In this episode of The Midlife Mess, Lara explores the idea that we only fall in love three times—and why that framework can be incredibly freeing in midlife.

Inspired by You Only Fall in Love Three Times by Kate Rose, this episode breaks down soulmate love, karmic love, and twin flame love, and how each relationship serves a purpose rather than representing a failure.

Through personal reflection and real-life examples, Lara reframes past relationships as lessons that build toward emotional awareness, boundaries, and readiness for calm, consistent love.

If you’re single, healing, dating again, or wondering whether you missed your chance, this episode offers reassurance: you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Love isn’t something we fail at—it’s something we evolve through.

In this bonus (no production, just talking) follow-up episode, Lara returns to a heavy but necessary conversation—one rooted not in politics, but in humanity, balance, and the often-silent majority living somewhere in the middle.

Sparked by a recent, deeply troubling incident involving ICE and a protester’s death, this episode is not about choosing sides. It’s about questioning fear-based narratives, calling out extremes, and reminding ourselves that most people are far more reasonable—and compassionate—than the loudest voices suggest.

Lara reflects on why extreme viewpoints dominate public discourse, how fear is used as a motivator, and why the center often feels drowned out. Drawing from personal experience, cultural moments, history, and first-hand stories, she invites listeners to pause, breathe, and remember: we’ve been through hard chapters before—and we’re still here.

In this episode, Lara explores:

• Why extreme narratives are so loud—and why they work
• A powerful quote from The American President that feels eerily relevant today
• A grounded, compassionate perspective on abortion that centers women’s lived experiences
• Growing up around guns—and why “the middle” gets lost in the gun debate
• Immigration fear narratives, personal Facebook backlash, and why many people stay silent
• How fear + blame derail productive conversation
• Why due process and democracy matter—regardless of political identity
• Historical context showing that today’s tensions are not new
• First-hand stories of immigrants Lara worked with—stories of kindness, dignity, and tragedy
• A heartbreaking example of how broken systems impact real families
• Why personal stories soften fear more than statistics ever could
• A timely book recommendation that restores faith in compromise and shared values

Book Recommendation:

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson
A short but powerful read (or audiobook) that explores the care, compromise, and intention behind the founding of American democracy—and why those principles still matter today.

What this episode is not:

• A political manifesto
• A call to extremes
• An argument for outrage

What it is:

• A call for calm
• A reminder that most of us live in the middle
• An invitation to lead with humanity instead of fear

Lara closes by sharing what’s coming next (including a lighter, self-help-focused episode), introducing a new recurring segment, and reminding listeners that it’s okay to speak up—even when it’s uncomfortable.

New Segment - Insta Follow of the Week:

@slavic.bestie
Bold, feminine, empowering content with humor, confidence, and unapologetic energy.

If this episode resonated with you—or challenged you—Lara welcomes your feedback. The goal isn’t agreement. It’s connection.

Thanks for being here. We’re going to be okay. 💛

This week’s episode is a pause, a processing moment, and an honest check-in, in real time after watching the disturbing video out of Minnesota over the weekend. Lara found herself unsure how to show up—yet committed to showing up anyway. What unfolds is a calm, empathetic reflection on power, escalation, grief, and the complicated emotions that surface when authority and humanity collide.

Drawing from personal experience—including years spent in the DC area and her intimate experience as a law enforcement wife—Lara explores why training, discernment, and restraint matter, and why empathy doesn’t require silence or extremism.

The episode closes with a note of hope, inspired by Michelle Obama’s recent conversation on Call Her Daddy: a reminder that progress isn’t finished, but we are not starting from zero—and that new ideas and new leaders matter.

Listeners are also offered one simple, tangible action step for those feeling helpless in the current climate: directly contacting elected officials through their official websites.

This episode isn’t about politics or having the perfect words.
It’s about being honest, staying human, and choosing calm over cruelty.

In Episode 7, Lara sits down with her therapist, Kelly Quarles, for a real-life look at what healing can actually feel like—messy, layered, hopeful, and very human. Kelly shares her path from journalism to trauma therapy, why she believes trauma isn’t only “big T” events, and how therapy can help when your world flips upside down.

Together, they revisit Lara’s early days in therapy after a major life upheaval—grieving the loss of the life she thought she had, the friendships that fell apart, and a future dream (including the possibility of another baby) that suddenly felt out of reach. Kelly names what Lara was carrying: complex grief, stacked in layers, and validates that “being strong” doesn’t mean rushing past sadness.

They also get practical about mental health support: Lara opens up about antidepressants, a tough attempt to taper off, and how medication can be a powerful tool to “turn the volume down” enough to do the deeper work.

The conversation closes on growth—Lara’s breakthroughs, new parts of her personality emerging, and even the “fun” healing goals (a tattoo, touching a snake, and skydiving… two out of three so far). They also touch on parenting, why men need therapy, and why therapy can be useful even when you’re not in crisis—and healing isn’t a straight line.

