Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

Most of the time, I come into these solo episodes with a well-thought-out topic, complete with an outline and bullet points. But today, I wanted to riff organically with no structure. Just me talking about something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately: integration. Integration is one of those buzzwords that gets thrown around in personal growth, but it’s often misunderstood. It’s the moment where insight turns into embodiment, the thing I like to call the point of no return where you stop trying to “fix” yourself and start actually living what you’ve learned. Many people stay stalled or stuck here (me!), so I’m here to talk about it! In this episode, I talk about what integration really looks like, why emotions are at the center of it, and how to move through this phase with compassion and curiosity. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why integration is the bridge between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. The “point of no return” moment when personal growth stops being conceptual and starts being embodied. How emotions play a central role in integration—and why learning to name, feel, and move through them changes everything. What it means to witness yourself first before expecting anyone else to. How tapping into your childlike nature helps you see all the dimensions of yourself and stay connected to your wholeness. Integration isn’t glamorous or a mountaintop moment. It's the in-between space where you practice what you know and learn to trust yourself in the process. My hope is that this episode helps you soften into that space and recognize that this, right here, is where real transformation happens. Resources from this episode:  Sign up for my free workshop!  We Are the Stars by The Nunnery (on Spotify) Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/701 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m so excited to welcome Sabrina Bendory, author of Detached: How to Let Go, Heal, and Become Irresistible, for a powerful conversation about what it really means to stay grounded in yourself while building healthy, connected relationships. Sabrina shares what inspired her to write Detached and how learning to let go transformed her approach to love, self-worth, and emotional intimacy. We explore how fear and old conditioning keep so many of us stuck and what it looks like to show up as the fullest, most self-assured version of yourself in love and life. What you’ll hear about in this episode: What it means to be detached in relationships and how it actually creates deeper connection (4:44) The fear of ending up alone and how to get free from it (6:44) What emotional availability looks like in practice when you’ve been with someone for years and how to grow together (16:36) How to attract love and opportunities when you’re embodying your worth (you get to decide) (24:48) Shutting down or numbing out in relationships and how to come back home to yourself (41:44) Resources from this episode: Hop on my email list for updates on my books, programs, and more: andreaowen.com/free Sabrina’s Book Sabrina on Instagram Sabrina’s Podcast Sabrina’s Substack Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/700 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to my 2-part podcast episode, where I’m talking about how to “de-center” men (or really anything or anyone we’ve made the “sun” in our lives). We named the pattern: what it looks like to center men and the emotional, relational, and cultural costs when we orbit someone else’s needs at the expense of our own. Today we move from insight to action (Yay!). This episode is about how to stop self-abandoning without burning your life down, and what decentering looks like in real, everyday practice. I’ll walk you through a clear framework you can try this week—tiny choices, boundary language, nervous-system support, and specific drills for dating, work, and long-term partnership. You’ll also hear a couple of personal moments that show how these tools play out when things get clear, messy, and very human. This is what you’ll hear in this episode: A short recap of Part 1: a plain-language definition of “centering men” and why the costs keep adding up over time. How to spot the pattern in real time using quick questions (“Am I doing this for their comfort? For avoiding conflict? To not inconvenience someone else?”) and a pause before reacting. Relational autonomy in action: the “Two-Yes Rule”, and speaking your “why” without over-explaining. Exiting self-silence with nervous-system help: a scheduled anger/venting that doesn’t bleed into your relationships. Reframing “being disliked for having needs” as data—not disaster. Decentering drills for real life: speaking first and reclaiming your voice at work, and self-regulation + clear timing in partnerships. Shifting the ecosystem: auditing your media, re-centering women in your inputs, etc. Decentering isn’t about rejecting or hating men; it’s about reclaiming yourself in a culture that has taught us that centering men will keep us safe and it’s the only option. My hope is that this episode gives you a practical path: notice the old bargain as it’s happening, choose one small values-aligned action, and let your nervous system catch up as you practice new boundaries. And please try the homework! Pick one domain where you tend to self-abandon, run a tiny experiment this week, and reflect on what your body and inner voice tell you. If this landed, share the episode and let me know what shifted for you!  