Mid-Life Mayhem; A guide to functioning in your 40's & beyond

In this second episode with my dad, we go way past “how was your week” and straight into the kind of honest, reflective conversation most families wish they could have without someone storming off to fold laundry aggressively. We talk about what it looked like to build a family without a clear “roles and responsibilities” script, how my parents approached parenting with fairness between a daughter...

In this conversation, I sit down with Beth Graves, a powerhouse business builder and community creator who does not just teach women how to make money. She teaches them how to lead without losing themselves. We talk about how we met, what Beth’s career journey actually looked like behind the scenes, and why the network marketing model can be a legitimate vehicle for women’s empowerment when it is...

Midlife Men Mayhem is officially here and it is giving real talk, real bodies, real nervous systems. In this episode, I’m joined by Derek and Jensen for the first time together, and we dive into what happens when diet culture meets midlife, masculinity, and metabolic reality. Derek shares an honest update from the trenches: coming out of full blown starvation mode, increasing calories, watching hi...

What if your “weight problem” was never actually about weight? In today’s 1:1 episode, Derek gets radically honest about the connection between diet culture, shame, trauma, and survival coping —and how food became both comfort and armor long before he had words for what happened to him. We talk about the part nobody wants to say out loud: how under-eating/starvation can feel like “discipline”… whi...

The rules change in midlife—and pretending they didn’t is what keeps so many men stuck. We go straight at the hard truths: why the old workouts stall, how undereating can keep you overweight, and what it takes to move from “normal range” labs to truly optimal health. Jensen joins to share his path from brutal warehouse‑gym coaching to a data‑driven approach that blends hormone literacy, practical...

A suitcase collision in Orlando, a hawk eating a dove on the wing of a plane in New York, and a body that finally refused to push through—this is the moment a career story turns into a nervous system story. We pick up after 2015’s “Owen’s legislation” milestone and follow a series of visceral wake‑ups that reframe anxiety as physiology, codependency as conditioning, and healing as a set of daily,...

*This is an unedited episode I recorded with my Dad <3* A mentor/colleague's offhand comment—“you must have a trust fund”—opens a raw, revealing conversation about money myths, private school optics, and what wealth actually feels like from the inside. We trace the route from exposure to wealthy circles to the lasting sense of being “other,” and how that friction shaped a career, a value s...

What if the most important career decision you ever make is refusing to play by rules that don’t help people? I share the unvarnished path from a shaky start in college to a high-achieving grad career, then straight into the harsh reality of public mental health—where stabilization trumped healing and paperwork stood in for progress. Leaving that system a few hundred hours short of licensure felt...

The year I vanished didn’t disappear me—it rebuilt me. What started as “I’ll tough it out” turned into a full-body audit: why my knee kept swelling, why my cycles stole weeks of my life, and why I was sick four times after moving into a new house. The answers weren’t motivational quotes; they were mechanical facts. A misaligned patella had ground down cartilage for years. My iron tanked under cons...

Have you ever felt your body tense up the moment your partner walks into a room? That unconscious physical reaction might be telling you something crucial about your relationship's health. I'm diving deep into the challenging question so many couples face but rarely discuss openly: "Has too much happened for me to stay in this relationship?" The truth is uncomfortable but impor...

Picture this: you've hit your 40s, and life starts to feel like a new chapter, full of both challenges and opportunities. Join us, Natalie Diaz and Katie Kovaleski, as we embark on a heartfelt conversation about embracing midlife and transforming it into a time of growth. Together, we share personal stories and insights into navigating the chaos that often accompanies this decade, all while n...

Have you ever considered the holiday season as the ultimate test of your year's personal growth? As we gear up for the festive chaos, we're exploring how December becomes a "final exam" to evaluate the boundaries we've set, our communication skills, and the compromises we've mastered. This episode also delves into the vibrant tapestry of holidays like Hanukkah, offeri...

Ever find yourself irrationally upset over a minor inconvenience, like a missing toilet paper roll? Natalie Diaz and I, Katie Kovaleski, invite you to uncover the historical roots behind these "hysterical" reactions. By exploring the true meaning behind emotional triggers, we aim to shed light on how these moments can be the result of unmet needs or deeper past traumas. Join us as we unr...

