Podcast - Second Act Sessions Podcast

Podcast Episodes

No More Chasing Skinny: What Women Over 40 Need to Know About Staying Healthy

What does it really mean to be healthy in midlife — and are we focusing on the right things?

In this episode of Second Act Sessions, Stephanie sits down with health ...coach, educator, and midlife wellness advocate Kristina Ganow for a practical conversation about what women over 40 can do now to build strength, support their metabolic health, and protect their health for the decades ahead.

After losing 70 pounds and rebuilding her own health, strength, and confidence, Kristina realized that being smaller didn’t necessarily mean being stronger or healthier. Her experience changed the way she viewed fitness, shifting the focus from chasing skinny to building muscle, strength, mobility, and a body capable of supporting the life she wants to live.

Today, as an independent coach with Trilivy Health, Kristina helps others work toward their health and weight-management goals through personalized coaching, nutrition, and sustainable lifestyle habits.

Stephanie and Kristina talk about why strength training becomes increasingly important in midlife, what happens to our muscle and metabolism as we age, how menopause can change the equation, protein and nutrition, preventing injury, sustainable weight loss, GLP-1s, and the simple habits women can start implementing now.

Because the goal isn’t just to weigh less. It’s to feel strong, stay active, protect your independence, and build a healthy body that can carry you through your second act — and beyond.

Connect with Kristina Ganow

To learn more about Kristina Ganow and her approach to metabolic health, weight management, and sustainable wellness, follow her on Instagram @coachkristinagetsfit or explore her coaching services through Trilivy Health.

For additional resources, visit the Metabolic Health Institute or learn more about the Metabolic Scan.

If you enjoyed this episode, I would be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who could use this conversation too. Your support helps more women discover Second Act Sessions and join this growing community.Show More

No More Chasing Skinny: What Women Over 40 Need to Know About Staying Healthy

What does it really mean to be healthy in midlife — and are we ...

Marriage in Midlife: Is a Second Act Possible?

Two weeks ago on Second Act Sessions, Pastor Todd Willard joined me ...

Two weeks ago on Second Act Sessions, Pastor Todd Willard joined me for an important conversation about divorce—what the Bible actually says, God’s design for marriage, and how we navigate ...the difficult realities of broken relationships through the lens of Scripture.

This week, we’re continuing that conversation from a different perspective.

What if your second act doesn’t mean leaving your marriage and starting over?

What if your second act happens within the marriage you’ve already built?

Midlife can bring enormous shifts to a relationship. The kids grow up. The house gets quieter. Careers change. Priorities change. We change. And sometimes couples who have spent decades building a life together suddenly look at one another and wonder: Who are we now? What happened to us? And can we find our way back to each other?

In this episode, I’m joined by Bob Donovan, a professional certified life coach with more than 30 years of experience in human resources, along with years of ministry experience at Black Rock Church in Fairfield, Connecticut. Throughout his career, Bob has worked closely with individuals and couples navigating relationships, major life transitions, and difficult seasons within marriage.

We talk about what it really means to have a “second act” in your marriage and whether rebuilding is simply about fixing what went wrong—or intentionally creating something new together.

Bob shares some of the most common struggles he sees in couples, particularly during midlife and the empty-nest years, the signs that a marriage may be becoming disconnected, and the practical steps couples can take to begin finding their way back to one another.

We also talk about the role faith can play in healing and strengthening a marriage, what it looks like to invite God into your relationship in everyday life, and how Christian couples can approach seasons when their marriage—or even their faith—feels distant.

And for anyone wondering whether too much damage has already been done, we talk about where to begin when things feel especially hard and what it takes for two people to move forward with greater intention, connection, and hope.

Because a second act doesn’t always mean starting over with someone new. Sometimes, it means beginning again together. And sometimes, it means choosing each other again.

To learn more about Bob, his coaching services, and the work he does with individuals and couples, visit his website at https://www.twotencoaching.com or connect with him on Instagram and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/share/1MA66eH1Kv/?mibextid=wwXIfr and https://www.instagram.com/bdsandcastles?stkn=dXpyaGNnbmgyaXh0.

If you enjoyed this episode, I would be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who could use this conversation too. Your support helps more women discover Second Act Sessions and join this growing community.Show More

Broken Vows: A Biblical Conversation About Divorce with My Pastor

This season on Second Act Sessions, we’ve been talking a lot about ...

This season on Second Act Sessions, we’ve been talking a lot about what it means to navigate midlife and all of the transitions that can come with it. And one ...of the topics we’ve continued to come back to is divorce.