Resources from this episode: Episode 697: De-Centering Men Part 1: What it means and what it costs us Download a Free Digital Version of my upcoming book, Live Like You Give a Damn Hop on my email list for updates on my books, programs, and more: andreaowen.com/free My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/699 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michele Capots joins me to share her deeply personal story of depression, recovery, and the lifelong journey of becoming. Michele’s experience of hitting rock bottom and finding resilience through it led her to help others reclaim hope and mental wellness on their own terms. Michele is a transformational coach, international speaker, and storyteller on the power of mental wellness and resilience. Throughout our conversation, we talk about the self-stigma that keeps so many of us silent, the patterns that hold us back even when we’re aware of them, and how transformation often requires grieving who we used to be. Michele also shares why rest is medicine, and how redefining wellness starts with learning to be instead of constantly doing. What you’ll hear in this episode: Michele’s story of depression, sobriety, and the moment that changed everything (5:26) How self-stigma shows up and what it takes to unlearn what we’ve internalized (10:42) The first step needed to break old patterns (15:54) The grief that comes with letting go of old versions of ourselves and how to navigate the messy middle (22:34) Practical ways to reconnect with your body through somatic work, rest, and sleep for mental wellness (30:42) Resources from this episode: Pre-order my upcoming book, Live Like You Give a Damn (out December 9!) Want to join me at a Rhythmia Retreat in 2026? DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support(at)andreaowen.com for details. Michele’s website Michele on Instagram Michele’s Substack Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/698 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve been circling this topic for years in my personal life, and today I’m finally ready to name it out loud: what it means to center men—and the quiet, persistent ways it costs us. This isn’t a takedown of men. It’s a conversation about the water we swim in, how it shapes our choices, and why so many of us end up orbiting someone else’s needs while abandoning our own. In this first of a two-part series, I briefly unpack the language and the lived reality—androcentrism, “woman as Other,” the male gaze, compulsory heterosexuality, and self-silencing—and connect those ideas to everyday moments in dating, marriage, work, family roles, and even how we present ourselves. I also go deeper into patriarchal bargains,something I see over and over in my own life, the lives of my clients, and most (if not all) of the women I know. I weave in my own story and experiences from clients and friends so you can spot the pattern with compassion, not self-blame. This is what you’ll hear in this episode: A clear metaphor for “centering men” (the sun and orbit) and how it shows up in real life. Plain-language definitions of key terms (androcentrism, male gaze, “woman as Other,” patriarchal bargains, comphet, self-silencing). Why patriarchal bargains often feel like safety—and why the price tag grows over time. Everyday examples across dating, long-term partnership, work, family labor, and appearance. The emotional, relational, and cultural costs: confusion of identity, chronic anxiety, resentment, power imbalances, and internalized policing. How health can be impacted when self-silencing becomes a lifestyle (and why this deserves reverence, not shame). A gentle invitation to notice where you might be orbiting—and what questions to journal on before we move into solutions. Part one names the pattern and its costs so you can see it with clarity and care in your own life: centering men isn’t a personal failing—it’s a survival strategy many of us learned. Awareness is the first move.  In part two (in two weeks), we’ll focus on solutions: how to decenter without burning your life down, rebuild self-trust and voice, and practice relational autonomy in dating, work, and partnership.  Resources from this episode: Get updates on my new book Live Like You Give a Damn (out December 9!) Learn about Devotion and see if it’s for you The invention of “The Male Gaze” article by Laura Michelle Jackson Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/697 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m so excited to welcome back Beatriz (Béa) Victoria Albina to talk about something so many of us quietly wrestle with: emotional outsourcing. Béa is a master certified somatic life coach, UCSF-trained family nurse practitioner, and breath work meditation guide who helps humans socialized as women break free from codependency, perfectionism, and people-pleasing so they can reclaim their joy. A lot of what we cover in today’s episode shows up in her brand new book End Emotional Outsourcing. We dig into what emotional outsourcing really is, how we hand over our sense of safety, belonging and worth to everyone and everything outside of ourselves, and the ripple effect that has on boundaries, relationships and your nervous system. Béa explains why talk therapy alone can leave you stuck, what is actually happening when you freeze in the moment, and how perfectionism can sneak into healing and personal growth. And because you know I love practical takeaways, Béa shares simple somatic tools you can use right now to come back home to yourself. These small but powerful shifts help you rebuild self trust and stop outsourcing your emotional wellness. What you will hear in this episode: What emotional outsourcing really is and how codependency, perfectionism, and people-pleasing all fit under it (3:58) Béa explains what she means when she says, “you do this healing in relationship…” (25:36)  Practical somatic practices to rebuild self-trust and move away from outsourcing (32:32) How to begin to rebuild trust with yourself and hear what your body wants (38:30) Resources from this episode: Andrea’s email list:andreaowen.com/free Andrea on Instagram Andrea’s coaching and application page Beatriz’s book Beatriz’s website Episode 531: Navigating Triggers and Calming the Nervous System with Beatriz Victoria Albina Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/696 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Maureen first reached out to me, she was carrying more than anyone should have to juggle at once. She was stuck in a business that was draining her, driving hours to care for both parents as their health declined, and feeling the weight of all that stress on her marriage. To cope, she turned to drinking… which wasn’t exactly a new coping mechanism. On the outside she looked like a successful fitness professional, but privately she was stuck in shame, self-judgment, and the feeling that she was out of alignment with who she truly was. In this episode