Unlock the secrets to thriving in midlife with a fresh perspective on self-care that cuts through the clichés. Have you ever considered how the seasonal shift into Leo season and the back-to-school rush can subtly nudge us back into routines, reshaping our lives regardless of our parental status? This episode promises to redefine your understanding of self-care during the transformative midlife st...

Have you ever felt like you're losing touch with who you are as your body goes through midlife changes? Join us on this heartfelt journey as Katie Kovaleski and Natalie Diaz open up about the rollercoaster of hormonal shifts and their profound impact on personal identity and relationships. With candid honesty, Katie shares her battle with a progesterone deficiency and the emotional ups and do...

What if the roles you play in your relationships are not a conscious choice, but rather a subconscious programming dictating your actions? Join me, Katie Kovaleski, as we unravel the complex threads of codependency and relationship dynamics, promising you a journey toward understanding and shifting automatic behaviors for healthier interactions. With insights drawn from my years as a marriage and...

Follow along on our latest travel adventure: getting the boot from Canada 🍁  Enjoy as we discuss the lessons learned and our biggest takeaways from the trip so far  You can reach us here: Katie Kovaleski: Website: KatieKovaleski.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_katiek/ Work with me: Book your 20 minute connection call here:  Let's Connect Wavier & Release of Liability and D...

On this episode we fill you in on our latest travel escapades through the Wild West and talk about when it’s important to speak up in friendships and relationships, enjoy! You can reach us here: Katie Kovaleski: Website: KatieKovaleski.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_katiek/ Work with me: Book your 20 minute connection call here:  Let's Connect Wavier & Release of Liability...

Welcome back to SASS! We are on the road traveling today to Mount Shasta, which is the root chakra of the earth. And apparently it is full of amazing energy and is an amazing amazing place to visit, so we're really excited. And while we're on this drive, I thought it would be fun to talk about  five benefits of group coaching for growth and development. Group coaching provides interestin...

In this episode I reveal my 8 tips for an easier path when choosing a Life Coach or Therapist, this episode is also available in blog form on my website: https://katiekovaleski.com/life-coaching/life-coach-or-therapist/ Tip 1: Gender matters when it comes to trauma Tip 2: Do I need traditional talk therapy? Tip 3: Do they offer a pre-session meeting? Tip 4: We get what we pay for... Tip 5: Are the...

Week 1 road trip adventure update: Getting more clear on our intentions How geography plays a role in depression  What’s coming up next  If you have any additional questions, I would love to answer them! Set up a free 15-minute get acquainted call here OR give me a follow on instagram at: Coach_KatieK You can reach us here: Katie Kovaleski: Website: KatieKovaleski.com Instagram: https://www.instag...

Enjoy this short little episode on why travel or change of environment is SO important to help the brain, body and nervous system heal and regulate itself.  You can reach us here: Katie Kovaleski: Website: KatieKovaleski.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_katiek/ Work with me: Book your 20 minute connection call here:  Let's Connect Wavier & Release of Liability and Disclaimer...

This is a solo episode featuring Katie's story from the last year, why the podcast was put on hold and what exciting things are coming up!  You can reach us here: Katie Kovaleski: Website: KatieKovaleski.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_katiek/ Work with me: Book your 20 minute connection call here:  Let's Connect Wavier & Release of Liability and Disclaimer: The inform...

This episode was a lot of fun to record because Adam is a lot of fun to talk to! Connecting with someone else as a human is great AND connecting with them over their love of health/wellness/helping others makes it even better. Adam is the owner of Shift 110, a health & fitness company that takes physical wellness to the next level by providing in-depth, one-one-one attention to clients in a gr...

This episode centers around the one common theme every one of us has in our lives; death/dying. In this episode Katie explores this topic in an effort to come to peace with it and with having vulnerable conversations with loved ones around it. On:  The thing we are all going to do - 4:15 On: Wanting to learn how to get comfortable with walking someone home - 5:00 On: How do you want your last trim...