The Damsel Podcast

We will be back soon with updates and the full birth story :) Thank you all for listening!

After more than 30 episodes and 20 guest conversations, we are looking back at the advice, stories and moments that have stayed with us most. In this episode, we reflect on the incredible women and experts who have joined us on Damsel so far, from conversations about fertility, pelvic floor health and burnout to strength, friendship, motherhood, advocacy and trusting your intuition. We revisit the...

In this episode, we sit down with Angela Yvonne , licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and founder of Calm San Diego, to explore the powerful connection between the mind and body. Angela shares how holistic healing can support both physical and emotional well-being, why acupuncture is about so much more than pain relief, and how she helps people feel more empowered in their own health. We also talk...

In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with Karen Hooper to talk about her family’s journey through addiction, from the painful years of living with her husband’s alcoholism to the moment he chose to seek help, enter rehab, and begin rebuilding his life. Karen shares the resources, support systems, and lessons that helped her survive one of the hardest seasons of her life, while also learnin...

Cancer prevention doesn't start with a diagnosis. It starts with the choices we make before anything is wrong. In this episode, we're breaking down the science behind cancer prevention and early detection. From Pap smears and mammograms to colonoscopies, and skin checks. We're covering what these screenings actually do, why they matter, and how they have transformed outcomes for millio...

This week, Ryan Ambrose is officially in the hot seat. We put his knowledge of women's health to the test with plenty of laughs, surprising facts, and a game that quickly proves just how much (or how little) most men are taught about the female body. From periods and fertility to pregnancy and menopause, we talk through the topics many women navigate every day and the misconceptions that still...

Burnout has become so normalized that many of us wear it like a badge of honor. But what if constantly pushing through isn't the price of success? This week, we're joined by Aimee Presnall , founder of Well-Nest, for a conversation about leadership, ambition, and why so many women feel responsible for holding everything and everyone together. We unpack the hidden emotional weight of high a...

Fertility is something many women think about, but few feel truly prepared to navigate. In this episode, we sit down with reproductive endocrinologist Alexa Medica to unpack what women should know about fertility, reproductive health, and the realities of trying to grow a family. We explore common misconceptions about infertility and IVF, when it may be time to seek support, and the emotional weig...

This week, we're joined by friends Aubrey and Taryn for another Wine With Friends conversation filled with laughter, honesty, and the kind of chats that happen when good friends gather around a glass of wine. From life changes and personal growth to relationships, expectations, and everything in between, they their perspectives, stories, and reflections on navigating different seasons of life....

In this Damsel DMs episode, we asked our community to share the reasons they were unreasonably mad at their partners and the responses did not disappoint. From petty grievances to hilariously relatable relationship moments, we read your submissions and shared a few of our own. Then, in true Damsel fashion, the conversation took a surprising detour. Special guest Lea joined us for a tarot card read...

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with pelvic floor physical therapists Bre Moore and Allie Chiappino , and this time we’re diving into pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. From preparing your body for labor to understanding what healing should actually look like after delivery, we unpack the realities of pelvic floor health during one of the biggest transitions a woman can experien...

We’re joined by pelvic floor physical therapists Bre Moore and Allie Chiappino for Part 1 of our conversation on one of the most important topics women aren't talking about enough: pelvic floor health. From leaking when you sneeze to pain, pressure, and everything in between, we break down what the pelvic floor actually is, what it does, and why so many women are suffering in silence. In this epis...

We’re joined by Raquel Baron , founder of Type One Together, for an honest conversation about living with Type 1 diabetes and building community through chronic illness. Diagnosed at just five years old, Raquel opens up about growing up with diabetes, the emotional realities people rarely talk about, and how her experience ultimately led her to create a platform supporting families navigating the...

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with our moms — and this one is equal parts emotional, honest, chaotic, and funny. We talk about motherhood, marriage, generational differences, growing up, and the things mothers and daughters don’t always say out loud. From parenting regrets to relationships to becoming women ourselves, this episode feels like a real conversation around the kitchen tabl...

This Mother’s Day, we’re doing something different. In Part 1 of this special series, we sit down with the women who raised us, our moms, for an honest, funny, and surprisingly emotional conversation about motherhood across generations. We talk about what it was really like for them becoming moms, what they wish they had known, and how their experiences compare to what motherhood looks like today....

We’re joined by novelist Sophie Stava , whose journey to publication is anything but conventional with a story shaped by rejection, resilience, and the decision to keep going when it would have been easier to stop. What started as an idea became a debut novel, Count My Lies , and is now being adapted into a Hulu series, with Sophie stepping into the role of producer. In this episode, Sophie opens...

Lea Fairbanks pt. 2 - no explanation needed.

Join Lea Fairbanks , a licensed mental health counselor, as she reveals the unexpected realities of therapy. Lea shares her journey into mental health counseling, emphasizing the importance of finding a therapist who matches your energy and needs. She debunks common misconceptions about therapy and highlights the value of authentic relationships as true healing tools. Discover practical advice on...

In this episode of The Damsel Podcast, we sit down with Shannon Gill to talk through her full birth experience and what really happens in those first days and weeks postpartum. From expectations to reality, this conversation pulls back the curtain on one of the most transformative moments in a woman’s life. Shannon shares her birth story in detail, walking through how things unfolded, what surpris...

In this episode of The Damsel Podcast, we sit down with Lisel Lewis , chiropractor and founder of Solana Beach Wellness Collective, for an honest and empowering conversation about how women can better understand and support their bodies through every stage of life. From pregnancy and postpartum to stress and nervous system regulation, Lisel breaks down how chiropractic care fits into whole body we...

In this episode of The Damsel Podcast, we’re keeping things light and letting loose with a series of games that spark laughter, and honesty. From unexpected questions to rapid-fire moments, this one is all about having fun and not taking ourselves too seriously. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen when you stop overthinking and just play.

Today we sit down with functional health practitioner and founder of Natural Way Clinic, Kayla Gasbarro , for an honest and eye opening conversation about what it really means to listen to your body and advocate for your health. Kayla shares her deeply personal journey navigating unexplained symptoms, the path to discovering breast implant illness, and the decision to explant. What began as a frus...

Welcome to the first Damsel DMs episode and trust us, the debut did not disappoint. In this new series, listeners send in anonymous stories they might not feel comfortable sharing out loud but know deserve to be heard. The funny ones, the messy ones, the painful ones, and everything in between. The truth is, so many of us are carrying experiences we think we’re alone in. Damsel DMs exists to chang...

Sage Soulopulos is the founder of Soul Pilates in San Diego, a dedicated doula, and a mother building spaces where women feel supported in every season of life. In this episode, Sage shares her journey into motherhood, entrepreneurship, and birth work and how each path informs the other. We talk about the inspiration behind creating a Pilates studio designed specifically for moms, offering prenata...

In this episode of The Damsel Podcast, we sit down with Monica Salamanca , fitness and nutrition coach and fierce advocate for helping women feel stronger, safer, and more at home in their bodies. Monica has coached women through pregnancy, postpartum, and every hormonal chapter in between, bringing both technical expertise and deeply human understanding to the way she supports her clients. Monica...