack of motivation is laziness. Spoiler alert: It’s not. You’re not lazy. You’re tired. Join Rachel as she breaks down the 5 types of tired that high-achieving women often overlook—and how to...

Send us Fan Mail Feeling hungry and stuck? It might be time to eat more - not less. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered, I’m busting the toxic myth that weight loss requires restriction and misery. The truth? When you focus on high-fiber, high-volume, plant-based meals, you can finally feel satisfied and lose weight. Yes, seriously. We’ll break down: The science behind fiber, satiety, and fat loss W...

Send us Fan Mail Think you need a $90 protein powder and a boutique gym membership to build muscle on a vegan diet? Think again. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , I’m busting the myth that strength gains require deep pockets. With 25 years of plant-based living under my belt - and muscles built during broke, busy, and just plain chaotic seasons - I’m sharing exactly how you can get strong withou...

Send us Fan Mail Are oats, peanut butter, and beans really enough protein to build muscle on a plant-based diet? Spoiler: Nope. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , we’re breaking down the top high-protein vegan foods that actually support muscle growth, recovery, and strength - without leaving you bloated, underfed, or confused. I’ll walk you through the real MVPs of vegan muscle-building (think t...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Title: Is Your Snack Lying to You? How to Actually Read a Nutrition Label Podcast: Joy Unfiltered Host: Rachel Bents Episode Summary: In today’s episode, we’re cutting through the food label fluff. If you’ve ever been tricked by clever packaging into thinking something was “healthy,” only to discover it wasn’t helping your goals—this episode is for you. I’m walking you thr...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Episode 3 – Creatine: Your New Best Friend for Muscle, Brain, and Aging Like a Badass Podcast: Joy Unfiltered Tagline: No burpees. No BS. Just fun. If you're a woman over 40 and not taking creatine… we need to talk. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , I’m diving into one of the most underrated, misunderstood, and underutilized supplements for women—creatine. No, it’s not just f...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Episode 2 – You’re Not Inconsistent. You’re Just Exhausted. Podcast: Joy Unfiltered Tagline: No burpees. No BS. Just fun. You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You’re not inconsistent. You're just exhausted from doing too much for everyone else—and nothing that actually fuels you. In this episode of Joy Unfiltered , we’re rewriting the tired wellness narrative and giving you perm...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the very first episode of Joy Unfiltered — the show for high-achieving women who are ready to stop running on fumes and start feeling amazing in their bodies (and their lives). In this kickoff episode, I’m reintroducing myself, pulling back the curtain on my own wellness journey, and walking you through the foundation of everything I teach: Pauses, Pushups, and Plants....