Book your appointment in Mt. Pleasant or Charleston, SC, with Kelly's team at, https://guidedhealingclinicaltherapy.com/.

Lara’s first guest is here—her personal trainer, Lauren Michi—and this episode is equal parts funny, real, and motivating. They talk about what training looks like in midlife, how the right trainer becomes a trusted person (aka “gym therapy”), and why strength training matters more than ever.

Lara shares her 2025 injury story: a fall that shattered and dislocated her left elbow, surgery, months of recovery, and the moment she decided to stop settling for “functional” and start rebuilding real strength. Lauren breaks down how injuries create imbalance, how to train safely around limitations, and why the scale isn’t the best measure of progress—especially for women navigating perimenopause.

They also touch on fitness and diet trends (weighted vests, no-carb confusion, protein obsession, GLP-1s and protecting muscle mass), and wrap with a Charleston spotlight on Forge: a clean, contract-free, 24/7 private gym with capped membership and a welcoming setup for strength and functional training.

Check out more info that Lauren recommends on weighted vests:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/what-are-the-benefits-of-walking-with-a-weighted-vest

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/should-you-walk-with-weighted-vest

In Episode 5 of Midlife Mess, Lara digs into why astrology resonates so deeply in midlife—especially when identity, emotions, and life roles start shifting. Prompted by social media chatter about 2025 being the Year of the Snake and 2026 being the Year of the Horse, she explores how the Chinese zodiac connects (and differs) from Western astrology, and why both can be useful tools for meaning-making during seasons of change.

Lara breaks down the basics of a birth chart—how your sun, moon, and rising signs work together—and offers a memorable “house” metaphor: your rising sign is the curb appeal, your sun sign is how the house functions, and your moon sign is what it feels like inside at night. She explains how midlife often brings a collision between these layers: how you’ve been functioning, who you said you were, and what you actually need now. Using her own chart (Aries rising, Cancer sun, Scorpio moon), she shares how this framework helped her understand boundaries, emotional truth, and the shift from surviving quietly to living honestly.

The episode closes by tying the “snake-to-horse” transition into a broader message: 2025 as internal shedding and emotional excavation, and 2026 as outward movement and decisive action—a powerful invitation to align your life with what’s real and nourishing now.

In this shorter, more casual holiday episode, Lara shares a cozy midlife New Year’s mindset—lower expectations, more peace, and zero pressure to “eventize” the night. After a full house at Christmas (family, kids, and pets included), she reflects on how her relationship with holidays has shifted in midlife: less chasing the perfect moment, more grace for quiet, comfy celebrations (but still with something bubbly).

Lara also answers listener questions—starting with why she’s back on the dating apps. A “let’s go fishing” girls’ weekend outside Charleston turns into a humorous experiment in boundaries when she runs into a familiar character from earlier episodes: the infamous “werewolf” guy. This time, Lara shows up differently—more self-assured, clearer on what she won’t tolerate, and uninterested in educating grown men who want to turn a romantic relationship into a mommy-son dynamic.

The heart of the episode is Lara’s long-awaited Christmas parade story: a tense public confrontation sparked simply by her standing—and dancing with her young daughter—while waiting for the parade to arrive. What begins as petty entitlement escalates into a triggering moment tied to body-image sensitivity, feeling “othered,” and the deeper wound of middle-school bullying. Lara unpacks how her reaction, her mom’s discomfort (especially with her using the F-word in public), and her therapist’s validation helped her connect past and present—and ultimately claim a new boundary: she’s done sitting down and shutting up.

She closes with encouragement for listeners to do New Year’s their own way, plus a quick podcast update: The Midlife Mess Podcast is now on Facebook, and she invites everyone to follow, share, and leave reviews as the show heads into 2026.

In this deeply honest and often hilarious episode, Lara opens up about what it’s really like to date in midlife—for the first time. After two marriages and a late start in the dating world, she shares the lessons she’s learned over the past five years navigating online dating, shifting expectations, and her own evolving sense of self.

Lara walks listeners through the good (clarity, honesty, emotional depth, and unexpected confidence boosts), the bad (misaligned life stages, Peter Pan syndrome, online dating fatigue, and wildly different relationship goals), and the ugly—including ghosting, cheaters, ethically non-monogamous surprises, and why Facebook groups like Are We Dating the Same Guy? even exist.

Along the way, she reflects on body image, trauma-informed attraction, sex “rules,” trusting your gut, and why women today are no longer willing to be expendable in relationships. The episode wraps with hard-earned dating wisdom, unapologetic expectations, and a blunt—but loving—PSA for men in the online dating pool.

Raw, funny, reflective, and validating, this episode sets the tone for Midlife Mess: real conversations, no pretending, and learning how to be your best mess—together.