Welcome back to Part 2 of For Me. Heather continues her conversation with Charli Roanhaus about how she has been deconstructing society's idea of beauty. Charli shares her definition of beauty and heads up- we talk briefly about shapewear and high heels! Both can be touchy subjects for women. But in the end, Charli shares a beautiful message about the spirit of women.
Join host Heather as she interviews Charli Roanhaus, host of The Growing True podcast. For the past five years, Charli has been deconstructing society's idea of beauty. When she was younger, she chased others' definitions of beauty, which always left her feeling rejected. She finally realized to feel beautiful in her own body; she had to ask herself, "What does beauty mean for me?".
I asked, and you answered. After Texas passed its Heartbeat Law, I asked people to share their stories about abortion. I felt as though no one had given space to the very people this law seemed to affect. I wanted to expose the arguments people give for denying a person autonomy over their body by using your stories to surround and crush those fragile arguments. Your stories are valid, raw, and unapologetic. Thank you for being courageous and sharing them with me.
Meet Tristan, an energetic spirit who is on a quest to help women step into their own ideas of beauty. From an early age, Tristan believed that the definition of beautiful was thin, blonde, and boobs that would attract the boys, but there was a catch. She was not blonde; she didn't consider herself thin, and a medical condition left her with misshapen breasts. As a result, Tristan felt like a prisoner in her body. It would be years before she was confident enough to define beauty for herself. Ho...
"I wanted to be the best little Christian girl." This line makes many of us who grew up in the south wince. When you meet someone in the south, one of the first questions asked is, "Where do you go to church." Christianity is a lifestyle with heavy expectations. For many women, finding their space in a Christian world is stifling. We live in a world that uses the Son of Man to dictate what women can and can not do. Enter Karina. Karina is a woman who is striving to be her most authentic spiritua...
Halee turns her story of addiction and living as a homeless person into a life of vulnerability and courage. Trigger warning: the following topics are discussed homelessness, addiction, prison, and family issues.
A story about addiction and redemption. Trigger warning: The following topics are discussed: addiction and drunk driving fatality.
Julia Walsh shares her story of surviving sex trafficking. Trigger warning: topics in this episode include sex trafficking, adoption, family stressors, abuse, manipulation, and PTSD
Learn how one woman pulled wisdom from trauma and use it as a means to identify and serve others. Trigger warning: topics in this episode include sexual abuse.
Learn how processing and metabolizing our stories is a powerful healer.
Heather briefly explains why she pushed pause on the podcast, how she has triumphed, and what is in store for Season 2 of This is Me.
Sometimes the only way to move forward is to look back. I know this is contrary to what you've heard time and time again, but it's true. Looking back at our own stories helps us become aware of why we make certain choices and recognize coping habits we develop through experiences of shame, stress and self-doubt. But most importantly, it helps us understand how those things affect the stories we're still writing today. In this episode, I talk about recognizing the starting point of your own story...
Did you know your body physically holds onto memories and emotions you experience throughout your life? They get bound up and stored, waiting for the opportunity to be released. That’s why yoga can be so therapeutic. When I first started my practice I was in it for the strength and flexibility, but soon I found myself crying when I went into certain poses. Caught by surprise, I found myself reliving distant memories and experiencing emotions I hadn't felt in years. Since then, I’ve learned how y...
(Part 2 of 2) The mass devastation of the Liberian Civil War of 1989 served as a backdrop to Sonnie’s earliest memories. Her father headed to the United States when she still was very young, leaving Sonnie, her mother and younger brother to seek refuge in a small village outside the city. Soon after the war ended, Sonnie’s mother left both children behind in the village as she, too, made her way to America. The physical, sexual and emotional abuse Sonnie endured throughout her life set the tone ...
(Part 1 of 2) The mass devastation of the Liberian Civil War of 1989 served as a backdrop to Sonnie’s earliest memories. Her father headed to the United States when she still was very young, leaving Sonnie, her mother and younger brother to seek refuge in a small village outside the city. Soon after the war ended, Sonnie’s mother left both children behind in the village as she, too, made her way to America. The physical, sexual and emotional abuse Sonnie endured throughout her life set the tone ...
Facing your own story can be difficult. Sometimes you need a solid supporter - the one that sees all the moments of your struggle, never judges, always encourages and helps pull you through to a better place. That person actually becomes part of your story. In this episode, my husband Lanham and I talk about how *my* story is actually *our* story. We've been married more than 20 years and he's seen me through my hardest and darkest times. He's the one that saw the potential in my struggles and e...
Have you ever hit a breaking point, a true rock-bottom moment when you knew things had to change? I’ve felt compelled to dive deeper into my experience with mental illness. In this podcast, I talk about my breaking point – the moment “broken” reached the bottommost layer of my soul. In that moment, tears fell uncontrollably. But there is a voice that comes after tears. It brings warmth and it brings a choice. For me, that choice was to decide “unworthy” was no longer acceptable. It was time for ...
What is your mean-girl memory? Being a mom is tough. But the best way through it is with your tribe, so the “book club” ladies are back for a second Winecast! Pour your own glass of wine and join the gals as they discuss the mean-girl culture that exists today, not only in adulthood but also while raising their daughters.
Do you constantly ask yourself the most absurd questions? Join Heather as she shares with you the hilarious, but uncomfortably truthful questions that come up often for her, and most likely other women.
How do you feel about bras? Add some “sush” in your cup, and join Heather Stark as she shares with you her uncomfortable, but comical story of the “floating bra syndrome” and the childhood trauma it created. Did you get a shiny introduction to puberty filled with an instruction manual and a $100 gift card to Victoria’s Secret? For Heather, this was not the case. There were some hand-me downs, some toilet paper, and a whole lot of discomfort. Her ultimate goal is to help women empower their daugh...
In this episode Heather Stark is joined by her inspiring group of honest, candid and funny women known as her “book club” ladies. They talk about the importance of connecting with other women, being vulnerable and the struggles that come along with raising kids - especially when you have a newborn, dirty house and haven’t showered for days. So grab some wine, put on a face mask, and get ready to meet your new favorite women as they make you feel somewhat “normal” in this judgement-free space.
Why did Heather get into the business of empowering women? In this episode Erin Ostenson talks with Heather Stark as she opens up about why she started this podcast in her self-proclaimed “messy, but clean” style. Heather learned to function in “pretend perfection” that created a world of pain and anguish. After almost ending her life, she chose to overcome the plague of self-hatred and self-rejection. As she says, “We all have stories. Your struggles do not define you, but they do shape you.” S...
Every woman has a unique story that guides her life, and every woman has a right to share theirs. When you own your story, it gives permission to the next generation to share theirs. Ladies, This is Me is a safe space and it is time to dive in. Grab your glass of wine or coffee with some “sush” in it and join Heather Stark as she empowers women everywhere.