we do something a little different. Every once in a while I invite a former client to share how coaching shaped their life, not as an infomercial but as a window into what is possible when curiosity and compassion replace shame and judgment. You’ll hear how a single intake question asking, “Is there anything else you want me to know?” opened the door to self-honesty, how coaching helped Maureen finally set boundaries and leave a job that was crushing her, and how one art project I assigned to her revealed what she was hiding behind perfectionism, numbing, and people-pleasing. You can see a photo of Maureen with that project here. Today, Maureen is not only living alcohol-free but also coaching other women through the same struggles she once faced. Her story is proof that shame can lose its grip when met with curiosity, and that lasting change often starts with a single brave conversation. What you will hear in this episode: Why Maureen reached out for coaching: the job that did not fit, caregiving for sick parents, and rising drinking as a coping strategy The surprising intake moment, how a small answer on a form opened the door to talking about alcohol (and why that mattered) How curiosity and non-judgmental questions changed Maureen’s relationship with herself and her drinking The “Armor of Control” art project: turning pain into an image that shows the lies vs. the truth underneath The science that changed her: gray-area drinking, neuroplasticity, and the empowering truth that your brain can be rewired Practical hope: how you can get many of the outcomes you seek (social ease, down-regulation, fun) without alcohol If you found this episode helpful, forward it to a friend who has been quietly struggling. Sometimes hearing one human story is the nudge another person needs. Resources from this episode: Andrea on Instagram Andrea’s coaching and application page Maureen’s website Maureen on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/695 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore the dynamic between growth-oriented and stability-focused partners. Discover how one person's evolution can unintentionally create friction and feelings of criticism. Gain insights into recurring arguments revealing deeper desires within relationships. Learn strategies for couples to bridge differences and foster intimacy while grappling with the challenge of balancing change and comfort. Reflect on the realization that leaving a relationship can sometimes signify growth rather than failure.

I’m welcoming back Wendy Valentine, a pocket full of sunshine, reinvention expert, and empowerment coach, to celebrate her brand-new book, Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play. Whether you’re in midlife yourself or looking for a thoughtful gift for the women in your life, in this conversation and throughout her book, Wendy shares inspiration and tools you can carry into any season.  In this episode, Wendy brings frameworks, strategies, and encouragement for waking up to your fullest self. We explore what it means to move through the dark night of your soul, those heavy, disorienting seasons that can actually serve as a sacred initiation into your next chapter. Plus, we talk about self-reflection as the foundation for all of it, including simple ways to carve out space to check in with yourself, even when life feels overwhelming. What you’ll hear in this episode: The most common disempowering thought in midlife and how to overcome it (5:20) The Freedom Framework: Wendy’s seven-step process for creating lasting change (16:10) Midlife, menopause, and perimenopause and why these transitions are catalysts, not crises (24:48) The Stop, Drop, and Roll method as a practical tool to reframe negative thoughts (32:15) How to make self-reflection a priority, even when life feels too full (33:48) Resources from this episode: Andrea’s email list: andreaowen.com/free Wendy’s website Wendy’s book, Women Waking UpWendy on InstagramApp blocker ✨ If you’re in a season of stretching, expanding, or navigating complex emotions in your relationships, I’ve got something coming up just for you. This new, deeper program is designed to help you build shame resilience, reconnect to self-trust, and stop abandoning yourself for others’ comfort. It’s still brewing—but if you’re curious, DM me on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email us at support@andreaowen.com. I’ll personally reach out with more details to see if it’s for you.  Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/693 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trauma-informed life strategist Elyssa Smith joins me to unpack procrastination, self-sabotage, reparenting, and the art of saying no, topics that shape how we show up every single day. Together we explore how these patterns are rooted in our nervous system from a young age, why they’re often survival strategies in disguise, and how compassion is the foundation for lasting change. As this conversation highlights, “There is another way of being, and I am going to be curious about it.” Elyssa’s stories and strategies will give you permission to start small, with what I call “turtle steps”, and remind you that self-compassion is always the key. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!  What you’ll hear in this episode: Procrastination: why it’s more than just a “bad habit” and how it often stems from trauma (4:26) Reparenting: practical and surprisingly simple ways we can support our own emotional healing (15:46) Self-sabotage: how it shows up, the role shame plays, and the importance of gratitude and self-compassion when facing it (29:59) Saying no: why choosing yourself is part of the healing process and how to start saying no without drowning in guilt (43:47) Resources from this episode: Elyssa’s Facebook Group: Stress Less Lounge Elyssa’s website ElyssaCSmith on Instagram Existential Kink, Carolyn Elliot PhD (book) ✨Interested in a future Rythmia Ayahuasca retreat with me? I now have details! Drop a DM on Instagram @heyandreaowen or email support[at]andreaowen.com with the subject line “AYA Interested” and I’ll share more information with you. Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/692 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices