Episode Overview

What happens when the life you built around someone else's blueprint stops fitting who you are? In this deeply moving episode of Her Comeback, Michelle sits down with Audra Phelps — coach, former Mormon mom, and founder of the RECLAIMED program — connecting across the globe from Southwest Florida to Southeast Asia. Audra shares her extraordinary story of leaving a high-demand religion after 13 years, rebuilding her identity across two continents, and creating a coaching program to help other mothers do the same. This conversation is raw, real, and full of insight for any woman who has ever felt like a stranger in her own life.

Audra Phelps is an NLP and neuroscience-based life coach who specializes in supporting former Mormon mothers as they reclaim their identity, redefine their parenting, and rebuild their lives after leaving a high-demand religion.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

• The slow erosion of a life that didn't fit. Audra describes the years she spent inside the Mormon church doing everything "right" while suffering from debilitating panic attacks and depression.
• How moving overseas became the catalyst. Leaving the United States and relocating to Kazakhstan gave Audra something she had never experienced
• Learning who she wasn't — and then who she was. After making the decision to leave the church, Audra knew clearly who she was not, but rebuilding a sense of self from the ground up was a longer, more tender process.
• Parenting as the motivator. Audra's greatest fear after leaving was: how do I raise my kids without the blueprint? That fear became her fuel.
• The word that changed everything: RECLAIMED. Audra explains why this word sits at the heart of her coaching practice.
• The apple pie moment. Eight years after leaving the church, Audra found herself making an apple pie from scratch for Thanksgiving — resentful, exhausted, and realizing she didn't even like apple pie.
• What self-trust actually looks like. Audra describes a woman who has done this work as someone who can observe without engagement
• The NLP framework behind the work. Audra breaks down Neuro-Linguistic Programming in plain language

RECLAIMED is Audra's signature 8-week intensive coaching program designed specifically for former Mormon moms. The program includes a guided curriculum, group coaching, and one-on-one coaching calls

Connect with Audra Phelps

🌐 Website & Free Masterclass: mamaaudra.com 📲 Social Media: @MamaAudra on all platforms

Visit the website to access Audra's free masterclass and schedule a discovery call to explore whether the RECLAIMED program is the right fit for you.

From Michelle:

"Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love" is available now on Amazon. 📚 Get the book: amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D 🎙️ Schedule your call with Michelle: https://www.michellethompsoncoaching.com/contact

What Does It Mean to Age with Purpose? | Robin Kencel

What if the next chapter of your life isn't about reinventing yourself — but rediscovering who you were always meant to be?

In this rich conversation, Michelle sits down with Robin Kencel — certified spiritual director, seven-time Pro-Am ballroom champion, hospice volunteer, and the voice behind the Substack Aging with Purpose. Robin brings wisdom earned across six careers, a pageant stage, a broken foot, and a pilgrimage to Lourdes — and she's not slowing down at 68.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What spiritual direction actually is (and why it's not therapy or Bible study)
• Why midlife is such a powerful turning point — and what happens when the roles that defined us start to fall away
• The biggest lie women tell themselves after 50 ("I'm too old") — and how to rewrite it
• How to begin listening to your inner life again, starting with the practice of stillness
• The difference between reinventing yourself and rediscovering who you were made to be
• Why women over 50 feel invisible — and why Robin refuses to hand that power over
• How improv acting gave Robin unexpected confidence — and what that means for you
• The one habit-building strategy Robin swears by (hint: James Clear would agree)

Robin's challenge to you: Start with a list. What are your non-negotiables? What did you love as a child? What's one thing that's been quietly calling you? Then do a little bit of that thing — every single day.

Connect with Robin Kencel: 🌐 robinkencel.com 📧 Substack: Aging with Purpose 📱 Social: @robinkencel

Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by author Patti Brown. You may remember Patti from Season 1 — she left quite an impression, and for good reason. https://youtu.be/xXHI7_0SNpo?si=TCY99pVK67vP45Co

📖 The Quiet Voice — A collection of personal essays about struggling with addiction and finding a way out, not through force, but by learning to follow that quiet inner voice we all carry. A feel-good story of overcoming, gratitude, and hope. 👉 https://a.co/d/0eymx9c8

🐢 Lola and the Sea Turtle — Patti's beautiful children's book, perfect for the little ones in your life. 👉 https://a.co/d/0gzOmlcZ

Look her up. You'll be glad you did.

Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love by Michelle Thompson is available on Amazon starting June 25th. Mark your calendar, set a reminder, and share it with a friend who needs it.

📍 hercomebackpodcast.com

Episode Notes: Her Comeback with Kellie Grutko

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Kellie Grutko, founder of Purposeful Pivot and a North Carolina–based coach for women navigating "post-success reinvention." After 30+ years in corporate marketing, Kellie shares the moment she realized success had become its own trap—and what she now calls "post-success drift," the slow disconnect between external achievement and internal direction.

What you'll learn:

• The "hidden cost of success" — why doing everything right can still leave you feeling stuck, and why no one checks in once you've "made it"
• How to recognize drift even when life looks great on paper (Sunday scaries, fading motivation, pulling back from people and projects)
• Why reinvention doesn't mean starting over — it means using the skills and wisdom you've already built toward something new
• Kellie's PIVOT framework: Prepare your mindset, Identity exploration, Vision crafting, Opportunity mapping, Tailoring your path
• The difference between burnout and a true pivot signal
• Why confidence comes after action, not before — and how small steps build momentum
• A simple two-column exercise to identify what brings you joy (and what doesn't)
• Kellie's free "Hidden Cost of Success" assessment

Memorable moment: Kellie shares a story about a client so steeped in corporate language she couldn't answer a simple question for herself — until Kellie asked her to imagine she'd never worked there at all.

Connect with Kellie: Website: purposefulpivot.net (free assessment on the resources page) Email: Kellieg@purposefulpivot.net LinkedIn: Kellie Grutko

A note from Michelle: Courageously You officially launches June 25th on Amazon! If today's conversation resonated, the book goes even deeper into frameworks like this one—with stories, reflection questions, and tools to actually do the work. Sign up for updates at hercomebackpodcast.com so you're first to know when it drops.

https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Gayle Todd, a Southwest Florida resident and kindred spirit, who spent decades as a software analyst and project manager for her county government — and then, at 62, quietly planted a brand-new flag. Gayle launched a pet waste removal franchise, Scoop Soldiers, as a side business while still holding down her corporate job, and two and a half years later, she's walking out the door with over 200 customers, her own territory, and retirement plans that start with running, not resting. This conversation is packed with honest talk about fear, identity shifts, asking for help, and what it really takes to build something from scratch when everyone else might expect you to coast. If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start — Gayle's answer is a clear, joyful no.

Key Topics Covered

From Bored to Bold: The Moment Everything Changed

Gayle didn't have a dramatic wake-up call — she had a slow burn. A decade after earning her master's, she found herself restless and concerned about spending another ten years in the same seat. That quiet dissatisfaction was the spark that sent her searching for something of her own.

Why a Franchise — and Why This One

With a love of animals and the reality of a full-time job, Gayle needed something she could run nights and weekends without building infrastructure from scratch. After six months to nearly a year of rigorous due diligence — interviewing three competing franchises — she chose Scoop Soldiers for one reason above all: they were a true partner, not just a franchisor.

The Cost of Building Two Lives at Once

Gayle is refreshingly honest about what those first two and a half years actually required — nights, weekends, burned personal time, a life partner who showed up to her events just so they could spend time together, and a moment, about a year in, when she nearly handed the keys back to the franchise owner. What pulled her through? Asking for help — the hardest thing she's ever done.

Shifting Identity: From Employee to Owner

After decades of building someone else's vision, stepping into ownership felt like freedom — and a little like standing at the edge of a cliff. Gayle talks about how corporate restructuring, salary caps, and position demotions were the final push she needed to stop waiting and start moving.

The Myth That Entrepreneurship Has an Age Limit

At nearly 65, Gayle is proof that "too late" is a story we tell ourselves. She shares the advice that changed her perspective on going back for her master's — and it applies just as powerfully to starting a business: you're going to be that age anyway. Wouldn't you rather have something to show for it?

Asking for Help as a Comeback Strategy

Gayle's biggest comeback moment wasn't a win — it was hitting a wall. Staffing issues, routing problems, a business that felt out of control. Her breakthrough came when she finally called her franchise support team and said, "I need help." The lesson she carries forward: ego is the enemy of progress, and the right mentors will show up when we're ready to receive them.

Connect with Gayle Todd

Website: scoopsoldiers.com

Email: gayletodd@scoopsoldiers.com

Host Michelle Thompson's book Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create The Life You Love launches June 25!

