The Calm Collective - a wellness podcast for women

As parents—and especially as mothers—we are the emotional thermostats of our homes. Our kids look to us to cue them on whether a situation is safe, calm, or chaotic. But what happens when our own internal thermostat malfunctions right when they need us the most? In this incredibly vulnerable solo episode, Ashlee pulls back the curtain on a major reality check she experienced during her son’s recen...

Have you cleaned up your diet, cut out gluten, taken the probiotics, and you're still struggling with bloating, constipation, acid reflux, Hashimoto's, hormone imbalances, or low energy? If so, this episode is for you. One of the biggest misconceptions Colleen sees in the health world is that healing starts and ends with the gut. While your gut is incredibly important, it doesn't funct...

Have you ever bought a box of cookies just because they were labeled “gluten-free” or “vegan,” assuming they were automatically better for you? This week on The Calm Collective, Colleen and Ashlee sit down with the incredible Chef Nina to unpack how diet culture has completely weaponized food labels, leaving us overwhelmed, fearful, and deeply disconnected from our own bodies. Chef Nina shares her...

What does it really mean to nourish yourself? If your first thought was food, you're not wrong—but nourishment is so much bigger than what's on your plate. In this solo episode, Colleen shares her personal health journey from being a chronically sick child with frequent infections and antibiotic use to struggling with endometriosis, severe digestive issues, eczema, cystic acne, PMDD, brain...

How is it possible to have a perfectly healthy diet on paper, yet still struggle with brutal sleep issues, hormonal imbalances, chronic anxiety, and digestive problems? This week on The Calm Collective , Colleen and Ashlee dive into a massive missing piece in the wellness world: you cannot eat your way out of a dysregulated life. When life is stuck in a state of constant stress and survival mode,...

When you think of the word "nourishment," what comes to mind? Is it the food you eat, the rest you get, or the way you move your body? This month on the podcast, Colleen and Ashlee are diving deep into what it truly means to nourish ourselves. In this special solo episode, Ashlee shares a deeply personal, beautifully unexpected way she recently chose to nourish her own nervous system: by...

We’ve all been there: a minor comment from your partner triggers an immediate, defensive spike in your chest, and before you know it, you're locked in a screaming match. But what if the issue isn’t your partner's behavior, but your own dysregulated response to it? This week on The Calm Collective , Colleen and Ashlee are joined by Michelle Purta, marriage coach and host of The Marriage &am...

If you keep starting and stopping diet changes or a new workout plan because there’s just too much on your plate, grab a cup of coffee and listen in. Colleen is calling out a pattern so many women get stuck in—putting their own health last to keep everything else running smoothly. Over time, that shows up in the body as bloating, fatigue, crashes, and feeling like you’re constantly running on empt...

We often label ourselves as "nice" or "helpful," but what if those behaviors are actually signs that your nervous system is stuck in a dysregulated state? This week on The Calm Collective , Colleen and Ashlee are pulling back the curtain on the "Fawn" response, the survival mechanism that forces us to prioritize everyone else’s regulation over our own. We explore how...

It’s easy to be "zen" when you are in your own quiet space, practicing what you preach. But what happens to that regulation when you’re stuck in traffic, navigating awkward family dynamics, or listening to your teenager clap beats while you’re trying to cook dinner? In this solo episode, Ashlee is getting real about the gap between our "nook of the world" and the chaotic reality of day-to-day life...

Ever feel like you’re doing all the "right" things: yoga, wine at 5:00 PM, and Netflix…. but you’re still snapping at your kids and waking up exhausted? This week, Colleen and Ashlee are getting into the real science of dysregulation. We’re moving past the "all-or-nothing" mindset and talking about why your nervous system isn't a light switch that needs to stay "off.&q...

What happens when your body finally says "no more"? This week on The Calm Collective , Colleen and Ashlee are joined by Naomi, a fitness and business mentor who learned the hard way that you can’t out-hustle a nervous system in crisis. Naomi shares the raw details of her journey—from the toxic pressures of the fitness industry and seeking external validation in a difficult relationship,...

