Message In The Middle
Finding Meaningful Messages in Midlife -
Let's Navigate, Grow, and Thrive Together
Recent Episodes
215
June 19, 2026
Alli O'Malley on the Hidden Face of Abuse and the Truth About Recovery
Sometimes the hardest experiences to recognize are the ones we are living through. Many women think intimate partner violence only looks one way. They picture obvious warning signs, visible injuries, or situations that seem dramatically different from their own. But what happens when the harm is subtle? When it shows up as constant self-doubt, walking on eggshells, losing trust in your own instincts, or slowly becoming someone you no longer recognize? In this powerful conversation, Marianne s...
214
June 12, 2026
From Broken to the Big Stage: Scott Scovill on Fear of Failure and Reinvention
What if the thing standing between you and the life you still want isn’t talent, timing, or confidence—but tenacity? In this episode of Message in the Middle , Marianne sits down with entrepreneur, creative director, and auth...
213
June 5, 2026
The Identity Gap: Who You Were vs. Who You’re Becoming with Dr. Sarah Andreas
There’s a moment in midlife that many women recognize, even if they’ve never had the language for it. You’re no longer who you used to be… but you’re not fully who you’re becoming either. In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with Dr. Sarah Andreas, artist, educator, and author of Step Into the Ether, to explore what she calls the identity gap. That in-between space where old identities begin to fall away and something new is quietly forming. Together, they unpack: &nbs...
212
May 29, 2026
You Don’t Have to Change Everything to Change Your Life | Michele Kehrer on Clarity, Resilience, and Brave Shifts
What if the answer isn’t to change everything… but to change just a few things that change everything? In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with Dr. Michele Kehrer, business growth coach, entrepreneur, and four-time cancer survivor, to explore what it really means to find clarity in the middle of chaos. After building and selling a successful physical therapy practice in downtown Chicago, Michele now helps overwhelmed entrepreneurs and midlife women step out of constan...
211
May 22, 2026
Why You Still Feel Stuck (Even After Doing the Work) | Somatic Healing with Melanie Smithson
There’s a moment many women reach in midlife where they realize something frustrating… They’ve done the work. They understand their patterns. They’ve processed their experiences. They can talk about their past with clarity and insight. And yet, something still feels stuck. In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with somatic psychotherapist and author Melanie Smithson to explore why insight alone doesn’t always create the healing we’re looking for—and what might be missin...
210
May 15, 2026
It’s Not Too Late to Change Your Life: Debbie Weiss on Letting Go of the Victim Mindset
What happens when you wake up one day and realize your life doesn’t look the way you thought it would? In this episode of Message in the Middle , Marianne sits down with Debbie Weiss, best-selling author, speaker, and host of...
209
May 8, 2026
The Real Reason You React The Way You Do In Relationships (And How to Change It)
In this episode of Message in the Middle , Marianne sits down with therapist, relationships coach, and emotional safety expert Diane McDowell to explore a powerful reframe: What if the challenges in your relationships aren’t ...
208
May 1, 2026
The Relationship That Changes Everything: Learning to Show Up for Yourself in Midlife
What does it actually mean to be in a good relationship with yourself? Not the version you perform for the world. Not the one built on how much you get done or how little you ask for. The one underneath all of that. The one t...
207
April 25, 2026
Stuck in the Same Patterns? How to Work with Your Subconscious Instead of Fighting It
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Why do I keep doing this?” or “Why can’t I just change this pattern?” Then this episode is for you. Because the truth is, most of us aren’t stuck because we’re broken. We’re stuck bec...
Recent Blog Posts
May 18, 2025
Embracing Your Second Act with Shannon Russell
If you’re like many women I talk to, you might feel like you’ve spent the first half of your life checking all the boxes, doing all the things. Career, family, helping with your aging parents, responsibility after responsibility, a…
April 28, 2025
Can We Really Have It All? A Candid Conversation About Burnout and Balance with Dr. Denise Brown
What if the path to a more fulfilling life didn’t require running yourself into the ground first?In this week’s episode of Message in the Middle, I sat down with Dr. Denise Brown—Stanford-trained physician, former CEO, strategic …
April 21, 2025
Creating Safer Spaces: How to Help Your Loved Ones Age in Place with Confidence
As our loved ones get older, many of them express a strong desire to stay in the homes they know and love—but that doesn’t mean those spaces are ready to support them as they age. From fall risks to poor lighting and tricky stairs, the h…