💬 message Denise

Sylvie Beljanski was living a fast paced life as a lawyer in New York when everything shifted.

Her father was a groundbreaking biologist who discovered natural plant extracts to support the body through cancer.

When his life's work was suddenly targeted and destroyed by the government, Sylvie refused to stand by. She stepped completely out of her comfort zone, walked away from her legal career, and dedicated the next 30 years to making sure his research survived and flourished.

We get into the deeply human parts of facing illness and finding true healing.

Sylvie shares the beautiful reminder that you are so much more than a diagnosis or a tumor. We talk about the importance of being the pilot of your own life, doing your own research, and clearing out the physical and emotional toxins that weigh us down.

She even opens up about walking away from a toxic marriage to protect her peace and her personal mission.

This episode is a huge permission slip to take up space and make the choices that are best for your own well being.

Sylvie's journey is proof that the hardest pivots often lead to the most beautiful destinations.

Connect with Sylvie:

• Website: https://beljanski.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beljanskifoundation
• Sylvie's Foundation & Conference: https://integrativecancerconference.com

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

November 2026, I will be hosting a live, in-person experience called IGNITE: The Inner Uprising™.

It is a two-day immersive gathering for 1,200 women in midlife — women who feel the quiet pull toward something more truthful, more embodied, more fully their own.

IGNITE is an extension of these conversations.

It’s where reflection becomes embodiment.

Where insight becomes integration.

Where women who have held so much for others gather to stand fully in their own sovereignty.

If something in today’s conversation stirred you — if your body leaned in — that is NOT accidental.

The waitlist is now open.

If IGNITE feels like something your future self would thank you for, I invite you to add your name here.

https://ignite2026.lovable.app

There is a place for us to gather.

If you loved this episode, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow ...

💬 message Denise

Terri Hanson Mead spent decades navigating predominantly male fields, but what really captured my heart is how she redefines midlife.

Terri is a commercially rated helicopter pilot, an author, an investor, and a coach who helps women go from living on autopilot to taking intentional control of their lives.

When she hit her forties, she did not experience a crisis; instead, she hit a wall of burnout and realized that the narrative about women shrinking as they age is completely broken.

We talk about her path of learning to fly, why she used to hide her dreams to avoid feeling like a failure, and how to reclaim your agency in your fifties and beyond.

We discuss the invisible pressure to look perfect, the exhaustion of constantly worrying about our appearance, and how stepping away from those expectations gives us the space to finally do what fills our souls.

Terri’s perspective on midlife as a puberty of the mind and body is so grounding.

She reminds us that taking just two minutes a day to pause and breathe can be the exact permission slip we need to start making different choices for ourselves.

Find more from Terri Hanson Mead here:

📚 Book: Piloting Your Life
● 📹 YouTube: Terri Hanson Mead
● 📰 Newsletter: PYL In-Flight Entertainment
● 🎙 Podcast: Piloting Your Life
● 📰 Medium Blog: Medium: Terri Hanson Mead
● 💻 Social:

Instagram: @terrihansonmead + @pilotingyourlife
LinkedIn: Terri Hanson Mead
Facebook: Terri Hanson Mead
🧭✈️❤️Zeke and Terri Adventures

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

November 2026, I will be hosting a live, in-person experience called IGNITE: The Inner Uprising™.

It is a two-day immersive gathering for 1,200 women in midlife — women who feel the quiet pull toward something more truthful, more embodied, more fully their own.

IGNITE is an extension of these conversations.

It’s where reflection becomes embodiment.

Where insight becomes integration.

Where women who have held so much for others gather to stand fully in their own sovereignty.

If something in today’s conversation stirred you — if your body leaned in — that is NOT accidental.

The waitlist is now open.

If IGNITE feels like something your future self would thank you for, I invite you to add your name here.

https://ignite2026.lovable.app

There is a place for us to gather.

If you loved this episode, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow ...

💬 message Denise

Ernest Ellender, who people call the Black Belt Trauma Coach, is a former clinical psychologist who realized that sometimes we need more than just talk....we need to train our hearts and bodies like a martial artist would.

We dove deep into the idea that we don't have to let our past trauma be the boss of our future.

Ernest shares about the "trauma lies" we tell ourselves just to survive childhood and how those stories follow us into midlife until we choose to replace them with truth.

It’s not just about a one-time "aha" moment; he talks about the "grind" of self-improvement and why it’s so important to actually enjoy the process and celebrate the tiny wins along the way.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• How to spot the "trauma lies" that are secretly running your life
• Why your 40s and 50s are the best years for deep transformation
• The 20 rules for healing and making your new, healthy life feel normal
• Practical ways to reward yourself and change your internal self-talk

Ernest is such a grounded, wise soul, and his perspective on resilience and embodied strength is exactly what we need in this season of life.

Connect with Ernest here:

Website: www.healfromchildhood.com

* link to a free 36-page summary of my book: https://www.healfromchildhood.com/free-download

* link to the softcover in the Amazon bookstore: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXJ5C4NB

* audiobook on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ew0H4mdwCxFvgUi168ETK?si=35ff1687a0e34aca

Thank you for spending time with me today on the Thrive After 45™ podcast! If this episode spoke to you, be sure to hit that follow button so you never miss one.

November 2026, I will be hosting a live, in-person experience called IGNITE: The Inner Uprising™.

It is a two-day immersive gathering for 1,200 women in midlife — women who feel the quiet pull toward something more truthful, more embodied, more fully their own.

IGNITE is an extension of these conversations.

It’s where reflection becomes embodiment.

Where insight becomes integration.

Where women who have held so much for others gather to stand fully in their own sovereignty.

If something in today’s conversation stirred you — if your body leaned in — that is NOT accidental.

The waitlist is now open.

If IGNITE feels like something your future self would thank you for, I invite you to add your name here.

https://ignite2026.lovable.app

There is a place for us to gather.

If you loved this episode, I’d be so grateful if you left a review - it helps more amazing women like you find this show!

Your journey doesn’t stop here - let’s keep the conversation going! Connect with me at denisedrinkwalter.com, and follow ...