“I’m just so busy.” It sounds harmless… but what if your packed schedule is the very thing keeping you stuck in bloating, fatigue, and constant gut issues? In this solo episode of The Calm Collective , Colleen is connecting the dots between your go-go-go lifestyle and what’s actually happening inside your body. Because here’s the truth:You can’t heal your gut in a body that feels constantly rushed...

This episode hits home because we’ve all been there—staring at a to-do list that feels more like a hostage situation than a plan. In this solo session, Ashlee gets into the nitty-gritty of "time leaks" and why most of us are actually just busy-working ourselves into a burnout. If you’re a founder or a mom (or both) who feels like you’re constantly "behind" despite never sitting down, this one is f...

"I’m just so busy." We’ve all said it, but what if our "busyness" is actually just a collection of unexamined habits? This week on The Calm Collective , Ashlee and Colleen are pulling back the curtain on the great time-management myth.  We’re exploring why modern conveniences haven't actually made us less stressed and how to stop "filling the gaps" with distractio...

It’s the middle of the night, your teen is spiraling, and suddenly, your heart is racing right along with theirs. Sound familiar? This week on The Calm Collective , we’re joined by Certified Master Life Coach and teen expert Becky Funk to talk about the "anxiety loop"—that exhausting cycle where our kids' stress becomes our own. Becky pulls back the curtain on the "Big Six"...

Are your kids picky eaters? Struggling with mood swings, anxiety, or focus issues? You might be surprised how much their diet—and your approach to feeding them—plays a role. In this episode, I break down the biggest nutrition myths for kids and share what really matters: real, balanced food. From sugar and juice to “kid-only” foods and picky eating, we’ll explore how diet affects behavior, gut hea...

What do you do when your child calls you from school, heart-broken and wanting to be picked up because of a haircut and a group of mean kids?  I’m sure, like many of us, your first instinct is to rescue. You want to drive to the school, pick them up, and protect them from the world. But this week on The Calm Collective , Ashlee is sharing why that "rescue" might actually be doing more ha...

What if the key to a calmer home isn’t a better schedule, but a better boundary? This week on The Calm Collective , Ashlee and Colleen are getting honest about the high-stakes challenge of raising independent kids in a world designed to distract them. We explore the vital link between our own emotional regulation and our children’s behavior, diving into why "gentle parenting" doesn't...

In this powerful conversation, Ashlee and Colleen sit down with burnout and alignment coach Mel Grime to unpack what burnout really is — and why so many high-capacity women are silently living in it. Burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s chronic stress without relief. It’s functioning on empty. It’s the pressure to perform across career, motherhood, relationships, and home — all while appearing “fi...

In this solo episode of The Calm Collective , Colleen shares heartfelt reflections on the role of community during life’s hardest seasons, including the loss of her daughter, Ainslie, in 2018 and another challenging chapter in 2024. Through honest storytelling, she explores what real support actually looks like—the people who show up quietly, consistently, and without needing the right words—and r...

Adult friendships aren’t failing, they’re being tested. In this solo episode, Ashlee dives into why connection feels harder in your 30s and 40s, why some friendships quietly fall away, and why that doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong. Between family, work, kids’ schedules, and constant overstimulation, many of us are craving deeper connection… while feeling too exhausted to maintain it. Ashlee un...

In this episode, Ashlee and Colleen have an honest conversation about something so many women feel—but rarely say out loud: loneliness. They explore why adult friendships can feel harder than ever in a hyper-connected, tech-driven world, and how social media often gives the illusion of connection without the depth of real community. From parenting-centered friendships to introversion labels, busy...

In this episode, Ashlee and Colleen sit down with Alex Long to talk about what it really looks like to align your life with your priorities—and continue evolving as you grow. Alex shares her powerful journey of leaving an abusive marriage, rebuilding her life, and redefining success beyond titles, roles, and external expectations. This conversation explores why there’s no single breakthrough momen...

In this episode, Colleen is talking about a very unsexy day in her life — the simple, mostly free habits that actually keep her feeling happy, energized, and yes, pooping daily. She dives into morning sunlight, walking, protein at every meal, sitting down to eat, and small nervous system resets — the boring stuff that truly supports gut health, mental health, and hormone balance. Ladies, if you’ve...