Episode Summary- https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

What happens when a psychologist looks around her field and realizes something essential is missing? For Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, the answer changed the trajectory of her entire career—and the lives of countless women. In this rich conversation with host Michelle Thompson, Dr. Holstein shares how she pioneered what we now call positive psychology decades before it had a name, why she built her practice around the concept of the “Enchanted Self,” and how her journey from classroom teacher to published author, playwright, filmmaker, and podcaster is proof that reinvention doesn’t have an age limit.

Whether you’re carrying the weight of what went wrong, wondering if it’s too late to pursue a forgotten dream, or simply ready to see yourself through a new lens—this episode will remind you that your potential never disappeared. It’s been waiting for you to come back to it.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode

• How Dr. Holstein noticed what traditional therapy was getting wrong—and what she did about it, starting with 19 volunteer interviews over two years.

• The unexpected near-fall at a conference that led to her first book being published—and why she calls it an absolute miracle.

• What “the Enchanted Self” actually means in practice, and the beautiful shifts that happen when women begin to reclaim their potential.

• Why women today still face many of the same internal barriers as generations before—and what it looks like to move beyond them.

• How to use your past as a resource rather than a wound, including how understanding your ancestors’ story can reframe your own.

• The childhood memories that unlock energy and self-belief—and why going back to age 8 or 10 can open a secret door within you.

• What held Dr. Holstein back in her own journey—and how she kept moving forward anyway, choosing impact over income.

• Why her coming-of-age films put young women’s voices at the center, and what we all gain when we stop and listen.

• The simple, daily “Recipes for Enchantment” that create moments of joy, connection, and aliveness.

About Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is a positive psychologist, author, filmmaker, and the creator of The Enchanted Self—a philosophy and practice centered on helping women recover the best of who they are. A pioneer in strength-based therapy long before positive psychology became mainstream, Dr. Holstein has authored multiple books including her landmark first publication on women’s potential, the beloved children’s book I’m a Girl, I’m Smart and I Know Everything, Recipes for Enchantment, and her most recent work, Women’s Freedom. Her coming-of-age short films have been honored hundreds of times at festivals worldwide.

Connect with Dr. Holstein

Website: enchantedself.com

Email: barbara.holstein@gmail.com

Enjoyed This Episode?

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Her Comeback with Shannaz Schopfer, host Michelle Thompson

https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

What does it look like to rebuild yourself — not once, not twice, but again and again across five decades and multiple continents? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Shannaz Schopfer, a global beauty industry veteran and founder of The Beauty Architects, for a candid conversation about reinvention, grit, and what it really costs a woman to earn her seat at the table.

From growing up as a serial entrepreneur's daughter traveling country to country — learning languages on the fly and hiding her shyness behind a forced smile — to launching her own skincare brand, selling it, and starting over in a new country, Shannaz has never let a closed door be the final word. Now based in LA, she's channeling 45 years of hard-won knowledge into helping emerging beauty founders navigate the complex world of global manufacturing.

Today, Shannaz serves as a bridge between indie brand founders and the often-confusing world of international manufacturing, while mentoring the next generation of women entering the beauty space.

• Connect: LinkedIn (search Shannaz Schopfer)
• Company: The Beauty Architects

Key Themes & Takeaways

Reinvention as a way of life Shannaz has rebuilt her career more times than most people attempt once — from brand founder, to sales rep, to lab director, to M&A advisor, to consultant. Her throughline? A refusal to stop moving forward. "If you stop moving forward, you stop living."

The culture classroom Growing up moving from country to country — and being placed in public schools where she didn't speak the language — taught Shannaz adaptability, empathy, and a global lens that became her greatest professional asset. Her father's solution to her shyness? Public speaking and theater classes. It worked.

The gap no one was filling The idea for The Beauty Architects came from noticing that indie beauty brands and quality manufacturers kept missing each other. Big brands don't need a guide. New founders do. Shannaz built her business around being that trusted bridge.

What sustainability actually means in beauty Shannaz breaks down the full supply chain of what "sustainable" really requires — from responsible ingredient sourcing to manufacturing practices, packaging choices, and the reality that retail infrastructure and inconsistent recycling systems still stand in the way.

What it cost her to lead in a male-dominated space She doesn't sugarcoat it: she was fired for pushing back. Fired for reporting harassment. She watched a CEO take credit for her strategy, fail, and later admit she should have had the role. "Should I spend more time with those I love, and be present for those who need me?" — The kind of recalibration only lived experience brings.