We’ve talked about divorce from different perspectives, but for this episode, I wanted to have a conversation about it specifically through the lens of faith.

Divorce can be one of the most painful and confusing experiences to navigate—especially as a Christian. What does the Bible actually say about divorce? Does God ever permit it? What about situations involving infidelity, abandonment, abuse, or an unbelieving spouse? And how do we separate biblical truth from the shame and judgment that can sometimes surround divorce within Christian culture?

In this episode, I sit down with my pastor, Pastor Todd Willard, for an honest, grace-filled conversation about marriage and divorce through a biblical lens. Todd and I have talked about this topic numerous times, and I wanted to bring that conversation to Second Act Sessions to help anyone who may be wrestling with these same questions.

Together, we explore God’s design for marriage, why marriage is worth fighting for, what Scripture teaches about divorce, and how Christians can navigate circumstances where a marriage may no longer be healthy or safe.

We also talk about the guilt many divorced Christians carry, whether divorce means you have failed God, forgiveness, healing, and what it looks like to trust God with your life after a marriage ends.

Whether you’re contemplating divorce, walking through one, rebuilding afterward, or simply trying to better understand what Scripture teaches, my hope is that this conversation offers biblical truth, clarity, compassion, and hope.

Because divorce may be the end of a marriage, but it does not have to be the end of your story.

To learn more about Pastor Todd Willard or to connect with him, visit https://www.firstchurch.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/share/1DP4AHKXQa/?mibextid=wwXIfr.

If you enjoyed this episode, I would be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who could use this conversation too. Your support helps more women discover Second Act Sessions and join this growing community.Show More

How Do You Know When It's Time to Reinvent Your Life?

What happens when the life you've worked so hard to build no longer ...

When Faith Meets Fear: An Honest Conversation About Anxiety

What if the season you feared the most was actually preparing you for ...

The Story Behind the Novel Forty Love: Midlife Reinvention and New Beginnings

What if midlife wasn’t about slowing down… but opening up? In this ...

Navigating Midlife: What I'm Learning Along the Way

Have you ever looked at your life in midlife and thought, This isn’t ...

Style in Your Second Act: Dressing for the Life You're Living Now

What happens when your closet no longer fits your life? In this ...

Healing After Divorce: What I Learned Along the Way

This season on Second Act Sessions, we’ve been talking a lot about ...

Divorce in Midlife: What I Wish More Women Knew

Divorce in midlife carries a different weight. By the time you reach ...

Divorce in midlife carries a different weight.

By the time you reach your 40s or 50s, you’re not just untangling emotions — you’re untangling retirement accounts, shared investments, homes, businesses, and ...years — sometimes decades — of financial and personal history. The decisions made during this season can shape not only the present, but your long-term stability and future security.

In this episode of Second Act Sessions, Stephanie sits down with nationally recognized family law attorney, entrepreneur, and author Jill Coil for an honest and empowering conversation about navigating divorce with greater clarity, preparation, and understanding.

Jill is the founder of CoilLaw, co-founder of Moxie Law Group, and author of No One Dies from Divorce. Through her work, she has helped thousands of individuals navigate the legal, financial, and emotional realities of divorce while helping women feel more informed and less overwhelmed by the process.

Together, Stephanie and Jill discuss many of the questions women often don’t know to ask until they’re already in the middle of it all — from filing first, mediation, and no-fault divorce laws to financial preparation, legal fees, retirement accounts, long-term security, and protecting yourself emotionally and financially during major life transitions.

This episode isn’t about encouraging divorce. It’s about education, awareness, and helping women feel more equipped to navigate one of life’s hardest seasons with wisdom instead of fear.

For more information about Jill Coil and her work, visit https://coillaw.com/ or and connect with her on Instagram at @jillcoil.

This episode also includes a special sponsor mention from Revelation Candle — Stephanie’s favorite faith-based candle company. As each clean-burning candle melts, a hidden Bible verse is revealed in the wax, creating a beautiful reminder of faith, hope, and encouragement.

Shop Revelation Candle at https://revelationcandle.com and use code STEPH15 at checkout for 15% off your order.

Be sure to follow and subscribe to Second Act Sessions wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us for an inspiring new season of honest conversations and meaningful second acts.Show More

The Story Behind Second Act Sessions

Season Two of Second Act Sessions begins with a personal solo episode ...

Second Act Sessions Trailer

Second Act Sessions is a biweekly podcast for women navigating midlife ...