Lifting as she climbs Shannaz speaks at schools, mentors emerging women in product development, and advocates for equal pay and self-advocacy — because she knows the beauty industry's consumers and workers are largely women, while the boardrooms still often aren't.

Her message to the woman sitting on an idea Follow your gut. Have grit. Surround yourself with non-toxic people. Get an NDA before you talk. Ask not "Is this a good idea?" but "What would the pitfalls and positives be?" And know this: failure is an education, not a verdict.

Her Comeback | Episode Notes Guest: Amanda Hull, Author & Certified Health Coach

Episode Summary

Michelle sits down with Amanda Hull — Iowa farm girl turned Florida-based health coach and author — for a conversation about getting back to the basics of wellness, sustainable health habits, and the courage it takes to walk away from a corporate career to live on your own terms.

About Amanda

Amanda Hull grew up on a small acreage in Fenton, Iowa (population 300), where gardening, hunting, and raising chickens were everyday life. After a 30-year career in broadcast television and sales management — including a General Sales Manager role at a Hearst Broadcasting affiliate and a volunteer Wellness Champion role for the company — she made a pivotal shift during COVID, leaving corporate life to become a certified health coach specializing in nutrition. She and her husband now live in Florida.

Her Book: Rooted: The Down to Earth Basics of Wellness

Amanda's debut book weaves nostalgic stories from her '80s childhood with practical guidance on nutrition, fitness, mental health, and financial wellbeing. The premise: good health doesn't have to be complicated or expensive — it just has to be sustainable. The book is dedicated in part to her father, who passed away in 2020, and is available at hull-health.com and on Amazon.

Key Takeaways

• Sustainability over gimmicks. Whether it's SlimFast in the '80s or Ozempic today, any plan you can't maintain for life will ultimately fail. Ask yourself: can I do this at 80?
• Ultra-processed food is engineered to keep you eating. 70% of the average American's diet is ultra-processed. Real food — chicken, broccoli, a potato — satisfies in ways a bag of Doritos never will.
• Taste preferences change — but it takes time. Rewiring your palate from processed food to whole food takes weeks or months, not days. Consistency is everything.
• Be a lion, not a sheep. Don't let food companies, social media, or cultural noise decide what's healthy for you. Think critically, do the research, trust your own body.
• One takeaway for women: You don't have to be perfect — just consistent. Small, daily habits compound into a foundation you'll be proud of.

Connect with Amanda 🌐 hull-health.com | 📖 Rooted available on Amazon

"Health is freedom. You live a great life, you're healthy — it's freedom. It allows you to do a lot of things." — Amanda Hull

Subscribe to Her Comeback on YouTube: @MichelleThompson-LifeCoaching

Her Comeback | Episode Notes with Passion Pam

Host: Michelle Thompson https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

Intimacy coach, entrepreneur, and podcast host Passion Pam has been facilitating real conversations about sexual health and pleasure for over 22 years. What began as a way to earn extra income as a stay-at-home mom evolved into a full coaching and education platform helping women and couples reclaim joy, confidence, and connection. Now 52, Pam brings her signature humor, warmth, and zero-judgment energy to everything she does — including her own podcast, Be You with Passion Pam.

In this lively in-person studio conversation, Michelle and Pam explore what it means to live unapologetically — in and out of the bedroom. Pam shares how a chance bachelorette party encounter launched a 22-year career, why laughter is her secret coaching tool, and how turning 50 deepened her commitment to helping women navigate sensuality, identity, and self-permission in the chapters that follow midlife.

Topics covered:

• How sensual confidence connects to overall confidence
• The perimenopause blind spot women aren't talking about
• Why Pam replaced the word "change" with "evolve"
• The awareness-first framework for women who feel disconnected
• Her "edutainment" approach — why humor opens doors shame keeps closed
• The mirror high-five: her daily self-affirmation practice

"I stopped asking how do others see me, and I flipped the switch — how do I see myself?" "I've been told I'm too much for the room. I just say — no, I'm too much for you." "I've started replacing the word change with evolve. You know you're gonna come out better and stronger on the other side."

Connect with Passion Pam: Website: passionpam.com Podcast: Be You with Passion Pam — Spotify & YouTube Social: @passionpam on all platforms